Posted on 04/15/2005 10:23:54 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
MARSHALL – The U.S. House of Representatives has allotted $1.5 billion to build the Interstate 69 Trans-Texas Corridor project, and I-69 Alliance Chairman Robert Eckels believes the corridor will be built within the next 10 years.
Eckels, who is also Harris County judge, spoke Wednesday at an alliance meeting in Marshall. He said about $40 million has already been allotted to the project for this fiscal year to pay for design studies.
Texas legislators have also asked for an additional $55 million to be included the House Transportation Appropriations bill for the corridor. The U.S. Senate has not voted on the $1.5 billion plan approved by the House.
In an interview, Eckels said the state delegation and other officials are staying together on the project and have traveled to Washington, D.C. to present a united front.
"The message is, we need to stay together ... we are dependant on each other," to get the Trans-Texas built, he said.
Eckels said he foresees roadblocks to the project, such as financial pressure, environmental and toll issues.
"The road will not be built without tolls, absent a massive gas increase," Eckels said.
Eckels said although I-69 has been envisioned as 1,200 feet across – which includes six high-speed railroad tracks, four truck lanes, six high-speed car lanes and utility easements – he doesn't believe those routes will stay together when the Trans-Texas Corridor is finally built.
Regular vehicle traffic traveling through East Texas will stay on what is now U.S. 59, to be renamed "Regional 69," and truck traffic will be confined to the new road.
I-69 was envisioned as a transnational corridor between Mexico, the United States and Canada.
In Texas, the roadway will take four primary routes, but the majority of I-69 will run north-south from the Rio Grande Valley to Denison and from Laredo to Houston and then on to Texarkana.
From where I am typing it will be about 100' from my shop here in Indiana. Waiting for the real estate taxes to start to go up as soon as it goes through.
They must have a hard time keeping I-69 signs up.........
I could probably throw a stone to the I-69 route in Indiana from where I am sitting too.
It is possible they end of changing the name just due to that.
Anti-TTC Rally Date and Time Set (04.13.05)
CorridorWatch.org – REPRESENTING TEXANS IN 146 COUNTIES
AUSTIN ANTI-TTC RALLY SET FOR TUESDAY MAY 3RD
Citizens Against the Trans-Texas Corridor is working hard to organize a rally and march on the State Capitol in Austin. Their effort is supported by other toll and corridor opposition groups across the state, including CorridorWatch.org.
RALLY DATE: Tuesday, May 3, 2005
RALLY TIME: 10:00 am Check-In / 11:00 am Rally
RALLY PLACE: South Lawn of the Capitol
RALLY DRESS: Wear Yellow OR a Yellow T-Shirt over your street clothes
Buses are being leased to shuttle participants from as far away as Dallas.
Future updates will provide departure times and locations.
The rally coordinator is Heidi Ullrich, PO Box 168, Ledbetter, TX 78946 heidi@u-niqueevents.com 512.585.3110. Please contact Heidi to discuss the participation of your organization or to offer your assistance.
CorridorWatch.org along with many other groups from across Texas will join this effort. We encourage everyone with a concern about the TTC, toll conversion, or toll roads to join us.
Subscribe to the CorridorWatch.org newsletter and watch the website for updates.
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CITIZENS AGAINST THE TRANS-TEXAS CORRIDOR
This new organization will hold an informational meeting in LaGrange, Texas.
MEETING DATE: Thursday, April 28, 2005
MEETING TIME: 7:00 pm
MEETING PLACE: LaGrange City Hall, 155 E. Colorado
This meeting is not to discuss the pros and cons of the TTC – This group has already formed their opinion. This is an ACTION meeting, they will discuss the rally, legislator visits and other activities.
The CATTC contact is Heidi Ullrich, PO Box 168, Ledbetter, TX 78946 heidi@u-niqueevents.com 512.585.3110.
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MORE COUNTIES OFFICIALLY OPPOSE THE TTC!
CorridorWatch.org member reports add to our list of county Commissioners' Courts that have formally adopted a Resolution opposing the Trans-Texas Corridor:
Blanco County
Bosque County
Edwards County
Falls County
Fayette County
Gillespie County
Hill County
Kendall County
Kimble County
Lee County
Limestone County
McCulloch County
McLennan County
Mason County
Menard County
Navarro County
Real County
Wharton County
We are told that more counties are putting resolutions on their agenda for consideration.
Is your county on this list? If not, why not?
Samples of Resolutions already adopted:
http://www.corridorwatch.org/ttc/cw-wharton2004sept.htm
http://www.corridorwatch.org/ttc/cw-fayette2004may.htm
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PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO EVERYONE WHO OWNS LAND OR PAYS TAXES IN TEXAS!
David & Linda Stall
CorridorWatch.org
I was just about to say, start the Texas 69 jokes and comments.
Yes, what is your emergency?
I've had an accident at the intersection of I-69 with Bush Highway.........
Regular vehicle traffic traveling through East Texas will stay on what is now U.S. 59, to be renamed "Regional 69," and truck traffic will be confined to the new road.
Briefcase: Texas Transportation Commission names member of Trans-Texas Corridor Advisory Committee
The Texas Transportation Commission named K. Stephen Bonnette, senior vice president of Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc., a member of the Trans-Texas Corridor Advisory Committee.
...
Pape-Dawson engineer tapped to serve on Trans-Texas Corridor Advisory Committee (04/11/2005)
The Texas Transportation Commission selected Stephen Bonnette, an executive with Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc., to serve on the Trans-Texas Corridor Advisory Committee.
The committee will advise the Texas Department of Transportation on issues relating to the development of the corridor.
Gov. Rick Perry is proposing to develop 4,000 miles of new highways, railways and utility lines across the state. Once completed in 2014, it will serve as an alternative to Interstate Highway 35.
Bonnette is the only member from the San Antonio area selected to serve on the 21-member committee. He is a senior vice president at Pape-Dawson and a member of the San Antonio Mobility Coalition.
Pape-Dawson is the largest engineering firm in San Antonio. It specializes in civil engineering, environmental engineering, land development and transportation.
Members of the Texas Transportation Committee reviewed 251 applicants to make its final selections for the committee posts.
© 2005 American City Business Journals Inc.
Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
Thanks for the ping!
BTTT!!!!!!
"The road will not be built without tolls, absent a massive gas increase," Eckels said.
fine.
bring the gas tax increase on.
at least we will have some idea what we're paying for.
in contrast, the toll road is thievery. also, big brother cameras watch you.
Groan,....
If they're going to be using tax dollars, anyway, why toll the road? Just do it all the way from gas taxes...
I saw that also. Just keep in mind that tolling is simply a new method of collecting taxes. In the sick minds of Governor Perry and his buddies, I-69 is not looked at as a new and needed highway to be operated as efficiently as possible, rather it is simply looked at as an opportunity to impose more taxes, sorry - I meant user fees, on us.
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