Travis County Commissioners Court
November 22, 2005
Item 17
17. Consider and take appropriate action on the following requests, a, approve resolution in support of river of trade corridor coalition, rotcc, and b is to approve membership in rotcc. I finally got around to trying to incorporate some of the changes that I heard in court and circulated a draft resolution last week. I did get Commissioner Sonleitner's comments, which she sent to the entire court. The only other thing I would say is that in terms of sh 130, she is absolutely right in that I don't think there is legal authority to make folks use sh 130, which in my view makes it more important that we belong to an organization that stayed wide promotes use of sh 130 by trade traffic through Travis County. Unfortunately, it does look like 45 southeast will not be complete by the time sh 130 is done. But whenever 45 southeast is there and 45 northeast, it seems to me part of our overall education ought to be -- I see signs all the time that encourage trucks to use a certain route around the city. In fact, when I go to tyler, Texas, go through athens, there's a loop there now which is half complete that was never there when I was much younger, but right now I wouldn't dare go straight through. Athens or corsicana? I wouldn't dare go straight through -- it's athens. But I just take the loop because the sign says basically through traffic, loop. And what I知 thinking, though, is that nafta is here whether we like it or not, and I think that we can expect trade from mexico to points north of here to increase, and in my view part of our strategy ought to be to get whoever is out there available to help us educate truck drivers and car drivers that when you go through Travis County it makes a whole lot more sense to take sh 130. The other thing is -- on this little membership fee, who knows what they're charge five, 10 years from now. If they charge a penny and we don't want to pay it, then we simply don't participate. That's my thinking on it.
>> judge, with total respect in terms of I think these were very well meaning, trying to get us there, but for me these folks I think are focused on a different section of the river of trade corridor than where we are. And we fought very hard to get this trade route moved away from the urban core. They are very much focused on where the trans Texas corridor will go through their part of town. I get it, but that issue has already been settled here and quite frankly they are at cross purposes. I don't know if you have to speak with one voice as long as you are speaking in a harmonious voice. And I don't see where there is any net dpain from us joining this coalition at this time. I think we can always bring this up at a later tonight, but there's just nothing in here in terms of their talk, energy, focus. I listened to their presentations to the Austin city council, that's how boring in. They took no action. They said we'll get back with you. They gave no commitment. They don't seem to be focusing any attention on what is our problem with this traditional trade route, which is interstate 35 through us.
>> why should we expect them to focus attention on our part of 35?
>> because that's the whole point, judge. They are focused on the issues related to them, and I知 saying we need to be focused on our issues and they are not interested in what our problems with the trade corridor.
>> that's why we need to be part of the deal. I mean, do you think people in dallas know about safety issues at town lake down here?
>> they ought to because we press them every year when I go visit up in washington, d.c. Representative barton's office, pete sessions' office. We visit all of the dallas representatives and they get it, but they admit they are also more focused on their issues through their part. They want to be helpful, but when it comes down to who is going to get the money, they are quite focused on the transportation issues in their part as opposed to that somehow 35 in Austin, Texas is going to get the time and attention. They're just not there, respectfully.
>> do they suggest any time line on this actual project? In other words, is there some magic date, in other words, that we have to do what we're doing by a certain time? I知 looking at what's --
>> no. They have been working a few years, and my guess is what they have been doing continues with or without us. There's no pressure there.
>> and I guess my concern is the uniformity of looking at all the concerns, especially including ours here in Travis County also. The city of Austin, I guess they're taking a position of -- they have not?
>> no, sir. They've referred it back to staff and said we'll get back to you when we decide what we want to do.
>> that's a position, though. In other words, they took an action to defer. They didn't take no action.
>> yeah.
>> I would like to -- judge, since there's no drop down dead klein date at this time that we have to act or don't react on this, I would still like to see, I guess, more exposures to some of the concerns that I know this court has come up to make sure that Travis County's 'sinterests is here too. So I would like, if it's at all possible, to delay this for a little longer until we can get our arms around the whole picture to see the overall impact. Especially with the trans Texas corridor situation out there and a whole bunch of other things. I really have some concerns about that.
>> it won't bother me to get it loaded down.
>> I知 not going to vote it down.
>> we just need more time.
>> that's why I move approval of 17 a and b.
>> second.
>> seconded by Commissioner Daugherty.
>> I would be the person.
>> I would be the person. Any more discussion of this item? All in favor? Show Commissioner Daugherty and yours truly voting in favor. All against? Show Commissioner Sonleitner and Commissioner Gomez. That fails for lack of a majority vote.
>> and I want to show for the record that I知 abstaining because I think I need to see all the pertinent issues as far as getting the issues represented.
>> it still fails.
>> judge, respectfully, if the city of Austin changes their mind and decides to take an affirmative action on this, in happy for this item to come back up because I think it would be appropriate for Travis County and the city of Austin to speak as one voice on this. So if this wants to come up --
>> I知 sure our colleagues at the city would be proud to hear you say that.
>> I知 sure they are.
>> would you be representative at that point? Time?
>> no, but I do think that it is important that --
>> I知 serving in my own capacity anyway, and I told them that I would do that.
>> okay.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, November 22, 2005 2:41 PM