June 10, 2008, 6:11PM
Plans for Trans-Texas Corridor take a detour


By RAD SALLEE
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle



RESOURCES
Study recommends rail on US 290 and Texas 3
Check out road conditions and more The Texas Department of Transportation said today it has abandoned plans to build part of the controversial Interstate 69/Trans-Texas Corridor through rural areas north and west of Houston.

Instead, TxDOT said it will stick to major highways — principally U.S. 59 — for most of the route. Through the Houston area, it could stay on U.S. 59 or go on Loop 610 or the planned Grand Parkway. In South Texas, where many residents welcomed the corridor plan, part of the superhighway would go on U.S. 281, U.S. 77 and Texas 44.

The change of plans came after months of grass-roots opposition from rural residents in the areas under study for the route in East Texas and counties west of Houston.

Merchants along U.S. 59 who had supported the idea of making the route an interstate highway were incensed at TxDOT's announced plan to name a private partner to build and operate the corridor as a toll road and develop its own concessions along it.

The revolt spread to elected officials at all levels, leading the Legislature in 2007 to impose a two-year moratorium on long-term privately operated toll projects.

TxDOT officials had planned to publicly announce its plans Wednesday, but public officials spilled the news late this afternoon. In a briefing with reporters Tuesday, TxDOT Executive Director Amadeo Saenz said a large share of the 28,000 comments received in 47 public hearings and 12 town-hall meetings along the route were opposed to the project.

"A lot of them said, in essence, 'We don't want you, we don't want the route, and we don't want you across our farm,' " Saenz said. "And a lot of people said, 'Why don't you expand 59? You have a perfectly good road in 59.'"

Saenz said he will recommend to the Texas Transportation Commission, which sets policy for TxDOT, that only existing highways, principally U.S. 59, be considered for the route.

"Anything not on an existing highway will be set aside and not moved forward," he said, although Saenz said that in the distant future — perhaps 50 years from now — that may be necessary.

He said TxDOT no longer is considering bringing the route west of Houston. Earlier plans showed the study area passing near Huntsville, Navasota, Prairie View, Waller, Sealy, Wallis, Richmond and Rosenberg, drawing intense opposition from residents.

Although the revised route sticks mostly to U.S. 59, there still are spurs to the ports of Houston and Corpus Christi.

Through Houston, Saenz said, the corridor might follow U.S. 59, Loop 610 or the planned Grand Parkway. In each segment, he said, it would be decided by TxDOT with input from advisory committees of local residents and officials.

The initial phase likely would involve adding toll lanes to the current lanes of U.S. 59 and building bypasses around many built-up areas, Saenz said. Other corridor components, such as truck lanes and rail, could be added later as needed, he said.

rad.sallee@chron.com






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