I understand that Public Werks will be required to do an environmental study. However, since they are not publicly funded by state or federal dollars, they may not have to do anything more than this form right here:
http://www.nctcog.org/trans/tip/cda/RTREnvRevw040109.pdf
If that’s the case, it’s a joke. And the approval is only by the local boards. There are no checks and balances here. You have the same people dreaming up, fighting for, and voting on these projects with little or no possible room for questioning.
I printed this application out last night. Very upsetting, it seems easier for Privately Funded projects than for State or Federal projects.
It does state the local boards will need approve it. How much experience do our local boards have on a privately funded/owned toll road project? What kind of checks/verifications will the board do?
There is no one from Hunt County on the Executive Directors of NCTCOG. On the Mobility 2035 there are only 4 projects for Hunt County, 3 of which are reconstructions and 1 small new road. Seems to me COG doesn’t think there will be much growth in Hunt County or they would have planned for it.
Hwy 78 expansion from 2 to 6 lanes starting at 205 all the way up to Hwy 380 is on the plan and already under construction. This will be a free road (no toll) & larger than the proposed toll road’s 4 lanes. Just doesn’t seem that the toll road is needed.