Waller ISD says NO TTC to TxDOT

Mr. Michael W. Behrens, P.E.
Executive Director
Texas Department of Transportation
Division or Office
125 E. 11th St.
Austin, Texas 78701-2483

Re: Trans-Texas Corridor (I-69) through Waller School District

Dear Mr. Michael W. Behrens, P.E.:

The Board of Trustees and the Administration of the Waller Independent School District have thoroughly investigated the potential impact of the passage of the Trans-Texas Corridor (I-69) through the Waller school district.

As part of our fiduciary responsibility, the Board and Administration arranged and attended presentations on the issue from the following:
• Citizens for a Better Waller County
• Dr. Pat Guzman, Population and Survey Analysts (PASA)
• Frank McFarland, Texas A&M Economist
• Jack Heise & Ed Pensock, Tx Dept. of Transportation (Trans-Texas Corridor)

The presentations and discussions addressed areas of impact to the district including mobility, economic development, tax base, growth rate and other matters which would affect our ability to conduct long range planning for the school district. Our areas of concern include:

• Efficient school bus routing near, through, and around the proposed corridor and the increased transportation costs created by the routes
• Immediate loss of tax base due to the acquisition of property for the proposed corridor, and the uncertatinty of which properties would be acquired
• Types of corridor interchanges and access roads, and their frequencies
• Frequency of corridor overpasses
• Unpredictable growth rate which would be impacted by the location of the corridor and the corridor interchanges and access roads, and their frequencies
• Our greatest concern is the lack of details available in this (Tier 1) planning phase and the approval process which requires too much commitment without detailed information. Further, we are concerned that when these details become available we will not be allowed to make necessary changes.

We recognize that with proper planning and local input the corridor could provide long range benefits to the school district. It is our intent to monitor the activities of the Trans-Texas Corridor through the Texas Department of Transportation and to provide input as required. However, given the current lack of detailed information and the assumption that the approval process remains unchanged, we regret that we are unable to support the Trans-Texas Corridor and would encourage the planning committee to select a route outside of western Harris County and all of Waller County.

If you have any questions please call 936-931-4001.

Regards,
Richard T. McReavy
Superintendant
Robert Carvel
Waller ISD School Board President

cc:
Trans-Texas Corridor- Jack Heise
Trans-Texas Corridor- Ed Pensock
Representative Glenn Hegar Jr.
Senator Jon S. Lindsay
Representative Corbin Van Arsdale
Senator Ken Armbrister
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst
Gov. Rick Perry