“We’ve never seen anything like this in our state’s history from the level of consumption of the highway system,” said Phil Wilson, director of the Texas Department of Transportation. He spoke during a state Senate committee hearing to explore a controversial plan to widen and apply an emulsified gravel surface to 83 miles of state-maintained roads.

Statewide, the highway system’s replacement and maintenance cost related to energy production is about $2 billion, according to a Texas Transportation Commission report released in December. Researchers estimated about $400 million of that cost is for immediate needs, a figure some officials believe is growing as more equipment tears up roads.

via Lawmakers look for energy road repair solutions – Houston Chronicle.