Posted: February 1st, 2008, 9:59pm PST
In the past few years, TxDOT as an agency has been asked to assist in some major emergency relief efforts. Between Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, TxDOT assistance of many kinds helped keep buses rolling out of Louisiana, and helped turn all Interstate lanes north and west from the Houston and Beaumont areas to assist in a massive evacuation. Lesser known was TxDOT's assistance in providing emergency fuel to volunteer fire departments around the state as they helped battle raging wildfires. And, since Governor Rick Perry last week declared 152 Texas counties as disaster areas because of wildfires, TxDOT is back in the fuel delivery business to help those brave men and women continue to their fight. To find out more about TxDOT's role in helping fight wildfires, I spoke with Randy Ralson, in the Tyler District maintenance office. Also this week in the Tyler District, construction crews plan to close Maji Road in Whitehouse; a public hearing on I-69/TTC is scheduled for Wednesday in Longview; and a brief editorial on driving safety.