SIXTH STREET BECOMES A POLITICAL HOSTAGE...AGAIN

By Juan Montoya
For as long as anyone can remember, there have always been traffic jams created when freight trains go through the Brownsville-Matmoros Bridge (the old bridge), cross through the city (Palm Boulevard) and then on out of town.
The rails cross all entries to the Muralla neighborhood and the congestion created when the long freight train crosses Palm Boulevard is blamed for the demise of Amigoland Mall as a viable business site even after Tony Carnesi had convinced the city commission to extend utilities to fund his project.
Interestingly, Carnesi never built the amusement park that he dangled as a carrot to the city commission who also provided free bus transportation to the mall from downtown. But he got free utility extensions and free bus service to his investment.
The city's planning department had long considered building extensions of sixth and seventh streets across the railroad tracks to prevent the traffic jams caused by the railroad. In fact, the funding had been acquired and the plans had been drawn to undertake the project which would have benefitted the Muralla residents and made Amigoland Mall a viable business area.
But by then then-Cameron County Judge Gilberto Hinojosa had purchased a home in the St. Charles historical district area, on E. St. Charles and Fifth, and using the power of his bloody pulpit, derailed (no pun intended) to halt the extension of both thoroughfares and the construction of the overpasses.
To be fair, there would have been some relocation of a few homes in La Muralla as well and that didn't sit well with the homeowners. If you look at a map, there might have been maybe half dozen residence relocations there. Residents on the north side of the tracks like Gilbert didn't really relish having an overpass just a few blocks from their restored homes in the historical district.
And so the street extension project and the overpasses were abandoned for the West Rail Relocation Project which was said by its proponents at the time to be the cure-all for the traffic congestion.
Well, fast forward some 20 to 25 years and the railroad relocation still hasn't happened. Traffic still comes to a standstill when the freight trains pass from the old bridge headed north and west of town. Emergency vehicles are still prevented from reaching their calls when the train is passing by. But Gilbert's investment was protected and that's what was important to the people then.
The reason we bring this up is because of the recent brouhaha caused when City of Brownsville commissioner Rose Gowen rammed through her plan to restrict traffic on Sixth Street north of Ringgold Street to Madison to two lanes from three and to broaden the sidewalk there and link her city pedestrian trials.
As with the raising of the parking meter charges, public input was ignored and those that objected vilified. In one fell swoop, Gowen-Zavaletta (with two Ts) showed her true colors as a member of an entitled family. How dare anyone oppose the Enlightened One's dictum?
As we 've said in the past, when the regents of the University of Texas System asked for RFPs (Request for Proposals) for them to remain in the city with their new UT-RGV, in the offer made by the city to the system was included an offer to enlarge the system of bike and pedestrian trails for the
wellness of the projected studetn body in the new school.
The city's RFP to the UT System promises it will chip in the following:
* Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation - $2,500 to $5,000 for every University job associated with UTB's location downtown
* Brownsville Economic Development Corporation - BEDC will contribute tax revenue from increased sales, mixed beverage, and parking meter taxes to UTB for public realm improvements downtown
*Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation - BCIC will provide funding and/or subsidies for "quality of life" projects, including cultural and athletic amenities in greater Downtown Brownsville
* Brownsville Metropolitan Planning Organization and BCIC – MPO and BCIC will increase bicycle infrastructure, including the extension of city hike and bike trails to better connect the UTB facilities with surrounding downtown neighborhoods and amenities
* Public Utility Board - PUB will provide reduced utility rates for new UTB buildings that are built to LEED accreditation standards
* Brownsville Metro - Brownsville Metro will increase their bus coverage area to better serve UTB's campus and to increase service frequency to UTB campus facilities
So now do we understand why Martinez, Rose Gowen, and the rest of the city commission isn't making a peep about all the money that Martinez is spending on downtown real estate purchases, including the exorbitant $2.3 million for La Casa Del Nylon? In fact, La Casa Del Nylon and the old Kress Building are depicted in the RFP as a university facility and (the latter) as a Gold's Gym
The city is offered the UT System 139.9 acres of prime real estate at "fair market value," including Lincoln Park. In fact, the Lizka-Galonsky landowners (also of Casa Del Nylon fame) have an additional 39.09 acres they want to sell UT at "fair market value."
Now do we understand why Gowen is all hot and bothered about the Belden trial and the bike trails? It's not about our health, stupid!
Now do we understand why Martinez and the commission raised the parking meter rates whether the citizenry is for it or not? They already promised UTB the additional income.
Now do we understand why the PUB rates for 80 percent of the PUB ratepayers (the residential customers) will have to – in addition to the $325 million in revenue bonds for Tony's Tenaska power plant investment –  subsidize the new UTB buildings with lower utility rates?
If anything positive came out of this is that Gowen showed her true colors in the footsteps of Gilbert Hinojosa and has forced the vcity by sheer gumption to pander to her political whims rather than the interest of the residents or the community. When you come off the expressway, jump on three-laned Sixth Street and head downtown and you're met with the bottleneck past Ringgold and Madison, remember to thank Rose for the inconvenience.
She is just, after all, complying with her promise to her alma mater.