Thread: For Concerned Texans

http://corridorwatch.org/ttc/index.htm



This is the Internet home of CorridorWatch.org, an organization of concerned Texans and public officials who question the wisdom of the Trans-Texas Corridor.

"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."
— Texas Representative Robert "Robby" Cook (July 4, 2004) [link]

When did you first hear about the Trans-Texas Corridor?

It's shocking just how few Texans know about this massive super-highway-rail-utility project launched by Governor Perry in 2002. Ten vehicle lanes, six rail tracks, utilities, pipelines, state concessions (gas stations, restaurants, motels, stores, warehouses, etc.) all on 4,000 miles of toll roads that will consume more than one-half million acres of Texas. [more]

[ Note: The Priority Routes alone total 4,000 miles;
the complete TTC is 8,000 miles consuming one million acres. ]


"If you do not know what the Trans-Texas Corridor is,
then you better educate yourself."
— Cyndi Wright, Editor, Fayette County Record (March 2, 2004) [more]

". . . we are very aggressive, we're very serious about it, and we are going to move forward on it."
— Phillip Russell, Director, Texas Turnpike Authority Division (August 20, 2003) [citation] [full text]






"Overkill."
— Nancy DeWitt, Alpine City Council Member [more]



TxDOT’s "Myth Versus Reality" Press Release Misses the Mark [CLICK]






VIDEO CLIPS

"Behind the TTC" KHOU News Special Report [CLICK]

Waco Meeting Sets Attendance Record at 1,000+ KCEN-TV [CLICK]

Temple Meeting Shatters Attendance Record at 1,600+ KWTX-TV [CLICK]

San Antonio Meeting 900+ Show-Up, 300 Turned Away WOAI-TV [CLICK]





"We support the concept of the Trans Texas Corridor, but we don't want it at the expense of all the urban transportation improvement that are needed."
— Lois Finkleman, Dallas City Councilwoman [more]


It's not about transportation . . . It's about revenue.

"Governor Perry and his friends spent
a great deal of time researching ideas to create more revenue"
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson
(March 25, 2003) [citation] [full text]

"One of the big issues that kind of got 3588 going was
the issue of funding for transportation."
— Transportation Policy Director John Langmore, 78th Legislature
(Austin, March 4, 2004)

"in your lifetime most existing roads will have tolls"
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (October 11, 2004)

"It's either toll roads, slow roads or no roads"
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (May 2004)

". . . concentrating on the four primary routes first,
is the beginning of generating the cash flow . . ."
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (June 27, 2002) [citation]

[more about tolls]




"... there are serious questions being raised by the citizens of Texas
about this new approach to funding highways in our state."
— Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Texas State Comptroller [more]

"... a lot of people don't understand the impact of the corridor."
— Lane Gosnay, Fayette Co. Resident [more]

"Local citizens would suffer the negative impact of
such a corridor without receiving any benefit"
— Diane Lacy, Jeff Davis County Commissioner [more]

Everyone should understand that this isn't another Interstate Highway. It not just a jumbo-sized highway. This Corridor project is a very wide, very flat, extremely limited access, mostly toll, highway-rail-utility corridor. To cross the Corridor at any point will require a quarter-mile long overpass.

"If there is no access to the small towns, it will change the face of the state."
— Will Lowrance, Hillsboro Mayor [more]

It will connect to Interstate and other major highways. However, by design it will not provide easy, if any, access to the communities it passes by. It will not spur commercial development along its frontage like our Interstate Highways. There will be no frontage. There will be no opportunity for the owners of property it abuts to develop new or expanded businesses with access to the Corridor. Moreover, it has provisions in the plan and the law to place all possible traveler services on the corridor itself.

"I am concerned about what this could do to the county."
— Richard Cortese, Bell County Commissioner [more]

Every mile of Corridor will consume 146 acres of land. That's property that will become state owned land - removed from county and school district tax rolls everywhere it extends.

"If it is done the way it's proposed, it will hurt us eventually ..."
— Carlos Vigil, Cooke County Community Development Director [more]

"It's going to kill little towns,"
— Frances Truchard, Colorado County Justice of the Peace [more]

Communities with travel and tourism based economies will lose access to those travelers. If the Corridor is successful in attracting traffic away from existing highways communities will suffer significant economic loses.

"With a right-of-way approximately 1,200-feet-wide, the proposed corridor
could change the face of agriculture in Texas forever as it
swallows up thousands of production acres of farmland."
— Juliet Briskin, Country World News (November 4, 2004) [link]

Where will they build the Corridor?

"The Trans Texas Corridor is a state of mind, not an alignment on a map."
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson
(March 25, 2003) [citation] [full text]

The plan adopted by the Texas Transportation Commission outlines 4,000 miles of Corridor to crisscross the entire state. Four of those Corridors have been identified by the Texas Department of Transportation as Priority Corridors to be constructed first (shown below in orange). No effort has been made by the state to identify the specific placement of the Corridors. There are however some known constraints. The Corridors do not directly connect large cities. In fact they go around major urban areas for three prime reasons: one, to keep traffic away from existing urban congestion; two, to keep vehicle air pollution out of urban areas; and three, to provide new routes for the transportation of hazardous materials. Topography will also be very important because of the high-speed rail component of the Corridor. It will be necessary that the Corridor be as straight and level as possible (no uphill or downhill grades or sharp turns).

[ Note: The Priority Routes alone total 4,000 miles; the complete TTC Plan totals 8,000 miles. ]



"It's a terrifying nightmare. I'm scared to death of this."
— Bill Durst, Fayette County Inspector [more]

How did the Trans-Texas Corridor get started?

"What started out as a campaign promise is now in the fast lane."
— Rudy Koski, KVUE News, Austin (March 16, 2004)

In 2002 Governor Perry announced his Corridor vision and instructed TxDOT to prepare an action plan to build the Trans-Texas Corridor. Within six-months TxDOT had completed the plan and presented it to the Transportation Commission. Without any substantive discussion or debate and without public comment the Commission approved the plan as presented on June 27, 2002. [the plan]

"Once the Governor decided that this is where we needed to head,
he wanted to remove it from the political flow of the state,
he wanted it to become policy as opposed to politics,
and that was one of the reasons he asked us to move so fast,
and we've done an admirable job...."
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson
(June 27, 2002) [full text]

"If this is the governor's plan,
I'd like to have the governor come down and explain it to us."
— Ed Janecka, Fayette County Judge [more]

"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."
— Dick Kallerman, Transportation Issue Coordinator, Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter [more]

Since the plan was developed a series of state laws have been put into place drastically changing the highway construction and financing rules — giving the Texas Transportation Commission unprecedented authority and power. The most significant of these new laws is known as House Bill 3588. [HB-3588]

The Legislature "threw the door wide open . . . and we intend to use it."
— Transportation Commissioner Robert L. Nichols
(Texas Good Roads Annual Meeting: June 30, 2003)

"It [HB-3588] gives us all of the authority and all of the power we need on a state level to move forward on the Trans-Texas Corridor, plus some." — Phillip Russell, Director, Texas Turnpike Authority Division (August 20, 2003) [citation] [full text]

The Commission may acquire, in the name of the state, public or private real property as they determine to be necessary or convenient for the construction, enlargement or operation of the Trans Texas Corridor.

The Commission can lease or sell part of the property, for any purpose, including placing on the adjoining right-of-way a gas station, garage, store, hotel, restaurant, parking facility, railroad track, or billboard under terms they set. They can even lease it back to the original owner or any other public or private entity for unrelated commercial or industrial purposes.

Rural or Urban . . . . TxDOT Does NOT Want Your Input

Don't be fooled into believing that the TTC is just a rural issue, it's not. It's a Texas issue. Urban traffic planners and organizations have been working on transportation solutions for years. You might have assumed that they were included in planning a project that is supposed to provide them with better transportation and congestion relief. But you would be wrong. This is a revenue project driven by political ambition. As such urban leaders, like everyone else, have been excluded from the process.

"I am against Trans Texas Corridor 35. I want to make that perfectly clear. Mainly for the process, because this has not been an open process . . . I've worked with TxDOT very well, but not since Ric Williamson has been onboard the Commission and really not since Rick Perry has been Governor because they don't like input, they don't want comments that might be constructive to this process. . . . If this is crammed down our throats, which if we keep the current administration it will be, I want to go on record that if they're going to have Trans Texas Corridor 35, this red route around here [holding and pointing to map] is the regional recommended corridor by the RTC everyone in our group has voted on."

- Dallas County Commissioner, Kenneth Mayfield, at DEIS Public Hearing (July 27, '06)

[Commissioner Mayfield chairs Transportation Excellence for the 21st Century (TEX-21) a statewide coalition, is a member of the Regional Transportation Council of North Central Texas Council of Governments and is vice-chair of the Transportation Air Quality subcommittee.]


"If you aggressively invite the private sector
to be your partner,
you can't tell them where to build the road"
- Ric Williamson, Chairman, Texas Transportation Commission, May 24, 2006



CorridorWatch.org Asks:
Who is the road for, Texans or Cintra?




"TxDOT's understanding of the new CDA approach to road building is that local branches of government and the Legislature are no longer part of the process. According to the TxDOT view, once an agreement is made with a private partner, TxDOT and the provider alone are empowered to makes decisions concerning road alignments. This is a staggering change from the way we have historically made these decisions. These projects are too important to not allow the citizens to participate through their various voices in government. This is a fundamental issue of the separation of powers and checks and balances in the system. I have had the unique honor of serving the citizens of Fort Worth and Tarrant County as county judge, state senator and now mayor of Fort Worth. What I have learned through serving in these various capacities is that this fundamental issue of separation of powers should not so casually be cast aside. Every level of government has a unique perspective, which serves to express the complex voice of our citizenry."

- Ft. Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, June 18, 2006)



"The Governor did ask us to move quickly and as I have a personal relationship with the Governor, I can speak with [for] him in this regard. Once the Governor decided that this is where we needed to head, he wanted to remove it from the political flow of the state, he wanted it to become policy as opposed to politics, and that was one of the reasons he asked us to move so fast, and we've done an admirable job"

- Chairman Ric Williamson, Texas Transportation Commission meeting (June 27, 2002).



The "political flow of the state" the Governor wants to avoid is the very process that allows for self-governance. It is the process that allows the citizens and their representatives to debate public policy and reach informed decisions through consensus. It is the stuff of which a democracy in made. -- CorridorWatch.org

. Please Help Support the CorridorWatch.org Mission .
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[ JUMP PAST THE NEWS FLASHES - CLICK HERE ]

Associated Press' FACT CHECK Wrong - OCT. 15, 2006

The Associated Press released analysis of a campaign ad today erroneously stating that Spain-based Cintra holds a 65-percent equity position in Cintra Zachry LP. That's wrong. The correct equity position is 85-percent with Zachry Construction holding the small 15-percent equity balance. Zachry holds a larger 35-percent position in their collaboration with Cintra on SH-130 segments 5 and 6.

Associated Press also questions the claim, "largest land grab in Texas history." The AP compares the 4,000 miles of the TTC to 41,755 miles of Texas farm-to-market roads (1946-1989). In doing so they miss the glaring difference of added land being taken for utilities, rail and other purposes. Land taken for farm-to-market (and ranch-to-market) roads range typically from 60-feet to 90-feet in width and many were constructed where roads had already existed. The TTC, with a width of 1,200-feet, requires 13 to 20 times more land than a farm-to-market road. All the farm-to-market roads built over the last 50-years do not consume anywhere near as much land as the TTC.

NEWS FLASH - SEPTEMBER 28, 2006

RESOLUTION FILED IN U.S. CONGRESS oBJECTING TO
NAFTA SUPERHIGHWAY SYSTEM AND
FOREIGN CONSORTIUM FUNDING & MANAGEMENT
[ rest of the story ]

Attorney General Shuts Down "You Can't Take It"
Suit charges that promoters were misleading property owners about TTC seizures
[ CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY ]


CorridorWatch.org Has Submitted 3 TTC-35 DEIS Comment Documents

July 27, 2006 - August 17, 2006 - August 21, 2006

CorridorWatch.org FILES COMPLAINT WITH FHWA
Complaint charges that TxDOT is using CDA to circumvent NEPA requirements.
[ CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY ]




CINTRA LOBBYIST WITH TIES TO GOVERNOR PERRY
Offers Key State Lawmakers a 4 Day, 3 Night, All Expense Paid Trip to Canada
[ CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - AUGUST 18, 2006

CINTRA'S INSIDE MAN - DAN SHELLEY

Cintra consultant turned Governor Perry's legislative aide, turned Cintra lobbyist. It's hard to keep up with who is working for who. Or is it?

Austin lobbyist Dan Shelley has been one of
Governor Perry's aides and Cintra's inside man.

Shelley worked for Cintra making introductions to TxDOT just in time to see them get a winning proposal submitted for the Trans Texas Corridor. Then he worked for Governor Perry just in time to lobby the Legislature to protect and strengthen laws benefiting Cintra. Now he's back working for Cintra again planning all expense paid trips to Canada for TxDOT and Texas law makers.

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - AUGUST 11, 2006

US Senator Hutchison Agrees the TTC is a Flawed Project
[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - AUGUST 8, 2006

HUNDREDS OF TEXANS ARE LOCKED OUT OF PUBLIC HEARING IN SAN ANTONIO

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.

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - JULY 27, 2006

CorridorWatch.org FILES COMMENT AND COMPLAINT AT NEPA TIER ONE TTC-35 DEIS PUBLIC HEARING

During the July 27, 2006, Public Hearing in Dallas, Texas, David Stall presented oral comments and submitted written comments on behalf the members of CorridorWatch.org.

"TxDOT has failed its NEPA mandate to alert and inform the public of their planned actions."

"Under the leadership and direction of the Texas transportation commission TxDOT has failed the NEPA mandate of a careful and informed decision-making process conducted fully and in good faith."

"Based on this and the information contained in the tier one draft environmental impact study the decision selected must be the no action alternative."

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - JULY 20, 2006

TxDOT’s "Myth Versus Reality" Press Release Misses the Mark

On July 18, 2006, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) issued a press release titled, "Myth Versus Reality." A more accurate title might have been, "Myth Versus PR Response." What’s missing in large measure is the Reality. Media outlets that receive this press release should do some fact checking before presenting it to the public without qualification.

CorridorWatch.org has prepared a reply to the list of eighteen ‘Myths’ provided by TxDOT (source or sources unknown).

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


"Texas freeways belong to Texans, not foreign companies"
- Carole Keeton Strayhorn (USA Today, July 15, 2006)



NEWS FLASH - JULY 15, 2006


Rep. Joe Pickett

"TxDOT TRAMPLED ON US"

Six term Representative Joe Pickett (D-El Paso) is no newcomer to Texas transportation issues. He has served on the House Transportation Committee and is currently the Chairman of the Regional Transportation Policy Board in El Paso. The following letter has appeared in the Austin American-Statesman:

On June 29, a group of elected officials from the El Paso area appeared before the Texas Transportation Commission to oppose the creation of a Regional Mobility Authority. Our regional Metropolitan Planning Organization voted against creating a toll authority.

The Congress member in our area opposes creating a mobility authority, as does the county judge-elect. Do you think the Texas Department of Transportation honored the decision of the local planning organization? No way. It is the state's way or the highway, I mean tollway. It gets worse, 30 minutes after the vote was taken in El Paso against a mobility authority, a TxDOT commissioner called a road contractor and threatened to kill a pending project if they didn't get the mobility authority in line. Then TxDOT threatened the state of New Mexico by saying it would kill a joint railroad relocation study because some of our planning organization members who voted against the mobility authority are from New Mexico.

STATE REP. JOE C. PICKETT
Chairman El Paso area
Metropolitan Planning Organization
El Paso

So much for local control. So much for the democratic process and citizen participation in government. Seems that Austin is now firmly in control of all Texans. And, in case you're interested, the Commissioner in question is Ted Houghton of El Paso.

NOTICE - JULY 6, 2006

TTC-35 PUBLIC HEARINGS BEGIN NEXT MONDAY - JULY 10TH

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU PARTICIPATE
IN THE NEPA PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.

These hearings seek comment on TTC impact to: farmland; Ag conversion; community travel patterns; community social disruption; emergency services; local retail; regional economy; property & sales tax revenue; disadvantaged populations; air quality; noise; water quality; wildlife; floodplains; threatened & endangered species; historical sites; cemeteries; archaeological sites; hazardous waste sites; and, visual quality.

Through these hearings TxDOT must learn about the concerns and the issues they should address in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision (ROD). Your input will define the issues examined in their next round of environmental analysis.

Attend one or more public hearing. You do not need to be an expert, environmentalist, or expert of any kind to put your opinion on the official record.

If you can't attend a hearing please send in your written comments. You can send your comments in before or after the hearing by mail or via the Internet (keeptexasmoving.com).

This is an environmental process. The Governor and the Transportation Commission have already decided to build the TTC. That decision was reached without asking for your input. These environmental hearings will help decide where the TTC will be built. If you have concerns about building the TTC you must contact your elected state officials and let them know your opinions. Only the Governor and the State Legislature can change the future course of the TTC plan.

[ MORE INFORMATION ]

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - JUNE 10, 2006

TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY OBJECTS TO THE TRANS TEXAS CORRIDOR
AND ADDRESSES EMINENT DOMAIN CONCERNS IN THEIR PLATFORM

"We oppose the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor ..."

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - JUNE 3, 2006

TEXAS REPUBLICAN PARTY REAFFIRMS OBJECTION TO THE TRANS TEXAS CORRIDOR
AND ADDS EMINENT DOMAIN AND TOLL ROADS TO THE PARTY PLATFORM

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - JUNE 2, 2006

TxDOT DECLINES CorridorWatch.org APPLICATION FOR MEDIA CREDENTIALS
TO REPORT ON THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION FORUM



[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - MAY 31, 2006

TEXAS COMPTROLLER AND CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR CAROLE STRAYHORN
DEMANDS THAT GOVERNOR RICK PERRY REVEAL SECRET TOLL CORRIDOR PLAN

One year ago today the Texas Attorney General ruled that TxDOT must release the entire contents of it's Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA) with Cintra Zachry to develop Trans Texas Corridor (TTC-35). Not impressed by that order, TxDOT and Cintra Zachry have done exactly what CorridorWatch.org predicted a year ago, they have stonewalled and initiated a protracted legal battle to keep hundreds of pages of the agreement (CDA) secret. Good thing we didn't hold our breath!

In response to Strayhorn's comments today a spokesman for the Governor said "most of the contract is available." That's of little consolation since the portions they refuse to release include all of the conceptual development and financial plans. Someone needs to tell the Governor that "most" just isn't good enough.

Apparently there is something or a lot of things in that CDA that can't stand the light of day. Strayhorn agrees and said today, "we need government in the sunshine."

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - MAY 25, 2006

"IF YOU AGGRESSIVELY INVITE THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO BE YOUR PARTNER,
YOU CAN'T TELL THEM WHERE TO BUILD THE ROAD"
[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]


NEWS FLASH - MAY 24, 2006

TxDOT RELEASES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE
FOCUSING ON THE TTC-35 PREFERRED CORRIDOR ALTERNATIVE ROUTE

We now have the list of dates and locations for 54 hearing that TxDOT will hold along the TTC-35 route. This series of Public Hearings will begin July 10, 2006 and conclude on August 10, 2006.

It is important for the public to participate in this process to provide input and express concerns that they may have. However, it is equally important to understand that this is an environmental process mandated by the federal government. It is not a process by which the State of Texas will determine whether or not to build the TTC, that decision has already been made (without your input).

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

[ HEARING DATES & LOCATIONS ]

NEWS FLASH - APRIL 7, 2006

CorridorWatch.org POSTS CLOSE-UP COUNTY VIEWS OF
TTC-35 REASONABLE CORRIDOR ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Today we have posted close-up views of the 12 additional counties directly affected by being in the path of the corridor's Reasonable Alternate routes. [ CLICK HERE ]

NEWS FLASH UPDATE - APRIL 5, 2006

CorridorWatch.org POSTS CLOSE-UP COUNTY VIEWS OF
TTC-35 RECOMMENDED PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ROUTE



[ CLICK HERE ]
AFFECTED COUNTIES

Atascosa

Bastrop

Bell

Bexar

Bosque

Caldwell

Collin

Cooke

Dallas

Denton

Ellis

Falls

Fannin

Frio

Grayson

Guadalupe

Hill

Hood

Hunt

Johnson

Kaufman

La Salle

Lee

Limestone

McLennan

McMullen

Medina

Milam

Navarro

Parker

Rockwall

Somervell

Tarrant

Travis

Webb

Williamson

Wilson

Wise


CorridorWatch.org has begun analyzing the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for TTC-35 and the associated Preferred Alternative map. Today we have posted close-up views of the 26 counties directly affected by being in the path of the corridor's Preferred Alternate route.

NEWS FLASH UPDATE - APRIL 4, 2006

TTC-35 DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT RELEASED TODAY

It’s out – and look out! The Federal Highway Administration has released the 4,300-page Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) for TTC-35. This segment of the Trans Texas Corridor includes 521 miles of toll road that TxDOT and Cintra Zachry want to see built and open by 2015.



[ TTC-35 DEIS Map - April 2006 (4MB) ]

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

NEWS FLASH - SEPTEMBER 18, 2005

Transportation Commissioner Confirms CorridorWatch Prediction

Two weeks ago CorridorWatch issued a bulletin to its membership expressing concern that the massive Wal-Mart purchase-lease land scheme would serve as the model for development along the length of the Trans-Texas Corridor. Today that concern has turned very real.

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

SEPT 15, 2005
Now 32 And Counting . . .


Counties With Official Opposition
reported to CorridorWatch.org
(September 15, 2005)
Counties continue to join the opposition! Last week Grimes was added to the growing list of counties that have taken official positions opposing the Trans-Texas Corridor. Here are some of the counties that are representing the voters who put them in office and have passed formal Resolutions raising concerns about the Trans-Texas Corridor: Bastrop County - Blanco County - Bosque County - Brewster County - Colorado County - Concho County - Edwards County - Falls County - Fayette County - Gillespie County - Gonzales County - Grimes County - Guadalupe County - Hill County - Kendall County - Kerr County - Kimble County - La Salle County - Lee County - Limestone County - Live Oak County - McCulloch County - McLennan County - McMullen County - Mason County - Menard County - Milam County - Navarro County - Raines County - Real County - Waller County - Wharton County.


Bumper Stickers

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SIGNS

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NEWS FLASH - SEPTEMBER 1, 2005

SCORE: TAXPAYERS 0 - BIG BUSINESS 2.8 MILLION

The State of Texas has gone into the land development business using powers and leverage only available to government. By doing so the State is now directly competing with private enterprise and violating the most fundamental principles of capitalism.

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

NEWS FLASH - JULY 1, 2005

TxDOT CAN’T SPELL LOCAL CONTROL

“Surprised and concerned leaders from San Antonio could only stand on the sidelines Thursday as state officials agreed to pursue a private bid to build and operate toll roads in Bexar County,” that's the opening line a story by Patrick Driscoll that appears in today’s San Antonio Express-News.

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

NEWS FLASH UPDATE 3 - JUNE 28, 2005

THE NEWEST OXYMORON: PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS

Last week Texas Representative Frank Corte of San Antonio issued a release saying, "The right to own and use property is inherent to a free society. When a government decides they know how to use private property better than the individual, private property rights cease to exist." CorridorWatch.org couldn't agree more.

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

NEWS FLASH UPDATE - JUNE 27, 2005

GOOD THING WE DIDN'T HOLD OUR BREATH

On the last day of May the Texas Attorney General’s office ruled that TxDOT must release hundreds of pages of the Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA) kept secret in their deal with Cintra Zachry to develop Trans Texas Corridor TTC-35. Immediately CorridorWatch.org predicted that TxDOT and Cintra Zachry would not be responsive to the Attorney General's ruling and provide that public information in response to an open records request made by the Houston Chronicle. We said we expected stonewalling and a protracted legal battle despite TxDOT's initial statement that they would not contest the Attorney General's ruling.

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

NEWS FLASH - JUNE 23, 2005

US SUPREME COURT RULES GOVERNMENT CAN SEIZE YOUR PROPERTY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Today the Court abandons a long-held, basic limitation on government power.

The U.S. Supreme Court has greased the wheels of the Trans Texas Corridor.

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

NEWS FLASH UPDATE - JUNE 10, 2005

SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE - - NOT !

Is CorridorWatch.org surprised that the public and their elected officials are excluded from learning the specifics and details of toll road agreements being negotiated; and, even after these binding agreements between TxDOT and their highway monopoly partners are signed? Absolutely Not!

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

NEWS FLASH - MAY 30, 2005

House Transportation Bill 2702 has finally passed through the legislature with many, many amendments. Some parts of the new law rate good, some better, only a couple rate best and the rest is just plain bad. Some provisions of the new law are dressed up to look good, but don't deliver meaningful changes or protection. Now HB2702 heads for Governor's signature and we expect it will soon become law.

HB2702 As Enrolled (final)

CorridorWatch.org sincerely appreciates the hard work of those legislators who authored, supported and fought for amendments throughout the process. In the final hours CorridorWatch.org urged support and passage of HB2702 recognizing the serious efforts these legislators made to make the best of what they had to work with. THANK YOU!

Over the next few weeks CorridorWatch.org will study and examine the real effect and potential impact of these changes, both positive and negative. The resulting analysis will be published here on the Internet for our members and the public; and, distributed widely to local and state elected officials.

This website will be updated to reflect the changes in our concerns resulting from HB2702.

NEWS FLASH - MARCH 11, 2005

See HB-3363 Note Below - Updated March 20, 2005

Without advance public notice, and announced late on the last day for legislative bills to be filed without the Governor's approval, TxDOT Officials joined by Governor Perry and Federal Highway Administrator Mary Peters signed a 342-page agreement with Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte SA (Madrid, Spain) to create a master plan to finance and build the TTC-35 Trans Texas Corridor generally parallel to IH-35 from the Valley to the Red River.

[ THE REST OF THE STORY ]

HOUSE BILL 3363

On March 11, 2005, House Bill 3363 was introduced by Houston Representative Garnet Coleman. If passed by the Legislature this law would have placed a two-year moratorium on the development of the Trans-Texas Corridor and would have also barred TxDOT from imposing a new toll on any portion of a state highway or road for the next two-years. The bill called for the creation of a 15-member Select Committee to perform a comprehensive study of the Trans-Texas Corridor and the use of tolls, bonds, and other revenue sources for the financing of state highway and road construction and maintenance.

THIS LEGISLATION WAS KILLED BY REP. MIKE KRUSEE AND THE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WITHOUT A SINGLE PUBLIC HEARING.

CLICK HERE for full text of House Bill 3363.



TxDOT Information about the March 11, 2005 Comprehensive Development Agreement
CLICK HERE

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12/06 Texas Farm Bureau adopts policy position to oppose Trans-Texas Corridor.
12/06 Time Magazine sheds light on the Trans-Texas Corridor in a 3-page article.
11/18 Transportation Commission wants more courts to hear eminent domain cases.
11/18 Transportation Commission blasts River of Trade Corridor Coalition.
11/17 House Transportation Committee Issues 2004 Interim Report.
11/15 Joint Statement issued by participants of statewide Toll & Corridor Summit.
11/13 Toll & Corridor Summit is well attended by several statewide organizations.
11/03 Senate Subcommittee Committee Interim Report raises serious water issues.
10/01 State Comptroller announces plan to audit the Central Texas RMA (Austin).
09/24 TxDOT Plans Meetings to Share TTC-35 Mexico-Oklahoma Proposed Routes.
09/20 City Development Corporation of El Campo Urges Repeal of TTC Authorization.
09/13 Wharton Co. Commissioners Pass Resolution Opposing the Trans-Tx Corridor.

07/14 TX Rep. Hegar Says Corridor May Not Be A Statewide Transportation Solution.

07/04 TX Rep. Cook Wants to Slow Down or Possibly Cancel the TTC Plan.

06/04 Republican Party Urges Repeal of Authorization for the Trans-Texas Corridor!

05/24 Fayette Co. Commissioners Pass Resolution Opposing the Trans-Tx Corridor.

House Bill 3588

Want to know more? Here are some excerpts from House Bill 3588:

"...the commission has the same powers and duties relating to the condemnation and acquisition of real property for a facility of the Trans-Texas Corridor that the commission and the department have relating to the condemnation or purchase of real property..." [Sec. 227.041(a)] A facility includes a turnpike project. The commission is empowered to take land whenever the owner refuses to sell or they cannot agree on a price for the property.


The law allows the department to acquire real property for a turnpike project and to "provide a location for an ancillary facility that generates revenue for use in the construction, maintenance, or operation of a turnpike project, including a gas station, garage, store, hotel, or restaurant." [Sec. 361.132(d)(5)] While five typical turnpike type businesses are listed, the law does not limit the acquisition to those specific businesses. In fact, other language provides a virtually limitless definition of what enterprises can be accommodated on the Trans-Texas Corridor. "Property may be leased or a franchise or license granted for any purpose, including use as a facility and use for unrelated commercial, industrial, or agricultural purposes." [Sec. 227.082(d)] There is no apparent limit on how much land may be acquired or taken not only for the transportation elements of the Trans-Texas Corridor, but also for the utility zone and for any other ancillary facility. Any venture that has the potential to generate revenue, including private enterprises operating on that land under lease or franchise, is authorized.


The 'quick take' provision of the law provides that the department may file a declaration of taking with the clerk of the court, immediately serve a copy of the declaration on each person possessing an interest in the condemned property, file evidence of the service with the clerk of the court, and may thereupon take possession of the property pending the litigation. [Sec. 361.137(a)] If the condemned property is a homestead or a portion of a homestead the department may take possession of the property on the 91st day after the date of service. [Sec. 361.137(b)] The 'quick take' provision effectively eliminates the traditional opportunity for reconsideration of condemnation. A concessionaire who has a contract in hand and is ready to start construction will move ahead immediately upon the state taking possession. A concessionaire will not be subject to the same political pressures that serve to ensure a reasonable application of the condemnation powers.


The commission has the power to acquire real property (land) located in or contiguous to an existing or planned segment of the Trans-Texas Corridor by any method, including purchase and condemnation. Primary purposes of land necessary for the Trans-Texas Corridor include, "...generating revenue, directly or indirectly, for use in constructing or operating the Trans-Texas Corridor from or for ancillary facilities that directly benefit users of the Trans-Texas Corridor." [Sec. 227.041(b)(5)] Land could be purchased or condemned for virtually any revenue generating purpose. This includes leasing property located in or contiguous to the corridor for commercial, industrial or agriculture purpose unrelated to the construction, maintenance, or operation of the corridor. There is no apparent limit on how much land may be acquired or taken not only for the transportation elements of the Trans-Texas Corridor, but also for the utility zone and for any other ancillary facility. Any venture that has the potential to generate revenue, including private enterprises operating on that land under lease or franchise, is authorized.


The commission has the power to approve the condemnation of real property that it determines, "necessary or convenient to mitigate an environmental effect that directly results from the construction, operation, or maintenance of a turnpike project." [Sec. 361.135(b)(2)] "The department may acquire, maintain, hold, restore, enhance, develop, or redevelop property for the purpose of mitigating a past, present, or future adverse environmental effect arising from the construction or operation of any part of the Trans-Texas Corridor without regard to whether the need for mitigation is established for a particular project." [Sec. 227.028(a)] The department may contract with a governmental or private entity to accomplish environmental mitigation. [Sec. 227.028(b)] The department is authorized to undertake a program of mitigation land banking. Given that the corridor plan identifies the project area to be approximately 580,000 acres, the resulting amount of land that could be subject to condemnation for environmental mitigation is enormous. With the department authorized to acquire such land to mitigate future adverse impacts, mitigation land could be acquired immediately.


"Property may be leased or a franchise or license granted for any purpose, including use as a facility and use for unrelated commercial, industrial, or agricultural purposes." [Sec. 227.082(d)] Leases and franchises may be granted for a period of up to 50 years. [Sec. 227.082] As state owned property such land use will not be subject to any form of local control or regulation. Further, "Covenants, conditions, restrictions, or limitations affecting property acquired in any manner by the department are not binding against the department and do not impair the department's ability to use the property for a purpose authorized by this chapter." [Sec. 361.142] Revenue generation is the driving force. Concessionaires who are authorized to negotiate or otherwise participate in leases or franchises will not be subject to the same political pressures that serve to ensure a reasonable accommodation of abutting property owners and the communities. Landowners in the proximity of the corridor will lose all protections they presently have afforded them by city ordinances, county regulations, private covenants, and deed restrictions.


"...contract with a person for the use of part of a transportation project, or lease or sell part of a transportation project, including the right-of-way adjoining the portion used to transport people and property, for any purpose, including placing on the adjoining right-of-way a gas station, garage, store, hotel, restaurant, parking facility, railroad track, billboard, livestock pasturage, telephone line or facility, telecommunication line or facility, data transmission line or facility, or electric line or facility, under terms set by the authority." [Sec. 370.172(a)(2)] This provision effectively authorized the purchase and taking of private land by the state and the subsequent lease or sale of land to private commercial enterprises.


"An authority is exempt from payment of development fees, utility connection fees, assessments, and service fees imposed or assessed by any governmental entity or any property owners' or homeowners' association." [Sec. 370.175(b)] The fees and assessments made uncollectible by this provision will result in those associated costs being placed back on local taxpayers, utility customers and property owners.


"...the department may require a person, including a governmental or private entity, to pay a fee as a condition of using any part of the Trans-Texas Corridor." [Sec. 227.081(a)] Municipal and other publicly owned utilities present cross over and under state highways without paying a use fee. Application of this provision will result in an ongoing charge to the local taxpayer owned utilities that cross the Trans-Texas Corridor. Where that fee may be paid to a concessionaire it will not be subject to the supervision or regulation by the state.


"Tolls, fees, fares, or other usage charges are not subject to supervision or regulation by any agency of this state or another governmental entity." [Sec. 370.172(d)] This provision provides the opportunity for the concessionaire to have absolute control over all tolls, fees, fares and usage charges within their segment of the corridor. A concessionaire will not be subject to the same political pressures that serve to ensure reasonable tolls, fees and charges.


"The commission by order may convert a segment of the free state highway system to a turnpike project and transfer that segment to an authority, or may transfer an existing turnpike project that is part of the state highway system, whether previously tolled or not..." [Sec. 370.035(a)]


"An authority may impose a toll for transit over an existing free road, street, or public highway transferred to the authority under this chapter." [Sec. 370.176(a)]


"...an authority may not pay compensation for public real property, parkways, streets, highways, alleys, or reservations it takes..." [Sec. 370.169(a)] With the exception a park, playground, designated environmental preserve property, or property owned by or on behalf of this state that under law requires compensation to this state for the use or acquisition of the property, no compensation will be paid for the taking of public real property. Accordingly, every city, county, water district, school district and state agency that owns land not protected by the few exceptions is at risk of taking without compensation. Local taxpayers will bear the expense of replacing needed land lost to the corridor (at the rate of one acre every 36-feet).


"An authority has full easements and rights-of-way through, across, under, and over any property owned by the state or any local government that are necessary or convenient to construct, acquire, or efficiently operate a transportation project or system..." [Sec. 370.169(c)]




"The number of courts authorized to hear eminent domain cases
should be expanded"
– Coby Chase, TxDOT Legislative Affairs Director (November 18, 2004) [more]





"The Governor, the Texas Transportation Commission, the TxDOT, the administration -- our staff -- we are all committed to implementing this plan. We believe it is real." — Commissioner Robert Nichols, Texas Transportation Commission (August 20, 2003) [citation] [full text]

If you're thinking that this won't happen for several years into the future, you're kidding yourself. The draft agenda for the Transportation Commission's December 2004 meeting includes as item number 11, "Turnpike Project / Various Counties - Approve the selection of the best value proposal for the planning, development, acquisition, design, construction, financing, maintenance, and operation of the Oklahoma-Mexico priority element of the Trans-Texas Corridor system generally paralleling IH 35 (TTC-35); and authorize the department to execute a comprehensive development agreement with the chosen developer." [link]

It has been their plan for more than a year . . .

"Our goal is to award -- our plan is to award and execute the CDA by late 2004. We stand committed to that schedule, and we're going to work very hard to try to maintain that schedule." — Edward Pensock, Director of Corridor Planning & Development, Texas Turnpike Authority Division (August 20, 2003) [citation] [full text]

"That's our commitment to you, and that's our promise." — Edward Pensock, Director of Corridor Planning & Development, Texas Turnpike Authority Division (August 20, 2003) [citation] [full text]

". . . I think you see that trend of a Governor and of a Commission and of a Department that's going to be very aggressive moving forward. We don't want any grass to grow under our feet, and so we will be moving very, very aggressively forward on this project. You know, the goal here really is, from the Governor and the Commission on down, is they want a contract executed -- a developer selected and a contract executed next year. And they want to get down to the business of this as soon as possible." — Phillip Russell, Director, Texas Turnpike Authority Division (August 20, 2003) [citation] [full text]




The official Trans-Texas Corridor Plan reads,

". . . acquiring property for all components must begin as soon as possible." [plan page 44]


"The truth is this is a 50-year plan with an emphasis on the first ten years to get moving
and to focus on the primary corridors as quickly as possible to relieve congestion and
move hazardous material out of our current urbanized areas."
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson
(June 27, 2002) [full text]



". . . we are very aggressive, we're very serious about it, and we are going to move forward on it." — Phillip Russell, Director, Texas Turnpike Authority Division (August 20, 2003) [citation] [full text]


"You can't say the idea is a joke when you've got three international companies proposing
multibillion-dollar investments in the first piece."
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson
(July 4, 2004) [link]


If you take comfort in the lengthy environmental process and public hearings for a highway project of this massive size, you're in for a rude awakening. The Federal Highway Administration announced on March 16, 2004, that the first segment of the Trans Texas Corridor (Hillsboro to San Antonio) has been granted 'experimental project' status and construction can begin before the environmental study is complete. [more]


"Under the streamlined process, public hearings would still be conducted,
but they would not have to be completed before work started."
— Fort Worth Star-Telegram (March 16, 2004) [link]


"I think definitely the Trans-Texas Corridor project as a whole, and even any one corridor ... potentially has enormous environmental impacts."
— Ken Kramer, Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter [more]


There are hundreds of flaws in the plan that one journalist has called, "Perry's Imperial Corridor." There are so many problems its hard to know where to start.




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The TTC is an all around bad idea for Texas.


Here are just a few reasons why:

It's designed to generate revenue first and provide transportation second.

Potential for tremendous liabilities created by Comprehensive Development Agreements.

The Plan is based on uncertain assumptions.

Doesn't solve the problem.

Inefficient transportation plan.

Adverse economic impact.

Private Interests v. Public Interests.

Loss of local property taxes.

Too much money!

Creates a 'soft' terrorism target.

Dividing the State.

Turns private land into State land.

Toll roads represent double taxation.

Air pollution.





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"The implications are enormous."
— Cyndi Wright, Editor, Fayette County Record [more]


Are Texans happy about the Corridor Plan? No, they are not!


800 Attend TxDOT Public Hearing in LaGrange.
March 23, 2004

TxDOT Director Responds with Letters to the Editor [text]




"We can go in and rip up this bill and throw it in the trash by repealing everything in it, or we can try to fix it."
— Texas Representative Glenn Hegar, Jr. (July 14, 2004) [more]

"How are we going to be players in this system when we are from small rural America?"
— Susan Stasny, Bee County Commissioner [more]

"The Fayette County Commissioners Court goes
on record in opposition to the
building of the Trans Texas Corridor."
— Resolution Unanimously Adopted May 24, 2004 [more]






"The Wharton County Commissioner's Court
opposes the Trans-Texas Corridor concept, and
urges the Legislature to amend H.B. 3588 to allow
further public input before implementing this plan."
— Resolution Adopted September 13, 2004 [more]













[ AUSTIN RALLY PHOTO ALBUM ]









[ SEATON RALLY PHOTO ALBUM ] - [ BLACKLAND COALITION ]











"It's either toll roads, slow roads or no roads"
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (May 2004)

"Highway tolls are yet another form of regressive taxation, designed to push the burden of public costs downward onto the average taxpayer/driver, while the lion's share of the benefits go to the industries demanding state-subsidized mobility and infrastructure." — Michael King, Capitol Chronicle: Blame It on the Kids, Austin Chronicle (February 1, 2002) [link]



Here are the words of Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williams as presented before the House Transportation Committee, March 25, 2003: [full text]

"Governor Perry and his friends spent a great deal of time researching ideas to create more revenue" [citation]

"The Trans Texas Corridor is not an alignment on a map. The Trans Texas Corridor is not a contract signed to build a road in a specific location." [citation]

"We will build the Trans Texas Corridor..." [citation]

"In fact we have already started. State Highway 130, east of Austin, is the beginning of a state wide toll system which will parallel existing tax supported highways across the state." [citation]

"Local transportation leaders were not consulted in developing the corridor plan. Guilty, but for a good reason. The Governor was not interested in picking a spot for new roads. He was interested in changing the way we look at planning and execution. The Trans Texas Corridor is a state of mind, not an alignment on a map." [citation]

"The Trans Texas Corridor is the first real opportunity we have seen in twelve years to stabilize and increase cash flow available for new construction and capacity expansion. Properly planned and executed the Trans Texas Corridor will produce cash for transportation projects throughout the state including urban Texas." [citation]

"...we firmly believe the corridor will grow faster and become a valuable asset more quickly if total project delivery and unsolicited proposals are the norm and not the exception." [citation]






Republicans Reject Corridor Plan














European Tour

Did you know that TxDOT sent their Californian attorney and Texas Turnpike Authority Division Director Phillip Russell to Europe for more than two weeks to sell the Trans-Texas Corridor to potential European partners? The trip included stops in London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Barcelona and may be the most expensive employee travel in TxDOT history, costing Texas taxpayers more than $60,000.
[article: "Texan wooed Europe contractors," W. Gardner Selby, San Antonio Express-News]

"I would imagine if you're asking a private-sector company to
invest billions of dollars, an e-mail is not going to be sufficient."
—Texas Representative Mike Krusee, Chairman of the House
Transportation Committee (R-Round Rock)

The effort seems to be working. TxDOT is quite proud of the interest that the trip has generated, including visits from a group of Spanish highway construction firms.

If TxDOT lands one of the multi-billion dollar investors they're after, how long do you think it will be before you see more Corridor construction start?

Did you know that a European firm working with TxDOT describes the entire Trans-Texas Corridor project to have a development span of up to three decades? Even if they're just being optimistic, it certainly sounds like the goal is to finish in 30 years — not start in 30 years. [link]






"Simple logic should tell us it's impossible for the private sector to
deliver the same service for less and make a profit as well."
— Ellen J. Dannin, Professor of Law, Wayne State University Law School [more]








Camino Colombia Toll Road




The state's first and only private toll road fails, Jan.'04.












The California Experience



"When the state first embraced toll roads, think tanks, politicians and government officials couldn't find enough superlatives to describe them."

But this public-private toll plan turned into disaster.
















Never before has TxDOT had so much power and autonomy.

"Tolls, fees, fares, or other usage charges are not subject to supervision or regulation by any agency of this state or another governmental entity." — Texas Transportation Code [Sec. 370.172(d)]

Never before have we gone in debt for road construction.

Never before has the State granted a State Agency the authority to condemn land so that they can lease it to a business for revenue generation.

Never before has any State Agency had such broad authority to create public debt.









Proposition 15
HOUSE BRIEFING PAPER
Opposition Says

Borrowing money by issuing bonds will make highways more expensive.

Bonding will not generate new money for highways.

Toll roads represent double taxation.

Creates an incentive to turn toll projects into cash cows.

Users of toll roads will subsidize other highways.

Undermine legislative oversight bypassing legislative control of a treasury-based fund.










"The highways of Texas are built and paved in part by paths of gold leading to the Texas Governor's Mansion." — R.G. Ratcliffe, Highway plans bring money to politicians, Houston Chronicle (August 30, 2002)

"Highway contractors, chemical pipeline executives and financial bond firms that stand to benefit from the plan have contributed more than $300,000 to Mr. Perry." — Wayne Slater, The Dallas Morning News (January 2002)

"Texas 130 underwriters Goldman Sachs, Salomon Smith Barney and Lehman Brothers will earn about $21 million for handling the state bond sales for the highway. Goldman and Salomon gave $10,000 each to last year's campaign to pass Proposition 15, a state constitutional amendment that significantly changed the way Texas finances roads." — R.G. Ratcliffe, Highway plans bring money to politicians, Houston Chronicle (August 30, 2002)










"If you look behind the surface you'll see that a lot of what we 'know' about privatization is mere puffery. Groups such as the Reason Foundation and the National Council for Public Private Partnerships (formerly the Privatization Council) have spent a lot of time and money convincing the public that privatization is better."
— Ellen J. Dannin, Professor of Law,
Wayne State University Law School [more]





We have set the Texas Transportation Commission loose on the Texas countryside.

Our legislators have agreed to pay for superhighways without knowing where they will be built. In fact, we are told they are just a state of mind!

This is not a transportation improvement project, it is a revenue generation project.







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and

Challenge the Wisdom of the Trans Texas Corridor.



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This is the Internet home of CorridorWatch.org, an organization of concerned Texans and public officials who question the wisdom of the Trans-Texas Corridor.

"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."
— Texas Representative Robert "Robby" Cook (July 4, 2004) [link]

When did you first hear about the Trans-Texas Corridor?

It's shocking just how few Texans know about this massive super-highway-rail-utility project launched by Governor Perry in 2002. Ten vehicle lanes, six rail tracks, utilities, pipelines, state concessions (gas stations, restaurants, motels, stores, warehouses, etc.) all on 4,000 miles of toll roads that will consume more than one-half million acres of Texas. [more]

[ Note: The Priority Routes alone total 4,000 miles;
the complete TTC is 8,000 miles consuming one million acres. ]


"If you do not know what the Trans-Texas Corridor is,
then you better educate yourself."
— Cyndi Wright, Editor, Fayette County Record (March 2, 2004) [more]

". . . we are very aggressive, we're very serious about it, and we are going to move forward on it."
— Phillip Russell, Director, Texas Turnpike Authority Division (August 20, 2003) [citation] [full text]






"Overkill."
— Nancy DeWitt, Alpine City Council Member [more]



TxDOT’s "Myth Versus Reality" Press Release Misses the Mark [CLICK]






VIDEO CLIPS

"Behind the TTC" KHOU News Special Report [CLICK]

Waco Meeting Sets Attendance Record at 1,000+ KCEN-TV [CLICK]

Temple Meeting Shatters Attendance Record at 1,600+ KWTX-TV [CLICK]

San Antonio Meeting 900+ Show-Up, 300 Turned Away WOAI-TV [CLICK]





"We support the concept of the Trans Texas Corridor, but we don't want it at the expense of all the urban transportation improvement that are needed."
— Lois Finkleman, Dallas City Councilwoman [more]


It's not about transportation . . . It's about revenue.

"Governor Perry and his friends spent
a great deal of time researching ideas to create more revenue"
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson
(March 25, 2003) [citation] [full text]

"One of the big issues that kind of got 3588 going was
the issue of funding for transportation."
— Transportation Policy Director John Langmore, 78th Legislature
(Austin, March 4, 2004)

"in your lifetime most existing roads will have tolls"
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (October 11, 2004)

"It's either toll roads, slow roads or no roads"
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (May 2004)

". . . concentrating on the four primary routes first,
is the beginning of generating the cash flow . . ."
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson (June 27, 2002) [citation]

[more about tolls]




"... there are serious questions being raised by the citizens of Texas
about this new approach to funding highways in our state."
— Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Texas State Comptroller [more]

"... a lot of people don't understand the impact of the corridor."
— Lane Gosnay, Fayette Co. Resident [more]

"Local citizens would suffer the negative impact of
such a corridor without receiving any benefit"
— Diane Lacy, Jeff Davis County Commissioner [more]

Everyone should understand that this isn't another Interstate Highway. It not just a jumbo-sized highway. This Corridor project is a very wide, very flat, extremely limited access, mostly toll, highway-rail-utility corridor. To cross the Corridor at any point will require a quarter-mile long overpass.

"If there is no access to the small towns, it will change the face of the state."
— Will Lowrance, Hillsboro Mayor [more]

It will connect to Interstate and other major highways. However, by design it will not provide easy, if any, access to the communities it passes by. It will not spur commercial development along its frontage like our Interstate Highways. There will be no frontage. There will be no opportunity for the owners of property it abuts to develop new or expanded businesses with access to the Corridor. Moreover, it has provisions in the plan and the law to place all possible traveler services on the corridor itself.

"I am concerned about what this could do to the county."
— Richard Cortese, Bell County Commissioner [more]

Every mile of Corridor will consume 146 acres of land. That's property that will become state owned land - removed from county and school district tax rolls everywhere it extends.

"If it is done the way it's proposed, it will hurt us eventually ..."
— Carlos Vigil, Cooke County Community Development Director [more]

"It's going to kill little towns,"
— Frances Truchard, Colorado County Justice of the Peace [more]

Communities with travel and tourism based economies will lose access to those travelers. If the Corridor is successful in attracting traffic away from existing highways communities will suffer significant economic loses.

"With a right-of-way approximately 1,200-feet-wide, the proposed corridor
could change the face of agriculture in Texas forever as it
swallows up thousands of production acres of farmland."
— Juliet Briskin, Country World News (November 4, 2004) [link]

Where will they build the Corridor?

"The Trans Texas Corridor is a state of mind, not an alignment on a map."
— Transportation Commissioner Ric Williamson
(March 25, 2003) [citation] [full text]

The plan adopted by the Texas Transportation Commission outlines 4,000 miles of Corridor to crisscross the entire state. Four of those Corridors have been identified by the Texas Department of Transportation as Priority Corridors to be constructed first (shown below in orange). No effort has been made by the state to identify the specific placement of the Corridors. There are however some known constraints. The Corridors do not directly connect large cities. In fact they go around major urban areas for three prime reasons: one, to keep traffic away from existing urban congestion; two, to keep vehicle air pollution out of urban areas; and three, to provide new routes for the transportation of hazardous materials. Topography will also be very important because of the high-speed rail component of the Corridor. It will be necessary that the Corridor be as straight and level as possible (no uphill or downhill grades or sharp turns).

[ Note: The Priority Routes alone total 4,000 miles; the complete TTC Plan totals 8,000 miles. ]



"It's a terrifying nightmare. I'm scared to death of this."
— Bill Durst, Fayette County Inspector [more]

How did the Trans-Texas Corridor get started?

"What started out as a campaign promise is now in the fast lane."
— Rudy Koski, KVUE News, Austin (March 16, 2004)

In 2002 Governor Perry announced his Corridor vision and instructed TxDOT to prepare an action plan to build the Trans-Texas Corridor. Within six-months TxDOT had completed the plan and presented it to the Transportation Commission. Without any substantive discussion or debate and without public

There is a billboard citing it's advantages on 35 N , between Georgetown and Salado. Pure propaganda; it shows a crusty rancher smiling out the window of his pick-up and says Trans Texas Corridor : less trafifc, an evacuation route, and jobs. The evacuation route is a great ploy, who could argue with that..........
Texans used to be rugged individualist, but we are so watered down now we are like sheep. Let some greasy lounge lizard like Perry or a tongue tied one worlder like Bush tell us something is patriotic and we'll fall through our arse getting it done.

Yes there is that billboard....and when I saw it ...I pulled over and pucked...and now you see why some dems won in TEXAS while certin other Repubs held office...so the Elite can easily continue on with their plans...all the puppets in place...Smell the air... smell that cheap labor coming...it is ripe with treason...Welcome your SPP,NAU,and our New World Order...but wait there is just one problem with their plan...WE THE PEOPLE....AND WE WILL NOT STOP!

Being from TEXAS and born here, i will weigh in on this subject.
Back in 2001 texas voted in something called the Texas mobility Fund.
to help put money aside for road construction and other road improvement projects. in 01 no one ever knew what would come of this because if we would have seen the plan then i would have voted NO.

That being said, Rick Perry shoved this through the legislature in 2003. He did it in a late night session where there was really no debate in the legislature or in public. Since then it had been kept private from mots people. I found out about it in a three page TIME magazine article in December of 2006

The Texas DOT meetings in 2004 in some places had less than a dozen people at the meetings. However, in the Summer of 2006, meetings in waco had over 1000, in temple over 1600, in floresville- 35 miles SE of san antonio and right in the way of the corridor- just under 800 people, in seguin-30 miles east of san antonio, 768 people, and in San Antonio itself, 600 at a first meeting, and the doors had to close on this meeting with an estimated 400 waiting outside... 600 was capacity of the room the DOT people rented. SO they had another meeting 3 nights later atthe same place that had 450 people.

The only people I have seen or heard who like this are those associated with regional mobility groups. the rest of the normal every day citizen says NO WAY IN HELL.

The fact that the people who are running this state, like the transportation chairman Ric Williamson says "you cant tell private investors where to build" or says "texans will eventually fall in love with the idea"
Last time i checked, 99 percent said no way. that does not sound like people are falling in love with this idea.

I attended the DOT meeting in Dallas and while i was asking questions i was also listening to what other people were saying and there was a couple from a small town southeast of dallas called Forney which is right in the path of this road. We got to talking and they said their church has a membership of 2000 and when they asked people about it, they told me that NO ONE knew anything about it since the proposed route would be coming right though their neighborhoods.

So since there was 4 people running for governor this fall here in Texas and Perry only got 39 percent of the vote and no one else got more, he was elected again to govern this state for 4 more years. For some reason this is the only office in the state where if someone does not get 50 percent of the vote there is NOT a runoff... i think someone told me this was even in the state constitution.

Since the election, I have not heard of any talk about this. However the new toll roads in and around Austin, like texas 130 has been built and many think this is the first part of the toll road that Perry wants because the same SPANISH company who is to build and operate the TTC is also the ones operating texas130 tollroads.. that run it for 60 years, maintain the toll road, set the tolls and everything.

The problem is in this state, some of these roads or road extensions have already been paid for my state gas taxes yet they are now tolled.. go figure

On corridowatch. there is a map of Texas with green and pink lines. IF these roads do get built, right now some 900,000 acres offarmland will be taken up and removed from county and school tax rolls. The project from Laredo to the State Line with Oklahoma right now is estimanted to cost just under 200MILLION to build. the entire project if completed right now stands at 8000 miles of new roads, all toll roads and osintg right at 200 BILLION dollars.. that is at rates today, no telling how much it will be later. since no building has started at present
Projected rates are 15 cents a mile for cars, or 48 dollars from laredo to OK state line. and 50 cents a milefor trucks or just about $185 in tolls

Hows that for imformation?

It`s going take years before they`ll have all of the EIR`s(Enviromental Impact Reports) finished.

In "1964" San Bernardino County and California Transportation(CalTrans)
Drew up plans for an 8 mile freeway extention (I-210) to stretch from east of Ontario,Ca. to the east of San Bernardino. Let me remind you, this was "1964". After a small portion(less than 1 mile) of the freeway was in the project stalled. They say that the reason was that they ran out of funds. I remember driving down Highland Ave, ( which evetually turned into the freeway) through miles and miles of orange groves and I saw these huge piles of dirt piled in perfect formation, at the time I did`nt know what they were for.
Anyway, after years of "lawsuits from homeowner against "Eminent Domain" and environmental groups and other activist such "The Sierra Club" finally in "2001" the freeway started up again and is suppose to be completed next year.
What I`m getting at is: the estimated cost for this "8 mile extention" was 20 billion. give or take.