TxDOT spokesperson dismisses negative reactions to Corridor plans
Trans-Texas Corridor continues to progress
April 12 2006
Curtis E. Burton
Wilson County News
Copyright 2006
Wilson County residents who are opposed to the Trans-Texas Corridor, because it possibly could take valuable land from the tax rolls and displace families, may find some relief in the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) latest environmental report.
The proposal is to construct a transportation corridor to parallel I-35 from the southern part to the northern part of the state.
The 4,000-page document contains a preferred plan for the route of the proposed toll road, and it stays northwest of Wilson County, using existing roads and highways in Bexar County.
Wilson County Judge Marvin Quinney, who feared earlier that the superhighway project would take sources of tax money from the county and disrupt the lives of many area residents, said that he agrees with many Bexar County officials the preferred route is a much better plan than the alternative plan.
Quinney said, as he understood the preferred plan released last week, the first leg of the corridor, which generally would parallel I-35, would connect with Loop 1604 in south Bexar County, then join I-10 near Seguin, and finally continue into I-130 south of Austin.
“I don’t think this proposed route will affect Wilson County, although the study area for the route may encompass part of our county,” Quinney said.
Many San Antonio officials see the preferred route through Bexar County as good news because it would come fairly close to Toyota and its suppliers, according to a Bexar County official.
Wilson County residents certainly have not been by themselves in feeling less than optimistic about the project. At one point, during the earliest planning, citizens in Karnes County were led to believe the corridor would pass through acreage of their properties.
Fred Staggs, a retired teacher who lives on F.M. 2579 in the northwest part of Wilson County, remains skeptical of the preferred route of TTC-35.
“I have concerns about many problems that I think this project will produce aside from its expense, including the increased flow of dope. What an opportunity,” he said.
Because of his convictions, Staggs is in the process of writing congressmen and other political officials throughout the state and federal government, expressing his objections.
Quinney, who shares some of Staggs’ sentiments, said he strongly encourages all property owners to attend every hearing that will be conducted regarding the Trans-Texas Corridor beginning in early summer.
“People need to let our ranking officials know exactly how they feel about the project, which many of us see as threatening. Their input is essential,” he said.
Gabriela Garcia, a spokesman for TxDOT said, “No final decisions have been made and there is no need for anyone to become upset or to panic regarding the proposed corridor, which is just under study.”
Garcia, in a telephone interview with the Wilson County News, said that people need to understand that at this point, officials and researchers are only making a study of the feasibility of such a project.
Garcia said the recent projections about the project — many very negative — from environmentalists aren’t all together accurate if not deceptive.
Reports have estimated how many people will be displaced, how the environment will be adversely affected, and other similar projections.
“We do not know exactly where the proposed route will be constructed, or when, or how it will be financed. I can only emphasize that studies and research are being conducted and it will take significant time before any of this will come to pass,” Garcia said.
“We do have some ideas under consideration, and Wilson County possibly could be affected, although it is not a part of the current preferred route,” she continued, “but nothing has been decided.”
In an alternative plan, however, the corridor would consume about 6,200 acres of Wilson County. This is based on a 1,200-foot right of way across the county within the recommended preferred corridor as it exists today.
According to one Wilson County resident, this would mean the county possibly would lose a substantial amount from its tax rolls.
Current findings are not final and will be subject to more than 50 public hearings along the I-35 corridor this summer, Garcia repeated.
Not unlike Quinney’s advice, Garcia said those individuals who are concerned about the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor affecting them directly should attend the hearings to express their opinions.
She also said that she did not know at this time whether a hearing would be conducted in Wilson County, but all that information will be forthcoming and will be presented to the media well in advance for announcements.
This last week a TTC-35 draft report refined the study area and identified the need of the project.
A press release from TxDOT, also issued last week, said a multi-use transportation alternative to the heavily congested I-35 corridor could lie slightly to the east while incorporating the interstate’s southern half.
The report’s findings show a narrowed study area from Gainesville to Laredo to be generally 10 miles wide and within close proximity to I-35 and metropolitan centers, except where it is centered on I-35 south of San Antonio to Laredo.
Gov. Rick Perry was quoted in the press release to have said, “The Trans-Texas Corridor will provide unprecedented trade opportunities, a faster transportation system that moves freight and hazardous materials out of city centers, and thousands of new jobs.”
The narrowed study area was identified as the preferred corridor alternative because it best supports the purpose and need for TTC-35 and incorporates the most miles of existing highways and rail — 195 and 215 respectively.
The TTC draft report also examined population and traffic demand within the I-35 corridor and concluded that increased freight traffic and growing congestion compound the need for additional transportation alternatives within the I-35 corridor.
The complete draft environmental impact statement for TTC-35, including a map of the narrowed study area, is available on www.keeptexasmoving.org.
Why is TTC a bad idea for Texas?
A number of opponents to the Trans-Texas Corridor have posted their objections to the project on the “Corridor Watch” Web page. These are only a few.
•It’s designed to generate money first and provide transportation second.
•Potential for tremendous liabilities created by Comprehensive Development Agreements.
•The plan is based on uncertain assumptions.
•Doesn’t solve the problem.
•Inefficient transportation plan.
•Adverse economic impact.
•Private interests vs. public interests.
•Loss of local property taxes.
•Too much money.
•Creates a “soft” terrorism target.
•Divides the state.
•Turns private land into state land.
•Toll roads represent double taxation.
•A don’t fix it, just move it approach to air pollution.
www.corridorwatch.org
cburton@wcn-online.com
© 2006 The Associated Press: www.wilsoncountynews.com
April 12 2006
Curtis E. Burton
Wilson County News
Copyright 2006
Wilson County residents who are opposed to the Trans-Texas Corridor, because it possibly could take valuable land from the tax rolls and displace families, may find some relief in the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) latest environmental report.
The proposal is to construct a transportation corridor to parallel I-35 from the southern part to the northern part of the state.
The 4,000-page document contains a preferred plan for the route of the proposed toll road, and it stays northwest of Wilson County, using existing roads and highways in Bexar County.
Wilson County Judge Marvin Quinney, who feared earlier that the superhighway project would take sources of tax money from the county and disrupt the lives of many area residents, said that he agrees with many Bexar County officials the preferred route is a much better plan than the alternative plan.
Quinney said, as he understood the preferred plan released last week, the first leg of the corridor, which generally would parallel I-35, would connect with Loop 1604 in south Bexar County, then join I-10 near Seguin, and finally continue into I-130 south of Austin.
“I don’t think this proposed route will affect Wilson County, although the study area for the route may encompass part of our county,” Quinney said.
Many San Antonio officials see the preferred route through Bexar County as good news because it would come fairly close to Toyota and its suppliers, according to a Bexar County official.
Wilson County residents certainly have not been by themselves in feeling less than optimistic about the project. At one point, during the earliest planning, citizens in Karnes County were led to believe the corridor would pass through acreage of their properties.
Fred Staggs, a retired teacher who lives on F.M. 2579 in the northwest part of Wilson County, remains skeptical of the preferred route of TTC-35.
“I have concerns about many problems that I think this project will produce aside from its expense, including the increased flow of dope. What an opportunity,” he said.
Because of his convictions, Staggs is in the process of writing congressmen and other political officials throughout the state and federal government, expressing his objections.
Quinney, who shares some of Staggs’ sentiments, said he strongly encourages all property owners to attend every hearing that will be conducted regarding the Trans-Texas Corridor beginning in early summer.
“People need to let our ranking officials know exactly how they feel about the project, which many of us see as threatening. Their input is essential,” he said.
Gabriela Garcia, a spokesman for TxDOT said, “No final decisions have been made and there is no need for anyone to become upset or to panic regarding the proposed corridor, which is just under study.”
Garcia, in a telephone interview with the Wilson County News, said that people need to understand that at this point, officials and researchers are only making a study of the feasibility of such a project.
Garcia said the recent projections about the project — many very negative — from environmentalists aren’t all together accurate if not deceptive.
Reports have estimated how many people will be displaced, how the environment will be adversely affected, and other similar projections.
“We do not know exactly where the proposed route will be constructed, or when, or how it will be financed. I can only emphasize that studies and research are being conducted and it will take significant time before any of this will come to pass,” Garcia said.
“We do have some ideas under consideration, and Wilson County possibly could be affected, although it is not a part of the current preferred route,” she continued, “but nothing has been decided.”
In an alternative plan, however, the corridor would consume about 6,200 acres of Wilson County. This is based on a 1,200-foot right of way across the county within the recommended preferred corridor as it exists today.
According to one Wilson County resident, this would mean the county possibly would lose a substantial amount from its tax rolls.
Current findings are not final and will be subject to more than 50 public hearings along the I-35 corridor this summer, Garcia repeated.
Not unlike Quinney’s advice, Garcia said those individuals who are concerned about the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor affecting them directly should attend the hearings to express their opinions.
She also said that she did not know at this time whether a hearing would be conducted in Wilson County, but all that information will be forthcoming and will be presented to the media well in advance for announcements.
This last week a TTC-35 draft report refined the study area and identified the need of the project.
A press release from TxDOT, also issued last week, said a multi-use transportation alternative to the heavily congested I-35 corridor could lie slightly to the east while incorporating the interstate’s southern half.
The report’s findings show a narrowed study area from Gainesville to Laredo to be generally 10 miles wide and within close proximity to I-35 and metropolitan centers, except where it is centered on I-35 south of San Antonio to Laredo.
Gov. Rick Perry was quoted in the press release to have said, “The Trans-Texas Corridor will provide unprecedented trade opportunities, a faster transportation system that moves freight and hazardous materials out of city centers, and thousands of new jobs.”
The narrowed study area was identified as the preferred corridor alternative because it best supports the purpose and need for TTC-35 and incorporates the most miles of existing highways and rail — 195 and 215 respectively.
The TTC draft report also examined population and traffic demand within the I-35 corridor and concluded that increased freight traffic and growing congestion compound the need for additional transportation alternatives within the I-35 corridor.
The complete draft environmental impact statement for TTC-35, including a map of the narrowed study area, is available on www.keeptexasmoving.org.
Why is TTC a bad idea for Texas?
A number of opponents to the Trans-Texas Corridor have posted their objections to the project on the “Corridor Watch” Web page. These are only a few.
•It’s designed to generate money first and provide transportation second.
•Potential for tremendous liabilities created by Comprehensive Development Agreements.
•The plan is based on uncertain assumptions.
•Doesn’t solve the problem.
•Inefficient transportation plan.
•Adverse economic impact.
•Private interests vs. public interests.
•Loss of local property taxes.
•Too much money.
•Creates a “soft” terrorism target.
•Divides the state.
•Turns private land into state land.
•Toll roads represent double taxation.
•A don’t fix it, just move it approach to air pollution.
www.corridorwatch.org
cburton@wcn-online.com
© 2006 The Associated Press:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Wednesday, April 12, 2006
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