Protesters to converge on courthouses across the state.
Protesters join hands to oppose toll roads
September 30, 2006
From Staff Reports
The Herald-Zeitung (New Braunfels)
Copyright 2006
Protesters will converge on courthouses across the state today to voice their opposition to the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor and other planned toll roads.
Grassroots groups in 43 counties and independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn have planned “Hands Across the Corridor.”
Locally, protests will occur at 10 a.m. at the Guadalupe County Courthouse in Seguin, at noon at Alamo Plaza in San Antonio, at 1 p.m. at the Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos and at 2 p.m. at the Comal County Courthouse in New Braunfels.
“This will be a time for neighbors and the community to voice their concerns,” said Terri Hall, Regional Director of San Antonio Toll Party, a group fervently against toll roads in Texas.
Many protesters will bring cups of dirt to symbolize that’s all Gov. Rick Perry will get in his effort to build Trans-Texas Corridor 35 from the Oklahoma border to Laredo, Hall said. The proposed route will run through Guadalupe County.
Secret sections of a contract to develop the corridor that have created a contentious point in the governor’s race were released to the public on Thursday.
The decision was announced at a Texas Transportation Commission meeting where a master plan for the first phase of the proposed corridor was revealed.
Because the master plan is an update of an earlier proposal by the consortium Cintra-Zachry, all parts of the earlier proposal — including portions that were kept secret for proprietary reasons — were released, said Amadeo Saenz, assistant executive director for engineering operations at the state transportation department.
That also means a transportation department lawsuit attempting to keep the contract secret will be dropped, he said.
Cintra-Zachry proposed paying $7.2 billion to build the first segments of the corridor, running roughly parallel to Interstate 35. The Spanish-American consortium said it would invest $6 billion to build a state-owned toll road and would pay the state $1.2 billion and get to operate the road and collect tolls. State transportation officials now say the private money invested could total as much as $8.8 billion.
Construction could begin by 2011, pending final environmental clearance to determine the ultimate alignment of TTC-35.
“The plan will help us take advantage of private sector innovation and investment to relieve congestion on I-35,” said Michael Behrens, Texas Department of Transportation executive director. “It will allow us to develop TTC-35 as it is needed and as private sector funding makes it feasible.”
Perry, up for re-election in November, has been a devout supporter of the toll road project. Gubernatorial challengers such as Strayhorn, Democrat Chris Bell and independent Kinky Friedman have come out against the plan.
© 2006 The Herald-Zeitung: www.herald-zeitung.com
September 30, 2006
From Staff Reports
The Herald-Zeitung (New Braunfels)
Copyright 2006
Protesters will converge on courthouses across the state today to voice their opposition to the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor and other planned toll roads.
Grassroots groups in 43 counties and independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn have planned “Hands Across the Corridor.”
Locally, protests will occur at 10 a.m. at the Guadalupe County Courthouse in Seguin, at noon at Alamo Plaza in San Antonio, at 1 p.m. at the Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos and at 2 p.m. at the Comal County Courthouse in New Braunfels.
“This will be a time for neighbors and the community to voice their concerns,” said Terri Hall, Regional Director of San Antonio Toll Party, a group fervently against toll roads in Texas.
Many protesters will bring cups of dirt to symbolize that’s all Gov. Rick Perry will get in his effort to build Trans-Texas Corridor 35 from the Oklahoma border to Laredo, Hall said. The proposed route will run through Guadalupe County.
Secret sections of a contract to develop the corridor that have created a contentious point in the governor’s race were released to the public on Thursday.
The decision was announced at a Texas Transportation Commission meeting where a master plan for the first phase of the proposed corridor was revealed.
Because the master plan is an update of an earlier proposal by the consortium Cintra-Zachry, all parts of the earlier proposal — including portions that were kept secret for proprietary reasons — were released, said Amadeo Saenz, assistant executive director for engineering operations at the state transportation department.
That also means a transportation department lawsuit attempting to keep the contract secret will be dropped, he said.
Cintra-Zachry proposed paying $7.2 billion to build the first segments of the corridor, running roughly parallel to Interstate 35. The Spanish-American consortium said it would invest $6 billion to build a state-owned toll road and would pay the state $1.2 billion and get to operate the road and collect tolls. State transportation officials now say the private money invested could total as much as $8.8 billion.
Construction could begin by 2011, pending final environmental clearance to determine the ultimate alignment of TTC-35.
“The plan will help us take advantage of private sector innovation and investment to relieve congestion on I-35,” said Michael Behrens, Texas Department of Transportation executive director. “It will allow us to develop TTC-35 as it is needed and as private sector funding makes it feasible.”
Perry, up for re-election in November, has been a devout supporter of the toll road project. Gubernatorial challengers such as Strayhorn, Democrat Chris Bell and independent Kinky Friedman have come out against the plan.
© 2006 The Herald-Zeitung:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Saturday, September 30, 2006
<< Home