Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Navasota Examiner : 69.7 percent of respondents in readership poll don't want the Trans-Texas Corridor.

Anti-corridor rally slated on Tuesday

The Navasota Examiner
Copyright 2005

State Rep. Lois Kolkhorst is expected to attend a meeting of opponents of the proposed I-69 Trans-Texas Corridor plan at the Grimes County courthouse in Anderson on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m.

Other state legislators have been invited and may also attend. Also present will be Linda Stall, co-founder of CorridorWatch, an organization opposing the proposed massive transportation corridors. Citizens can join CorridorWatch at no cost going to the web site, www.CorridorWatch.org. After joining, members will be kept informed via email about new developments.

The I-69 portion of the Trans-Texas Corridor is planned to go from the Texas-Mexico border north, exiting the state at its border with Arkansas, and continuing through other states to Canada in the vicinity of Lake Erie.

According to a readership poll being conducted by The Navasota Examiner, 69.7 percent of respondents don't want the highway. Only 19.7 percent approve while 10.6 percent don't care.

The right-of-way planned by the Texas Department of Transportation is projected to be nearly one-quarter mile wide.

Should the highway be built, it would be a multi-lane passenger vehicle highway, two lanes for trucks, rail lines to carry high speed passenger trains, commuter trains and freight trains, pipelines, communication transmission lines and utilities.

With each mile of right-of-way, 145 acres of land would be taken through eminent domain. Opponents say the county cannot afford to lose the 5,000-plus acres from the tax rolls or from economic productivity.

In addition to the tax ramifications, opponents believe the proposed corridor would merely provide a pass-through for goods from Mexico and countries in Central America, effectively making Grimes County "pass-through territory," along with many other counties along the proposed route.

Some have raised the issue of the negative impact it would have on school districts and providers of emergency services, as the proposed corridor with very access would make traversing the county more difficult. People also expressed concern that it will be a toll road and, as currently proposed, operated by a foreign company.

Interested persons are encouraged to attend the rally, to be held rain or shine. Participants are welcome to make and bring appropriate signs.

Copyright © 2005 The Navasota Examiner. All rights reserved.: www.navasotaexaminer.com

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