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He was “cautiously pleased” by Wednesday’s Texas Department of Transportation announcement that it would recommend building the Interstate 69 portion of the Trans Texas Corridor only along existing roadways where possible. In the Victoria area that means possible expansions of U.S. Highway 59 and U.S. Highway 77.
“If they stick to it, it’s a relief. That land is a legacy for my grandchildren,” Prickett said. “I don’t want it to be a super slab.”
“TxDOT’s recommendation would effectively shrink our environmental study down to roads such as U.S. Highways 77 and 281 in South Texas, state Highway 44 and U.S. Highway 59 along the Coastal Bend, and U.S. Highways 84 and 59 in East Texas,” said Texas Transportation Commissioner Ted Houghton.
New location corridors proposed and presented during the public hearings earlier this year are no longer under consideration. In addition, only newly constructed lanes will be considered for tolls, according to a TxDOT news release.
Charlie Baros was also pleased by the announcement. He owns land south of U.S. Highway 59 near Inez.
“That’s great news if they’re not going to swing it south of the highway, like some of the proposals showed,” Baros said. “It might get some of my property anyway if they expand 59, but it might not.”
Citizens’ input during 47 public hearings and 12 open houses influenced the decision to make the recommendation, said Amadeo Saenz, TxDOT executive director. The agency received more than 28,000 comments on the proposed project.
Governmental entities, too, weighed in on the project. In April 2006, the Victoria County Commissioners Court passed a resolution recommending the use of existing roadways for the proposed project. The Victoria City Council later passed a similar resolution.
Organizations interested in the development of the highway system also commented on the announcement.
“TxDOT is responding to what they heard earlier this year at town hall meetings and hearings on the proposed route. Members of the public told TxDOT that following existing highway footprints is less disruptive to landowners and existing businesses,” said Victoria Mayor Will Armstrong, in a news release from the I-69 Alliance. “Victoria County, Calhoun County, the Port of Victoria and our southern industrial plants will best be served with the I-69 route foot printing over Highway 59 south of Victoria.”
“TxDOT clearly listened and responded favorably to public input about the I-69 plan,” said Bill Noble, executive director of Texans for Safe Reliable Transportation. “Roads and highways have long been prosperity-drivers in Texas, and the I-69 route will dramatically enhance our state’s job-creation climate.”
“Today’s announcement should please all but the most hardcore road opponents,” Noble said. “A few Texans really do oppose new road construction and expansion. But most Texans want better, safer highways to safely and conveniently accommodate existing traffic and the 1,200 people who move to Texas each day.”
The state highway department will now prepare a final environmental impact statement and seek Federal Highway Administration approval. It is expected to submit this impact statement late this year or early 2009. Once approved, individual segments of the corridor could be upgraded as needs are identified. There is no authorization to purchase property or begin construction on this corridor, according to TxDOT.
Interstate Highway 69 was named a national highway system priority corridor in 1994. The corridor concept was announced in January 2002 and studies of the project could take as long as 2013. The construction of the highway system itself would take “decades” to complete and be done in phases.
The project, a new “super highway” between Mexico and East Texas, has raised concerns about property rights, private foreign ownership of the roadway, and financing the $10-15 billion dollar endeavor.
Sonny Long is a reporter for the Victoria Advocate. He can be reached at 361-580-6585, by e-mail at slong@vicad.com, or comment on this story at VictoriaAdvocate.com.