Apparently TxDOT didn't realize that San Antonio is the 2nd most populated city in Texas. In fact the Alamo city is. And TxDOT might take note that it is also the 7th most populated city in the entire United States. Really something we would have expected them to have already known.

Hundreds of Texans were unable to attend and participate in the TTC-35 DEIS Public Hearing held in a San Antonio high school on August 8, 2006. When the East Central High School Cafeteria reached it's 600 person capacity the doors were closed. Many of those left standing outside had driven great distances, some from as far away as Houston.

How did this happen? Was TxDOT unaware that metropolitan Bexar County's population had grown to near 2 million? Did they really expect that a meeting room with a 600 person capacity would be adequate, especially given the vigorous debate over the TTC and toll projects in Bexar County?

This stands in stark contrast to Temple, population less than 55,000. When a stunning 1,600 people showed up for the TTC-35 DEIS Public Hearing in Temple, TxDOT needed only add an additional 100 chairs to accommodate the crowd. And that wasn't the only big turn out by Texans who want to let TxDOT know what they think about the TTC. Waco attracted more than 1,000 and Floresville, a stones throw from San Antonio 700.

What were they thinking? Were they thinking? Some suspicious types might even suspect an evil plot designed to repel the thongs of unhappy citizens who or taking advantage of their right to express their unhappiness. CorridorWatch.org is more inclined to suspect it was just horribly poor planning. The kind of planning we fear will be commonplace with the massive TTC project that's currently being designed in secret without coordination with regional transportation planners or meaningful citizen review and comment.

Of course TxDOT will hold an additional Public Hearing in San Antonio to reach those who were turned away on Tuesday. Will they move to a larger facility where everyone, even if there's more than 600, can be assured that they can get in the building? No they won't.

The next San Antonio DEIS Tier One Public Hearing will be held on Thursday, August 10, 2006, at the East Central High School cafeteria,  7173 FM 1628, San Antonio, Texas. The meeting room will open at 5:00 p.m. for open house style displays and discussion with a formal presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by oral comments from the public.

[ Read Grassroots Backlash - by Pat Driscoll ]

UPDATE: During the first Public Hearing at East Central High more than 600 attended and thirty-two spoke at the microphone. Four spoke in favor of TTC-35, one was uncertain, and 27 took the opposing position.

270 returned to San Antonio's East Central High School to attend the second DEIS Tier One Public Hearing on Thursday, August 10th. Twenty-two speakers made public comments. Every single speaker expressed their objection to TTC-35.

The night before on Wednesday, August 9th, 687 Texans signed-in for the DEIS Public Hearing in Seguin, just 34-miles northeast of East Central High. Thirty-three speakers stepped up to the microphone in Seguin and everyone of them expressed their objection to TTC-35.

If it were not for the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and three business interest speakers no one came to support TTC-35. Between the San Antonio and Sequin hearings 1,557 attended. At those hearings TxDOT heard 82 of 87 speakers express objection to TTC-35. One Chamber member in the audience told CorridorWatch.org that he had not been consulted by the Chamber leadership and that he was unhappy that they were supporting TTC-35.

Already TxDOT is putting a 'spin' on the overwhelming negative public reaction across all 55 Public Hearings. Rather than accepting criticism and concern at face value TxDOT is characterizing public opposition as being based on misconceptions. From Chairman Ric Williamson at the top down to TxDOT spokesperson Gabby Garcia the message is we're right and the public is wrong.

Yes there are many misconceptions about the Trans Texas Corridor. Those misconceptions are a product of the information vacuum created by TxDOT. How can TxDOT expect the public to support a project that they know nothing about? How can the public comment on a project when many of the details are either unknown or intentionally kept secret? It's a classic case of the state saying 'trust us, we know what's best.' The problem is they haven't earned that trust yet, and the way they are behaving it's unlikely to ever materialize.

TxDOT likes to compare opposition to the TTC to opposition of the Interstate Highway system development 50-years ago. Unfortunately they aren't even close to the same. The process used to push the TTC is extremely perverted in that comparison. Building Interstate Highways was a topic of wide public debate and discussion, the TTC was not. No element of the Interstate Highway system proposal was kept secret from the public. The Interstate system was innovative, it brought us grade separations (over/underpasses) and on/off ramps that eliminated stops and dangerous intersections. The TTC has no innovation, it's the same 50-year old highway, rail and utility design. When the congress voted on the Interstate System everyone knew what is was going to be and where they wanted to build it. When the state legislature voted on the TTC no one, including the legislature, knew what is was going to be and where they wanted to build it. There is no comparison just high-speed TxDOT spin.