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The Texas Department of Transportation, or TxDOT, oversees Texas transportation and is headquartered in Austin. The Texas Legislature created the organization in 1917, although the agency has had several names throughout the past century.TxDOT is run by a five-member commission and an executive director selected by the commission. Commission members are appointed by the governor, with the advice of the Texas Senate, and serve overlapping six-year terms.The department is divided into 25 districts, each of which oversees construction and maintenance of state highways. Austin’s district includes Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Gillespie, Hays, Lee, Llano, Mason, Travis and Williamson counties.In Austin, the organization encompasses entities including Capital Metro; the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, known as CAMPO; the city’s transportation department; and the chamber of commerce. TxDOT organized the “Don’t Mess with Texas” anti-litter campaign, which began in 1986. Also, it runs the TxTag program, which bills drivers for highway tolls by scanning a sticker on the driver’s windshield at toll stations.

Here's Why The Best Wildflowers Grow Along Texas Highways

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From Texas Standard.

Every spring, wildflowers bring Texans and visitors alike out of their homes for all kinds of photo ops. It’s not uncommon to see dozens of cars parked along Texas highways as families pose in patches of bluebonnets.

Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson David Glessner says springtime excitement can also bring families close to speeding cars and onto medians, though, making for possibly dangerous situations.

“We do encourage people to be very careful. Safety is our top priority at TxDOT,” Glessner says. “While we do appreciate that everybody likes to enjoy the wildflowers, we ask that they pull over to a safe location and stay aware of their surroundings at all times.”

The fields of flowers along the roads are no accident. Since the mid-1930s, Glessner says, TxDOT has committed to preserving and promoting the growth of native wildflowers for Texans and visitors – these days, over 30,000 pounds of seeds are planted around growing season.

Mass planting gives the state thousands of beautiful bluebonnets and wildflowers, but TxDOT has discovered there are practical applications, too.

“Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they also provide ground cover, water conservation. They stabilize the soil and crowd out less desirable vegetation,” Glessner says.

The wildflowers also save the agency some money – to prolong the wildflowers, they’ll typically delay mowing the area.

Glessner says Texans should avoid trampling the wildflowers, including the beloved bluebonnets, while snapping their photos.

Written by Elizabeth Ucles.

Laura first joined the KUT team in April 2012. She now works for the statewide program Texas Standard as a reporter and producer. Laura came to KUT from the world of television news. She has worn many different hats as an anchor, reporter and producer at TV stations in Austin, Amarillo and Toledo, OH. Laura is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, a triathlete and enjoys travel, film and a good beer. She enjoys spending time with her husband and pets.
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