How it works in Texas:
1. Siphon off 47% of state fuel taxes for other non-road spending.
2. Promote a private tollway as the only way to build new capacity.
3. Private Firm #1 (PF1) underbids in building cost or over-estimates revenue and wins contract and state issues state bonds to help finance.
4. PF1 builds and starts toll road but then goes tango uniform bankrupt.
5. PF2 steps in, buys up the toll road at a steep discount, and then runs it at the old toll rates, which are now enough to finance the debt.
6. Taxpayers screwed hard about every step of the way.
How it works in Austin, TX:
1. Pay a consultant to determine how to manage traffic along Riverside Drive.
2. Get consultant's report that building peninsulas out from the curb to periodically NARROW the road is a great idea, and will have a "traffic calming" effect.
3. Ignore (or denounce and condemn) everyone who points out it's an ineffably dumb idea.
4. Let the contracts and build the peninsulas.
5. Discover(!) that not only are cars damaged by hitting these peninsulas, but bicycles are forced into traffic lanes and traffic actually backs up and is obstructed.
6. Pay more consultants to report that it really WAS a dumb idea.
7. Let new contracts to
remove the peninsulas.
8. Profit!