Texas House tentatively okays $3 billion annual boost for roads

The state Legislature is poised to give a multibillion-dollar annual boost to the cash-strapped Texas Department of Transportation, potentially allowing the state to at least draw even in the battle to maintain its highways. The House on Thursday voted 138-3 in favor of shifting more than $3 billion in existing revenue to nontoll roads. In March, the Senate approved a similar transportation enhancement of $2.5 billion or more each year. The House is expected to give final approval to its funding measure enabling legislation as soon as Friday. The House and Senate bills would then need reconciling. Read more at Dallas Morning News…