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E-mail This StoryOn July 13, the Texas Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing at which Collin County residents may express their concerns, ask questions and make comments about plans for the stretch of the Trans-Texas Corridor that will parallel I-35.
TTC-35 is one of the four main toll roads planned for the Trans-Texas Corridor system, which is a series of thoroughfares criss-crossing the state, just outside metropolitan areas.
In 2002, Governor Rick Perry released plans for the project, saying the measure would relieve traffic congestion in Texas' major cities and would provide an alternative route for commercial trucks, often hauling hazardous freight.
The TTC-35 corridor includes three passenger lanes in each direction; two truck lanes in each direction; a high-speed rail line, a commuter rail line and a freight rail line in each direction.
The hearing next week is one of a series of 54 meetings beginning in mid-July and continuing for five consecutive weeks from July 10 through August 10. The meetings are the fourth set of public hearings on TTC-35 that give residents an opportunity to comment on the proposed development of the road. These public hearings are the culmination of a two-year public involvement process that has already included 117 public meetings netting more than 4,000 comments.
“The sole purpose of the public hearings is to get comments from citizens, local governments, business, property owners and other stakeholders,” said Tim Brown, chairman of the Trans-Texas Corridor Advisory Committee. “Decisions will be made based on those comments, so it's important that people participate in the process.”
According to TxDOT officials, public comment has influenced the selection of a preferred corridor alternative that incorporates the most miles of existing highways and rail, representing a response to comments frequently heard at previous public meetings.
The presentation at the hearings will focus on the preferred corridor alternative from Gainesville to Laredo and why it meets the state's long-term goal of relieving congestion and improving safety on I-35. Other corridor alternatives that were evaluated also will be presented for public comment.
The hearing begins with an open house at 5 p.m. at which residents can review maps of the preferred corridor alternative and ask questions of TxDOT staff. The presentation and oral comments begin at 6:30 p.m.
After the public hearings, staff will analyze the comments and submit a final environmental impact statement to the Federal Highway Administration. A decision from FHWA is expected next summer. Approval from the administration would allow the environmental process to continue with additional environmental studies focusing on the narrowed 10-mile wide study area. It is within this study area that a final project route would be determined for roads, rail and utilities. Construction could only begin after the additional studies are completed.
The McKinney meeting starts at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 13 at the McKinney High School Cafeteria, 1400 Wilson Creek Pkwy.
A complete list of hearings is posted on www.keeptexasmoving.org.
Contact Krystal De Los Santos at krystal.delossantos@scntx.com
