Tuesday, October 20, 2009
An overpass project on Loop 340/State Highway 6 at Old Robinson Road is being scrapped, and plans to widen Interstate 35 are in jeopardy as a result of a directive to cut back on road spending statewide.
Regional transportation planners were informed by the state last week that, with a few exceptions, only highway projects fully funded with federal stimulus dollars would be cleared to move forward during the next two years.
The Old Robinson Road overpass was going to be paid for using the region’s $7.2 million stimulus allotment, but Metropolitan Planning Organization director Chris Evilia said the region would need about $11 million from a yet-to-be-determined outside source to complete it.
“What we’ve found out is that $11 million does not exist,” he said Monday following a meeting of the MPO board.
That means the overpass project, like two others on Highway 84 at Speegleville Road and Highway 6 at Farm-to-Market Road 1860 in Riesel that recently had their construction dates pushed back, is now on hold.
The stimulus money that would have gone to build the overpass will be used for road maintenance projects, Evilia said.
To widen I-35 between Lacy-Lakeview and West from four to six lanes, local officials would need $211 million. They had hoped that delaying construction of the Highway 84 and Riesel overpasses would free up money to move ahead on I-35’s expansion.
But with federal and state funding sources drying up more than originally anticipated, that proved to be a false assumption, and officials are scrambling for other options.
There are still two scenarios in which the area could get money for I-35, the most probable being that the Texas Transportation Commission would pay for the project with Proposition 12 dollars.
Proposition 12 is a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2007. It allows the Texas Department of Transportation to borrow up to $5 billion for road projects, and Evilia said the TTC currently is deciding to how to dole out about $1 billion.
He cautioned that the money is far from automatic, with about $9 billion worth of projects competing for the state dollars.
Still, he said the process would test whether the commission is dedicated to widening all of I-35 to six lanes.
“The commission said I-35 is a priority for them,” Evilia said. “And they have direct control of the Prop. 12 funds.”
A second way to pay for I-35 would be with a highly competitive federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant.
The U.S. Department of Transportation received $57 billion in TIGER grant requests but will award $1.5 billion. Evilia said federal officials seem to be favoring different sorts of projects than the I-35 widening.
“The word I’m getting out of Washington is they’re looking for projects that have a real big bang as far as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
While the widening would alleviate congestion and could reduce some carbon dioxide emissions, Evilia said, “I-35 is not the big impact they’re looking for.”
A document on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Web site explaining the TIGER grants states the awards will be announced no later than mid-February.
mshapiro@wacotrib.com
757-5707
Comments
By B.T,
Oct 21, 2009 9:17 AM | Link to this
Chuck is just a grumpy old crumudgeon, who sits all day judging others because his ego is too large for him to judge himeself and his misgivings.
In any event, Chuck is right on one point: some of these projects are not needed now, and whether or not they are needed in the future depends on population growth and the rate and severity of traffic accidents at certain intersections.
I know that in San Antonio, they have already started the environmental work for the new interchange at 281 and 1604, but if you compare the traffic problems in that part of San Antonio with the places where they want to place these current overpasses in Waco, you'll realize that some of these projects in Texas' larger cities are needed right now.
Remember that just that part of San Antonio has about 4 times the number of residents as the city of Waco altogether and is growing at more than twice the rate of the Waco MSA.
So, TXDOT has to be prudent, and as a taxpayer, I have no problem with government being prudent.
By Chuck: Comedian of the hour!
Oct 20, 2009 4:03 PM | Link to this
That's funny, "Chuckles"! Either you're well on your way to Standup Comedian of the Year, or you obviously haven't poked your head out of the barn in two plus decades!!!
By Chuck
Oct 20, 2009 3:28 PM | Link to this
Good. No one forced these people to move out into sprawlsville. The general layout of parts of McLennan County due to poor planning is the culprit and people being impulsive. There is neither the density nor the population to come close for the current residents to support what they want built.
By Tellin' it!
Oct 20, 2009 3:11 PM | Link to this
Well, China Spring-Bosqueville-Valley Mills and the entire northwestern quadrant of McLennan County, I guess this means you'll have to wait another twenty some-odd years beyond ridiculous to get that antique cattle trail called FM 1637 widened.
Not all is lost though. The DOT boys did come out and stick that light in at Flat Rock Rd.
What's that? I know, it is the equivalent of stuffing an elephant into a storm-sewer drain pipe during a 50 year flood. You can tell that because it backs up traffic beyond FM 185 and clogs each accessing intersection/driveway in between. It is a collossal mess at peak hour, but at least now they can say, "We did something." no matter how counter-productive that something was.....
By welfarestate
Oct 20, 2009 3:04 PM | Link to this
The State is acting just like any recipient of welfare tends to: The Feds wave a big fat stimulus check under our noses, we like the smell, so we quit trying to get our roads done any other way. We just wait for the next gov'mnt check.
By plowout
Oct 20, 2009 1:47 PM | Link to this
Waco is definitely getting screwed. Dallas is getting $16.7 million to build a park over the top of a freeway. Maybe the people of Waco need to get a congressman that is willing to sell her soul to the devil for a few extra votes.
By haroldinMexico
Oct 20, 2009 11:31 AM | Link to this
It could be interesting to learn what other TXDOT districts are receivimg, despite the agency having "no money" for projects in the Waco district. Are state gasoline tax dollars only being used for highway maintenance projects now throughout the state or is the Waco district getting the short straw?
By B.T,
Oct 20, 2009 9:51 AM | Link to this
I agree.
From a positive standpoint, it's nice to see government having to act like the people now.
We all have to struggle, scrimp, and save just to get by and can't always afford to do what we want to do. (and that's those of us who still have jobs.)
The overpass at Old Robinson Road would have been nice, especially at $19 million (over twice the cost of Baylor's new indoor football practice facility.)
Sadly, government gets railroaded on these bids. You could build a functional overpass at that site for $10 million or less, depending on the ramps coming onto and off the overpass, traffic lighting, and work on the access roads.
First off, TXDOT has a knack for adding all the bells and whistles to these projects; and second, it pays about $5 million to $ 10 million more per project than the project actually would cost to build, with profit for the construction company included.
By wca
Oct 20, 2009 8:58 AM | Link to this
At least there's finally a light at this intersection. Now if drivers would just obey the traffic laws....
By mec
Oct 20, 2009 7:53 AM | Link to this
What a concept! If the money isn't there, don't spend it! Alternately, take a different route less congested with traffic or drive less-that one's likely to happen anyway.
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