Houston Regional Group - News

The loop to nowhere, the Grand Parkway (GP), is rearing its ugly head to the southwest in Fort Bend and Brazoria Counties. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), and the Grand Parkway Association (GPA) are holding a public meeting for Segment C of the GP. The public meeting will take place on:

Thursday, August 30, 2007, Guy Lodge Hall, George Ranch Historical Park, 10215 FM 762, Richmond, Texas, from 6-8 p.m.

Important input at this meeting includes public support/opposition for this project; alternatives to the project; and environmental impacts that may occur if the project is constructed/operated. The meeting has been called to discuss turning Segment C into a toll road; right-of-way acquisition of private lands; and other comments on issues regarding Segment C.

Information gathered from the public will be analyzed in a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) that may be released as early as the beginning of 2008. This public meeting will be structured as an informal open house; have exhibits to view; and comment forms to fill out. Written comments can also be submitted after the meetings until September 13, 2007.

Segment C of the GP would begin at U.S. 59 south, near the Brazos River, and go south and east to State Highway 288. An initial four lane divided freeway would be built with additional lanes (2, 4, or more) added in the future. The overall cost for the entire 170 mile GP is estimated to be $4-5 billion.

Submit your comments and stress:

1) The FEIS for Segment C must review the environmental, social, and economic impacts that a toll road will have versus a non-toll road. Some of the issues that must be answered include the impacts that toll roads have on existing roads, including major roads, and the rerouting of traffic to other public roads (privatization of congestion onto other public roads); the social inequity of charging tolls that only those with large amounts of disposable income can afford to use while others must use more congested roads; what will occur when the Segment C toll road reaches its capacity.

2) Segment C will create or encourage sprawl which increases road building and urbanization, heavy traffic, noise pollution, air pollution, light pollution, loss of rural community and atmosphere, flooding, water pollution, degradation of wildlife habitat, and destruction of farmland. There will be a severe loss of quiet, solitude, and the rural, farming and ranching way of life.

3) By creating and encouraging sprawl development Segment C will put more people and property in harm's way during hurricanes and floods. The use of the GP as a hurricane evacuation route will be hindered by flooding of Segment C and the smaller roads that lead to it.

4) Important wildlife areas in Segment C include migratory bird/rookery habitat, grasslands, wetlands, streamside woodlands, and bottomland hardwoods. Segment C is rich in important wildlife areas, farmland, and floodplains. Segment C may affect Lake Worthington Conservation Area, Brazos Bend State Park, Brazos River Floodplain (about 8 miles in width), Columbia Bottomlands, and Big Creek (an ecologically significant stream segment). These areas will be threatened by destruction/degradation due to filling, paving, run-off water pollution, sewage effluent, dredging, draining, and ditching from the project and the sprawl it will cause or encourage.

5) The air pollution created by Segment C, including diesel fumes, ozone, and toxic air pollutants will affect the air quality in an urbanizing and rural area. There is an increased likelihood that people that live near Segment C and in the Fort Bend and Brazoria County area will suffer harmful health and welfare effects from this air pollution.

Here's What You Can Do!

1) Come to the GP public meeting.

2) Look at the exhibits and fill out a comment form using this fact sheet.

3) Write letters in opposition to Segment C by September 13, 2007 to:

Mr. David Gornet, Executive Director, The Grand Parkway Association, 4544 Post Oak Place, Suite 222, Houston, Texas 77027

Mr. Gary K. Trietsch, P.E., Texas Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 1386, Houston, Texas 77251-1386

Ms. Janice W. Brown, District Administrator, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Building, Room 826, 300 8th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-2483.

For more information contact Brandt Mannchen at 713-664-5962 or brandtshnfbt@juno.com.

September 2007

Last updated:  08/26/2007.   Content © 1999-2007 by the Sierra Club.