The Collin County Observer

The Commissioners Court, meeting as the Collin County Toll Road Authority are scheduled to consider a re-alignment of the south-eastern leg of the proposed Outer Loop.

The section to be discussed runs from FM 6 south to the Rockwall County Line.

The re-alignment is planned to avoid the road cutting into the High Meadows Estates subdivision in Josephine and Lavon.

The commissioners will also hear an update from the engineering firm of CH2MHill on the status of this section of the Outer Loop.

The engineers will present 3 different alignments (paths) and ask the court to choose one.

All 3 alignments will affect some residential property. It is too early in the process to know how many eminent domain condemnations will be required to construct this 5 mile section of the future Loop 9.

After the court approves the preferred alignment, they will schedule a public meeting to present the plan to the local citizens. The public meeting will likely be held in July or August. Typically, these public meetings are conducted by the engineers and have little or no effect on the final plans. Frequently no commissioners even attend the public meeting.

Commissioner Hoagland did attend the last Outer Loop public meeting that was on the alignment on the eastern leg north of FM 6. The meeting, held in 2006 drew a large and largely hostile crowd of several hundred citizens.

Bill

Notes:

The Commissioners Court meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 22 at 9:30 AM at the new Jack Hatchell Administrative Building on Bloomfield Rd.

CH2MHill presentation and maps (note that this is a large 3meg download)

UPDATE:

A representative from CH2MHill gave a presentation on the alternate alignments at the CCTRA meeting today. You can see the presentation by clicking here.

CH2MHill testified that approximately an equal number of properties would be lost for each of the 3 alternate routes.

The green route is the alignment already approved by the commissioners court. This right of way would cut into the High Meadows Estates subdivision in a drastic manner. It would also take our some residences near the Rockwall County line.

However, he noted that the purple route on the alignment map, while completely missing the new High Meadow Estates subdivision, would be so close to a high power electrical line as to limit commercial development along the road. Both the purple and orange plans would miss the homes near the Rockwall County terminus. (see linked maps)

He testified that the orange route would 'impact' the High Meadows Estates subdivision, but less than the previously approved green plan. The orange route stayed at least 600' from the high power lines, allowing for more attractive 'big box' development along the new road.

After a short discussion, mostly centered on the need to timely notify all affected property owners for this section of the Outer Loop as well as property owners in adjacent segments of the road, the commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the Orange plan. (Judge Self was absent)

Bill