TxDOT "technicality" breaks federal law. Massive 281 toll road is yanked to avoid embarassment at the hands of the Feds and in the courts
Anti-Toll Groups Victorious Over 281N Toll Road Death
TURF President says "irregularities" are actually broken laws
10/1/08
By Berit Mason
WOAI (San Antonio, TX)
Copyright 2008
Terri Hall says the news that a planned toll road along a stretch of 281N is
dead in the water is the sweet victory she’s been fighting for.
Hall is president of TURF, a group which has been against toll roads.
“ ‘Irregularities’ is their way of covering over the fact that they broke the law to pre-determine the outcome of the environmental work on 281 despite knowing it would damage the aquifer and have severe economic impacts,” stated Hall Wednesday, on the afternoon of the announcement.
The Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, the toll road planning group, told the press at 2:15pm that a technicality tripped up the project. Board member Henry Munoz III said that a TXDOT commissioned environmental study done by a consultant had been called into question over the weekend. Munoz said that meant that all conclusions drawn from the report would be suspect, enough of a problem to tank the entire plan.
Hall says it’s just desserts for violating federal law. She says the toll road was never needed. To tackle increasing congestion on that highway, she and her group want overpasses to be built. She says the focus of her group now is to push for their construction.
Hall says, “This is their way of pulling the clearance themselves before the feds and the courts do it for them. TxDOT has conducted themselves illegally and shamefully, and you bet we’ll take them to task for this and so must the Legislature.”
© 2008 WOAI:www.woai.com
To search TTC News Archives clickHERE
To view the Trans-Texas Corridor Blog clickHERE
TURF President says "irregularities" are actually broken laws
10/1/08
By Berit Mason
WOAI (San Antonio, TX)
Copyright 2008
Terri Hall says the news that a planned toll road along a stretch of 281N is
dead in the water is the sweet victory she’s been fighting for.
Hall is president of TURF, a group which has been against toll roads.
“ ‘Irregularities’ is their way of covering over the fact that they broke the law to pre-determine the outcome of the environmental work on 281 despite knowing it would damage the aquifer and have severe economic impacts,” stated Hall Wednesday, on the afternoon of the announcement.
The Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, the toll road planning group, told the press at 2:15pm that a technicality tripped up the project. Board member Henry Munoz III said that a TXDOT commissioned environmental study done by a consultant had been called into question over the weekend. Munoz said that meant that all conclusions drawn from the report would be suspect, enough of a problem to tank the entire plan.
Hall says it’s just desserts for violating federal law. She says the toll road was never needed. To tackle increasing congestion on that highway, she and her group want overpasses to be built. She says the focus of her group now is to push for their construction.
Hall says, “This is their way of pulling the clearance themselves before the feds and the courts do it for them. TxDOT has conducted themselves illegally and shamefully, and you bet we’ll take them to task for this and so must the Legislature.”
© 2008 WOAI:www.woai.com
To search TTC News Archives click
To view the Trans-Texas Corridor Blog click
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Wednesday, October 01, 2008
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