Wednesday, March 12, 2008

"The public hearings are over, but the battles now continue with on line comments and mail in forms until March 19, 2008."

County residents attend I-69 corridor hearing in Bryan

3/12/08

BY JOYCE FLOYD,
The Navasota Examiner
Copyright 2008

TxDOT reported 274 people attended the public hearing for Brazos County held on March 3 at the Bryan Civic Auditorium. The crowd consisted mainly of concerned citizens from Brazos, Waller, Walker and Grimes counties interested in Brazos County's final positioning, which will greatly affect its neighboring counties on the Trans Texas Corridor.

Unlike public hearings held in Trinity, Harris, Montgomery, Angelina, and Grimes counties, the Texas Department of Transportation heard words of encouragement for Rick Perry's I-69/Trans Texas Corridor vision from elected officials of Bryan and College Station.

Both city mayors testified in favor of the Trans Texas Corridor, but unlike previous statements hailed at numerous town hall meetings, they emphasized their need for a “freeway” connection and not necessarily a “corridor”, but they both ended their comments on an affirmative note which garnered them a negative response from the crowd. As quickly as each mayor spoke they left the building, not staying to hear what the attendees from their cities and county had to say.

Brazos County commissioners Wasserman and Peters also spoke, but Commissioner Peters stood alone with a differing view from the other officials in the room.

“He represented his constituents and neither he nor they could see any good from a road that would take so much private land, he understands the need for new roads but it didn't appear this ‘corridor' was the way to attain them,” Peters said.

Both Commissioners stayed through the entire testimony period, listening to the comments from Brazos County citizens as well as the citizens from their neighboring counties.

The Brazos Valley Council of Governments was represented by Assistant Executive Director, Michael Parks. His testimony represents Brazos, Burleson, Leon, Madison, Robertson, Washington and Grimes counties.

Grimes County's members to the Council of Governments are County Judge Shiflett, commissioners Melcher and Finke, along with members from the City of Navasota.

Mr. Parks' testimony did not agree with the action Commissioners Court has taken in their recent resolution, which is to support “The No Action Alternative” for Grimes County, but he testified that all members to the COG were in agreement and that if the corridor was to be built that it should divide Grimes County horizontally at the north end.

Many citizens from Waller, Walker and Grimes counties spoke to have their comments recorded as testimony against the Trans Texas Corridor.

The public hearings are over, but the battles now continue with on line comments and mail in forms until March 19, 2008. Grimes County has organized to continue the fight. If you are interested in joining, please contact Grimes County Get Organized at
GrimesCountyGO@hotmail.com.


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