Second TxDOT town hall meeting tonight

By Holly Green

Residents of Walker County have a second chance to ask questions and raise concerns about Texas transportation issues during a town hall meeting tonight at the fairgrounds.

The Texas Department of Transportation will open registration to sign up for questions at 5:30 p.m. The meeting officially begins at 6:30 at the site off state Highway 30 west of Huntsville.

Although the meeting is open to all questions concerning transportation issues or future projects, Bob Colwell, TxDOT public information officer of Bryan, said the majority of Texans are interested in the I-69/Trans-Texas Corridor.

Colwell said that due to limited space at the meeting held Jan. 23 at the Walker Education Center, TxDOT officials hope to accommodate all residents who want to have a voice on the issue.

“Anyone who wants to get there early is welcome,” Colwell said. “When people walk through the door, they’ll receive handouts and a registration form to fill out so they can speak during the meeting.”

Walker County Precinct 1 Commissioner B.J. Gaines Jr., who briefly expressed concerns on behalf of his constituents during the Jan. 23 meeting, said he hopes residents will attend the meeting tonight.

“It’s important that the people of Walker County are encouraged to get there early so they all have a chance to speak and ask questions,” Gaines said.

Colwell said from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. there will be an open house where residents can meet with local TxDOT representatives to ask questions about transportation issues.

“Usually during open house, people ask more local questions and the town hall meeting is more focused on the TTC,” Colwell said.

Colwell said the same TxDOT panel present at the Jan. 23 meeting is expected to attend tonight.

TxDOT officials will include moderator and district engineer Bryan Wood, Texas Transportation Commissioner Ted Houghton, deputy executive director Steve Simmons, director of Texas Turnpike Authority Phil Russell and Bob Appleton, director of transportation and planning of the Bryan District.

There’s no question that Texans have a great interest in the I-69/TTC project after the Jan. 23 town hall meeting in Huntsville brought out more than 500 people, Monday night’s meeting in Bellville brought out more than 1,000 people and Hempstead brought out more than 800 people Jan. 22.

According to the TTC’s Web site — Keep Texas Moving — the project is a “plan to solve the transportation problems Texans are facing, such as increased congestion, reduced maintenance and the lack of new capacity.

It’s a “proposed multi-use transportation corridor from northeast Texas to Mexico that could ultimately include roads, rail and utilities.”

The TTC’s Web site offers Texans another opportunity to express their views with an opinion poll — asking residents, “In your opinion, what is the most pressing issue to address in developing the TTC?”

Specific choice issues include acquisition of property, connectivity to cities, business impacts, funding and construction and toll costs.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, the poll, with a total of almost 28,200 votes, concluded that 63 percent of Texans are most concerned about the acquisition of land with connectivity to cities coming in second with 12 percent of votes.

Tonight’s meeting, along with all other town hall events along the corridor path, were planned in preparation for 46 official public hearings that will take place from Feb.4 through March 3.

The public hearings — which will limit residents to presenting questions and comments without receiving answers or responses — will specifically address the Draft Environmental Impact Statement that was released on Nov. 13, 2007.

Walker County’s public hearing will take place Feb. 4 at the fairgrounds at 6:30 p.m.

Many Walker County residents were frustrated at the Jan. 23 meeting because no details, including specific areas of land or costs, were available.

From the town hall meetings, Colwell said TxDOT will assess a narrower study, showing residents a more defined line for the project.

“We’re in what we call tier one (or stage one),” Cowell said. “We usually go through three of these processes before a final plan is made.”

Colwell said one tier usually takes about a year to complete.

Huntsville resident Cindi Hoffzimmer could be seen driving around town on Tuesday in her car that had tonight’s meeting date, time and place spray-painted on the windows.

Hoffzimmer said she wanted to remind and encourage residents to get involved.

“I’m not only concerned about the beautiful land that may be acquired throughout our county but my home and my husband’s business is in the line of fire,” Hoffzimmer said.

For more information on the I-69/Trans-Texas Corridor, visit www.keeptexasmov-ing.com or www.dot.state.tx.us.

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