Who watches the HCTRA?

KHOU asks the question "Who watches the Harris County Toll Road Authority?"

It's no secret that more than a dozen new toll roads are proposed over the next 20 years. Some are already under construction.

What many may not know is the Harris County Toll Road Authority, unlike TxDOT, can build a toll road anywhere it wants without public approval.

"Communities have a right to have a say in that," said Polly Ledvina, Citizens' Transportation Coalition.

Tuesday afternoon, a handful of neighborhood leaders went to city council looking for support.

"If we don't figure out what to do they're going to pave over my neighborhood, the Heights neighborhood and your neighborhoods," said Margaret Dover, Citizens' Transportation Coalition.

"Like the speaker says, all these roads are pointed right at our neighborhoods," said Mark Goldberg, Citizens' Transportation Coalition. "All the traffic in the surrounding county will be coming through our neighborhood."

"I believe that Mayor White will try to do the right thing. I don't know he has the power to," said Ken Lindow, Citizens' Transportation Coalition.

He doesn't.

That's pretty scary, if you ask me. I know it's probably paranoid of me to think that anyone might think a toll road through a long-established, middle class historic neighborhood could be a good idea, but we've already had to beat back an attempt by TxDOT to widen I-45 at our expense, and that fight is still ongoing. The mere fact that this idea even came up for discussion is disquieting enough. I'm glad that someone, at least, is focusing attention on it.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on December 09, 2004 to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | TrackBack