Sign the petition to save Lincoln Center and its murals from being destroyed.

About twenty or more people attended the Metropolitan Planning Organization this morning to speak out against the destruction of Lincoln Center and a number of murals painted on pillars of an overpass. 

Although Judge Veronica Escobar explained that the MPO really doesn't own and therefore has no final authority over Lincoln Center (I am told that she does not favor saving this historic building whose heritage is cherished by Hispanic families, ancestors of the Ascarates, Rosa Guerrero and many more), Rep. Pickett, Senator Rodriguez and others pointed out that the MPO has control of the funding of projects. Somewhere along the line they could defund a project that requires destroying the Center. The fear is that, once the MPO, votes to include the HWY 54 project in a Transportation Program, TxDOT really has all control. Indeed the MPO voted to include HWY 54 into a TIP. 

Although MPO has agreed to a process (which some say doesn't predetermine an outcome), there has already been a de facto determination. Ted TxDOT Houghton has already stated publicly that Lincoln Center will be destroyed. TxDOT Regional Engineer, Bob Bielek, in emails to Sen. Rodriguez and Joyce Wilson has said that the building will be destroyed. Moreover, even if there are a number of alternatives now, Bielek speaks of them as Platonic abstractions not ready for the scrutiny of the public. We know this routine all too well. When the final process is trotted out, it will be done at a public meeting so that there is the window dressing of public input. However, the decision-making going into determining which alternative will be used to connect the Border Highway with I-10 will be done behind closed doors. Never mind, heritage. Never mind the will of the people who want an alternative that preserves Lincoln Center. (Bielek said today that the pillars would be left standing thus preserving the murals.)

The MPO may not have final say. But the MPO is the only place where people can go and, in a civil manner, voice objection to Houghton's and TxDOT's desire to destroy Lincoln Center. Sadly, TxDOT does own the Center. However, TxDOT is an agency of the people of Texas and WE are the people. That is why we look to our Congressman, our State Senator and Representatives and our City Council to voice our opinion - and all have agreed on the rightness of saving the Center. We also look to the MPO. Through these elected people and institutions we have a civil manner to press our case. However, given the royalism and the elitism of TxDOT, one begins to wonder whether the voice of the people must be expressed in manners less civil, by civil disobedience or perhaps with greater force. Those alternatives must also now be weighed.

MPO Unanimously Rejects TxDOT Proposal

Pay attention everyone.

If you or your organization have ever been told "No" by TxDOT...

If your community and all your stakeholders have ever supported one thing and TxDOT has rejected your proposal...

If you have ever been part of a public meeting to give TxDOT input and then heard them tell you how things really are going to be...

Pay attention. 

This story is all about local control versus a very powerful agency which does not have to answer to you the people.  That agency, of course, is TxDOT which is only answerable to the Texas Transportation Commission which is only answerable to Gov. Rick Perry. (More on this relationship in an upcoming post. For now, just look at the recent contributions of Texas Transportation Commission Chairman, Ted Houghton, to Rick Perry.)

At last Friday's meeting of the Transportation Policy Board for the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), TxDOT asked that the El Paso Bike Share program be deprogrammed and that federal money (Congestion Mitigation Air Quality - CMAQ - funds) be used differently.) See Items 7 and 8 on the agenda. Never mind that CMAQ funds had been given for the express purpose of the El Paso Bike Share program. Never mind the fact that the City of El Paso, the County of El Paso and UTEP had already pledged to the program. Never mind the fact that all of El Paso's elected representatives in State and Federal government stand for the Bike Share Program. Never mind any of this. One very powerful state agency with no accountability to the people and with no regard to the will of the people, will do whatever they want and take money for whatever project they deem to be worthwhile.

So, here's what happened at the Transportation Policy Board for the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization last Friday. Each and every member of that Board voted against the proposal to deprogram bike share (only El Paso TxDOT engineer, Bob Bielek, voted in favor). That was Item number 7. The Board deleted Item number 8 - where TxDOT wanted to take money they would steal from bike share. The message was loud and clear: We the People having local control of our government, vote to accept CMAQ funds for bike share and, dearest TxDOT, you had better deliver.

Senator Rodriguez: "Local decision making IS the issue. The Federal Highway Administration has approved funds. We, the local community, decide - not a state agency."

Mayor Leeser: "City Council and the community support bike share."

Representatives Marquez, Gonzalez and Moody were adamant for bike share and against the usurpation by TxDOT.

Can TxDOT still torpedo bike share? You bet they can. They can refuse to spend the money that way (the Federal Highway Administration gives that right to the state agency). They can refuse no matter what the local community wants. 

But they may have a harder time this time. They have no support among elected representatives from El Paso. Word on the streets is that the Federal Highway Administration is now investigating them. I suggest to Senator Rodriguez and all of our elected state representatives that they visit with their fellow legislators in Austin and find out how many stories like this one there are throughout the State regarding TxDOT's disregard of local government and community decision-making.

I suggest to many in El Paso that they pay attention. I know many of them know stories about TxDOT's total disregard of stakeholder and public opinion.

Hey TxDOT Teddy - this is just the first post in a series. Much more to come.

Now the Bad News from the MPO: No State Park Entrance

At the Metropolitan Planning Organization/Transportation Policy Board meeting last Friday (7/13/13) State Rep. Marisa Marquez spoke in favor of an appropriate entrance to the Tom Mays section of the Franklin Mountains State Park (FMSP) and asked what funding might be possible.  The board listened respectfully as Richard Teschner, Pat White, Scott White, Lois Balin and Judy Ackerman spoke in favor of TxDOT’s option 4, the underpass that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has determined to be the safe and appropriate entrance for the Park.  

The MPO looked at 47 projects for the 2014-2016 four-year Transportation Improvement Program funding.  The desired FMSP Entrance was one of four projects that was not included.  Members of the public spoke about other projects in the TIP.  Then without further board discussion, they voted to approve the list of 47 projects.  The FMSP entrance project is still in the 20 year Metropolitan Transportation Plan but there is no immediate funding for it.

El Paso Times report: http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_23653206/new-park-entrance-doesnt-get-priority

MPO Approves $2.3 Million for Bicycle Programs and Infrastructure

Here's the good news from last Friday's MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization / Transportation Policy Board) meeting: $2.3 million for El Paso bicycle programs was approved.  This follows Tuesday's decision by El Paso City Council to fund bicycle sharing.  On hand were what one observer described as "many young (and not so young) energized, eloquent and inspirational El Pasoans who spoke about the need for bicycle lanes, connectivity, quality of life and access to parks." 

VeloPaso, El Paso's Bike Pedestrian Coalition, presented two documents. The first showed the how obesity (an epidemic in El Paso) falls with increased cycling and walking.

VeloPaso Health Handout on Obesity

Their second document shows El Paso's bicycle friendly policies and El Paso's room for improvement.

VeloPaso Handout 090713

Bicycle Advocate "Rider Strong" filed this report about the MPO meeting:

"The MPO Transportation Policy Board approved $2.3 million in citywide bicycle infrastructure and programs over the next three years. Several bike advocates voiced their support for bike funding, while countless others called and emailed their representatives, before and during the meeting. 

"Bicycle advocates in El Paso received an urgent 24-hour Action Alert from Bike Texas, the state's largest bicycle advocacy organization, after doubts were raised about the fund's security.

"'Infrastructure and bike programs will not only help the [City of El Paso's] new bike share program,' said Ben Foster, board member of Velo Paso, a bicycle pedestrian coalition, 'but it will inspire people to dust off their bikes sitting in their garage and ride to work, school, parks and maybe even to an Aardvarks [minor league baseball] game.'

"Plans for the $60.8 million Triple-A ballpark include 80 bike racks, a requirement for LEED certification.

"Rep. Marisa Marquez (D-77), a novice cyclist whose district includes Downtown, UTEP and neighborhoods around Fort Bliss, asked whether there were beginner bike classes she could attend and share with her constituents. 
Bicycle funds approved today could go towards education initiatives and bike classes for adults and children. These funds, considered by city officials as "seed money" for the city's new bicycle program, could also be applied toward the city's first bicycle master plan.

"'An advocacy presence may have saved this pot of money from being diverted to other projects' said a city official.

"The $2.3 million dollars in funding represents a mere 1.5% of total TIP monies authorized for the next three years. MPOs in Dallas and Bexar County allocate almost quadruple that amount.

"'Next time,' Rep. Joe Pickett (D-79), member of the powerful House Committee on Transportation, lightheartedly remarked,'wear the spandex.'"

"Next time, El Paso should demand double the bike funding to catch up to places like Dallas and San Antonio." 

Also see:

http://tejanotribune.com/archives/1531

http://bikesbelong.org/

Update on FMSP Entrance

From Judy Ackerman:

Park Entrance – Vigilance Needed

Expect more calls for action to ensure a safe and appropriate entrance to the Tom Mays Section of our Franklin Mountains State Park (FMSP).  As you know, TX Parks and Wildlife Department prefers TxDOT’s option 4 and El Pasoans agree.  That option would create an underpass to facilitate hikers, bikers, and wildlife crossing in addition to vehicular access and serve as a vital connection between north and south portions of FMSP.

At the 15 Apr 2013 Special Meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Transportation Policy Board (TPB), members acknowledged hearing from you, the public, and discussed this topic at length.  The ball is in TxDOT’s court.  El Paso’s transportation expert, State Representative Joe Pickett, said, “… options are still being looked at since the environmental has not been completed.  The [TxDOT] district engineer [Bob Bielek] has committed to the project in 2014, but not sure what option would be proposed or at what cost….  At this point, it is up to TxDOT to provide the when, and how much.”

FMWC alert system will keep you informed on breaking news and ask you to contact elected and appointed officials as necessary.  For background information, see our website:  www.franklinmountains.org/. You can also subscribe to ElPasoNaturally at www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/.

Let Your Will Be Heard; Don't Let TxDOT Dictate

The email address that TxDOT is giving out for public comments about the park entrance is still no good.  Truth is - they don't give a damn about your opinion.  

At the public meeting last week, Bob Bielek asked how many people in attendance wanted the TPWD alternative entrance (4) into the FMSP.  Over half raised their hands.  He announced that about half the people were for it.  His aim was to show that there is no consensus in the environmental community for the entrance.  Judy Ackerman then asked for those who were with TxDOT to raise their hands.  The other half did so.  The real point: the game was rigged.  Must be tough when your boss tells you that you must show up for an event to overturn public opinion.  Bielek announced that he and only he will decide what will happen.  Isn't history littered with dictators who believed that they and they alone can decide?  The question is this: how long will we allow one person or one agency to have such profound power? 

Bobby wants his Lone Star doodads - aesthetics they are called and not a safe, attractive entrance to our park - safe for humans and safe for wildlife.

Here's the email rejection notice:

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Undeliverable: Tom Mays Park Entrance
Date:	Sun, 14 Apr 2013 23:24:27 +0000
From:
To:

Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups:
elp-fmsparkentrance@txdot.gov
Your message can't be delivered because delivery to this address is restricted.



TxDOT and Bob Bielek don't want what you do.  I'm reminded of the first meeting of the Mayor's Blue Ribbon panel regarding PSB land management. Bulldozing Ted TxDOT Houghton (Rick Perry's personal pick as Chairman of the TxDOT Commission) didn't want the meetings to be open to the public.  It's the same arrogance. 

Again: how long will we allow one person or one agency to have such profound power?

Go to Franklin Mountains Wilderness Coalition and read and respond to "Our State Park Needs Your Help".  Spread the word.

Attend tomorrow's MPO meeting:
Date: Monday, April 15, 2013
Time: 4pm
Location: 10767 Gateway West, Suite 605.  Arrive before 4 pm and sign up to speak in favor of Oprtion 4 and let Mayela Granados (915-591-9735, ext. 11, mgranados@elpasompo.org) know that you want to speak.

This may be a good time to re-read (or read for the first time) Ralph Waldo Emerson's Concord Hymn.

MPO Delays TxDOT Attempt to Defund Park Entrance

Judy Ackerman was our woman on the ground for the MPO meeting today.  Below is her report along with a message that she will send out again to FMWC persons.  I include it here for everyone.  Apparently the MPO delayed decision on taking funds from the park entrance project and spending them on doodads and frills (those boring Lone Stars that TxDOT likes to use for its big freeway exchanges instead of real live landscapes - and, in this case, in stead of a safe, visible entrance to our Franklin Mountains State Park which will include an animal corridor as well as bicycle and pedestrian paths that will connect the southside of Transmountain with the North.  Lone Stars in TxDOT's planning come before human safety or wildlife preservation.  

Judy told me that the Chairwoman of the MPO, Judge Veronica Escobar, made it clear that the MPO wanted to see consensus in the environmental community.  With the exception of one person, there is unanimous favor for the TPWD's preferred alternative - an underpass at the entrance not a 3 mile round-trip diversion from Paseo del Norte that will cut through an arroyo and valuable archaeological assets. 

It is critical that you let TxDOT, the MPO, Judge Escobar and City Manager Joyce Wilson know that you prefer the TPWD's choice and no others and that you are part of the environmental community.  Judy has published a list of email addresses below.  I add two more:

Robert Bielek, TxDOT Engineer for El Paso: Robert.Bielek@txdot.gov

Ted Houghton, State TxDOT Chairman: ted4@houghtonfinancialpartners.com

I have also learned from an undisclosed source close to MPO and TxDOT that TxDOT person's have been told to lie about the alternative - to claim anything besides the truth which is that they want to divert funds from safe, visible entrance preferred by the Park and use those funds for Lone Star doodad frills.

Judy's Report

Today, MPO Delayed a decision on agenda items 10 – 15 http://www.elpasompo.org/2013Agendas/TPBAgenda040513.htm.  TXDOT’s proposal to Defund Option 4 was based on an agreed upon suspense of 30 Aug to let the funds.  Joe Pickett believes he can slip the suspense. MPO wants to hear from the public and says their recommendation to defund will go forward unless the community comes to consensus at the meeting 10 Apr.  IF Pickett can NOT ensure the money will still be available after 30 Aug, MPO will have a special meeting to decide whether to defund.

judy

Email to FMWC Community 

You - the Public will determine the fate of FMSP Entrance.  Your participation will determine if Franklin Mountains State Park (FMSP) will have a safe, appropriate entrance.  The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will base its approval of the TXDOT project on the public comments at next week’s meeting.  If there is no public conscious, the FMSP Entrance project will be de-funded. 

Please attend TXDOT’s public meeting on Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Canutillo High School, 6675 South Desert Boulevard, El Paso TX 79932.

We need an entrance to FMSP that is safe for vehicles, pedestrians, bikes and animals.  TPWD completed an in-depth analysis and determined that TXDOT’s Option 4, with an underpass into the Park, is the only acceptable option.  Links to their reports are available at:  http://www.franklinmountains.org/.

Expanding Transmountain Road cuts the Park in half, fragmenting habitat and making it impossible for visitors to safely get from trails south of Transmountain Road to amenities that are north of the road.

Links to details about the environmental community’s preference can be found at http://elpasonaturally.blogspot.com/2013/02/fmsp-staff-makes-case-for-best-entrance.html.   

The MPO board members repeatedly reminded FMSP advocates that public participation is the key to funding Option 4.  Whether you can attend the meetings or not, please contact all the elected officials and government personnel listed below and let them know that you support a safe and appropriate entrance to our nation’s largest urban park.

Written comments from the public regarding this project are encouraged. Comments may be submitted either at the Public Meeting or within 10 days after the meeting. Written comments may be emailed to the following address: Blanton & Associates, Attn: Loop 375 at the Franklin Mountains State Park Entrance, 5 Lakeway Centre Court, Suite 200, Austin TX  78734. Comments may also be e‐mailed to

ELP‐FMSParkEntrance@txdot.gov.

Comments must be postmarked on or before Saturday, April 20, 2013 to be included as part of the public record. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the project in more detail, please contact Ms. Martha Gandara, TxDOT Project Manager, at (915) 790‐4255.

Here is a sample message you can copy and paste:

Dear City, County and State Officials,

I urge you to support and fund TX Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) preferred entrance to the Tom Mays Unit of the Franklin Mountains State Park (FMSP) known as TXDOT Option 4.  This is the only option that is safe for vehicles, pedestrians, bikes and animals. 

As someone who deeply cares about our State Park and the safety of motorists and wildlife, I want the TPWD front-door alternative back on schedule and fully funded.

Here is why you should support an improved entrance to the Tom Mays Section of the Franklin Mountains State Park (FMSP) that includes an underpass. (This is known as TXDOT Option 4.) 

·         Ensures safe access to the FMSP for vehicles, pedestrians, bikes and wildlife. 

·         The TPWD and FMSP personnel are the experts on the Park.  They have reviewed the entrance options and we should respect TPWD’s professional decision on what is the best entrance to the Park.

·         Ensures that emergency vehicles will have the easiest access and swiftest response times when dealing with emergencies in the park.

·         Safeguards orderly traffic flow for an estimated current 35,000 – 40,000 vehicles that visit FMSP each year - and the number is growing.

·         Minimizes habitat and terrain distribution.

·         Leaves the FMSP’s richest archaeological site undisturbed.

·         Preserves mountain vistas.

·         Provides a world-class entrance to a world-class Park, not the back-door entrance proposed in other options.

·         The best long-term investment in local transportation.

Just copy this list and paste into the “To” field of your email. Robert.Bielek@txdot.gov, mmedina@elpasompo.org, escobar@epcounty.com, johnfcook@sbcglobal.net, lillyam@elpasotexas.gov, byrdsm@elpasotexas.gov, acostaea@elpasotexas.gov, robinsoncl@elpasotexas.gov, noem@elpasotexas.gov, holguinec@elpasotexas.gov, ortegasx2@elpasotexas.gov, nilandcc@elpasotexas.gov, mcelroymx@elpasotexas.gov, wilsonja@elpasotexas.gov,

joe.pickett@house.state.tx.us, joe.moody@house.state.tx.us , jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us