Coalition dealt blow in parkway battle
Save Our Spring tries to regroup after county pushes project
By KIM JACKSON, 02/02/05, Houston Chronicle
GRAND PARKWAY'S SPRING ROUTE
Path: The proposed path for the Grand Parkway's Spring-area segment starts at Texas 249 and Boudreaux Road, and runs along Boudreaux north of David Wayne Hooks Airport. The highway then swings east to parallel FM 2920 past Kuykendahl Road to Falvel Road, where it turns north toward the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. The road then runs along the tracks, which will be moved to the north, through the middle of the Forest North and Mossy Oaks subdivisions, to Interstate 45.
Spring residents opposed to the Grand Parkway are trying to decide how to challenge Harris County's latest effort to accelerate the project.
Harris County Commissioners Court authorized $5.6 million to pay three engineering firms to design one-third of the Texas Department of Transportation's proposed 182-mile Grand Parkway loop around Houston as a toll road. The four segments the Harris County Toll Road Authority could build run from Interstate 10 to U.S. 59, including the 12-mile Spring segment.
"We need some time to digest the news, and then will meet with our attorneys to decide our next move," said Jerry Thomas, president of United to Save Our Spring, a coalition formed four years ago to fight plans to build the "F-2" segment through Tomball, Klein and Spring.
"We are very frustrated because we felt we were making headway with TxDOT. They agreed to look at alternative routes for F-2, and then Harris County sticks their nose in and says we need to speed things up."
Last July, state transportation officials agreed to perform a supplemental environmental study on the F-2 segment. The action was in response to coalition members' and Spring residents' claims that a draft environmental study released by the Grand Parkway Association in March contained outdated maps and data that did not show several commercial and residential developments that would be impacted by the proposed roadway.
Commissioners to decide
Mike Strech, director of the Harris County Toll Road Authority, said the Kellogg, Brown & Root engineering firm will study a proposed route, roadway design and right-of-way needs for the Spring segment. He said the company has two years to do the work, but could finish sooner.
When completed, Commissioners Court will decide if it is something the toll road authority should pursue.
"If approved by TxDOT, the county could start building the road in two to three years," Strech said.
Robin Sterry, assistant executive director of the Grand Parkway Association, said they are moving forward with the supplemental study authorized by the transportation department and it should be completed in late spring or early summer. She said Harris County's work will not duplicate or replace the study.
Skip Warren, a United to Save Our Spring member and Bridgestone resident, said coalition members believe they will not have a voice if the county takes over the project.
He said county officials have ignored requests to meet with the group, and the county is not required to hold public meetings like the state does because they are not applying for federal funding for the project.
Strech said the county's public meeting process is conducted through Commissioners Court meetings. He said the public has the opportunity to comment to the county judge and four commissioners, who make decisions about projects and contracts.
He said county toll road officials would be willing to meet with two or three members of the coalition to talk about issues, concerns and the county's plans, but have no plans to hold a large public meeting in the Spring area.
Updates requested
State Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Houston, who has supported the SOS group's efforts, said she contacted toll road officials after learning about Commissioners Court's decision and asked for weekly progress reports on the county's engineering/design efforts. She said they responded Friday and said they were open to that idea.
"We want to be kept apprised of developments so we can keep our constituents informed," Riddle said.
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