Legislator works to
postpone Trans-Texas Corridor

March 14, 2007

By Andy Hogue, GAINESVILLE DAILY REGISTER (GAINESVILLE, Texas)

AUSTIN, Texas — The state representative of a district where support for the Trans-Texas Corridor is hard to find filed legislation this week in hope additional time would allow for a better plan.

Rep. Rick Hardcastle, R-Vernon, filed House Bill 3831 in the Texas House of Representatives, which aims to halt the transportation project until improvements have been made on Interstate Highway 35 in Cooke County through the cities of Valley View and Gainesville just south of the Red River.

The improvements include widening of the current lanes on I-35 and the construction of additional lanes, which are currently under review by regional Texas Department of Transportation engineers.

The Trans-Texas Corridor is a proposed network of privately funded, limited access toll roads, spanning from various points across Texas. The main route expected to pass through Cooke County is TTC-35, which would run from Laredo to the Red River if built. Other routes from El Paso to the Cooke-Montague county line and from Texarkana to just east of Gainesville are in the plans.

Rep. Kip Averitt, R-Crane, filed Senate Bill 1785 in the Texas Senate which is similar to HB 3831.

Hardcastle also is a co-author to House Bill 2772, the statewide two-year moratorium on toll road development — a move that intends to stop all toll projects while legislators and government officials revisit contracts and plans, a press release from Hardcastle’s Austin office said.

“It is important to take the time to stop and re-examine how we are improving transportation in Texas,” Hardcastle said in the release. “The critical point for me is when the state disregards the personal property rights of hard-working Texans.”

Both HB 3831 and HB 2772 now await committee referral.

Amy Klein, a Gainesville obstetrician and anti-Trans-Texas Corridor activist said the filing of the bill is an example of representation in action.

“I think that these legislators are finally listening to their constituents across the state of Texas,” Klein said. “They are realizing the problem that has been created with the previous legislation passed considering the construction and pitfalls of toll roads. I appreciate that our state Sen. Craig Estes and our state Rep. Rick Hardcastle support these bills in the Senate and the House.

Klein added to a proverb frequently quoted by CorridorWatch founder David Stall: “You eat an elephant one bite at a time.”

“I think that we’re slowly devouring this elephant,” Klein said.

Andy Hogue writes for the Gainesville (Texas) Daily Register.