Posted on 03/21/2007 10:27:52 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
As the proposed implementation of a pilot cross-border trucking program draws near, another international trade corridor project is drawing heat from local residents in Texas.
The March 18 New York Times reported on the reactions of residents of the West Texas towns of Marfa and Alpine to a hearing held by the Texas Department of Transportation on the development of an official trade corridor, La Entrada al Pacifico, or “Gateway to the Pacific.” It would link the port of Topolobampo in Mexico’s Sinaloa state through Chihuahua to the U.S. market, via the border crossing at Presidio, Texas, and the oil cities of Midland and Odessa.
Concerns about increased traffic and pollution dominated criticism from residents, the Times reported, and Marfa Mayor Dave Lanman was quoted as saying, “They have the ability to chip away at it — a little piece here, a little piece there — and they think as the traffic increases the public will get used to it. ... They won’t remember when you’d pass just two or three cars for the 24 miles between Marfa and Alpine.”
Lanman said he thought current lane additions to the highway between Marfa and Alpine signaled the beginning of construction of La Entrada, which was signed into law in 1997 by then-Gov. George W. Bush. The bill designated a 260-mile route for the corridor between Lamesa and Presidio in Texas.
State officials deny any concrete overall plans at this point, though the first leg of the corridor -- a connector routing traffic around Midland, north of Marfa and Alpine -- received federal environmental-impact approval in 2005.
The project is promoted by the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance, a regional lobby similar in function to the North American Supercorridor Coalition -- the lobby on behalf of the I-35 corridor, often referred as the “NAFTA Superhighway.”
Plans for the Trans-Texas Corridor, two multimodal corridors to parallel I-35 and the future I-69, have been controversial for many reasons, ranging from environmental and trade concerns to not-in-my-backyard protests. The need for greatly expanded highways such as the Trans-Texas Corridor is driven at least partly by increased trade traffic through Mexico from Asia, as well as NAFTA trade.
The Presidio border crossing on the La Entrada corridor sees very little trade traffic in comparison with its busier neighbor, the El Paso crossing. A new highway expansion through to Topolobompo, already under construction in spots on the Mexican side of the border, is likely to increase truck traffic through Presidio. Rail elements of the corridor, a federally designated “high-priority corridor," are also being considered.
Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
BTTT
At taxpayers' expense, this "corridor" will provide the Chinese with a direct route from the port they operate at Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico. It would allow the Chinese to bring their shipping containers (atomic weapons, anyone?)straight through rural Texas and up to Kansas City before having to go through customs -- Mexican customs. That's right. In addition to invading our country with 20 million Fifth Columnists, the Mexicans would get their own Port of Entry in Kansas City. Who does this benefit?
If the liebrals through the MSM have convinced your average Texan the TTC is as "evil" as Rush Limbaugh is to them--
Then Texans are going to demand an $0.08 tax added upon every gallon of gas and diesel for the doubling of the size of the highways in Texas was needed five years ago.
An eight cent tax added upon fuel is the only way to get the roads Texas needs outside of the "eeeeeeeeevil" TTC!
"The need for greatly expanded highways such as the Trans-Texas Corridor is driven at least partly by increased trade traffic through Mexico from Asia, as well as NAFTA trade."
Translation: Columbia, Mexico and Asia are partners in drugs and need a superhighway to get their drugs, gangs, and illegals to be sold into slavery here.
gracias!
That, too. This is like sending the Japanese some nice, detailed maps of Pearl Harbor in November, 1941.
You got it, lady! And what are we doing about it? Believe it or not, I just sent my cell number to W and told him to call me about it!
The "Entrada al Pacifico" makes no sense economically.
bump.
Don't forget eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil tolls, eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevil redirecting of 9 cents per gallon being spent on schools and other things, and eeeeeeeeeeeeevil inflationary increases in the gas tax after the eeeeeeeeeeeeeevil eight cent increase.
De nada.
Start posting those Ads--whoops, I mean articles to raise the taxes to prevent foreigners from taking over Texas roads.
I would hope there are more than a few Patriots that see how nutty this idea is. I don't expect any Libertarian opposition, so lay off.
It will be cheaper in the long run than the cost of the tolls, not to mention the security sellout.
Look up Trojan Horse, might be a revealing discovery for you, since you seem to have no concept of sovereignty.
"The obstacles to a direct and efficient connection from the Pacific Coast of Mexico into West Texas are considerable."
Check out the map on post #5. It looks like there going to use the already existing railroad over the mountains and through Copper canyon.
Nuevo Tramo Carretero
A key component to the success of La Entrada al Pacifico has been the construction of the new roadway between Ojinaga and Chihuahua City. The new road bypasses the dangerous mountain terrain, allowing vehicles a much safer route while cutting travel time in half. Construction, as seen in the photos is in the final stages and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2003.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
