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March 2008
Letter from Senator Hutchison
Eye on the Road has obtained a copy of Senator Hutchison’s letter to the Federal Highway Administration and TxDOT asking for a 45-day extension to the comment deadline.
TxDOT announced Monday that the deadline would be extended 30 days.
Hutchison said an extended deadline is necessary because of the enormous scope of the TTC project. In addition, she cited a recent analysis by the Texas Farm Bureau that she said was significant enough to warrant the extending the deadline.
Hutchison wrote:
(The) TTC-69 project is a tremendous undertaking and additional time to submit comments would not delay this project. In this spirit, I ask that you give the public 45 additional days, through May 5 2008 to comment on the Tier One DEIS.
The new deadline for comments on the TTC will be April 18.
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No decision on TxDOT lobbying
A Travis County judge has not yet ruled on the issue of TxDOT lobbying, according to a blog post on The (Bexar County) Walker Report.
The question before the court was this: did TxDOT act outside the bounds of their statutory restrictions on expenditure of public money for a political purpose? For instance, did it break the law by using taxpayer money to wage a political ad campaign pushing toll roads and the Trans Texas Corridor, and did it break the law by with lobbying activities?
A lawsuit brought by TexasTURF says the state transportation agency illegally hired lobbyists to promote the Trans Texas Corridor, in violation of state law.
We’ll keep an eye on the case as it develops.
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Comments on DEIS due Wednesday
If you’ve been holding off sending your comments to TxDOT about the proposed TTC-69 project, you have until Wednesday to get your words in.
The bureaucratic maneuvering required to give effective input has been nicely summarized in this guidehis guide from the Citizens for a better Waller County and posted by the TTC news archive. It makes it easy to understand what comments are useful to TxDOT and which are not. This was also the subject of an earlier post on this blog.
As The Daily Sentinel Reported recently, this comment deadline is only for the first round of plans; TxDOT says any subsequent plans will be the subject of public comment, too.
“Stop the TTC” Workshop in Lufkin Monday
Three groups dedicated to halting progress of the TTC’s development will host an all-day seminar Monday March 17 at Lufkin Pitser Garrison Civic Center.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., American Land Foundation, Stewards of the Range, and TexasTURF will help members of the public coordinate Sub-Regional Planning Commissions, a form for local government which they groups say will help bring greater weight to public outcry over the highway.
The groups say TxDOT must, by law, reach certain compromises with the group. Hank Gilbert of TexasTURF said “If we can get commissions established up and down the I-69 Corridor, we have a real shot at stopping this monster.”
Gilbert will speak at the workshop Monday.
Representatives of city and county governments as well as water districts, emergency services and other interested citizens are the target audience for the talk, which costs $20 for pre-registration and $30 at the door. Lunch and a workbook will be provided.
TexasTurf planning 10,000 strong march on Austin
The Navasota Examiner reports Hank Gilbert of Texas Turf is attempting to organize at 10,000 strong march on Austin in protest of the Trans Texas Corridor.
The news item, which appears to come from a promotional flier, details the spectacle the group hopes will draw more attention to their cause:
We need 10,000 people to attend. We also need as many tractors, horses, etc. as possible. There will be national media at this event - so we need it to be huge!
The rally is scheduled for April 5. Stay tuned for updates.
Corridor Watch to visit Nacogdoches County
The founders of Corridor Watch, a watchdog group opposed to the TTC will speak March 15 at 2 pm at the community center in Libby.
According to their news release:
David and Linda Stall will be making the day-long stop in East Texas on their way to testify before the Kansas Legislature in Topeka on Monday. Don’t miss your opportunity to hear what they have to say and to ask your own questions about the Trans Texas Corridor.
The release also promises yard signs and vinyl stickers to those who attend.
The Stalls will speak in Timpson earlier in the day, in the meeting room facilities of the Texas State Bank, 830 N First St. in Timpson.
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State Rep: Expect Legislative Fireworks
The Lufkin Daily News reported on Angelina County’s chamber luncheon, where State Rep. Jim McReynolds said the legislature is likely to clash with TxDOT over TTC-69 when sessions begin next year.
According to McReynolds, the legislators are “not too happy” with the Texas Department of Transportation, which has been under fire for its proposed I-69/TTC plans.“This (the I-69/TTC) is something we never dreamed of, thought about, or wanted,” McReynolds said. “I have attended all the meetings in my district, and I have not heard a single person that spoke in favor of it.”
McReynolds also noted that TxDOT has hired five lobbyists, an act that agencies are restricted from doing. Phillip Russell, assistant executive director of innovative project development for TxDOT, did comment late last month that the project “can be stopped,” and that he believes the state transportation agency will build additional lanes on U.S. 59 instead of the huge superhighway. TxDOT will have a showdown with the state legislature next January, according to McReynolds.
“They will get their time in January of 2009,” McReynolds said. “Be looking out, because there may be some explosions.”
TxDOT will be undergoing “sunset review” by the legislature when sessions begin again. The process is used to determine the usefulness of state agencies. While’s chances are slim that the state transportation agency will be dissolved, there’s likely to be some pointed discussion about TxDOT and its least-admired project, the TTC.
The Lufkin Daily News also hosts a video, with McReynolds explaining a bit more.
The Spanish Question
One of many arguments floated against the TTC is that Cintra, a Madrid, Spain based company has one of the two two bids to actually develop and build the project. Corridor Watch hosts a fact sheet about the company, which has already been selected as the developer of TTC 35.
Some say foreign developers will give another nation control of our roads; others are merely opposed to giving such an expensive contract to a non-U.S. developer.TxDOT says foreign involvement will speed up the process and will not compromise any safety standards or keep TxDOT from inspecting the work.
The state agency has kept the financial details of the proposals secret, but the agreement would likely include toll rights for 50 years in exchange for building the project for a certain (undisclosed) amount.
What are your thoughts?
