Note: We received this commentary late last night following TxDOT's public meeting on the planned FM 1626 expansion. Coming later, a report from RoundUp contributing editor Charles O'Dell. We agree wholeheartedly with the writer's point about it being time to think of new approaches to traffic congestion and gridlock. These are the kinds of questions we should be asking our elected officials and candidates. The same old solutions to the same old problems, we already know, will lead to the same old new problems of sprawl, pollution, higher debt and higher taxes.
"Got anything new to offer, bud?"
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Well, the packed house tonight at the Elm Grove Elementary School was more like a road-building pep rally, not a public hearing. This actually had the feel of a planned campaign event for Barton and Conley and some of the other pro-road/development folks running for office in the Buda area put on by the fine folks at TxDOT at taxpayer expense! Although this was not billed as a campaign event, a Barton campaign sign was spotted in the hall. Nothing like pulling off a multi-purpose event and I guess it pays to have friends at TxDOT.
Not once was the obvious word, "bottleneck" uttered, despite the nifty little maps they gave out showing that this 7-lane monstrosity would end abruptly at the Travis County line, not even making it as far as Brodie Lane. I can only imagine the scene: thousands of cars racing along the newly-engorged 1626 only to slam on their brakes at the county line . . . and wait for the light to change.
I guess the point is to cause the world's largest traffic jam as people try to get out of Hays County on 1626 and somehow force Travis County to build a road big enough to let the Hays Hordes through those neighborhoods along Brodie who already tried to put up a roadblock to keep them out. The return voyage to Buda should prove to be just as much fun.
Now, if the Buda area would concentrate its efforts on building an employment base closer to home, or steer development nearer to existing roadways and routes to Austin or even to consider other ways to spend transportation funds rather than just more roads, we might begin to see something successful. More of the same will not work, but the road engineers are still unwilling to train for new careers and so they come up with the same ol' tired ideas every time.
Building roads is never the answer to gridlock, it never takes long for those new roads to lock up just like the old ones. Perhaps it is time to take a real look at inter-city transit systems, a real bus line, some car-sharing programs, some low-impact solutions, and not just keep lining the pockets of road companies and their politician-shills like Barton.
Our transportation future needs to be one with a diversity of options, but we will not be able to afford anything but our road debts if these politicians keeps doing the bidding of the road barons.
– Majesta
2 comments:
I agree wholeheartedly that we must think outside the box when dealing with traffic issues. I'm probably the biggest advocate of mass transit you will find, but that doesn't happen overnight. We still have to keep up our roads in the meantime. As someone who drives 1626 everyday, I think these improvements are more than necessary. My ideal solution is to make the road improvements that are most necessary while also spending time and money on new solutions to traffic.
And I have to respectfully disagree about this being a pep rally for Conley. He wasn't even allowed to speak until the public comments part of the agenda.
Now, if the Buda area would concentrate its efforts on building an employment base closer to home, or steer development nearer to existing roadways and routes to Austin or even to consider other ways to spend transportation funds rather than just more roads, we might begin to see something successful.
Let's see that would be the same crowd who doesn't want anything built anywhere near them. NIMBY. So when the local communities try and develop their LOCAL economy the boo-birds (ala, environmentalists) step out of the shadows in which they lurk waiting to devour little children and sissy men, and throw out some euphemisms as too much growth, not enough roads, too many people (new subdivisions, etc.).
So what else are we to do? Wait until the City of Austin (or is that the State of Austin?) decides to take all of our tax money and usurp Hays County government altogether? Think about this folks, we spend our money in their County, and they don't spend a freakin' dime of it out here in Hays County to help our infrastructure. Idiots. You fools who moved here from Austin, but still want to work and play there should move back there.
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