Posted on 05/28/2007 1:14:37 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
The future of an interstate planned to run through Victoria appears murkier than ever.
Harris County, a key point along the proposed Interstate 69 route, pulled out of the I-69 Alliance in mid-May.
In an article in the May 15 Houston Chronicle, Bill Murphy and Rad Sallee wrote that Harris County pulled out of the I-69 Alliance after county commissioners decided too much was spent annually in membership costs. The county hopes that a bill in legislation right now is passed, because it would give them access to build a toll road as part of the Trans-Texas Corridor parallel to U.S. 59 on Texas Department of Transportation right of way.
Former Victoria County Judge Helen Walker, who represents the Port of Victoria and the city and county of Victoria on the alliance, said she did not know how Harris County pulling out of the alliance would affect the other 32 counties in the Alliance.
While she expressed her regret that Harris County had pulled out, Walker said she thinks Harris County feels that they can use a Regional Mobility Authority, an independent group that organizes, finances, designs and constructs transportation services, instead of remaining with the alliance.
Both Walker and Victoria County Judge Don Pozzi agreed that current legislation will be a key in how Harris County affects the rest of the Alliance. A two-year moratorium is being considered to further research the benefits of the Trans-Texas Corridor, which I-69 makes up a section of.
A representative with State Representative Geanie Morrison's office said that a two-year pause would give everyone a chance to see what's been going on statewide with the TTC. I-69 makes up the southern most branch of the TTC, which would run through U.S. Highway 59 from Victoria or U.S. Highway 77 from Victoria and go to the border with Mexico.
There are certain exemptions in the moratorium that would allow development to continue in parts of the state where communities wanted it, said the representative.
"I think until we see what the legislature does and until we see what the federal government does in their appropriations bill this year that any comment on the future of I-69 or TTC, either one would be premature," Morrison's representative said.
As well, last October Congressman Ron Paul wrote in his weekly online column about the government's plan to build a 10-lane megahighway or the "NAFTA Superhighway" from Mexico to Canada. The proposed road would displace landowners and businesses.
"I have no idea what the congressman's talking about," said Walker about Paul's megahighway from border to border. She explained, "Through the rural areas like Victoria and even more rural areas down the road, I don't think you're going to see that huge highway."
She said that a megahighway might work in metropolitan areas where traffic is denser, but was not necessary for rural areas.
No matter what, she said, "I think that there's no absolute doubt that Victoria needs an interstate quality highway very badly."
An interstate highway can carry heavier traffic and is divided for safety, she said. This is particularly important in the border area near Laredo where the traffic is heavy and there aren't even four lanes, she said.
"Certainly we all recognize the fact that there is a great need for improvement in transportation," Pozzi said.
County quits Alliance for I-69
Vote to withdraw from organization is unanimous
By BILL MURPHY
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to withdraw the county's membership in the Alliance for I-69 Texas, an organization that has supported converting U.S. 59 into an interstate highway.
"It's no longer an alliance for I-69," said County Judge Ed Emmett.
"It's an alliance for the Trans-Texas Corridor."
Emmett said the county joined the alliance to help build support for upgrading U.S. 59 to an interstate, not to promote building the Trans-Texas Corridor — a proposed network of toll roads, railways, and pipelines crisscrossing the state.
The I-69 Alliance now supports a corridor toll road, some of which would run parallel to U.S. 59.
John Thompson, I-69 Alliance chairman and Polk county judge, said he still favors converting the present road into an interstate through East Texas, with the toll road being used mainly by heavy trucks going long distances.
The vote on Emmett's motion to withdraw from the organization was unanimous.
Emmett became irked when the I-69 Alliance earlier this month asked Gov. Rick Perry to veto a state transportation bill because it includes a two-year moratorium on long-term contracts between the state and private firms to build and operate toll roads for profit.
The county wants the bill signed into law because another largely unrelated provision would empower the Harris County Toll Road Authority to build toll roads on Texas Department of Transportation right of way.
A TxDOT spokesman has declined to comment on the legislation or whether the department favors building a toll road or I-69.
Harris County this year paid a $50,000 membership fee to the alliance, a coalition of counties, towns, chambers of commerce and others.
It will ask the alliance to return more than two-thirds of this year's fees.
Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
BTTT
Ya know, if all the illegals would get deported we wouldn’t have the need for all these new roads.
whatta road #!
(/s)
Rick Perry, One RINO making more Demo voters than any one else in Texas. Tonight Mark White is smiling.
This road as proposed doesn’t come through Harris County. Why were they included in the first place?
bump.
US 59 does run through Harris County (Southwest Freeway and EastTex Freeway), but it is already Interstate quality.
This is about I-69.
Take a gander at the map, remember the part about using ‘existing right of way’ in the article above, and get back with me:
http://www.keeptexasmoving.org/global/myarea/siu/04.asp
Or perhaps you think they want to build it on the 146 or the 60/6/105 right of way?
Thanks for the ping!
This article is not at all clear about a route for a new highway called I-69. I read the part about Victoria, I-59 and highway 77. I don’t think they are going to use I-59 through the middle of Houston and widen it to be a part of the TTC. Harris County certainly would not have dropped out if that is what they are proposing.
You’re welcome.
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