I’ll be glad when this is settled.
Metropolitan Transit Authority officials said they must consider the need to extend the line east of Hughes Road, the potentially costly and time-consuming underpass construction, and the potential environment fallout after a discovery that contaminated soil was more extensive than previously believed.
“We think it is our responsibility to complete the project because it has been going on for some time,” Metro board chairman Gilbert Garcia said.
Garcia said he favors a plan to take the tracks over the freight line, but did not want to assume the board would agree. Board members who have publicly stated a preference have supported an overpass, saying an underpass is impractical.
[…]
Residents said if Metro officials know there’s a problem – one that’s common on the East End, where industries and businesses polluted the land – they should clean it up.
“Let’s not leave it for another generation,” said Don Ready, who lives and works in the area around Hughes and Harrisburg.
Some residents and business owners said the issue has been studied enough and it’s time to begin construction, probably of an overpass.
“I have a letter signed by 14 business owners who want the overpass because they need to get it done as soon as possible,” said Mark Rodriguez, who owns a business along Harrisburg and is active with the Oaklawn Fullerton Civic Association.
Metro officials said their overpass design would address some of the original concerns. It could include elevating the light rail tracks and two lanes of traffic over the freight line, while keeping a lane in each direction for street-level traffic and sidewalk access.
Garcia said if an overpass is chosen, Metro would work with the community to make the crossing “as unobtrusive as possible.”
An overpass would be cheaper than an underpass, but Metro might have less money to work with. City officials planned to contribute $20 million, but $10 million of that was tied to the crossing being an underpass, said Andy Icken, chief development officer for Mayor Annise Parker.
See here, here, and here for the background. I’m sympathetic to the East End residents who have to feel like they’ve been fighting this fight forever, and I’m sympathetic to the Metro board that is still trying to extricate itself from the messes left behind by their predecessors. Metro, which has other issues it needs to resolve as it finishes construction on the Harrisburg line, would surely like to just make a decision and move forward. I’d feel better about that if I had a clearer idea of just what the costs are at this point. Will it really be less expensive to do the overpass if the city pays $10 million less towards its construction? Is it responsible to leave the buried toxins underground? Might there be some alternate sources of funding to aid the cleanup? Could the new-and-improved overpass design that Metro says they have be acceptable to East End residents? These and other questions remain to be answered.
Another example of short-term thinking by METRO. I used to live in the Museum District. I remember when the 59 overpass was still there. When the trench was dug it completely changed the dynamic of the area and the neighborhoods became much more interesting and accessible.
The East End deserves the same consideration. I’m planning on moving into the area in the next few months and this area has amazing potential. METRO needs to think 20 years into the future and build the trench.