March 3, 2008

by John Pape, FortBendNow.com

Two prominent Katy-area organizations have formally gone on the record as opposing the Trans-Texas Corridor.

The Katy Area Economic Development Council and the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce passed a joint resolution last week objecting to the proposed transportation and utility right-of-way corridor. They joined a growing list of local government and civic organizations that have officially stated their opposition to the controversial project.

“The information about the (Trans-Texas Corridor) has been limited and the TTC has caused a great deal of concern for the residents of Waller County, Harris County and the Katy area,” the resolution noted.

The joint EDC / Chamber resolution was presented to state transportation officials at last week’s public meeting on the corridor at the Katy High School Performing Arts Center. The meeting, sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation and attended by more than 200 area residents, was one of 46 such meetings being held at various locations in the state.

The Waller County Commissioners Court also presented a resolution in opposition to the proposal, saying that it did not take into account the county’s mobility plan. Additionally, state representatives Dwayne Bohac, Bill Calligari and John Zerwas were at the meeting to voice their opposition to the TTC.

The Trans-Texas Corridor has been the subject of debate, often heated, throughout the series of public meetings. No one spoke up in favor of the proposal at the Katy meeting, nor did anyone favor the corridor at a similar meeting the day before in Rosenberg.

As proposed, the Trans-Texas Corridor would be a conduit for highways, rail lines and utility rights-of-way. It would include separate lanes for passenger vehicles and commercial truck traffic, high speed commuter rail service and utility infrastructure for oil, gas, water, electricity and telecommunications services.

The series of meetings are being held to gather public input on the draft environmental impact study for the corridor. TxDOT spokesperson Karen Othon said that the comments offered at the meetings, as well as in writing and from a specially-designated website, will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration for their review.