The Sunset Advisory Commission, the quietly powerful Lege committee that can mean life or death for a state agency, has released its staff report on the Texas Depart­ment of Transportation, and it’s a pretty serious “could do better” moment for the agency.

The staff report highlights six key issues of concern, from management practice to contract allocation. But the theme throughout is the same: a lack of public accessibility and accountability. The big takeaway item is that they want the Texas Transportation Com­mis­sion to be disbanded and replaced by a single commissioner. They also want a new Transportation Legislative Oversight Com­mittee to be formed and given an oversight role over TxDOT. The committee would also be given the job of researching transportation, meaning it would no longer be up to TxDOT.

The message is clear: “Until trust in [TxDOT] is restored, the state cannot move forward to effectively meet its growing transportation needs.” That message is carried right through the recommendations, from setting better and more measurable benchmarks for projects to making their website clearer. Now it’s just a question of whether the legislators on Sunset pick up the sword that staff are offering them. See www.sunset.state.tx.us for the full staff report.

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This article appears in June 6 • 2008.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.