Accidents, God forbid, do happen. What would happen if one of these tanker trucks had an accident in front of Canales School and burst into flames and spewed its toxic contents into the school when school is open next week? Or what if there was an emergency vehicle needed and the ambulance had to use the expressway to get there quickly? Would they be able to maneuver past the long line of waiting trucks?
It's been 23 years ago since an overwhelming majority of Cameron County voters approved a bond issue for transportation projects. After more than two decades of being promised an East Loop that would divert heavy (and hazardous ) truck traffic from International Boulevard Cameron County and the City of Brownsville are making noises about actually building it. Local residents remember that it was in 1993 that then-Cameron County Judge (and later U.S. Ambassador to Mexico) Tony Garza, included the project as part of Project Road Map, an ambitious undertaking to upgrade the county's thoroughfares.
Plans called for 74 separate projects throughout Cameron County. Among Project Road Map's more ambitious components was a plan to extend Expressway 77-Highway 83 past Lincoln Park to the proposed site of the Los Tomates International Bridge, what we now call Veterans International Bridge. It would also convert Highway 48 into a four-lane highway, and create a loop beginning on Elizabeth Street and stretching to the Port of Brownsville.
That last one is the so-called East Loop. Instead, the bridge at Los Indios got first priority as is the controversial West Loop Boulevard (or bike and hike trail). And the East Loop that was needed 23 years ago and is critical today to safeguard the lives and safety of the residents there?)
9 comments:
Instead of askinf the question WHY of your readers, perhaps you should address the question to the Federal government agencies such as the Federal Transportation Commission and the US Fish and Wildlife agency and the US International Boundary and Water Commission, and all of the federal agency that have anything to do with the security of the border, and now that the Feds have passed the enviormental issues to the State of Texas, you can ask TxDot. Once you have gotten all of these entities satisfied, and remember the work you are going to do to get their approval does not come cheap, butn after spending several million dollars on these studies and acquiring the approvals, then you can work on getting the $50million to $80million to do all that they are requiringto build the actual road. But hey, don't raise our taxes to do any of this. We will not stand for that!
One thought, if our mayor were not so short sighted and selfish and really looked at joining with the other MPOs in the valley so we could sit at the table where the big money referred to as Catagory 4 money that comes to the state from the Feds is distributed, we would have a good chance of accessing some of that big money for the construction of this East Loop. Just a thought.
Mr. Montoya,
i moved here because I like Brownsville just the way it is. I am a libertine who sometimes works on his novel, and what I see and hear around me in this shitty town is gold! Gold, I tell you! Gold!! Do not pave the broken streets, keep the noisy trucks coming, do not trim the trees or drain the resacas, or capture all the stray dogs. Do not force residents to speak English and, for fucking chrissakes do not improve the writing in the newspaper. This is a bohemian's mecca! Save Our Fucked-Up Brownsville! Or, shit, I will leave.
They built the north lane of hwy 77 just for you.
(Our Fucked-Up Brownsville! Or, shit, I will leave.)
Bet it's that homosexual from Kyle. Huh, Juan?
Uncle Jed.
No, it's Gene Novogrodski! of course.
Southmost no vale un chingada. Bola de hambones over there. A jalar, cabrones! Pura gente barata con caras largas en ese 'hood!
Whoever it is, it's a real asshole.
The city is too busy with bicycle events and having Mexican sister cities...to pay attention to such progress. And yes, the TxDoT and Feds should be consulted, especially if this modernization was part of a plan/proposal/intention....whatever. And meanwhile, what is the County doing....more taxes for more parks....actually to pave roads and put lights in colonias. We tax those who pay taxes to improve the life of those who don't pay taxes...the socialist solution. Are we ready for Venezuelan refugees who will be fleeing a failed socialist nation soon and coming to the US for all our free shit.
This city should be managed more like a company.
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