Published: January 25, 2007 05:41 pm      

Transportation meetings set for Parker County

Trans-Texas Corridor, outer Fort Worth Loop discussions

Galen Scott

gscott@weatherforddemocrat.com

Depending on the traffic, it could take quite a while for Parker County residents to make it to one of three transportation meetings slated to take place in local cities next week.

Topics up for discussion at the meetings range from Parker County’s long-term transportation needs to finding solutions to the area’s short-term, immediate transportation problems.

A discussion of the future roles of passenger rail, bypass routes and safety improvements is also expected.

County officials have been asking for public meetings related to the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor for some time.

The Corridor, an $8 billion multi-modal transportation plan developed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to alleviate traffic along Interstate-35, Texas’ main north/south thoroughfare, has caused widespread concern among residents in East Parker County.

Preliminary maps on display at a Weatherford Trans-Texas Corridor public meeting held this summer indicated the route would most likely swing east of Dallas.

However, after TxDOT officials released their long awaited Master Development Plan at the end of September, residents in East Parker County began contacting County Judge Mark Riley about the western segment of a loop surrounding Fort Worth.

NTCOG Public Involvement Coordinator Lara Rodriguez said the Fort Worth loop may or may not become part of the Trans-Texas Corridor.

“One of the things we want to talk about — whether or not it’s part of the Trans-Texas Corridor — is a regional loop that will be there, and how that will affect Parker County, and how it could affect development out there,” she said Thursday.

A general update on the Trans-Texas Corridor is also planned for discussion during the meetings.

Riley said he is happy with the meeting locations in Aledo, Springtown and Weatherford.

“This will include what Fort Worth is doing with their regional loop, and the whole regional concept as it may affect Parker County so, I think it’s much better than what we originally planned,” he said.

Rodriguez noted that even though Parker County is outside NTCOG’s technical planning boundaries, based on local growth, it’s only matter of time the area falls within her agency’s planning boundaries.

“We want to start that relationship with [Parker County transportation officials] early on,” she said.

Rodriguez said the meeting format will provide an opportunity for less formal discussions with NTCOG staff.

“It’s not at all like a TxDOT public hearing,” she said. “We bring out three of four staff members and make a Powerpoint presentation on the topic, but the bulk of our meetings is a discussion.”

The East Parker County meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Aledo High School Monday, Feb. 5. The county’s north side residents are encouraged to visit the Springtown High School at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7. And Weatherford City Hall will host the last meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8.

Rodriguez said all topics will be addressed at all three meeting locations, which were chosen in order to reach the greatest possible number of residents as possible.