Sec. 201.613. ONE-STOP BORDER INSPECTION FACILITIES. (a) The department shall erect and maintain border inspection facilities along a major highway at or near a border crossing from Mexico in the Pharr, Laredo, and El Paso districts for the inspection of motor vehicles for compliance with federal and state commercial motor vehicle regulations.

(b) If a facility that serves a bridge that had more than 900,000 commercial border crossings during the state fiscal year ending August 31, 2002, is to be located in a municipality or a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, the municipality may choose the location of the facility within the municipality or the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. The municipality shall choose a location before the later of the 180th day after:

(1) the date the department makes a request for a location; or

(2) the effective date of the Act enacting this provision.

(c) One or more inspection facilities may be constructed in a municipality described by this section.

(d) In determining the location for a border inspection facility under Subsection (b), the municipality shall:

(1) obtain and pay for an independent study completed by a university that conducts transportation studies or any other entity that conducts transportation studies to identify commercial truck traffic patterns for the location at which the facility is to be located to ensure that the location has adequate capacity to conduct a sufficient number of meaningful vehicle safety inspections in compliance with 49 U.S.C. Section 13902;

(2) choose a location that does not impair the receipt of federal or state funds for implementation of this section;

(3) choose a location within one mile of an international border;

(4) choose a location within one mile of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection federal port of entry; and

(5) choose a location that provides a dedicated route for commercial vehicles coming from the federal port of entry to the state port of entry commercial vehicle inspection station.

(e) To the extent the department considers appropriate to expedite commerce, the department shall provide for implementation by the appropriate agencies of the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems for Commercial Vehicle Operations (ITS/CVO) in:

(1) any new commercial motor vehicle inspection facility constructed; and

(2) any existing facility to which this section applies.

(f) Implementation of systems under Subsection (e) must be based on the Texas ITS/CVO business plan prepared by the department, the Department of Public Safety, and the comptroller. The department shall coordinate with other state and federal transportation officials to develop interoperability standards for the systems.

(g) In implementing systems under Subsection (e) in the construction of a facility, the department to the greatest extent possible shall:

(1) enhance efficiency and reduce complexity for motor carriers by providing:

(A) a single point of contact between carriers and state and federal officials regulating the carriers; and

(B) a single point of information, available to wireless access, about federal and state regulatory and enforcement requirements;

(2) prevent duplication of state and federal procedures and locations for regulatory and enforcement activities, including consolidation of collection of applicable fees;

(3) link information systems of the department, the Department of Public Safety, the comptroller, and, to the extent possible, the United States Department of Transportation and other appropriate regulatory and enforcement entities; and

(4) take other necessary action to:

(A) facilitate the flow of commerce;

(B) assist federal interdiction efforts;

(C) protect the environment by reducing idling time of commercial motor vehicles at the facilities;

(D) prevent highway damage caused by overweight commercial motor vehicles; and

(E) seek federal funds to assist in the implementation of this section.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1527, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1275 (H.B. 3594), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.

Sec. 201.614. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM. (a) The department shall establish and administer a Safe Routes to School Program to distribute money received under the Hazard Elimination Program (23 U.S.C. Section 152), as amended, to political subdivisions for projects to improve safety in and around school areas. Projects eligible to receive money under this program may include:

(1) installation of new crosswalks and bike lanes;

(2) construction of multiuse trails;

(3) construction and replacement of sidewalks;

(4) implementation of traffic-calming programs in neighborhoods around schools; and

(5) construction of wide outside lanes to be used as bike routes.

(b) The department, in considering project proposals under this section, shall consider:

(1) the demonstrated need of the applicant;

(2) the potential of the proposal to reduce child injuries and fatalities;

(3) the potential of the proposal to encourage walking and bicycling among students;

(4) identification of safety hazards;

(5) identification of current and potential walking and bicycling routes to school; and

(6) support for the projects proposed by local school-based associations, traffic engineers, elected officials, law enforcement agencies, and school officials.

(c) The department may allocate money received by the department from the federal government under the Hazard Elimination Program (23 U.S.C. Section 152), as amended, to projects under this section.

(d) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1085, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.