SAN ANTONIO – Texas Department of Transportation crews are hard at work on the access road of Loop 1604 doing some re-paving.
TxDOT is the agency most associated with keeping this state moving. But TxDOT does a lot more than build roads.
The agency also advertises, paying a lot of money to marketing companies, radio stations and lots of publications.
Last fiscal year, TxDOT spent more than $167,000 with the Houston Chronicle and more than $244,000 with the Dallas Morning News.
But the big money was with media and marketing firms: $2.2 million to Thompson Marketing, $3 million to Tuerff-Davis Enviromedia, another $3 million to Thinkstreet and a whopping $12 million to Sherry Matthews Advertising.
All told, one year's worth of TxDOT advertising: $23.1 million dollars.
Driver Theresa Vasquez said that is too much.
"They could have built a whole highway," Vasquez said. "They could have put a new overpass somewhere."
TxDOT spokeswoman Laura Lopez said federal dollars are used as well and the ads all promote safety.
"Safety is our No. 1 priority and we have to educate the public about several different campaigns that we have within the department: Buckle up," Lopez said.
She said this is just one of many safety campaigns.
Driver Al Garza said it is OK to promote safety.
"Especially with the 'Click it or Ticket' and the drinking and driving things," Garza said. "It's a great idea."
He is just not sure about how much money should be spent.