The proposed project includes a four lane boulevard with designated left turn lanes at city street intersections. Ostensibly, it will improve the intersection of US 59 with US 281. “The configuration of the intersection with US 281 will better accommodate truck turning movements with larger turning radii, and will provide an unimpeded right turn from northbound US 281 to eastbound US 59. Raised medians at this intersection will also provide a safety refuge for pedestrian traffic. A major safety enhancement included in this project is the replacement of the existing at-grade railroad crossing with a bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad. The eastern end of this project will connect to the recently completed work on US 59 which extends to IH 37,” said, Russel Lenz, TxDOT District Engineer.
Lenz, along with Chris Caron, TxDOT Area Engineer and Paula Sales-Evans, Director of Transportation Planning and Development for TxDOT, presented the schematics of the proposed project to Live Oak County Judge Jim Huff and the County Commissioners. Huff briefly explained the project to the panel of Commissioners and the gallery. He reiterated Lenz’s description and went on say, “The project has been determined to be ‘shovel-ready’ which means the drawing and schematics are done, the public hearings have been completed, and the land has been acquired. Additionally, because we have an economic stimulus package that was signed yesterday [by President Barack Obama; Feb. 17] TxDOT will have the money to fund the project.”
Huff asked Lenz if the construction project would mean employment for local citizens. “Obviously contractors, sub-contractors, everyone will have an opportunity to work,” Lenz said. “But we have to go through the review process first. We are probably looking at August if the project is selected,” continued Lenz.
However, not all the County Commissioners were ready to endorse the project. CC Pct. 3, Jim Bassett and CC Pct. 4 Emilio Garza were concerned about the effect the boulevard as presented would have on business owners on US 59. Garza pointed to an area on the schematics and said, “If I wanted to stop at this business and I was driving along this area, how would I get there?” Lenz said one would have to make three right turns to get there but added “If a truck driver wants to stop, they can get off easy, but if they don’t want to stop, it will not create unneeded congestion.” Garza raised an eyebrow and shook his head, left to right, as to indicate, “No”. Bassett too, stated the plans were not as he remembered them.
To address the Commissioners’ concerns Lenz turned the floor over to Sales-Evans. She said, we went to the drawing board several times and each time we tried to incorporate what we heard from the community to improve movement and improve safety. “There has been lots of public input and we want to consider everybody’s concerns. There have also been a lot of changes. We built the project based on the changes and reduction in budgets and cash flow revisions.”
At the conclusion of the meeting it was determined TxDOT representatives would conduct an economic impact study on the effect the boulevard will have on existing businesses and explore opportunities to improve US 72.
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