Collin County Residents Hope To Slam Brakes On Proposed Toll Road
COLLIN COUNTY (CBS 11 NEWS) - Christine and Chris Hubley moved to Wylie last December.
Speaking of her home Christine said, "When we first saw our property, we fell in love with it."
The Collin County resident also remembers the first time her and her husband got out of their car to look at the house. "Heard nothing, no road, no traffic, just crickets." Now the couple says their little piece of paradise is being threatened.
The Hubley's, along with hundreds of others, worry a proposed toll road being reviewed for placement somewhere in the Blacklands Corridor, from Garland, into Rockwall, Collin and Hunt counties, could go through their neighborhood.
"I'm very concerned," Christine said. "I'm not just concerned about my house. I don't want this toll road going through anyone's house. I think everyone has a lot to lose and I don't wish this toll road on anyone."
On Monday night, Christine appeared at a North Central Texas Council of Governments meeting along, along with more than 1,200 others, to try and slam the brakes on the proposed toll road. The consensus of the crowd was -- there isn't a need for it.
But Hunt County Commissioners Court Judge John Horn says the county, and various elected leaders in their area strongly support a toll road.
Horn says the toll road is needed because of the area's projected population growth, and because there's no state money to widen Interstate-30.
"TxDOT has not presented us with anything that shows right now any expanded capacity along I-30," he said.
The Texas Turnpike Corporation, a privately held company, proposed the toll road.
Company manager, Neal Barker, told the crowd Monday night that a specific route hasn't been selected.
"I understand this is difficult, the uncertainty around it," Barker said during the informational meeting. "I've heard you loud and clear and I can tell you we're working as hard as we can to get this information out as quick as possible."
Members of the crowd heckled Barker.
The Texas Turnpike Corporation won't make a decision on the location of the road until after an environmental review wraps up in January.
Residents though say they don't like the idea of a private company using eminent domain to take their property -- all so it can make a profit.
Christine Hubley also doesn't like the company's methods. "There's no need to rush this past the public," she said. "I do think that's what's happening."
There won't be a toll road though unless it's included in the long-range transportation plan. Regional transportation planners may make that decision as early as next month.
The corporation is asking for more comments from the public over the next two weeks. It is holding a series of 10 informal meetings which will be in Rockwall, Greenville, Royce City, Wylie and Rowlett.
-- 7 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Hampton Inn, 1549 Laguna Dr., Rockwall
-- 7 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Hampton Inn, 3001 Kari Lane, Greenville
-- 7 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the Holiday Inn Express, 1001 Pullen St., Royse City
-- 7 to 9 a.m and 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Comfort Suites Lake Ray Hubbard, 8701 E. IH-30, Rowlett
-- 7 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Best Western Plus, 2011 Texas Highway 78, Wylie
-- 7 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 at the Holiday Inn Express, 1001 Pullen St., Royse City
Follow Jack on Twitter: @cbs11jack
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Latest News:
Top Trending:
