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TXDOT PITCHES CORRIDOR IDEA TO EAST TEXANS
By ROY MAYNARD, Staff Writer, February 14, 2005
QUITMAN - Texas Department of Transportation officials are taking to the highways and byways to gather input from the public on the proposed $184 billion Trans Texas Corridor. On Monday night, officials took their presentation to Quitman.
"Our purpose here tonight is to present the project to the public, and in turn, get comments," Doug Booher, environmental manager for the Texas Turnpike Authority Division of TxDOT, told the crowd Monday - a similar crowd to ones that have averaged 100 residents.
The project is still in the initial study phase, he notes; nine potential northern routes have been identified for the first phase.
"Our next step is to compare and contract those routes, according to our evaluation criteria," said Booher.
Final federal approval is scheduled for spring 2006.
What makes the Trans Texas Corridor project unique is the financing system. The state would provide the land, but private firms would actually build the highways, in exchange for the right to collect tolls on them for as much as 50 years.
That's the aspect many East Texans wanted to discuss Monday night.
"A private company building it and charging a toll? I guess that's the wave of the future," said Jim Richards of Mineola. "I think it's a good idea."
Yantis resident Victoria Settle agreed up to a point.
"Overall, it's good," she said. "But some of the elements might not be so good. There are safety issues with the trains and trucks coming out of Mexico. I hope those will be addressed. And I hope they do a good job with the environmental impact study. A lot of the proposed routes are coming close to state parks and wildlife areas and bird sanctuaries."
Though some specifics of the planned mega-highway are controversial - farmers and ranchers oppose the envisioned width, while some communities along the state's current interstate highways oppose the route - the need for more roadway is clear, according to state Sen. Todd Staples, R-Palestine.
"The corridor concept is designed to meet critical transportation needs without raising the gas tax," he says. "It also is designed to meet the mobility crisis without diverting other needed transportation dollars."
The first phase of the project, a 300-mile stretch of tollway from San Antonio to Oklahoma border, would run parallel to Interstate 35. But the part of the project that will most affect East Texas, I-69, isn't far behind.
None of the nine proposed northern routes for the I-35 segment push very deep into East Texas. Still, serving as a new international artery, the Trans Texas Corridor would relieve pressure on other Texas highways, officials say. Without some sort of relief, forecasters note, Tyler and Smith County could soon see traffic problems like those in Dallas and Houston.
"Without a doubt, the Trans Texas Corridor will have an effect on this area," said Booher.
"It will interact with and be a part of the existing transportation structure."
Monday night's meeting was an open house.
Booher acknowledged that some have objected to the format, reasoning there's strength in numbers.
"But we feel an open house lends itself to one-on-one interaction with people," said Booher. "We can respond better to individual questions about the project. And by far, there have been more positive comments about the format than negative ones."
Ms. Settle was simply glad TxDOT was holding a comment-gathering meeting at all.
"The idea of coming to local communities for input is great," she said. "This is a big project. Everyone deserves a say on it."
A similar meeting will be held Tuesday night in Athens.
Roy Maynard covers county government and politics. He can be reached at 903.596.6291. e-mail: news@tylerpaper.com
Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
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This is a pro Trans-Texas Corridor ping list.
Please let me know by Freepmail if you want on or off the list.
"Without a doubt, the Trans Texas Corridor will have an effect on this area," said Booher.
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Yes, it will. It will screw over thousands of land-owners and help implement the regionalization of control grids in our country.
Resist this NWO bullshit idea wherever and whenever you can.