If ever there was a case of government action (or in this case, inaction) that might be described as environmental discrimination, the construction (or failure to construct) the East Loop in southeast Brownsville would be it.
The original funding to construct the East Loop that would reroute heavy trucks carrying hazardous and flammable materials away from International Boulevard where trucks bound for the port of Brownsville rumble past schools, churches, neighborhoods, and housing projects was provided for in a bond issue called Project Road Map.
That issue was passed overwhelmingly by voters in in 1993 by then-Cameron County Judge Tony Garza and four Democratic commissioners. After campaigning on behalf of the projects, the court saw the Project Road Map successfully approved by a two thirds majority vote on August 14, 1993.
That was in 1993, some 25 years ago.
By using the Texas Department of Transportation's Pass Through Financing Program program, the commissioners were able to secure two-thirds of the costs associated with the project list that would see only one-third of the cost paid by the county. The rest would be paid by the state as the projects came online.
Project Road Map projects, many since completed, addressed transportation and drainage needs in the county, including some far-reaching projects such as the widening of Southmost Road in Precinct 1 and many other projects in the northern precincts.But other things – like the Los Indios Bridge, the toll roads built by the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA), among others – somehow got built first and the East Loop was forgotten.
All that time Brownsville residents have put up with traffic carrying hazardous materials (like the one depicted above flammable chemicals), noise pollution from trucks and congestion of the main artery between the port and the ramp onto Los Tomates (Veterans) Bridge.
Now finally, the Cameron County commissioners – the same entity that put aside money from the 1993 bond issue – has pledged $350,000 to engineering services for the first construction segment of the long-awaited East Loop.
According to a press release by the CCRMA, it was part of an agreement with the Brownsville Navigation District and the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority. The mobility authority is "spearheading" the project to move commercial vehicles traffic away from International Boulevard.
The road will connect Ostos Road at the Port of Brownsville to one of the planned East Loop endpoints on Boca Chica Boulevard, also known as State Highway 4.
The Brownsville Navigation District’s board of directors on Wednesday approved a similar agreement to contribute $350,000 for engineering services. Along with $50,000 from the mobility authority, the entities will spend a combined $750,000 toward engineering.
That will undoubtedly take some time, years in fact, for the pavement to be put on the ground. There remains the largest portion of the East Loop that will stretch from Boca Chica to Veterans Bridge.
And as time goes on, according to Pete Sepulveda, director of the Cameron County Regional Mobility Administration (CCRMA), there might be hope on the horizon.
"We did a walk-through of the project with state officials last week on the northern segment," Sepulveda said. "We expect to be breaking ground on the section from Highway 4 (Boca Chica Boulevard) to Ostos Road at the Port of Brownsville in the next five or six months."
Sepulveda said the southern segment of the loop from Highway 4 to the Veterans Bridge at Los Tomates is proving a bit more difficult and has required a more thorough Environmental Impact Statement. However, that is already being addressed by the CCRMA and the state planners and engineers.
"The overall cost for the project is around $60 million, Sepulveda said. "That will be funded using local state and federal funds."
There is no doubt about the need of the loop to relieve heavy truck congestion, reroute hazardous materials away from populated areas and schools along the Port Brownsville-International Boulevard-Los Tomates route. Every evening, residents in the area have to navigate the road with overweight trucks headed to Matamoros carrying all sorts of cargoes, including tankers filled with hazardous materials and chemicals.
"The truck traffic is increasing," Sepulveda acknowledged. "We've been planning this for more than 20 years."
* Once built – if it eventually is built – the East Loop Project will eliminate hazardous and overweight traffic from 6 schools in the area.
* It will facilitate the movement of Export/Import on the Corridor with Mexico has grew 50 percent in the period from 2004-2008 and is increasing.
* It will make the movement of imports and exports from the port of Brownsville easier. The Port already exports/imports over 6.3 million tons of material
* And perhaps of more importance to local residents, it will eliminate 17 stops and 6 school zones which planners say will significantly improve air quality in the East Loop Corridor.
* And perhaps of more importance to local residents, it will eliminate 17 stops and 6 school zones which planners say will significantly improve air quality in the East Loop Corridor.
"I'll believe it when I see it," said a used-tire shop owner whose business sits across Canales Elementary on International Blvd. "Every day we see those heavy trucks pass through here carrying all that dangerous stuff. Dios no lo quiera que pase un accidente."
8 comments:
What happened with the money that was invested into the "Bridge to No Where" when Besteiro and Lucio were the "foresighters?"
Trucks with the placard 1202 are carrying gasoline, diesel, or heating oil.
Trucks with the placard 1203 are carrying gasahol (what is found in most gas pumps At a 10% ethnol/90% gasoline mixture).
In order for the fuels to auto-ignite, a significant amount of heat is needed (~400ºF or more).
So where will la chisquida put the bike trails in this area?
gasoline will ignite at a very low temperature (-40 F) with a good spark, it requires a very high temp 475 F or so to "SELF IGNITE" which almost NEVER happens. Impacts would have to produce a spark in order to ignite if gas is stored in a can or tank. That means if an accident occurs that is collision between two vehicles a spark will cause an explosion.
Poster at above 9:08pm is trying very hard to hide facts that are important.
This will never happen here in Brownsville because of the compadre system. This would of been done anywhere else 20 years ago without hesitation....Thank you Cameron County for nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Otro pendejo what you you mean compadre system estupido its called cronyism/corruption. Don't make fun or compare pay backs or corruption with your religion memso.
The picture of the 18 wheeler seems to be traveling from the bridge to the Port, so its my guess, is that its empty.
I make sure to stay away from La Diesocho from 4 - 8 because I can not compete with the dangerous trucks that race down the blvd trying to beat each other to the bridge, pulling in and out of lanes at over the speed limit and I have yet to see extra patrols or in fact, any patrols during that peak time to catch these so called drivers. When the idiot killed that young man at 18th and Lincoln about 2 years ago who was riding his bike it was because the huge trucks coming from Mexico turn right into International if there is no traffic coming from their left, but they don't even stop as required before making a right on red. He was looking left and ran over and killed the young boy coming south on the sidewalk at the corner. What ever happened to that driver? Someone even stole the ghost bike that had been placed in the area in his honor and people use the pole to post garage sale signs - no respect to the plaque that someone has not removed yet. Get this trucks out of our way, and just go ahead and give the same problem to another area. Is this bridge going to be like a belt way with straight access above the actual roads?
From 4 to 8 is donut break.
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