Success Stories: Texas

FHWA TE Project: Kleberg County, TX

Padre Island Land Acquistion

TE award: $3,250,000
Other funds: $704,000
Total cost: $4,220,000

The Padre Island National Seashore stretches along the gulf coast of Texas like a thin green ribbon. Encompassing 130,000 square acres, it is the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world. The fragile island ecosystem hosts coyotes, turtles, wildflowers, and incredible ocean views.

Thousands of migratory birds visit the island in the winter, and several varieties of endangered bird species live there year-round. Birds of all types are visible along Park Road 22, the rural, dirt road that provides access to the park for 800,000 visitors a year.

In 1996 the General Land Office of Texas and Kleberg County acquired approximately 5,000 acres of property along Park Road with the help of Transportation Enhancements funds. The acquisition secured the scenic views of ocean lagoons and expansive marsh grasses leading up to the National Seashore for the enjoyment of the public. Since the acquisition, bird watching along Park Road has become a tourist attraction in and of itself.

FHWA TE Project: Langtry, TX

Judge Roy Bean Visitor's Center

TE award: $140,560
Other funds: $28,112
Total cost: $168,672

"Hang 'em first, try 'em later," was the reputed mantra of Roy Bean, legendary judge for the town of Langtry in west Texas. Langtry sprang up as the railroad came through the area, and like many other railroad towns of the time, Langtry lacked in law and order. Judge Roy Bean was called into Langtry in the late 1800s to lay down the law. Operating out of his rickety saloon, he ruled Langtry with an iron fist as he dispensed liquor to the locals.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) preserved the legacy of this local legend through the creation of the Judge Roy Bean visitor center. The center interprets highlights of Judge Bean's career in six dioramas with special sound programs.

Located adjacent to the center are the saloon where Judge Bean meted out justice, and the "opera house," a rustic building where he made his home. In 1998, TxDOT completed a Transportation Enhancements (TE) funded rehabilitation of the center that included renovation of a historic boxcar and the "opera house" as well as creation of pedestrian trails linking the different attractions on the site.

FHWA TE Project: Port Isabel, TX

Port Isabel Lighthouse and Visitor's Center

TE award: $487,692
Other funds: $97,538
Total cost: $585,230

In the 1800s, ships moved frequently up and down the gulf coast of Texas, transporting goods between the southern states and Mexico. They often had difficulty navigating the low-lying coastline, especially around the southern tip of the state where the Rio Grande River empties into the ocean.

The Port Isabel lighthouse was erected in 1852 to guide mariners through this treacherous area. The lighthouse served its purpose for only a decade until it was damaged by Confederate troops during the civil war. When it reopened after the war, it soon became unnecessary as commercial shipping along the coast was eclipsed by the rise of rail transport.

The lighthouse went neglected until 1952 when the state of Texas made the tower and the bluff of land surrounding it into a state park. In the late 1990s, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, working with the city of Port Isabel, used Transportation Enhancements funds to completely renovate the lighthouse and to create an adjacent visitor's center. The restoration involved extensive metal casting and fabrication, masonry and structural repairs, and new coatings on the exterior of the tower.

The new visitor's center, designed to replicate the lighthouse keeper's cottage, provides information and exhibits about the history of the lighthouse and the surrounding area. The site draws more than 30,000 visitors a year, many of whom climb the 75 steps up the original iron staircase to enjoy a stunning view of the gulf coast.

FHWA TE Project: Statewide, TX

Historical Roadside Marker Restoration Program

The Texas Historical Commission (THC) is charged with protecting cultural and historic landmarks across the state. Part of that mission entails keeping historical signs and markers in good condition.

With the help of the TE program, the THC preserved nearly 1500 roadside markers that years of wear and tear had nearly transformed into artifacts. The THC used TE funds to re-etch and clean illegible markers and to create a comprehensive inventory database of all the markers in the state.

These rehabilitation efforts helped to preserve the markers for the benefit of local communities and travelers, and to ensure the protection of the markers in the future.