The Texas Transportation Commission is considering a road program that would allow cities and counties to voluntarily take over maintenance of local streets still designated as state highways, a move that could save the Texas Department of Transportation upwards of $165 million annually.

The commission, which is the governing board for TxDOT, first brought up the idea in June, but since then, communication between TxDOT and local municipalities has unraveled. Local governments got the impression that the program to turn over about 1,900 miles of TxDOT-maintained roads to cities and counties would be an unfunded mandate rather than a voluntary option.

Commissioners said that was not how the discussion started in June.

"This is a voluntary initiative," Commissioner Jeff Moseley said. "For some reason, that needs to be clearly stated."

Barton said that with 80,000 miles of road under TxDOT's control, the agency would like to see how it could better balance TxDOT's responsibilities with the cities and counties it partners with on projects. About 10,000 lane miles of non-freeway highways are in the state's 59 largest communities of populations of 50,000 or more. About 1,900 miles are up on a list for discussion, including 115 miles in Central Texas.

"If local communities could take those on, it would allow [TxDOT] to take $165 million to deploy for other needs in those communities," Barton said.

TxDOT Executive Director Phil Wilson said the agency will look at its next steps for developing the turn back program and how best to use that $165 million in local communities. Barton said it will be a collaborative and cooperative process with cities and counties.

"The goal would be that this would allow the department to build facilities to enhance the statewide system," Barton said. "It would allow [TxDOT] to take any money it doesn't spend on local roadways and reinvest in other improvements in those communities."

Of those 115 miles on the table for discussion in Central Texas, possible roads that local governments could take over maintenance include segments of North and South Lamar Boulevard, Parmer Lane, Capital of Texas Hwy. (Loop 360), Burnet Road, Koenig Lane, Manchaca Road, RM 620 and FM 2222. In Round Rock, segments of Mays Street, A.W. Grimes, RM 620 and Old Settlers Boulevard are on the table, as well as Parmer Lane in Cedar Park and numerous segments in Travis and Williamson counties.

Barton said benefits of local control include landscaping improvements, setting speed limits, choosing where to put curb cuts for pedestrian access or having parades. Under TxDOT's control, municipalities have to submit a request to the agency for changes.

More than two dozen mayors, counties judges and municipal employees—although none from Central Texas—signed up to address the commission at its Aug. 29 meeting in Austin, indicating they would not support an unfunded mandate but would be open to starting the dialogue on a voluntary program.

Michael Morris, director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, which serves the greater Dallas-Fort Worth region, said that although some of the roads up for discussion should be turned over to local control, others shouldn't.

"The purpose of our roadways is changing," he said. "We're going from roadways where 90 percent of traffic was throughput and 10 percent was [to access] land use. Now you have situations where 5–10 percent is throughput and 90 percent is local land use. We need to reevaluate purpose of our roads."

Many speakers said they were pleased the commission will consider the program to be voluntary and that they would look forward to working with TxDOT on deciding which roads make sense under local control. Others said transparency is important for moving forward.

"Texas, along with cities and counties, really must step up to the plate and take care of our transportation needs," Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said.

Jeff Coyle, director of intergovernmental relations for the city of San Antonio, said staff is already working on a cost-benefit analysis of the roads TxDOT has recommended San Antonio take over.

"We need the ability to make that analysis for ourselves, and we need the ability for ourselves to say no," he said.