Free Republic

Ric Williamson, a former state legislator and longtime pal of Gov. Rick Perry, runs the monthly meetings of the Texas Transportation Commission like a traffic cop. Staff members give brisk status reports before Williamson dismisses them so the next bureaucrat can take the podium. If members of the public embark on a diatribe, Williamson will let them prattle on with an air of friendly indulgence. Then, rounding his shoulders and leaning forward—using body language no doubt perfected when he and Perry were freshmen state representatives harrying their elders—he’ll pleasantly announce that their time is up. As commission chairman, Williamson sits...

As TxDOT monitors weather conditions to determine whether to put crews on standby, it has new considerations this winter. De-icing roads in any inclement weather now includes more than 20 miles of new toll roads, much of which is elevated. "We're interested in seeing how drivers react to icy conditions on these new sets of roads. We're keeping an eye on how driving patterns are in bad weather," Marcus Cooper with TxDOT said. TxDOT'S Central District office will be checking weather conditions in an 11-county area around Austin. Speaking of toll roads, people who are driving on sections of the...