"I don’t see how the citizens of Cooke County can benefit from this corridor."
TxDOT announces TTC preferred corridor
Millions could be displaced by proposed highway
April 6 2006
Gainesville Daily Register
Copyright 2006
The 10-mile-wide swath is not the width of the road, corridor officials say, but the study area for places where the 1,200-foot wide road could be laid.
The TTC-35 tollway is an element of the Trans Texas Corridor, a proposed $184 billion web of thousands of miles of highways, service lanes, commuter rail lines, utilities portals, etc. Officials expect to complete most of the project by 2015.
Much of north central Texas would be affected by a proposed toll road stretching from Gainesville to Laredo, also affecting Denton, Ellis, Grayson and Dallas counties.
TTC-35 could take an estimated 2,800 acres in Cooke County, based on the 1,200-foot wide right-of-way.
Previous locations for a study area included areas in Western Cooke County. A former draft of an eastern route showed the tollway further to the east of Cooke County.
Gainesville City Manager Mike Land said there’s still much work to be done in studying the possible impact of the highway.
“We have to evaluate what the potential impact on the city,” he said. “Over the next few months we have the opportunity to do just that.”
He said though the roadway itself would be about 1,200 feet wide, it would be narrower in certain segments.
Precinct 2 Cooke County Commissioner Bill Cox said he prefers the tollway built in Cooke County rather than elsewhere.
“I’m In favor of it. I think it would allow us to grow,” Cox said. “You’re always concerned about your interests, and in getting on and off the road. As long as our residents could get on and off, I’m for it.”
Cox said he plans to attend more planning meetings for TTC-35.
“You know, growth is coming to Cooke County,” he said. “We don’t want the county to grow too quickly, but we should be prepared for it.”
Precinct 1 Cooke County Commissioner Gary Hollowell said he is in opposition to the plan as it stands now.
“I don’t see how the citizens of Cooke County can benefit from this corridor,” he said. “In some cases it will affect land that has been in families for generations. It’s going to remove property from tax rolls in my understanding. Today, there’s no revenues to be gained as far as the county is concerned.”
Hollowell continued: “It’s my understanding it’s going to be a limited-access thoroughfare. So the local businesses would not benefit.”
Charles Holloway, superintendent of the Callisburg ISD, said taxpayers in his district should not be alarmed at this point, but on the other hand should begin to educate themselves so they can give informative input to the state.
“Looking at the plan right now it would have a direct effect on our school system,” he said. “... But it’s one of those things that’s probably needed. Just look at the last few days’ worth of accidents.”
He added: “My concern, and my action as superintendent, is we’re going to follow closely and we’re going to monitor it.”
Tommy Tucker, principal and superintendent of the Walnut Bend School, said the preferred route is a little to the north of his district and wouldn’t affect his school much, as long as there were access under the tollway.
“It’s not going to be where we’ll have all these new eating businesses and gas stations along it. So from a business aspect I don’t see an advantage,” he said. “On the other hand, it may not have much of a deficit, because it includes people who aren’t going to be stopping anyway.”
He said a major disadvantage to the plan would be the disruption of the rural surroundings of the area.
County Judge Bill Freeman said its still early in the game. He said the pros and cons are still being debated about the tollway, but he remains skeptical of its effects on agriculture.
“I’m concerned about a right-of-way that would come through the county and take farms and ranches, and any of the tax base of the county,” he said. “It’s not going to happen in my time, but its certainly something everyone is going to have to get together on.”
In previous community input meetings on the project Cooke County residents expressed concern that there would be few underpasses or entrance or exit ramps, which may divide the county.
Pat Peale, Lake Kiowa resident and political activist, said she has been involved in monitoring the project since she first heard of it.
“About 8 years ago or so, the North Dallas Tollway Commission was being formed. I spoke to Sen. (Tom) Haywood and expressed the desire for Cooke County to be represented on the Commission, maybe not as a voting member, but having a presence so that we could have a voice in what might be coming this way. At the time the legislature was forming the commission, and it was easier to put Cooke County on the Commission than to try and do it later.
“I spoke to commissioners (Richard) Brown, (Virgil) Hess and (Jerry) Lewis. They were not interested. One of the Commissioners commented ‘We will never see it in our lifetime!’”
“Well, here it is our lifetime, and it is happening. We could have been there at the beginning and had a voice. I hope we have a voice now!”
She said as far as the highway possibly enveloping Lake Kiowa, there could be serious eminent domain problems.
“We missed the chance on Lake Ray Roberts and economic development,” Peale continued. “This can be a plus for the County, but it may also have its drawbacks if we don’t get in there and be a part.”
According to the Associated Press, about half of those in an proposed study area are racial minorities, and nearly a quarter are below the poverty level, according to a 4,000-page draft environmental study by the Federal Highway Administration released this week.
Many rural farmers worried about losing large chunks of land have opposed the plan. If the corridor is 1,200 feet wide in some areas as planned, a farmer could lose as much as 146 acres per mile, according a statement from the Texas Farm Bureau.
The federal impact study reports the 521-mile tollway could impact the home of 46 plants or animals named on threatened or endangered species lists.
Thirteen square miles of parks could be affected, in addition.
In 2004, Spanish consortium Cintra-Zachary signed a $3.5 million project development agreement with the state to help plan the corridor.
About 50 public hearings are scheduled to give residents a closer look at the new, prefered study area plan.
The Trans-Texas Cooridor Web site, KeepTexasMoving.com, placed increased highway transportation options as a “need.”
The site said: “The current population of our state is about 22 million. By 2030, forecasters predict we’ll have as many as 36 million people who live, work and drive in Texas. The majority will move to our urban areas, where we simply cannot expand our existing highway system fast enough to accommodate transportation demands (Some cities will need 16-lane highways or more to adequately meet their needs).
“Often, where limited room is available for expansion, the costs to purchase and relocate businesses and homes have skyrocketed. In short, the current system of building and funding roads will not meet Texas’ needs 25 or 50 years from now. It will take new solutions.”
The Web site CooridorWatch.org opposes the project.
“The singular focus of the Corridor plan is to build corridors that connect regions of the state intentionally bypassing urban centers. Those metropolitan areas are left to deal with their own traffic and mobility problems, including access to the Corridor. Since our large cities are the traffic generators the Corridor will offer little if any relief,” the site said.
On the Net:
For a map of the prefered study area, see: www.corridorwatch.org
© 2006 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. www.gainesvilleregister.com
Millions could be displaced by proposed highway
April 6 2006
Gainesville Daily Register
Copyright 2006
The 10-mile-wide swath is not the width of the road, corridor officials say, but the study area for places where the 1,200-foot wide road could be laid.
The TTC-35 tollway is an element of the Trans Texas Corridor, a proposed $184 billion web of thousands of miles of highways, service lanes, commuter rail lines, utilities portals, etc. Officials expect to complete most of the project by 2015.
Much of north central Texas would be affected by a proposed toll road stretching from Gainesville to Laredo, also affecting Denton, Ellis, Grayson and Dallas counties.
TTC-35 could take an estimated 2,800 acres in Cooke County, based on the 1,200-foot wide right-of-way.
Previous locations for a study area included areas in Western Cooke County. A former draft of an eastern route showed the tollway further to the east of Cooke County.
Gainesville City Manager Mike Land said there’s still much work to be done in studying the possible impact of the highway.
“We have to evaluate what the potential impact on the city,” he said. “Over the next few months we have the opportunity to do just that.”
He said though the roadway itself would be about 1,200 feet wide, it would be narrower in certain segments.
Precinct 2 Cooke County Commissioner Bill Cox said he prefers the tollway built in Cooke County rather than elsewhere.
“I’m In favor of it. I think it would allow us to grow,” Cox said. “You’re always concerned about your interests, and in getting on and off the road. As long as our residents could get on and off, I’m for it.”
Cox said he plans to attend more planning meetings for TTC-35.
“You know, growth is coming to Cooke County,” he said. “We don’t want the county to grow too quickly, but we should be prepared for it.”
Precinct 1 Cooke County Commissioner Gary Hollowell said he is in opposition to the plan as it stands now.
“I don’t see how the citizens of Cooke County can benefit from this corridor,” he said. “In some cases it will affect land that has been in families for generations. It’s going to remove property from tax rolls in my understanding. Today, there’s no revenues to be gained as far as the county is concerned.”
Hollowell continued: “It’s my understanding it’s going to be a limited-access thoroughfare. So the local businesses would not benefit.”
Charles Holloway, superintendent of the Callisburg ISD, said taxpayers in his district should not be alarmed at this point, but on the other hand should begin to educate themselves so they can give informative input to the state.
“Looking at the plan right now it would have a direct effect on our school system,” he said. “... But it’s one of those things that’s probably needed. Just look at the last few days’ worth of accidents.”
He added: “My concern, and my action as superintendent, is we’re going to follow closely and we’re going to monitor it.”
Tommy Tucker, principal and superintendent of the Walnut Bend School, said the preferred route is a little to the north of his district and wouldn’t affect his school much, as long as there were access under the tollway.
“It’s not going to be where we’ll have all these new eating businesses and gas stations along it. So from a business aspect I don’t see an advantage,” he said. “On the other hand, it may not have much of a deficit, because it includes people who aren’t going to be stopping anyway.”
He said a major disadvantage to the plan would be the disruption of the rural surroundings of the area.
County Judge Bill Freeman said its still early in the game. He said the pros and cons are still being debated about the tollway, but he remains skeptical of its effects on agriculture.
“I’m concerned about a right-of-way that would come through the county and take farms and ranches, and any of the tax base of the county,” he said. “It’s not going to happen in my time, but its certainly something everyone is going to have to get together on.”
In previous community input meetings on the project Cooke County residents expressed concern that there would be few underpasses or entrance or exit ramps, which may divide the county.
Pat Peale, Lake Kiowa resident and political activist, said she has been involved in monitoring the project since she first heard of it.
“About 8 years ago or so, the North Dallas Tollway Commission was being formed. I spoke to Sen. (Tom) Haywood and expressed the desire for Cooke County to be represented on the Commission, maybe not as a voting member, but having a presence so that we could have a voice in what might be coming this way. At the time the legislature was forming the commission, and it was easier to put Cooke County on the Commission than to try and do it later.
“I spoke to commissioners (Richard) Brown, (Virgil) Hess and (Jerry) Lewis. They were not interested. One of the Commissioners commented ‘We will never see it in our lifetime!’”
“Well, here it is our lifetime, and it is happening. We could have been there at the beginning and had a voice. I hope we have a voice now!”
She said as far as the highway possibly enveloping Lake Kiowa, there could be serious eminent domain problems.
“We missed the chance on Lake Ray Roberts and economic development,” Peale continued. “This can be a plus for the County, but it may also have its drawbacks if we don’t get in there and be a part.”
According to the Associated Press, about half of those in an proposed study area are racial minorities, and nearly a quarter are below the poverty level, according to a 4,000-page draft environmental study by the Federal Highway Administration released this week.
Many rural farmers worried about losing large chunks of land have opposed the plan. If the corridor is 1,200 feet wide in some areas as planned, a farmer could lose as much as 146 acres per mile, according a statement from the Texas Farm Bureau.
The federal impact study reports the 521-mile tollway could impact the home of 46 plants or animals named on threatened or endangered species lists.
Thirteen square miles of parks could be affected, in addition.
In 2004, Spanish consortium Cintra-Zachary signed a $3.5 million project development agreement with the state to help plan the corridor.
About 50 public hearings are scheduled to give residents a closer look at the new, prefered study area plan.
The Trans-Texas Cooridor Web site, KeepTexasMoving.com, placed increased highway transportation options as a “need.”
The site said: “The current population of our state is about 22 million. By 2030, forecasters predict we’ll have as many as 36 million people who live, work and drive in Texas. The majority will move to our urban areas, where we simply cannot expand our existing highway system fast enough to accommodate transportation demands (Some cities will need 16-lane highways or more to adequately meet their needs).
“Often, where limited room is available for expansion, the costs to purchase and relocate businesses and homes have skyrocketed. In short, the current system of building and funding roads will not meet Texas’ needs 25 or 50 years from now. It will take new solutions.”
The Web site CooridorWatch.org opposes the project.
“The singular focus of the Corridor plan is to build corridors that connect regions of the state intentionally bypassing urban centers. Those metropolitan areas are left to deal with their own traffic and mobility problems, including access to the Corridor. Since our large cities are the traffic generators the Corridor will offer little if any relief,” the site said.
On the Net:
For a map of the prefered study area, see:
© 2006 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Thursday, April 06, 2006
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