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New TTC Advisory Committee Members Named
At their March 29 meeting, the Texas Transportation Commission approved four new members of the Trans-Texas Advisory Committee.
The new members are: Veronica Callahan of El Paso, Jim Edmonds of Houston, John Hamilton of Lubbock and Charles Thomas of Carthage.
This citizen committee was formed in March 2005 to give more Texans a seat at the table in developing the Trans-Texas Corridor, and to advise TxDOT on key issues that should be addressed in planning the corridor.
The committee has met with community leaders, transportation planners, financial underwriters and representatives of the trucking and rail industries on issues including, but not limited to: the need for the corridor, construction cost, financing and financial viability, alternative financing options, toll road operations, impact on communities (both on and off corridor), and impact on land use and property owners.
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Long-Term Vision
Under the master development plan, Cintra-Zachry now suggests that the toll road extend south of San Antonio, connecting to I-35. In North Texas, the toll road should connect to I-35 north of Dallas-Fort Worth and run all the way to Oklahoma, according to the plan. Also included in the master plan is the southern section of Loop 9 around Dallas-Fort Worth, a project that has been under study since the 1960s.
The report indicates private investment could potentially be worth $8.8 billion with additional concession fees to the state for other transportation projects possibly reaching $1.9 billion.
“We consider this a living document that will continue to evolve and change as the environmental study continues,” said Michael W. Behrens, Executive Director for Texas Department of Transportation. “The plan lays out a public/private partnership but it does not set the route for TTC-35, it does not authorize construction, it does not set toll rates and it does not eliminate competition. Those decisions are yet to come.”
Environmental study ongoing
The final alignment of TTC-35 will be determined only after public input and completion of rigorous federal environmental impact studies. TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are responsible for these studies, which will establish the final route.
“What the public is seeing,” continued Behrens, “is an environmental process that runs in tandem with a separate planning process. The private developer assumes a great deal of risk this way, but the ultimate benefit to drivers is that the project is delivered sooner. In the past, environmental studies and detailed planning were performed sequentially, adding years to major projects.”
“I firmly believe that the public knows and appreciates it when we move faster on our projects,” added Behrens.
Work on I-35 continues
“The state’s commitment to expand IH-35 remains intact,” said Behrens. “Everything that TxDOT is working on now and has scheduled over the next 25 years under the traditional gas-tax financed system will continue as planned.”
TxDOT is working to widen a 94-mile segment of I-35 from Georgetown to Hillsboro to a minimum of 3 lanes in each direction. This project will cost $1 billion and will be done in phases using the traditional “pay-as-you go” funding system that depends on fuel taxes. Construction on the final segment is expected to begin in 2011. Although the existing center median will be filled to construct the new single lane in each direction, additional right of way will be required for the expansion project, primarily at bridges and interchanges.
Master Development Plan available to public
The entire master development plan, approximately 1,600 pages, is available on TxDOT’s website at www.txdot.gov and the TTC website at www.keeptexasmoving.org.
