Most recently, new directives have been issued to proceed into Tier 2 development of the I-69 corridor (TTC/I-69) using existing infrastructure.

That action is a result of the overwhelming public opinion of Texans in the pathway of the proposed corridor who are adamantly opposed to the development, making TxDOT the focus of multiple lawsuits and investigations.

As with other public hearings held during February, in attendance at the Feb. 27 TxDOT meeting at Waller High School were city, county and state representatives, all expressing their opposition to the corridor and supporting the “No Action Alternative.”

Dist. 130 Rep. Corbin Van Arsdale, Dist. 28 Rep. John Zerwes and Dist. 138 Rep. Dwayne Bohac all issued statements requesting an investigation into TxDOT’s actions regarding the corridor, including, among other things, the alleged illegal involvement of Cintra lobbyist Dan Shelley and the misuse of public funds.

Van Arsdale said that if TxDOT did not halt the development of the proposed footprint, the legislature would work to halt it for them.

While it may be premature to say that the currently proposed route has been abandoned, TxDOT Executive Director Amadeo Saenz issued a recent directive to make the use of existing infrastructure primary going into the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).

“This policy is pretty new,” said Jack Heiss, project manager for the TTC/I-69. “It’s the internal policy of the department, but is external to the DEIS, which does not recommend we use existing infrastructure.”

Heiss received the new directive on the project through Phil Russell, TxDOT Assistant Executive Director for Innovative Project Development, who has said that the project will now likely be an upgrade of existing facilities.

“The policy I have been directed to follow, as we move forward, is to explore and exhaust the possibilities of using existing infrastructure,” said Heiss.

Through the DEIS, existing infrastructure automatically proceeds to Tier 2 for consideration in the FEIS. However, the new directive is that those existing infrastructures will be considered first, said Heiss.

Those existing infrastructures include US 59, US 77, US 281 and SH 44 near Corpus Christi.

More than 85 priority projects are first in line to receive any portion of the $5 billion in revenue bonds yet to be appropriated by the 81st Legislature. Included in that list is the upgrade along US 77 to an interstate, between Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley.

Until then, TxDOT has suspended work on millions of dollars of developments across the state because the federal government has rescinded more than a $1 billion in federal highway monies from TxDOT’s budget.

That, in combination with the loss of private investment dollars through SB 792, coupled with a deficit spending approach to future gas tax dollars over the last several years, has placed TxDOT in a self-professed “financially challenged” position.

Residents issuing substantive comments on the DEIS have made it clear that they believe the DEIS for the TTC/I-69 does not address many prevalent issues.

Speakers cited a lack of agricultural land mitigation, a lack of air and noise pollution factors, water shed and flooding contingencies, water resource conservation, and the threat to endangered species indigenous to Waller County.

In addition, many voiced concern that the DEIS makes no provision for emergency services and school district access cost calculations and impacts, as well as overlays natural open spaces, such as Camp Allen Pentecostal Retreat and the Katy Prairie Conservancy.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed