The following post was written by someone who wishes to remain anonymous:
The suggestion has been made that those who oppose all or parts of the expansion of Trans Mountain into a freeway/highway while attempting to preserve our scenic corridor are holding up an important project and jeopardizing 80 million dollars in State funding.
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH! Greed and arrogance by local developers and TXDoT are killing the project.
The developers, who will benefit to the tune of millions of dollars in increased property values by having TxDOT construct feeder roads and overpasses, should be falling all over themselves to donate right-of-way (ROW) for the project. However, they are so greedy, that they are holding those ROWs hostage for frivolous concessions like digital signs for gas stations.
If the developers are so worried the project will die unless the Texas Legislature sees significant forward progress, then they should immediately sign over the needed ROWs and resolve their differences with the City.
As for TxDOT’s contribution to the delay, in a collaborative effort with the land owners, TxDOT hoped to sneak an extra underpass of dubious need, into the most congested part of the project at taxpayer expense. In an arrogant and heavy-handed manner, TxDOT attempted to include the underpass without first receiving approval by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), a possibly illegal act. Shame on them!
In addition, TxDOT is required by law to complete a NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) review before they start the project. As a part of that process, TxDOT’s Environmental Assessment (EA) is currently under review by the Federal Highway Administration. Once that review is complete, the public has the right to scrutinize the documents and comment on the study.
According to TxDOT’s District Engineer, Chuck Berry, TxDOT normally gets a clean bill of health on 90 percent of their EAs. However, TxDOT's behavior has resulted in the loss of public trust. It won’t be hard to find a scientist who can raise significant enough concerns about wildlife issues omitted in the EA in order to force issuing an Environmental Impact Statement. An EIS can take as long as a year to 18 months to complete. Delays from an EIS will kill the funding.
Yet, instead of addressing the public’s legitimate concerns as well as creating support and building consensus, TxDOT bulldozes forward with their singular plan along with the threat that, unless the public acquiesces immediately, the 80 million dollars for the project will vanish and no changes along Trans Mountain will be made.
Is there a way to avoid this impasse and move forward? You bet. First, how about a bit more humble approach with a little genuine deference to public opinion?Developers could immediately sign over the ROWs. TxDOT should drop the Plexxar overpass and move the proposed Paseo del Norte intersection westward. They should construct a safer entrance to the Franklin Mountains State Park utilizing a feeder road; and they should expand the existing culverts under the roadway near the Park entrance to accommodate wildlife passage. These changes would actually save construction money.
El Pasoans have gotten wiser. The priority for us is safer roads that respect the environment and improve mobility. We no longer want our tax dollars squandered for the privileged few. We don't want our environmental assets destroyed for the elusive promise of lower taxes or the threat of losing millions of dollars in funding. These false promises and threats do not match our real life experiences of more sprawl, higher taxes, more congestion, fewer services and zero job creation.
We’re not lining up for Kool-Aid any more.
Has anyone considered the absolute need for the highway/freeway and the associated additional retail given the reality of global climate change [http://www.350.org/en/about/science] and Peak Oil [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_oil]? These issues alone render the expansion needless. Instead that $80 million should be spent to make El Paso more resilient to these changes.
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ReplyDeleteAdditionally, we might explore the idea or “OUR $80 mil”. It is taxpayer’s money. We could give it back to reduce the deficit in TX budget. TX DOT road building will NOT give jobs to El Pasoans. At breakfast today, City Representative Robinson said we are the only city without a beltway, implying we need one. For what? That will only enable people pass through El Paso faster, NOT make them stop and spend money and see what a beautiful place this is.
The more I think about it the less I like this beltway. I do NOT want to encourage any more traffic on Transmountain Rd. Stop signs, stop lights and traffic circles are fine with me. And while we are on it, I don’t want the 375 freeway completed along the NE portion of Transmountain Rd from Dyer to Rt 54 either for all the same reasons.
BTW we do need 4 lanes from I 10 east to the entrance of the Tom Mays Section of the Franklin Mountains State Park, but NOT a freeway.
judy
Right-O on the perceived "need" for a beltway. How about some actual public transportation, so we don't "need" ANY more asphalt? i can't imagine TxDOT is so excited about funding this type of venture, but hasn't come up with any light rail options for El Paso. Can you imagine a light rail line paralleling the freeway? With collection points at all the major intersections? Life as we know it would change. Making this town "walkable" would decrease our waistlines, (maybe even our diabetes rates), increasing our quality of life and saving money (read: the public health bill) in the process. Get with it, TxDOT! Invest money in the future, for a change!
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