Is the Trans-Texas Corridor beneficial for the State?
It is summer in Texas and the temperature is a hot 102 degrees. While traveling with family from San Antonio to Dallas: one drives just north of Hillsboro and comes to the split of Interstate 35W and 35E when traffic starts to back up. Now, the stretch of road being traveled on is only one lane in both directions. The state is currently working on an expansion of two additional lanes that’s not due to be completed for another five years. However, what if there was a choice?
That choice is the now much debated Trans-Texas Corridor 35 or also referred to as (TTC-35). TTC-35 can simply be explained as a proposed development plan that would be a stated owned toll road running from south of San Antonio to, eventually, Oklahoma parallel to Interstate 35. On the big picture TTC-35 will run from the heart of Mexico to Canada and will also include rail lines and utility lines such as water, electric, oil, gas, and telecommunications. (“Purpose” 2) Envision a twelve lane roomy highway with no trucks in the left lane and your traveling at a comfortable 85 mph and the toll cost from San Antonio to Dallas is about twenty-five dollars (Wear par. 1). Would you use it? Is TTC-35 good for Texas and its travelers? Who and what will this plan effect?
Overall I believe that TTC-35 will be a good thing for Texas. I understand there are a large number of issues involved and I do have concerns about how we will address those problems. It would be a nice idea if we could have this great thing that will surely enhance the quality of life of many, but we cannot make everyone happy all of the time. I also know that anything worth doing is never an easy task. All we can do is have the best of intentions and hope that we make the right decisions, because if TTC-35 is approved and completed most of us will be too old to even drive on it. So, it’s for our children and generations to come that will live with the...