After a thorough review of Keith Self's presentation, Joe Jayne's blog, and the Collin County Engineering Web Site, I've decided that Keith is on the ball here. The projects that are suggested with this $235 Million bond are concentrated on cities that can handle the load of municipal construction already. Even McKinney has more than enough tax base to run its own share of the construction projects until after the County has taken care of the main highways.
We need to be pro-active in getting Highway 75 and SH 380 up and running. Everyone from local citizens to area trucking companies already complain that this entire section of highways is a mess. With Collin County slated to expand to nearly double its size in the next 10-15 years, we cannot begin soon enough to complete the expansion of our major transportation arteries. If you live in the area and don't see the traffic on our highways, you're riding a bike to work. At night.
My only regret in all of this is that he couldn't keep the Commissioners wrangled into their May agreement with the State to do the Pass-Through financing in the first place! Keith and the Commissioners had a deal several months ago to use bond money to fix the highways and get paid back from the state. Even with a 4-year turnaround of the $180 million that Texas promised us, we'd be ahead of the 8-year time limit that this bond package proposes!
If we agree to this bond, we agree to no construction on 75 and 380 for many years to come – TxDoT will be busy with constructing Hwy 121, and we’ll be left holding the bag on Central. If the cities are that concerned about traffic in and around their civic centers, I have one word for them, and it's a dirty word around these parts... Dart!
In the end, we need more long-term vision and a committment to the issues that matter in Collin County. When four Republican Commissioners and their Republican County Judge can't agree, the tree just needs a bit more shaking.
Ever Onward,
Victor.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment