Grand Parkway Segment C generates opposition
The Grand Parkway continues to stir up opposition -- this time in Fort Bend and Brazoria Counties. Last week, a public meeting was held to solicit input for Segment C, "a 26-mile four-lane controlled access toll road with intermittent frontage roads from US 59 (Southwest Freeway) to SH 288 through Fort Bend and Brazoria Counties."
Folks in that area are not in favor of the project (via the Fort Bend Herald-Coaster):
But the vast majority of residents and others who attended Thursday's meeting said they never want to see the 26-mile, four-lane, controlled-access highway built. Many who spoke during the public hearing were critical of the project, with some using the "no toll, no road" slogan in opposition to the highway, which would be a toll road.
Some of the main reasons cited for the opposition:
€ The highway is being expanded for traffic that does not exist.
€ The project is too costly, and money used for the highway could be better spent elsewhere.
€ The highway could damage quality of life for people who live near construction sites.
€ Noise will increase and air quality will decline.
€ The project is essentially a way for developers to make money and for politicians to profit.
€ Plus numerous environment issues.
Patrons were each given three minutes to talk, and more than a dozen people spoke while others had a chance to give written comments. Only two people spoke in direct support of the project.
These concerns are similar to the concerns Spring/Tomball residents have regarding the F-2 segment that I have blogged about previously: it would be environmentally devastating; developers are the main beneficiaries at the expense of local residents and business owners; and, up here in the Spring area, many people would lose their property for the unnecessary road.
Few if any in the audience agreed with Gornet's assessment. Jesse Cuellar of Richmond won the loudest cheers after he spoke. He was concerned about - among other things - environmental issues, water runoff, property values and quality of life. Cuellar said he thinks the reasons given for the project amount to a lie - and that it is being built for entities with commercial interests.
Jerry Carpenter of Greatwood said before the meeting that he was against the project because he didn't think it would alleviate traffic problems and that the project is being done to benefit developers - and he's upset that the project would be so close to Brazos Bend State Park.
People from special interest groups were there, including Brandt Mannchen, chairman of the air quality committee for the Sierra Club's Houston region, who shared his environmental concerns. Robin Holzer, chairwoman of the board of the Houston-based Citizens' Transportation Coalition, said the project is a bad use of transportation money.
Oh look, Robin Holzer found a transportation project she's against. Honestly, if Robin wants to see a bad use of transportation money, she should look at the billions Metro wants to waste on rail transit that will do nothing to alleviate congestion, but will do lots to increase it, and will enrich developers.
I wish the folks who will be affected by Segment C all the luck in the world fighting the Grand Parkway Association and TxDOT.
And I would like to know where the three gentlemen running for Harris County judge stand on the issue of the F-2 segment.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 09/02/07 08:46 AM | Houston Transit | Technorati | Sphere | Comments (6)
Previous Entry | Home | Next Entry
Trackback
Unfortunately, abusive spammers have forced us to disable incoming trackback pings. The Technorati link should list related posts. Feel free to drop us an email if you've linked a post and would like to let us know about it.
ADVERTISING
DISCLAIMER
All content © 2004-08, blogHOUSTON and the respective authors.
blogHOUSTON.net is powered by Nucleus.
Site design and Nucleus customization are by Kevin Whited.