Bielek Responds to Border Highway Concerns but Questions Persist about TxDOT Sincerity

In an email, TxDOT Regional Engineer, Bob Bielek, says that there is no need for anxiety about the Border Highway East project threatening the Rio Bosque because, according to Bielek, "construction is not in the cards for 15 to 20 years based on the likely funding levels for transportation, even the most optimistic projections."

"The purpose of the meetings," explains Bielek, "is to identify issues such as that associated with a planned park entrance. The reason that all of the alternative alignments remain east of the park is to preserve the [Rio Bosque Wetlands Park]."

Bielek wrote that his agency was not even aware of an entrance project to the Bosque. The dream for development at the Rio Bosque can be found online in this document. Obviously those development plans are obscure and should be brought to TxDOT's attention. It is TxDOT's track record of little or no regard for public input (despite insistences otherwise) which causes distrust.

For example, in response to criticism about delaying a safe entrance at the Tom Mays Unit of the Franklin Mountains State Park, Bielek wrote in the same email: "We continue to work on an alternative that will allow hiker, cyclist, and wildlife access to both sides of Franklin Mountain State Park, which appears to be the real purpose and need for this project." In letters, emails, memos and at public meetings, FMSP and TPWD officials as well as members of the public have also emphasized (and done so numerous times) the need for safe access to the park by motorists. TxDOT has dismissed those concerns saying that there is no record of any serious accidents into or out of the park. TxDOT's dismissive attitude means that, in spite of reasonable concerns, only hiker, cyclist and wildlife access are the "real purpose and need for this project." Extremely important yes - but not the only real purpose and need for this project as stated repeatedly.

I am reminded of this tongue in cheek video by people with common sense even if lacking in hard statistical data:



In his email, Bielek suggested that those concerned with environmental issues were operating emotionally and not intellectually. Again, the minimizing of TxDOT's critics while attempting to appear in search of shared solutions is ingenuous. The other side's points of view have already been judged as unreasonable. After all, most conservationists don't carry evolved slide rules nor wear a white shirt with a pocket protector full of pens. (Sorry I'm stereotyping.)

According to Bielek, TxDOT is aiming for a public workshop the week of December 9th for the entrance into the State Park. Hopefully a good alternative that will provide safe access for motorists as well as hikers and cyclists and an animal corridor without destroying the scenic view with a tall overpass will be presented. Such a presentation will go a long way toward showing the public that their concerns and viewpoints are important. Frankly, I've yet to go to a TxDOT meeting that wasn't window dressing for a decision already made. (They can claim to have gotten public input but then turn around and tell the public what TxDOT's right solution is.) If just once, the public concern for such things as safe access for motorists, bicyclers and hikers and animal corridors are really integrated into a plan, then Mr. Bielek and to some extent his agency would have just a bit more credibility.