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Trans-Texas Corridor In The News The July 4th story, "Critics unified on toll roads," in the Sunday edition of the San Antonio Express News has been picked up by The Desert-Mountain Times, a weekly in Alpine, Texas. [link]
The July 4th story in the Sunday edition of the San Antonio Express News, "Critics unified on toll roads," has been picked up by Associated Press leading to a headlines in today's issue of:
The article starts, "Two Republican activists joined by a rural Democratic legislator are fueling opposition to a 50-year plan ushered by GOP Gov. Rick Perry to build 4,000 miles of Texas toll roads and rail lines." The article includes reference to, "Corridor Watch, which opposes using transportation projects to generate state funds, converting highways to toll roads or granting vendors control of public land or infrastructure, which are elements of the corridor strategy." [link]
The July 4th story in the Sunday edition of the San Antonio Express News, "Critics unified on toll roads," has been picked up by Associated Press leading to television coverage on:
The story begins with, "two Republican activists and a Democratic lawmaker," criticizing Governor Perry's Texas toll road plans. The abbreviated Associated Press report includes, "Democratic state Representative Robby Cook of Eagle Lake says he wants to slow down or cancel the plan." [link]
Front page headline of the Metro section in today's San Antonio Express News reads, "Critics unified on toll roads." The article reports Representative Robby Cook [D-Eagle Lake] as wanting to slow down or possibly cancel the Trans-Texas Corridor plan. Cook is quoted as saying the state, "is moving way too fast. I don't think the general public is aware of all the information they need to know and whether or not this is good for all areas." Fayette County Judge Ed Janecka calls the plan a "joke" while Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson responds, "you can't say the idea is a joke when you've got three international companies proposing multibillion-dollar investments in the first piece." The article includes references to David and Linda Stall of CorridorWatch.org and their efforts to win approval of the Republican Party for a plank in the state party's platform calling for repeal of the law authorizing the corridor. The article also states CorridorWatch.org's opposition to, "using transportation projects to generate state funds, converting highways to toll roads or granting vendors control of public land or infrastructure — elements of the corridor strategy." [link]
A front page headline of today's Taylor Daily Press reads, "Coupland gets Trans-Texas explanation." The article reports on the comments of Doug Booher, TxDOT's Turnpike Authority Division Environmental Manager and Governor Perry's Transportation Advisor Kris Heckmann as well as those remarks of local residents concerned about the project in this area northeast of Austin. There was no indication of support in this farming community. The article reads, "Most residents who attended the meeting, however, hope that the answer to the state's traffic woes doesn't involved laying down concrete, asphalt and iron on the croplands of the Blackland Prairie. [link]
Sierra Clubs' Lone Star
Chapter Transportation Issue Coordinator
Dick Kallerman has taken a
position very critical of the Trans-Texas
Corridor. The Summer 2004 issue of the
Lone Star Sierran, the official
Newsletter of the Sierra Club, Lone Star
Chapter includes an article titled, "The
Trans-Texas Corridor Project - An Outmoded
Response to 21st Century Transportation
Needs." In the article Kallerman says,
"The Trans-Texas Corridor plan is not the
product of transportation professionals,
urban planners, sociologists and
environmentalists hammering out affordable
infrastructure to meet our 21st Century
needs. Rather, it was hatched in a
smoke-filled room where nobody worried about
the needs of ordinary Texans." An
editor's note follows the article and directs readers to find more
information on the concerns about the Trans-Texas Corridor project to
visit CorridorWatch.org.
[Lone
Star Sierran: Summer 2004
An article appears in The Texas Observer titled, "In Search of the Next Crusade" and reports on the Republican's State Convention in San Antonio. The GOP grassroots used their party platform as the forum to show their displeasure. "This year, the grassroots faithful passed a new plank in the platform urging the repeal of Perry’s transportation vision—the Trans-Texas Corridor—because it allows for eminent domain and is set up to reward commercial contractors." [link]
A headline in today's Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reads, "Platform opposes plan for gambling." The first line of the article reads, "Texas Republicans delivered a stinging rebuke to a pair of key initiatives backed by Gov. Rick Perry on Friday..." One those key initiatives is the Trans-Texas Corridor. [link]
A Knight Ridder Newspaper wire story has lead to headline that reads, "Texas Republicans say no to video gambling plan" in today's issue of:
The article starts, "Texas Republicans delivered a stinging rebuke to a pair of key initiatives backed by Gov. Rick Perry on Friday." It continues, "The platform calls Perry's Trans-Texas Corridor initiative an ill-advised opportunity for state "confiscation of private land."" [link] A story titled, "The GOP and Gambling: More Infighting" was posted on the Internet website Free State Standard. The story comments on reports from the 2004 Republican State Convention in San Antonio and reads, in part, "On Friday, the GOP adopted a platform that condemns legalizing video gambling to finance public schools and it urges repeal of an ambitious statewide transportation plan to build a network of highways, toll roads and rail lines--both championed by Texas Governor Rick Perry." It goes on to say, "And, many of you may remember that, during the 2002 elections, Perry unveiled his ambitious, gazillion bazillion dollar Trans-Texas Corridor initiative. Well, folks, the GOP doesn't like that either!" [link]
The front page headline of today's The Weimar Mercury reads, "Fayette Co. Fighting Huge Corridor Plan." The article reads "Fayette County Commissions, meeting Monday, unanimously approved a resolution in opposition to the proposed Trans Texas Corridor transportation system.."
A story in today's Tyler Morning Telegraph is headlined, "Public Comment Deadline for Corridor Plan Extended." They reported that "Critics say special environmental and bidding allowances for the corridor have allowed TxDOT to push forward with plans to the exclusion of public participation. They say meetings like the one here are conducted simply to comply with legal requirements - without regard to how many people actually get a chance to participate." [link]
A story in today's Gainesville Daily Register is headlined, "TXDOT hears comments." They reported that "area landowners were not shy about giving their opinions." One resident is quoted as saying, "It doesn't make sense to put it (the Trans Texas Corridor) so far from the urban areas. You still got to come back to them (urban areas)." Another commented, "This is some scary stuff." Brett Jackson, a TxDOT representative replied, "The idea is to reserve enough right-of-way."
An article, "Taking Its Toll: Is the state's massive new transportation plan a path to the future or a road to nowhere?" appears on page 76 of the May 2004 issue of Texas Monthly. The article questions several aspects of the Trans Texas Corridor, but merely scratches the surface. Hopefully it will spur readers to do a little research of their own. (Welcome to CorridorWatch.org!)
Sierra Club expresses concern about special 'experimental project' status granted the Trans Texas Corridor. In an article appearing the the March 17, 2004 San Antonio Express Ken Kramer of the Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter is quoted, "I think definitely the Trans-Texas Corridor project as a whole, and even any one corridor ... potentially has enormous environmental impacts," [link]
March 16, 2004 Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson held an 11am Austin press conference March 16, 2004 with Federal Highway Administrator Mary Peters to announce 'experimental project' designation for a portion of the Trans Texas Corridor. Under this streamlined process public hearings will not have to be completed before work on the Corridor can begin. [more]
TxDOT has agreed to honor Fayette County Judge Ed Janecka's request for another Public Hearing. The meeting will be held on Tuesday March 23, 2004, at 7:00 pm, at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 190 S Brown Street, LaGrange (Fayette County). CorridorWatch.org confirmed today (with TxDOT) that TxDOT Executive Director Michael Behrens, P.E., will be in attendance. [more]
In just the last 23 days of February TxDOT conducted a statewide blitz of "public hearings." All 254 counties were covered. Thirty-five "public hearings" were conducted on Tuesday, February 24th alone. While public participation was theoretically the idea, there was very little public information to be had. While most of the hearing were poorly attended Dog and Pony Shows, a few attempted to ask serious questions. [more]
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This Page Last Updated: Wednesday January 17, 2007