Fix290 Fights TxDOT's Planned 12-Lane Elevated Highway

The Texas Department of Transportation's plan to replace the part of the four-lane stretch of 290/71 west of MoPac with a 12-lane, partially elevated superhighway has come up against opposition from the people who live nearby and would have to look at it and hear it. As we mentioned a few months ago, a group of those people have come together to form the Fix290 Coalition, which is proposing a relatively sensible 8-lane alternative.

One benefit of Fix290's plan is that it would be built alongside Williamson Creek instead of on concrete pillars directly above the creek, which feeds Barton Springs and the Edwards Aquifer, sparing the lives of dozens of large live oaks. As anyone who has driven on a recently constructed highway knows, TxDOT prefers to pave everything visible from the road, ensuring that if a speeding motorist falls asleep, he will cruise safely until he awakens. CAMPO is currently reviewing the plans to determine which it prefers.

If you are interested in helping the Fix 290 Coalition, you can sign their petition, email CAMPO, volunteer or donate.

Image from The Fix290 Coalition

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By Shawn Shillington in News on November 28, 2006 10:15 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

sal costello

TxDOT does not care about making transportation affordable to our families. WATCH THE VIDEO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uyMtbL4Gs0

M1EK

7Towers, most roadway spending around here comes from property and sales taxes, not gas taxes. In fact, the gas tax cannot be spent on roads outside the state highway system (but TXDOT still requires contributions from local governments to build state highways; meaning, 290 gets some property/sales tax money).

Add that to the fact that TXDOT chooses to build its highways in a manner that precludes the development of a parallel network of city/county arterial roadways (frontage roads are the problem here), and it becomes eminently reasonable to force them to design bicycle access for their frontage roads, even in the world where gas taxes really did pay all the bills.

7Towers

I for one commend Fix290 for coming up with an alternative instead of just complaining about Toll Roads. This definitely seems like a reasonable alternative, but my question is: What is the need for bike lanes next to a busy highway when they could have a nice trail along side the creek as depicted in the picture? I think the last thing we need are more bike/vehicle accidents.

I am all for biking, but people need to realize that just because there aren't tolls on the road the money is still coming from somewhere, that being our gas tax. The bikers need to come together to develop a way of paying for their bike lanes if they want them everywhere. Perhaps an enforced bike registration fee? Or, Bike Toll lanes... just kidding. Bottom line the path along side the creek would be a great long distance bike path for the area to enjoy, lets just figure out a good way to pay for it. Heck, just have a bond election, people will pay for anything, even a library that costs as much as the Frost Bank tower, when everything inside it can probably be found on the internet!!

M1EK

This one is a tough one for me. TXDOT's plans are truly hideous, but do the people who moved that far out from town, plunked their house right on top of our drinking water supplies, and only then discovered their environmental conscience really deserve a nice-looking free parkway for their troubles?

If I had czar powers, I'd stick them with what exists today AND charge them a toll.