Commuter 'Hot Spot' in Dallas Demonstrates Need for Federal Highway Funding, Says AAA; Motorists Asked to Join Grass-Roots Effort Urging Congress to Act

IRVING, Texas--Feb. 1, 20054, 2005--AAA Texas and the national office of AAA today urged Congress to pass the federal transportation funding reauthorization bill soon so that key traffic bottlenecks -- including the Mixmaster in Dallas -- can be fixed.

The federal transportation bill has been awaiting Congressional approval for almost two years while traffic continues to grow worse and fixes are delayed because of the lack of funding. Ten commuter "hot spots" cited by AAA represent some of the worst nationwide traffic conditions that would be alleviated by passage of the bill, including the Mixmaster interchange of the I-35 and I-30 highways on the west edge of downtown Dallas.

"Texas traffic is being squeezed by a healthy economy and a growing population that travels an increasing number of miles each year," said AAA Texas spokeswoman Rose Rougeau. "At the same time our traffic problems are accelerating, the solutions are stalled because approval of the federal transportation funding bill has been delayed since 2003."

The Mixmaster interchange carries more than 200,000 vehicles per day and on average days, bumper-to-bumper traffic is evident for more than six hours on the two freeways. Speeds average approximately 20 miles per hour. Plans call for the entire interchange to be redesigned and rebuilt to improve safety and traffic flow.

"We want our members and all commuters to be aware that for every day this reauthorization bill is delayed, local transportation projects get further behind -- eroding our quality of life and economic potential," Rougeau said. "We urge anyone who is interested in this important issue to visit www.aaapublicaffairs.com and click on Legislative Alert to obtain instant contact information for their local members of Congress so they can e-mail, write or phone them."

AAA Texas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas' members benefit by the organization's roadside assistance service, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' Web site at www.aaa-texas.com.