Thanks to CAMPO

Dear Editor,
   I would like to express my appreciation to the CAMPO Transportation Policy Board for their decision to include the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority toll projects in the CAMPO 2030 Plan and the Transportation Improvement Program ["Divided CAMPO Says Yes to Toll Plan," News, July 16].
   This was neither an easy nor popular decision, but it was the right one. The toll-road plan is the most effective tool we have to combat the congestion that plagues our region, and the CAMPO board made the best of an improbable situation. CAMPO leaders will have time to perfect the plan as we progress, and the public will have opportunities to address specific concerns during the implementation process, but CAMPO's commitment allows our region to remain eligible for its share of the Texas Mobility Fund. Without this action, Central Texans would have languished in congestion for decades before traditional funding could catch up to our transportation needs.
   I commend the CAMPO board members who voted to approve this plan for their willingness to make an unpopular decision for the greater public good.