Texas Department of Transportation, Regular Commission Meeting, April 20, 2022 – ENGLISH transcript >> IT IS 10:00 A.M. AND I CALL TO ORDER THE APRIL 20, 2022, MEETING OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING CONTAINING ALL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA WAS FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE AT 2:17 P.M. ON APRIL 12, 2022. WHICH IS AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.044. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT BEFORE WE BEGIN TODAY'S MEETING, YOU PLACE ALL CELL PHONES AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DEVICES IN THE SILENT OR OFF MODE. TO COMMENT, OR REGISTER YOUR OPINION ON AN AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE COMPLETE A YELLOW CARD AND IDENTIFY THE AGENDA ITEM. BRING THAT CARD UP TO OUR CLERK, MS. LAWSON HERE ON THE DIAS, WHEN WE GET TO THAT AGENDA ITEM AND AFTER THE STAFF HAS PRESENTED THE AGENDA ITEM, I WILL CALL YOUR NAME TO COME TO THE PODIUM. WHEN YOU COME UP TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. IF YOUR REMARKS DO NOT CONCERN AN AGENDA ITEM, WE WILL TAKE YOUR COMMENTS DURING THE OPEN COMMENT PERIOD AT THE END OF THE MEETING. FOR THOSE COMMENTS, PLEASE COMPLETE A BLUE CARD. AGAIN, BRING THAT CARD UP TO OUR CLERK, MS. LAWSON HERE AT THE DIAS. WHEN YOU COME UP TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, AND IF YOU ARE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF AN ORGANIZATION, PLEASE LET US KNOW THE NAME OF THAT ORGANIZATION. PLEASE NOTE THAT DURING THE OPEN COMMENT, THE COMMISSION IS PROHIBITED, BY LAW, FROM ANSWERING QUESTIONS OR ENGAGING IN DIALOGUE WITH YOU CONCERNING REMARKS THAT ARE NOT ON THE POSTED AGENDA. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU SPEAK ON AN AGENDA ITEM ITEM OR DURING THE OPEN COMMENT PERIOD, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE YOUR REMARKS. WHEN 60 SECONDS REMAIN, THE YELLOW LIGHT ON THE PODIUM TIMER WILL FLASH, MEANING YOU SHOULD WRAP UP YOUR COMMENTS AND WHEN THE RED LIGHT FLASHES YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. BEFORE WE BEGIN I'LL TURN THE MEETING OVER TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. AT THIS TIME I ASK EVERYONE'S FULL ATTENTION TO BE DIRECTED TO THE SCREEN ASES WE SHOW THE GREER BUILDING SAFETY VIDEO DESCRIBING EMERGENCY EXITS AND OTHER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. >> VIDEO: ATTENTION, PLEASE, THE FOLLOWING IS A SAFETY VIDEO TO HELP ENSURE YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY WHILE AT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GREER BUILDING. IN CASE OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL 9-1-1. AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR UNIT IS LOCATED HERE ON LEVEL 1, IN THE MAIN LOBBY AT THE SECURITY BOOTH. FIRST-AID KITS ARE MARKED AND LOCATED ON EACH FLOOR. FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE MARKED AND LOCATED ON EACH FLOOR. IN THE EVENT OF AN EVACUATION, PROCEED TO THE NEAREST EXIT. ?? ONCE OUTSIDE, PROCEED TO THE WEST PARKING LOT OF THE GREER BUILDING, LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF CONGRESS AVENUE AND 11TH STREET. IN CASE OF TORNADO OR INCLEMENT WEATHER, STAY INSIDE AWAY MOVE FROM EXTERIOR WALLS AND WINDOWS. THE DESIGNATED SHELTERS ARE: STAIRWELLS, BASEMENT, INTERIOR HALLWAYS, AND CENTRALLY LOCATED RESTROOMS. IN CASE OF ACTIVE SHOOTER OR BOMB THREAT, FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM AND ON-SITE SECURITY PERSONNEL FOR MORE DETAILS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, HAVE A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE MEETING. . >> WITH THE SAFETY BRIEFING COMPLETED, I'LL TURN THE MEETING BACK TO YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >> THANK YOU. BEFORE WE BEGIN OPENING COMMENTS WITH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, WE DO HAVE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AS IS OUR PROTOCOL WE ALWAYS INVITE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO COME AND IF THEY HAVE ANY REMARKS. AND TODAY, WE HAVE MAYOR ROBERT ROSENTHAL FROM THE CITY OF ELMO HEIGHTS. MAYOR ROSENTHAL, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW REMARKS PLEASE COME FORWARD TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF YOUR THOUGHTS. >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN BUGG, COMMISSIONERS, AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. I'M BOB ROSENTHAL FROM ELMO HEIGHTS. OUR PORTION OF BROADWAY OWNED BY TxDOT IS KNOWN AS ROUTE 358 CONNECTING TO SAN ANTONIO TO THE SOUTH. I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SPECIAL THANK YOU TO CHAIRMAN BUGG AND MARC WILLIAMS AND GINA GIAOS FOR WORKING WITH ELMO HEIGHTS WITH ME TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR THIS MUCH-NEEDED PROJECT. CHAIRMAN BUGG IN FEBRUARY YOU SAID YOU'D WORK WITH ELMO HEIGHTS AND YOU KEPT YOUR WORD. THANK YOU, WE APPRECIATE IT. WE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A RESOLUTION FOR SUPPORT FOR, WITH TxDOT AND MOVING FORWARD WITH NO LANE REDUCTIONS. BROADWAY WILL CONTINUE TO BE THREE LANES FROM EACH DIRECTION AUSTIN HIGHWAY TO BURR ROAD ALONG WITH A TURN LANE. I BROUGHT WITH ME A RESOLUTION CONCERNING MOVING FORWARD WITH TxDOT ON THIS PROJECT. THE 7/10THs OF A MILE IN ELMO HEIGHT IS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN. IT FLOODS OFTEN DURING HEAVY RAIN. A FEW YEARS BACK PEOPLE WERE SWEPT AWAY AND DIED AND MORE RECENTLY RAIN EVENT CAUSED 16 HIGH WATER RESCUES TO OCCUR IN ELMO HEIGHTS. ELMO HEIGHTS LOOKS FORWARD TO THE CRITICAL DRAINAGE PROJECT WITHIN THE OVERALL PROJECT THAT WILL BE PAID FOR BY THE CITY WITH BONDS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PASSED FROM FUNDS FROM OUR UTILITIES, OUR ANNUAL BUDGETS FOR LANDSCAPE IN THE FUTURE. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE SECURED OTHER, SEVERAL OTHER SOURCES THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROJECT. ONCE WE UNDERSTAND THAT TXDOT, OBVIOUSLY, WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE DRAINAGE PORTION OF THIS PROJECT. ONCE COMPLETED, THIS PROJECT WILL GREATLY IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF THE TRAVELING PUBLIC. THE PROJECTS COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT THE HARD WORK, COLLABORATION BETWEEN TxDOT AND THE CITY OF ELMO HEIGHTS. WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE MANY MORE DECISIONS TO BE MADE AND DETAILS TO BE IRONED OUT TO BRING THIS PROJECT TO FRUITION, BUT I'M CONFIDENT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAMMER OUT THE DETAILS WITH THE CONTINUED SPIRIT OF COOPERATION THAT WE'VE ENTERED INTO SO FAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR ROSENTHAL, FOR THOSE COMMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF ELMO HEIGHTS. AND THANK YOU FOR THE VISION THAT YOU AND YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE USED TO SUPPORT CONTINUING THE CAPACITY ON OUR STATE HIGHWAY, WHICH IS KNOWN LOCALLY IN SAN ANTONIO AS BROADWAY. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY OPENING COMMENTS? WE'LL BEGIN AS WE ALWAYS DO WITH COMMISSIONER VAUGHN. >> NOT TODAY, CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER NEW? >> GOOD MORNING. I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY THANKS TO THE BRYAN DISTRICT FOR INVITING ME OVER TO THEIR SAFETY BANQUET. AND REPORT TO THE COMMISSION AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB MEETING FIVE GOALS RELATED TO THEIR SAFETY PLANS. AND A LOT OF FOLKS WERE RECOGNIZED FOR WONDERFUL YEARS OF SERVICE. AND SAFE SERVICE, SOME AT 35 YEARS WITH NO INJURY; AND NO REPORTS OF PROBLEMS FOR 35 YEARS. SO A LOT OF GOOD FELLOWSHIP AND GOOD RESULTS GOING ON IN THE BRYAN DISTRICT. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW. COMMISSIONER RYAN? >> YES. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO THANK STAFF FOR THE SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING YESTERDAY AND THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THAT. I THINK THE MESSAGE IS IMPORTANT. AND THEN, ALSO, THE WORK ON THE MPO AND TxDOT'S TASK FORCE. SO AS I SAID YESTERDAY, THE, YOU KNOW, WITH AN AVERAGE OF 10 DEATH AS DAY AND AN AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE OF 4 PEOPLE, THAT'S NOT JUST 10 PEOPLE THAT DON'T MAKE IT HOME, BUT 40 HEARTS THAT ARE BROKEN EVERY DAY. SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THE STAFF IS PUTTING INTO THAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE NO FURTHER OPENING COMMENTS. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPENING COMMENTS, IF YOU HAVE ANY? >> NO OPENING COMMENTS FROM ME THIS MORNING, CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. >> OKAY. VERY GOOD. WE WILL NOW CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 30, 2022 SPECIAL MEETING AND THE MARCH 31, 2022, REGULAR MEETING OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION. MEMBERS, THE DRAFT MINUTES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 30, 2022, SPECIAL MEETING, AND THE MARCH 31, 2022, REGULAR MEETING OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION. >> SO MOVED. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER VAUGHN. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE." >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED IN THE MOCK PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORI.. >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. OUR CONSTRUCTION DIVISION DIRECTOR WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM. DUANE? >> GOOD MORNING. THE HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTS AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ORDERS ARE SEPARATED INTO TWO ORDERS WITH COMBINED TOTAL $2.75 MILLION. WITH THE LET, THAT'S $316.85 MILLION. THE TOTAL LETTING DOLLAR VOLUME FOR THE FISCAL YEAR-TO-DATE IS $5.98 BILLION OR 89.24% OF THE PLANNED $6.7 BILLION FOR THE PERIOD OF SEPTEMBER 21 THROUGH APRIL 2022. ITEM 3A FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF AWARD OR REJECTION OF CONTRACTS FOR HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, LET ON APRIL 6 AND 7, 2022. WE PRESENT 56 PROJECTS WITH AN OVERALL AVERAGE OF 4.66 BIDS PER PROJECT. THE LOW BID VALUE WAS, APPROXIMATELY, $253.12 MILLION. WITH OVERALL OVERRUN OF 2.12%. THE APRIL 2022 PROJECTS WERE CATEGORIZED UNDER THE FOLLOWING PERFORMANCE AREAS. PAVEMENT PRESERVATION $113.81 MILLION. BRIDGE PRESERVATION $53.42 MILLION. SAFETY, $43.68 MILLION. ENHANCED CONNECTIVITY 27.22 MILLION. CONGESTION REDUCTION $14.99 MILLION. BASED ON THE CROSS WALK OF THE $253.12 MILLION ON THIS MONTH'S LETTING 56.8 MILLION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO SAFETY. LOOKING AT PROJECTS OVERALL EVERY PROJECT HAS VARIOUS SAFETY ASPECTS INVOLVED. THERE'S EIGHT PROJECTS WITH OUTRANDING RIGHT 0 WAY AND UTILITY AND RAILROAD ISSUES FIVE CLEARED NEXT MONTH AND TWO IN TWO MONTHS. THE STAFF APPROVES HIGHWAY PROJECTS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO DEFERRALS AND TWO RECESSIONS. BURLESON COUNTY PROJECT BR1702 (439) JOB NUMBER 3217. FIVE BIDS WERE SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROJECT, THE LOW BID WAS 9.68% OR $98,128.26 OVER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THIS PROJECT IS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO BRIDGES ALONG COUNTY ROAD 211 NORTH OF CALDWELL. AND COUNTY ROAD 272, EAST OF SNOOK. FOR FEDERALLY FUNDED CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS WITH DBE GOALS, FEDERAL REGULATORY DEADLINES ALLOW FIVE CALENDAR DAYS AFTER BID OPENING FOR CONTRACTORS TO SUBMIT A DBE UTILIZATION PLAN OR DOCUMENT A GOOD-FAITH EFFORT TO MEET THE DBE GOAL. FOR THIS PROJECT THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION HAS DENIED THE APPARENT LOW BIDDERS SUBMITLES BUT OFFERED THE CONTRACTOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST AN ADMINISTRATIVE RECONSIDERATION AND AS SUCH, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE DECISION TO AWARD OR REJECT THIS PROJECT BE DEFERRED UNTIL THE MAY 2022 COMMISSION MEETING. JASPER COUNTY PROJECT STP2021 (422) SRS. JOB NUMBER 3220. THREE BIDS SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROJECT, THE LOW BID WAS 7.87% OR $688,049.32 OVER THE ENGINEER'S SMITH. THIS SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECT IS FOR CONSIDERATION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALKS AND CURB RAMPS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN JASPER. THE DISTRICT HAS REQUESTED THAT THE PROJECT BE DEFERRED FOR CONSIDERATION FOR AWARD OR REJECTION. THE CITY OF JASPER IS PROVIDING A PORTION OF THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT. AND IS NOT YET DETERMINED IF THEY WISH TO FUND THE OVERRUN. BASED ON THIS, WE RECOMMEND THE DECISION TO ORDER OR REJECT THIS PROJECT BE DEFERRED TO MAY 2022 COMMISSION MEETING. HOCKLEY COUNTY SCSP2022 (428) JOB NUMBER 3025, ONE BID WAS SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROJECT. THE LOW BID WAS 29.47% OR $42,437.00 OVER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THIS GOVERNOR'S COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PROJECT IS FOR INSTALLATION OF A MONUMENT AND LANDSCAPING IN THE EXISTING MEDIAN ALONG SH114 AT VERETTA ROAD. THE BID ITEM LANDSCAPE EDGE CONTRIBUTED TO THE UNRUN. THE DISTRICT INCREASED ESTIMATES TO ACCOUNT FOR THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE PROJECT, BUT THE SINGLE BID YIELDED HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED PRICING. THE CITY OF LEVELLAND DOES NOT HAVE THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO COVER THE OVERRUNS. SO THE DISTRICT HAS REQUESTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO REVISE THE PLANS IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE COSTS. WE CONCUR AND, THEREFORE, RECOMMEND THIS PROJECT BE REJECTED AND RELET LATER. AND MCCLENNAN COUNTY C9090062 JOB NUMBER 3232, ONE BID WAS SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROJECT. LOW BID WAS 56.39% OR $622,666.90 OVER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THIS PROJECT IS FOR JOINT REPAIRS ON VARIOUS BRIDGES THROUGHOUT FALLS, LIMESTONE HILL AND MCCLENNAN COUNTIES. THE DISTRICT INCREASED ITS ESTIMATES TO ACCOUNT FOR MULTIPLE SMALL WORK LOCATIONS. BUT THE BID ITEMS FOR JOINT REPAIRS AND THE ASSOCIATED PAVEMENT REPAIRS OVERRAN SUBSTANTIALLY. THE DISTRICT DOES NOT FEEL ONE BIDDER REPRESENTS ADEQUATE COMPETITION AND HAS REQUESTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMBINE THE WORK WITH ANOTHER PROJECT AT THE SAME WORK LOCATION TO ATTRACT MORE COMPETITION. WE CONCUR AND, THEREFORE, RECOMMEND THE PROJECT BE REJECTED AND RELET LATER. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMISSION MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY REMARKS OR QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR MILLIGAN? >> NONE. >> HEARING NONE, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO AWARD, REJECT, OR DEFER THE HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT AND TRANSPORTATION FACILITY CONTRACTS AS LISTED ON EXHIBIT A TO THE MINUTE ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS? >> SO MOVED. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RYAN. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE." >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COULD YOU CONTINUE, DIRECTOR MILLEN BEGAN? >> 3B IS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE AWARD OR REJECTION OF CONTRACTS FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS LET ON APRIL 6, 7, 2022. WE PRESENT 41 PROJECTS WITH AN OVERALL AVERAGE 2.98 BIDS PER PROJECT. OVERALL OVERRUN OF 6.04%. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ONE PROJECT THAT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY BIDS. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS AWARD OF ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FIVE MOWING CONTRACTS FOR THE AMARILLO DISTRICT. FOR ALL OF THESE PROJECTS, THE BID ITEMS FOR STRIP AND FULL WITH MOWING OVERRAN THE ESTIMATES LIKELY DUE TO INCREASES IN FUEL AND LABOR COSTS. THE DISTRICT HAS REQUESTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO REEXAMINE THE SCOPE AND REDUCE THE DURATION OF THE PROJECTS TO DIMINISH CONTRACTOR RISK AND OBTAIN BETTER PRICING. WE CONCUR AND, THEREFORE, RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING FIVE PROJECTS BE REJECTED AND LET LATER. CARSON COUNTY PROJECT NUMBER RMC639812001, JOB NUMBER 4201, ONE BID WAS SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROJECT. THE LOW BID WAS 33.05%. OR $223,722.22 OVER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THIS PROJECT IS FOR MOWING THE RIGHT OF WAY AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN CARSON, GREY, AND ROBERTS COUNTIES. HEMP HILL RMC630811001 JOB NUMBER 4203. ONE BID WAS SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROJECT. THE LOW BID WAS 50.41% OR $236,248.40 OVER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THE PROJECT IS FOR MOWING THE RIGHT OF WAY AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN HEMP HILL, LIMPS CALM AND OAK HILL TREE AND ROGERS COUNTY. HUTCHSON RMC639810001 JOB 4204. ONE BID WAS SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROJECT. THE LOW BID BOSS 46.5% OR $196,534.00 OVER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THIS PROJECT IS FOR MOWING THE RIGHT OF WAY AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS. AND HANSFORD AND HUTCHSON COUNTIES. PORTER COUNTY, PROJECT RMC639805001, JOB NUMBER 4003, TWO BIDS WERE SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROJECT. THE LOW BID WAS 24.76% OR $51,711.17 OVER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THIS PROJECT IS FOR MOWING THE RIGHT OF WAY OF VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN PORTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES. AND RANDALL COUNTY PROJECT NUMBER RMC639806001, JOB NUMBER 4004, ONE BID SUBMITTED FOR THE PROJECT. LOW BID 39.55% OR $178,257.92 OVER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THIS PROJECT IS FOR MOWING THE RIGHT OF WAY AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN ARMSTRONG AND RANDALL COUNTIES. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMISSION MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME. >> COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY REMARKS OR QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR MILLIGAN? YOU DO? OKAY. >> MR. MILLIGAN, THERE IS JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS TO POINT OUT. ONE, ALL OF THOSE WERE SINGLE BIDS. AND SO I KNOW THE DURATION OF THESE IS NORMALLY A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT. AND SO WITH THE FUEL AND LABOR ISSUES OF TODAY, IT CAN -- YOU CAN SEE WHY SOMEONE WOULD BE CONSIDERED ABOUT A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT. AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON. AND THAT AT THE SAME TIME, POSSIBLY, THE TWO-YEAR CONTRACT OR THE FACT THAT ONE PERSON GETS A CONTRACT PRECLUDES OTHERS FROM WANTING TO BE IN THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT, PURCHASE OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO BID FOR THESE JOBS, TO BE LIMITING. SO AGAIN, I ASK US TO CONSIDER WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IN SOME OF THE RURAL AREAS ON MAINTENANCE, MAINTENANCE ISSUES LIKE THIS. BECAUSE I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO GET MULTIPLE BIDS IF I HAVE TO BUY TRACTORS AND CUTTERS TO BID ON A PROJECT. OKAY. ON TOP OF THAT, THERE IS ONE ITEM THAT WE ACCEPTED AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO EXPLAIN THAT. BECAUSE IT'S OVER 40% OVER THE BID ESTIMATE, BUT IT IS MATERIALS. IT IS THE HOPKINS COUNTY PROJECT. AND IT -- IT IS -- I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY WE ACCEPTED IT, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO GO AND EXPLAIN REALLY TO THE PUBLIC WHY WE'RE ACCEPTING IT. IT IS A TIME OF YEAR AND IT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE WORKLOAD WE HAVE TO GET THINGS DONE. IT IS MATERIALS. BUT I WANT THEM TO SEE THE COST INCREASES THAT WE'RE FACING AS AN AGENCY RELATED TO THE MATERIALS AND SO I -- IT IS HOPKINS COUNTY PROJECT THAT ENDS IN 44001 AND JOB NUMBER 4222. I APOLOGIZE TO YOU, 2019, I MIGHT JUST HAVE DONE THAT AS A COMMENT. >> THAT'S ALL RIGHT. >> THERE YOU GO. >> THIS PROJECT IS A MATERIAL CONTRACT FOR HOT MIX. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS ON I-30. AND I'M LOOKING FOR THE DISTRICT HERE. THIS WILL BE THE PARIS DISTRICT. SO I BELIEVE SINCE IT IS HOT MIX ASPHALT, MORE THAN LIKELY, THIS IS DRIVEN BY FUEL COSTS, THAT IS DRIVING UP THE COST OF OIL; AND, THEREFORE, ASPHALT. >> ASPHALT ITSELF WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE OF THE PRICE OF OIL. BUT THIS IS ONE WE REALLY CAN'T REJECT, EVEN THOUGH IT IS CONSISTENT -- IT IS WELL OVER ITS BID ESTIMATE. AND THE REASON IS THIS TIME OF YEAR. THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO GET THESE JOBS DONE WHEN YOU CAN GET THESE JOBS DONE, IS THAT CORRECT? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> SURELY. >> COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. WITH THAT, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO AWARD OR REJECT THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS AS LISTED IN EXHIBIT A TO THE MINUTE ORDER AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS? >> I THOUGHT I PUT THAT IN THERE. I MAKE THAT MOTION. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW. >> SECOND. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER VAUGHN. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE." >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT WITH WHAT DIRECTOR MILLIGAN JUST PRESENTED TO US AND WE JUST APPROVED, THE TOTAL LETTING VOLUME FOR THE FISCAL YEAR-TO-DATE THROUGH THE END OF APRIL IS NOW RIGHT AT $6 BILLION. AND WE'RE ON TRACK. I KNOW THAT OUR PLANS ARE FOR $6.7 BILLION BUT WE'RE GETTING READY TO ENTER THE HIGH-LEVEL CAPACITY. HOPEFULLY, IF WE CAN EVEN BEAT THAT RECORD WE SET FOR OURSELVES, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE LIKE TO ACHIEVE AS A COMMISSION. WHAT COMMISSIONER NEW IS TALKING ABOUT, WE GOT TO GET THIS MONEY OUT AND GET THESE PROJECTS BUILT THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO DIRECTOR MILLIGAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO TRY TO EXPEDITE IT WORKING WITH CHIEF ENGINEER BILL HALE AND BRYAN BARTH WE'D APPRECIATE IT. >> WILL DO, SIR. >> THANK YOU. NEXT, TURN IT BACK OVER TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. >> CHAIRMAN, NEXT IS ITEM 3 c THE CONSIDERATION OF THE BUILDING CONTRACTS FACILITIES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT SESSION DIRECTOR WARREN ROSE WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM. >> PRESENTED FOR CONSIDERATION IS ONE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT. THE PROPOSED CONTRACT IS FOR THE RENOVATION OF MECHANICAL SYSTEM AT PORT LAVACA MAINTENANCE OFFICE. STAFF RECEIVED SINGLED BY $712,000, 48% OVER THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE OF $483,000. STAFF HAS EXAMINED THE BID, REVIEWED THE LABOR AND MATERIAL COSTS, AND BELIEVE IT WOULD BE BEST TO REFINE THE SCOPE AND RELET IT AT A FUTURE DATE. STAFF RECOMMENDS REJECTION OF THE BID. I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. >> COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY REMARKS OR QUESTIONS FOR SECTION DIRECTOR ROSE? COMMISSIONER NEW? >> I KNOW THAT YOU'VE EXPLAINED TO US BEFORE WE GO THROUGH PRIORITIZATION. AND IF WE FEEL LIKE WE MUST BUILD SOMETHING, THEN WE STAY ON TRACK. IN THIS CASE, YOU'VE OBVIOUSLY MADE THE JUDGMENT THAT THIS ONE CAN BE DEFERRED AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. >> YES, SIR. AND WITH THIS ONE, WE NOTED SOME ITEMS THAT, IN THE MATERIALS THAT THEY WERE REFERRING TO, WERE NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE PUT IN THE SCOPE. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO REFINE THAT SCOPE TO MAKE SURE IT IS VERY CLEAR WE'RE GETTING WHAT WE'RE ADVERTISING FOR. AND THERE -- I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT MISTAKE OCCURRED, BUT IT OCCURRED. SO WE JUST ASSUME REJECT IT AND MOVE FORWARD. >> THANK YOU. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? >> NO. >> WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? >> I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT HIS REPORT AND MOVE THIS OUT. >> VERY GOOD. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RYAN. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE." >> AYE. >> AYE. >> MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. TURN IT BACK TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. >> YES, SIR. >> MARC WILLIAMS. >> YES, SIR, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. ITEM 4 IS THE CONSIDERATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE AVIATION AWARDS. AVIATION DIVISION DIRECTOR DAN HARMON WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM, DAN. >> GOOD MORNING, THIS MINUTE ORDER CONTAINS REQUEST FOR GRANT FUNDING FOR NINE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. CITIES AND TOWNS REQUESTING GRANTS AND FUNDING SOURCES AND AMOUNTS REQUESTED ARE INCLUDED IN EXHIBIT A. PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD ON MARCH 30 OF THIS YEAR, NO COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. >> COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY REMARKS OR QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR HARMON? >> NO. >> OKAY. HEARING NONE, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AVIATION GRANT AWARDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS? >> SO MOVED. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER VAUGHN. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW FOR THE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE." >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. >> NEXT IS ITEM 5 THAT IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSED REPEAL NEW SECTIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 4 RULES RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES IN OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION DIRECTOR DAVID McMILLAN WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM. DAVID? >> GOOD MORNING. THIS ITEM IS FOR THE INITIAL CONSIDERATION OF RULES FOR THE DEPARTMENT'S EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES. THESE PROPOSED RULE CHANGES WILL UPDATE TERMINOLOGY AND PROCEDURES FOR HIRING TO IMPROVE CURRENT PRACTICES. REQUIRE PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHYSICALS ONLY FOR THOSE IN PHYSICALLY DEMANDING POSITIONS IN RESPONSE TO RECENT LEGISLATION. UPDATE PROCEDURES FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL CO-OP AND CONDITIONAL GRANT PROGRAMS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF GRANTS AND PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE PROGRAMS. AND CREATE A FAMILY LEAVE POOL AS REQUIRED BY RECENT LEGISLATION. >> COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR MADSEN? HEARING NONE, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? AND -- THE -- MAY I HAVE A MOTION? >> I MAKE THE MOTION. >> OKAY. >> WITH A COMMENT REAL QUICK. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RYAN. >> I'M PLEASED TO SEE THE HIGH SCHOOL COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM, THE CHANGES THERE TO MAKE THAT MORE AMENABLE AND AVAILABLE TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. AND TO ADDRESS THE TUITION COSTS AND THE FLEXIBILITY, I THINK, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, GETTING A LOT MORE INTERACTION WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO FILL THE LABOR VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE. SO I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS IN THAT. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. >> AND. >> SO. >> SO. >> THE MOTION IS MADE TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED APPEAL NEW SECTIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 4 RULES IN ACCORDANCE TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS BY COMMISSIONER NEW AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RYAN. DID YOU MAKE THE MOTION? >> I MADE THE MOTION. >> OKAY. AND THEN YOU'LL SECOND IT. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE." >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. TURN IT BACK OVER TO DIRECTOR WILLIAMS. >> BRINGS US TO ITEM 6, WHICH IS THE EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS RIGHT OF WAY DIVISION DIRECTOR KYLE MASEN WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM. KYLE? >> THIS ITEM AUTHORIZES THE FILING OF CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS TO ACQUIRE 234 PARCELS THROUGH EMINENT DOMAIN. TxDOT WILL CONTROL ACCESS TO 130 OF PARCELS AND NOT CONTROL TO 104. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTE ORDER AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >> COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY REMARKS OR QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR MADSEN? IF NOT, COMMISSIONER VAUGHN, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? >> I DO, CHAIR. I MOVE THAT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AUTHORIZE THE TEXAS TO USE THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTIES DESCRIBED IN THE MINUTE ORDER SET FORTH IN THE AGENDA FOR THE CURRENT MONTH FOR CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, WIDENING, STRAIGHTENING OR EXTENDING THE HIGHWAY FACILITIES LISTED IN THE MINUTE ORDER, AS PART OF THE STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM. AND THAT THE FIRST RECORD VOTE APPLIES TO ALL UNITS OF PROPERTY TO BE CONDEMNED. >> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER VAUGHN HAS MOVED AUTHORIZE CONDEMNATION MAY I HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RYAN. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE." >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. DIRECTOR WILLIAMS? >> ITEM 7 IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE ROUTINE MINUTE ORDERS INCLUDING DONATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT, REPORTS, LAND ACQUISITIONS FOR FACILITIES AND SPEED ZONES. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTE ORDERS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THESE ROUTINE AGENDA ITEMS. ITEMS PERTAINING TO REPORTS TO THE COMMISSION ARE INCLUDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND DO NOT INVOLVE OR REQUIRE ACTION BY THE COMMISSION. >> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR WILLIAMS. COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE ROUTINE MINUTE ORDERS? HEARING NONE, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ROUTINE MINUTE ORDERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH DIRECTOR WILLIAMS RECOMMENDATION? >> SO MOVED. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW AP SECOND. >> SECOND. >> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER VAUGHN. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE." >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED IN MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL BE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY. BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANT TO HAVE THE OPEN COMMENT PERIOD. FIRST I WANT TO ASK THE GENERAL COUNSEL JEFF GRAM TO PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND REMIND THE AUDIENCE AND COMMISSIONERS FOR GUIDELINES OR LAWS CONCERNING THE OPEN COMMENT PERIOD. >> GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS, MARC, NICOLE. THE OPEN COMMENT SECTION IS IMPORTANT AND WE ALLOW UP TO ONE HOUR. EACH PERSON GETS MAXIMUM UP TO THREE MINUTES HOWEVER THAT NUMBER CAN BE REDUCED IN ORDER FOR THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS TO SPEAK WITHIN THE HOUR. NICOLE, TODAY, I BELIEVE WE HAVE MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE SIGNED UP 4 OPEN COMMENTS, CHAIRMAN. IN ORDER TO HAVE ALL OF THE PEOPLE BE ABLE TO SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY, YOU MIGHT NEED TO CONSIDER THAT CHANGING THAT THREE MINUTES TO A LESSER NUMBER SO THEY CAN ALL BE CAPTURED WITHIN THAT 60 MINUTES. >> OKAY. SO, IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE, IT APPEARS, TO ME, WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP, 90 SECONDS IS THE RIGHT AMOUNT PER PERSON. >> I UNDERSTAND. >> IS THAT AGREEABLE? >> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY AGREEABLE. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THEN, AT THIS POINT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH GENERAL COUNSEL GRAHAM. AND WITH THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, SO WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT DIRECTOR WILLIAMS EACH SPEAKER TO 90 SECONDS. >> OKAY. >> IF YOU CAN MAINTAIN THE CLOCK? AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE THAT IS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. SO WE WILL START WITH MAYOR PRO TEM PETER SPARSBIN PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING, MY NAME IS MAYOR PRO TEM PETER SCHWARTZBINE FROM THE CITY OF EL PASO. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, AGAIN, MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF EL PASO. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON SEGMENT 2 FOCUSES ON I-10 THROUGH DOWNTOWN EL PASO. EL PASO IS AN AREA DEFINED BY CROSSING AND TRAVEL. OUR NAME, THE PASSIVE NORTH FROM NEW SPAIN WHERE OUR HOME WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT TOWN BETWEEN SANTA FE AND MEXICO CITY. THE ROYAL ROAD OF THE SPANISH INTERIOR. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT HIGHWAY. OUR COMMUNITY BOOMED WITH THE ADVENT OF THE RAILROAD COMING EAST TO WEST AND LATER WITH THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM. PEOPLE IN COMMERCE CROSSED AND TRAVEL EVERY DAY. THE FACT OVER $91 BILLION A YEAR OF GOODS CROSS THROUGH OUR PARTS OF ENTRY. THE CITY OF EL PASO HAS CHARMING COMPACT AND CONNECTED AND HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AREA THAT SERVES AS CENTRAL GATHERING PLACE FOR ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. SIMILAR TO THE REST OF TEXAS, THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE I-10 IN THE LATE 1960s HAS THE AFFECT OF PHYSICALLY DETACHING URBANS TO THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR. THE TRANSPORTATION ANNOUNCED DOWNTOWN 10 PROJECT INCLUDES IMPROVEMENTS INTENDED TO ADDRESS SAFETY, OUR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND CONGESTION ALONG THE 5.6-MILE LONG SEGMENT OF DOWNTOWN. SINCE THE TxDOT IDENTIFIED THREE BUILD ALTERNATIVES FOR DOWNTOWN, ALL INCLUDE EXPANSION OF STREET LEVEL HIGHWAY AND FRONTAGE ROADS. ALL OF THESE ARE CONCERNED AND IT IS IMPORTANT WE RECOGNIZE TODAY THAT WE HAVE A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGN THE DOWNTOWN SEGMENT OF I-10. WE HAVE A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING OUR FABRIC BY IMPROVING CONNECTIVITY AND ACCESS I CAN FOR ALL RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS -- ACCESSIBILITY. >> MAYOR PRO TEM, YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. IF YOU COULD WRAP UP, THANK YOU. >> WHAT I WANT TO SAY REALLY QUICKLY THERE IS A WAY TO DO THE PROJECT TO MAKE SURE GOODS AND COMMERCE FLOW THROUGH THE CITY AS IT HAS FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS AND SENSITIVE TO THE URBAN CONTACT OF BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS BALANCES THIS OUT WITH TxDOT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING IN THE FUTURE TO FUND THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR. NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EDUARDO CALVO TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATIONS YOU REPRESENT. >> CHAIRMAN BUGG, COMMISSIONER, GOOD MORNING AGAIN. HAPPY TO BE HERE AGAIN. I JUST WANT TO -- I'LL KEEP IT VERY BRIEF. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A GENERAL STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT -- WELL YOU HEARD A LOT ABOUT POSITION TO WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW ON MULTIPLE FREEWAYS ESPECIALLY THE URBAN AREAS. SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EL PASO MPO. WE TRULY BELIEVE IN A WELL-BALANCED, MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WITHIN THE URBAN AREAS. THAT INCLUDES, OBVIOUSLY, TRANSIT, INCLUDES BIKE, PED, AND HIGHWAYS. YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT FREEWAYS ARE NOT THE SOLUTION TO EVERYTHING, BUT THEY PLAY A TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT ROLE WITHIN THE URBAN AREAS AND, ALSO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING CONNECTIVITY. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MOVE PEOPLE AND GOODS IN AN EFFICIENT AND SATISFY W -- SAFE WAYS AND REQUIRES MODERNIZING FREEWAYS. YOU HEARD THE MAYOR PRO TEM WITH THE DOWNTOWN PROJECTS AND YOU'VE SEEN ME HERE TALKING TO YOU A LOT. WE KNOW I-10 IS CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO EL PASO IT IS AS WELL A VERY IMPORTANT CORRIDOR FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS AND NATIONALLY. I WANTED TO REITERATE THE POLICY SUPPORT OF MPO FOR THE TOWN DOWN TEMP PROJECT WHICH STILL IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY PROJECT. WE KNOW IT'S EXTENSIVE AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND A WAY TO FUND THE PROJECT. AS WE EXPRESSED LAST MONTH, THE BOARD RE-PRIORITIZED $150 MILLION WE'RE PLEDGING TOWARD DOWNTOWN 10 AND WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE TxDOT AND THE COMMISSION TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FUND IT. SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE VALUE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH TxDOT AND THE COMMISSION. AND WE REITERATE THE INVITATION TO SEE YOU IN EL PASO, HOPEFULLY, VERY SOON. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU, MR. CALVO. NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. STEPHEN VOGE LLEN TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. CHAIRMAN BROG, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR THE -- CHAIRMAN BUGG AND COMMISSIONERS THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M CEO OF EL PASO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OLDEST IN EL PASO AND REPRESENT OVER 1400 MEMBERS. ONE OF OUR MAJOR INDUSTRIES IS LOGISTICS. EL PASO, AS YOU KNOW, IS THE DOORWAY TO TEXAS NOT JUST FOR MEXICO BUT FOR THE WEST. WE SEE OVER $90 BILLION WORTH OF COMMERCIAL GO THROUGH OUR PORTS. AND WE ESTIMATE THAT OVER $2 TRILLION WORTH OF COMMERCIAL GOES EAST TO WEST ON I-10. THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE RECONSTRUCTION OF I-10 THROUGH DOWNTOWN. IT IS A KEY PART OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, OUR STATE ECONOMY, AND OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON BEHALF OF TEXAS. AGAIN, PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT I-10. >> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE SUSAN GRAHAM TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING. TTC MEMBERS, I'M CHLOE COOK ON SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SUSAN GRAHAM TODAY, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF STOP TxDOT I-45 AND RESIDENT OF NORTH SIDE HOUSTON. TIME FOR TxDOT TO BECOME A PARTNER FOR TRUE COMMUNITIES. NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE FOR THE TxDOT AND TTC0 OVERRULE CITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AWE DID IN SAN ANTONIO AND CURRENTLY TRYING TO DO IN EVERY MAJOR CITY IN TEXAS AND MANY SMALL TOWNS. IT'S TIME FOR TxDOT TO PAY THE SMALL COST OF REMOVING PEOPLE IMPACTING GENERATIONAL WEALTH AND DESTROYING COMMUNITIES NONE THE PROPERTY BEGINS TO COVER. TIME FOR TxDOT AND CCT TO SEE ITSELF WITH TRUE PARTNER WITH TRANSIT AGENCIES WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEM TO ENSURE TRANSPORTATION IS BUILT IN DESIGN TO ALL APPLICABLE PROJECTS. IT'S TIME FOR TxDOT TO SHARE THE ROAD WITH PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS BY BIKE LANES AND PROTECTED SIDEWALKS IN DESIGN OF ALL ROADWAY PROJECTS. IT'S TIME FOR TxDOT TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT SAFETY WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND DESIGN THAT REDUCES AND NOT INCREASES SPREAD. SIMPLY SAYING "END THE STREAK" IS NOT SUFFICIENT AND TIME TO REMOVE THE RESTRICTIONS ON HOW STATE HIGHWAY FUNDS CAN BE SPENT AND TIME FOR YOU, COMMISSIONER, ALTHOUGH YOU'RE APPOINTED BODY YOU'RE GOVERNED BY THE STATE. EXPECTING PEOPLE TO TRAVEL TO AUSTIN IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND GIVES ACCESS TO PRIMARILY LOBBYISTS AND NOT THE WELL-OFF AND THE PEOPLE YOU HARM THE MOST. I, MYSELF, SUSAN WAS UNABLE TO TRAVEL TO AUSTIN TODAY BECAUSE OF PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS. IT'S BEEN TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE JAMES HONEY TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. IS MR. HONEY PRESENT? >> HE'S DOWNSTAIRS. DO YOU WANT ME TO GO GRAB HIM? >> WE'LL COME BACK TO MR. HONEY. >> HE'S RIGHT HERE. >> OKAY. MR. HONEY? >> HERE. >> YES, COULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU. JAMES HONEY, HOUSTON, TxDOT, I STOP TxDOT I-45. I'M AN ENGINEER, FOURTH GENERATION HOUSTONIAN AND I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS TxDOT PROJECT FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS. I -- IT IS SUCH A SCREWED UP PROJECT, I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE GOING DO IT, THAT I'VE GOT -- I'LL HAND YOU GUY AS WRITE-UP ABOUT THIS. I'VE GOT SEVEN REASONS TO NOT DO IT. I'LL BRIEFLY TRUE TO BURN THROUGH THREE. NUMBER ONE YOU WANT TO DROP BELOW GRADE ALL THREE INTERSTATES THAT RUN THROUGH HOUSTON. THAT'S INSANE. YOU'RE GOING TO KILL PEOPLE. PEOPLE DIE UNDER I-10 IN JUST LITTLE UNDERPASSES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 10 TO 20 MILES OF BELOW GRADE FREEWAY WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO BE DUMPING WATER INTO AS A DETENTION POND. ENGINEERS SAY WE GOT ENOUGH PUMPS NORTH OF DOWNTOWN, BUT A HURRICANE GETS HERE A WEEK BEFORE IT GETS HERE. WITH THE BAYOU FILLING AND SOIL WATER LOGGED AND YOU WON'T BE PUMPING MUCH WATER OUT OF THE DETENTION PONDS AND YOU'LL HAVE TO SHUTDOWN THE INTERSTATES. HOW DO YOU EVACUATE WITH THE INTERSTATES FLOODED? NOBODY LEAVES GALVESTON UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE AND YOU CAN'T GET THE PEOPLE OFF THE ISLAND IN TIME. YOU HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE INTERSTATES BEFORE PEOPLE GET THROUGH THEM. RIGHT NOW, HOUSTON HAS A RING OF POLICIES OF FREEWAYS AROUND DOWNTOWN. YOU WILL SHUT DOWN THE SOUTHERN PART RING AND FOLD OVER THE OTHER ONE AND BRING THREE INTERSTATES THROUGH ONE SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE. ARTIST'S RENDITION WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE MAKES THIS MONSTROUS KATIE FREEWAY LEAGUE LIKE A BIKE PATH. MY PROPOSAL IS TO DO THREE LAYERS. >> MR. HONEY YOUR TIME EXPIRED. >> OKAY. THREE DECKS AND RETENTION POND UNDERNEATH. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. HONEY. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE PARIS BURKE TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. IS BURKES HERE? WE'LL DEFER THAT. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MELISSA MARTINEZ TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE YOU REPRESENT. IS MELISSA MARTINEZ PRESENT? >> YES. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. HI, EVERYONE, HI, THE CHAIR BUGG, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION BOARD AND STAFF. MY NAME IS MELISSA MARTINEZ. AND I'M FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS. SO I AM A STUDENT. I'M ALSO A LECTURER. MY STUDENTS AND NEIGHBORS AND I, OUR TRANSPORTATION IS BY FEET, BUS, OR SINGLE CAR SHARED WITHIN MY OWN LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD. MY NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND FULL-TIME PROVIDERS WALK BY DANGEROUS HIGHWAYS TO MAKE ENDS MEET OR TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION. TxDOT, I BELIEVE, IS DESENSE TIED BY THE ACCIDENTS AND -- DESENSITIZED AND LOSS OF LIFE. WE CAN DO BETTER IN TRANSPORTING COMMUNITY SAFETY BY BEING PEOPLE-CENTRIC THAN DEVELOPERS AND BIG MONEY THAT PAYS OVER SCHOOLS, HOME, CHURCHES. AS THE DISASTROUS DIVISION MAKING IMPACTED MOST BLACK AND BROWN RESIDENTS DISABLED COMMUNITIES AND LOW INCOME, PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE PLEA. IT IS OVERDUE TO CENTER CONTROL TO THE PEOPLE. I DEMAND THAT YOU RETURN CONTROL OF BROADWAY TO SAN ANTONIO AND THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM HOMES AND SCHOOLS AND FROM EXPANSION PROJECTS AND PROVIDE ACCESS ABILITY. THE PEOPLE'S SURVIVAL TO REHOME THEM UPSELVES. THIS ERA OF NEGLECT MUST END. WE MUST HAVE ACCESS ABILITY TO THE CENTER AND VALIDATE LIVED EXPERIENCES BY THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED IN HOUSTON FROM THE EXPANSION OF I-45. >> MISS. >> THOSE. >> IF YOU COULD WRAP UP? >> OKAY. AND I-35 AND I-10 FROM EL PASO AND OUR OTHER CITY NEIGHBORS. AND THOSE IN BROADWAY STREETS. WE ARE TEXANS AND AS THE SAYING GOES, YOU DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS. BUT WE'RE ALL CENTERED ON THIS TOPIC. SO DON'T MESS WITH TEXANS. COMMISSIONERS, I BELIEVE YOUR JOB TITLE IS TO SERVE TEXANS AND LET'S START CENTERING AND VALIDATING THE TEXANS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MELISSA BEAZER TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR BUGG, AND MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION I'M MELISSA BUEHLER WITH AIR ALLIANCE HOUSTON AN ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES HEALTHY TEXANS WITH CLEAN AIR EVERY DAY. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT HOUSTONIANS AND SAN ANTONIO AND TEXAS TO ALLOW TxDOT TO ALLOW THE CITIES TO HAVE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL TEXANS AND LESS AIR POLLUTION IN THE CITIES. TxDOT INSPIRES TO BE A FORWARD-THINKING LEADER FOR MOBILITY BUT HOW DO WE GET THERE WHEN STUCK IN DECADES-OLD NOTION TO ADD MORE VEHICLE LANES TO REDUCE CONGESTION? THE OBSESSION IS CONGESTION IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH TxDOT'S MISSION TO END ALL TRAFFIC-RELATED FATALITIES BY 2050. HIGHER SPEEDS WHICH MEANS REDUCING CONGESTION DOES NOT EQUATE TO SAFER STREETS. OUR STREETS TO BE HEALTHIER PLACES TO LIVE CITIES MUST BE ABLE TO RECONFIGURE STREETS TO MAKE IT SAFER TO WALK, BIKE, AND TAKE TRANSIT. TxDOT'S TAKEOVER OF BROADWAY STREET HAS SERIOUS RAMIFICATIONS OR FOR OUR OTHER TEXAS COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE SERIOUS NEED TO REDESIGN TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY. TEXAS IS -- TxDOT'S OBSESSION WITH CONGESTION CONTRIBUTES TO MORE PEOPLE BEING KILLED ON OUR ROADS. IT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR CITIES HAVING SOME OF THE HIGHEST OZONE LEVELS. AND VEHICLE EMISSIONS IN THE COUNTRY. IT CONTRIBUTES TO MY NEIGHBORS AND THEIR CHILDREN DEVELOPING ASTHMA. >> MRS. BUEHLER, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED IF YOU COULD WRAP UP? >> I'LL WRAP UP. TEXANS EVERYWHERE CAN LIVE SAFER HEALTHIER LIVES IF TxDOT WAS A HEALTHIER PARTNER TO BUILD DYNAMIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE LATISSIA GUTIERREZ TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> [ SPEAKING SPANISH ] >> GOOD MORNING. I WANT TO TRY TO INTERPRET HER STATEMENT TODAY. HELLO, MY NAME IS LATISA GUTI TER EZ AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT TxDOT. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO THE SPANISH COMMUNITY? YOU'RE NOT INCLUDING US. YOU DON'T PUT THE INFORMATION IN OUR LANGUAGE. ALWAYS EXPANDING THE ROADS AND CAUSING PROBLEMS TO OUR HEALTH AND OUR ENVIRONMENT. IT AFFECT ALL OF US AND MANY OPTIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION. AFFECTING OUR CHILDREN, TOO, PUT IN AS A RISK. EVADING WHAT WE HAVE INSTEAD OF HELPING US. OUR COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF BRINGING GOOD THINGS FOR BETTER LIVING. YOU'RE ACTUALLY HURTING US STILL EVEN MORE. TEXAS DOT DECIDED TO PUT IN ELECTRONIC FORM TO ASK US IF WE WERE DOING, IF WE WERE CITIZENS BEFORE VOTING IN FAVOR OR AGAINST. BOTH THE HIGHWAY 45. WE WANT TO ASK YOU FOR DIRECTIONS AND NOT INSULTUS IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN HELP AND -- INSULT US IN A WAY THAT YOU CAN HELP AND BE PART TO OF THE DECISIONS OF TEXAS DOT IS DOING. >> GRASIAS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE SHAREEN ABATISM TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I'M SHAREN EBDASOM WITH STOP TxDOT I-45. I'M A COMMUNITY AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNER. IN MY PROFESSION, WE LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PUBLIC ENGAGE THE AND OBTAINING INPIT FROM THE RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS FROM THE FUTURE TRANSPORTATION PLANS AND PROJECTS. MY MAIN CONCERN WITH TxDOT TxDOT HAS NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT WITH PROCESSES AND LACK PROPER PUBLIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR PROPOSED HIGHWAY PROJECTS. INDUCED DEMAND MADE IT EVIDENT TO ADD MORE LANES ON HIGHWAYS TO STOP SOLVE CONGESTION. WE CAN LOOK AT KATIE FREEWAY AS A SHINING EXAMPLE HOW A 20-LANE HIGHWAY STILL TODAY FACES CONGESTION. THE SOLUTION IS TO IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS THAT ALLOW FOR TRANSPORTATION CHOICES SUCH AS BUS RAPID TRANSIT, LIGHT RAIL, PASSENGER RAIL, A DEDICATED BUS LANE TO ALLOW MASS TRANSIT TO MOVE PEOPLE EFFICIENCY. THIS AUSTIN, I LOVED IN ALL MAJOR CITIES TxDOT TO ADD ON TOP OF EXISTING I-35 IS NONSENSICAL AND REGRESSNEY NATURE. PRESIDENT EISENHOWER IN 1960s STATED HE NEVER INTENDED FOR THE HIGHWAYS TO CUT THROUGH THE URBAN CORE OF DOWNTOWN OF MAJOR CITIES. LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO SEVERAL YEARS. BROADWAY WAS THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AMONGST COMMUNITY. A LOT OF RESIDENTS WISH TO SEE MULTIMODAL COMPLETE STREIGHTS FOR BROADWAY SAFE FOR STREETS AND CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS. VOTER APPROVED BY 73%. >> YOUR TIME IS UP. IF YOU COULD WRAP UP, PLEASE? >> OKAY. I'LL WRAP UP. WITH HOUSTON, ALSO, DESTROYED COMMUNITIES THROUGH HIGHWAY PROJECTS. AND THE TITLE 6 CIVIL RIGHTS CLAUSE IN DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THESE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THESE CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ARE WRONG. AND WE SHOULD ALLOW FOR MORE ACCESSIBILITY FOR VIRTUAL COMMENTS AND THINK ABOUT TEXAS IN REDUCING TRAFFIC FATALITIES. >> YOU HAVE EXCEEDED YOUR TIME. >> OKAY. CLEANER AIR AND REDUCES POLLUTION AND COMPLETE STREETS AND ROAD DYES ARE GOOD AND EQUITY MATTERS IN TRANSPORTATION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVY PROCTOR TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, I'M EVY PROCTOR AND I LIVE IN HOUSTON AND IMPACTED A MEMBER OF STOP TxDOT I-45. I'M HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH FELLOW TEXANS TO DEMAND YOU RETURN BROADWAY TO SAN ANTONIO COMPLETELY INSULTINGS ANTIDEMOCRATTIC AND TOTAL ABUSE OF YOUR POWER TO STEAL BROADWAY AWAY FROM THE SAN ANTONIO VOTERS WHO APPROVED THE ROAD. THE CONTINUED CYCLE OF TXDOT'S DISRESPECT IN IGNORING COMMUNITY INPUT AND OBSESSION FOR BUILDING MORE LANES FOR CABS MUST END AND WE NEED TO BUILD NOR LANES FOR PEDESTRIANS AND NOT ADDING MORE LANES FOR CARS. I DEMAND YOU ALLOW VIRTUAL COMMENTS SO EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE IMPORTANT DECISIONS. TO NOT ALLOW VIRTUAL COMMENTS IS A CLASSIST AND ABLEIST STRUCTURE FOR HOW YOU INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC. IT'S YOUR JOB TO MAKE THE PUBLIC INCLUSIVE AND IF YOU CAN'T, I SUGGEST YOU RESIGN. DON'T PUT MORE CARS ON THE ROAD TO ONLY CREATE MORE DEADLY ROADS AND HARMS ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH AND LIVELIHOODS OF MOST MARGINALIZED PEOPLE AFFECTED. LENGTHY CONSTRUCTION PERIODS CREATE UNSAFE ROADS. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN 2018 DUE TO HEAVY CONSTRUCTION THAT OBSTRUCTED THE VIEW OF TRAFFIC. PLEASE MAKE THE MEETINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MICHAEL MORITZ TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER. I'M MICHAEL MORITZ STOP TxDOT I-45 SPEAKING ABOUT PROCEED WAY IN SAN ANTONIO. MR. WILLIAMS YESTERDAY AT TTC WORKSHOP YOU SHOWED DATA THAT BIKE PEDESTRIAN INCREASED 24% BETWEEN 2019 AND 2021. THE PROCEED WAY PROJECT INCLUDES BARRIER PROTECTION FOR BIKE AND PED MODES AND DESIGN ELEMENTS TO REDUCE SPEED. COMMISSIONER RYAN I'M GRATEFUL YOU DIDN'T VOTE FOR THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO BE A CHAMPION IN THE FUTURE. COMMISSIONER BUGG, AT THE JANUARY MEETING THE TxDOT TOOK BACK SAN ANTONIO YOU STATED BROADWAY PROJECT QUOTE IS IN DIRECT CONTRAST. COMMISSIONER BUGG, WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU, SAFETY OR CAR THRU PUT? THE PROJECT WAS SUPPORTED BY OVER 70% OF SAN ANTONIO VOTERS. WE LIVE IN A HYPER PARTISAN WORLD AND CELEBRATE A SUPER MAJORITY FOR SOMETHING AND PUT IT BACK IN ITS PLACE AND EXPLAIN TO THE GOVERNOR HOW IMPORTANT BROADWAY IS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. NEXT, WE HAVE MR. SKYLER WHITE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING. SKYLER WHITE I'M REPRESENTIN' MYSELF. I BROUGHT THE REPORT HOT OFF THE PRESSES FROM THE LABOR LAKE INVESTIGATION THEY DID THERE IN WATER SAMPLING FROM THAT FLOWING WELL, THIS FLOWING WELL IS ABOUT A MILE FROM THAT SINKHOLE. THE SAME WATER THAT'S COMING OUT AT SURFACE IS THE SAME WATER THAT'S FLOWING UNDERNEATH THE GROUND AT THAT SINKHOLE. THIS IS UNMITIGATED ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER THAT Y'ALL WROTE THE CHECK FOR. I WANT TO READ OFF SOME OF THE COMPOUNDS IN THIS WATER THAT EXCEED EPA LIMITS. BEN ZONE, TOLUENE. ZYLENE ALL NONE CARCINOGENS. METHANE, H2S, 14,000 PARTS PER MINUTE. CHLORIDE, SULFATE, LADY, NICKEL, STRONIUM, URANIUM, MOTHER CARRY 214 AND RAIDIUM 226. THIS STUFF IS ALL FLOWING UNDERNEATH THE SINKHOLE AND FORCING ITS WAY OUT INTO THE FRESH WATER AQUA FIR. TO ME IT'S DISINGENUOUS YOU MAKE NOISE ABOUT MAKING TEXAS SAFER AND ROADS SAFER AND YOU ALLOW THIS TO KEEP FLOWIN' AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING ON BOARD WITH STOPPING THIS THING. I'LL LEAVE THIS REPORT SO Y'ALL CAN READ IT ON YOUR OWN TIME. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. WHITE FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE DANIEL CAFLEMAN TO COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> HELLO. THANK YOU, COMMISSION, FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I AM DAN CAVILMAN AND WORK FOR THE NONPROFIT FARM AND CITY. AFTER THE DECISION TO NOT ALLOW THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO MAKE BROADWAY SAFER IN CARS WALKING OR TAKING TRANSIT WE DECIDED UP FROM THE CITY TO LOOK INTO THE SAFETY IMPACTS ON STREETS LIKE THIS ACROSS THE STATE. AND AROUND AND THE 25 LARGEST CITIES, WE FOUND THAT THIS ESTIMATED IMPACT WAS $1.7 BILLION A YEAR. WE CALLED THESE STRODES, STREET ROAD HYBRID DESIGNED TO BOTH MOVE LARGE VOLUMES OF CARS AND TRY TO FUNCTION AS A PLACE WHERE BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE INTERACT. THEY TRY TO ACCOMPLISH TOO MANY GOALS AND IN EFFECT DO NOT DO EITHER. STREETS LIKE NORTH MAR, NORTH OF 183, A TxDOT OWNED SYSTEM FACILITY WHERE AVERAGE OF TWO PEOPLE DIE EVERY YEAR OFTEN PEOPLE DESPERATELY TRYING TO DASH ACROSS THE STREET, FAR FROM ANY POSSIBLE CROSSING. SO 144 PEOPLE HAVE DIED IN 2021 ALONE. AND 1,03 2 PEOPLE DIE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. $1.46 BILLION CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR SUFFERING AND WE BELIEVE TxDOT CAN MUST RETROFIT THE STREETS TO BE SAFE MULTIMODAL URBAN BOULEVARDS DESIGNED FOR APPROPRIATE SPEEDS 35 MILES PER HOUR OR LESS, ESPECIALLY IF THE COMMISSION WILL NOT ALLOW CITIES TO MAKE THESE KINDS OF STREETS -- THESE KINDS OF STREETS SAFE ON THEIR OWN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE JAY BLAZIC CROSSLING. PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS JAY BLAZIC CROSSLEY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NONPROFIT FARM AND CITY. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS AND FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. I THINK THERE'S SOME PEOPLE HERE TODAY WHO ARE ANGRY LIKE I AM BECAUSE SOMEONE THEY LOVE WAS KILLED USING THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE ANGRY ABOUT THAT, TOO. I THINK THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE HERE TODAY ANGRY BECAUSE THEY, TO SOME EXTENT, UNLIKE ME, ARE LIVING WITH THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION DECISION-MAKING SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T FAIRLY INCLUDE PEOPLE OF THEIR RACE OR ETHNICITY OR GENDER OR UPBRINGING OR LIFESTYLE OR GEOGRAPHY. IN DECIDING HOW TO ALLOCATE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND WHO GETS BETTER ACCESS TO JOBS AND SCHOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND WHO PAYS THE COSTS. I HAVE BEEN HERE MANY TIMES AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU TO PUSH THESE ISSUES FORWARD. BUT MANY PEOPLE HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE. AND THEY'VE NEVER FELT THEY WERE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES TO YOU AND TO JOIN AND BE PART OF BUILDING A BETTER TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. I THINK WE ALL DESERVE A TEXAS TRANSPORTATION DECISION-MAKING SYSTEM THAT'S SMARTER, FAIRER, AND IN WHICH SEEKS TO MEET ALL OF OUR DIVERSE NEEDS WITHOUT SO MUCH SUFFERING FROM TRAFFIC CRASHES AND DIRTY AIR AND DISCONNECTED COMMUNITIES. I BELIEVE WE CAN BUILD THE BETTER FUTURE TOGETHER. I BELIEVE THIS REQUIRES IMPROVING MPO AND THE TxDOT FORECASTING TRAVEL DEMAND MODELING SYSTEM. I BELIEVE WE NEED FAIR REPRESENTATION AT OUR MPOs. AND OTHER DECISION-MAKING ENTITYINGS. I BELIEVE IT MEANS INCORPORATING BETTER INFORMATION ABOUT THE MANY COSTS OF OUR SYSTEM DIRECTLY INTO OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESSES EIS AND EASs. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMPETENT, MR. CROSLEY. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE -- THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS MR. CROSLEY. AT THIS TIME VIRGINIA PALASIO TO COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> HI. VIRGINIA VALASIO COMMISSIONSHIP NON-PROFIT PERFORMING OIL AND GAS OVERSIGHT IN TEXAS. COMMISSION SHIFT PUBLISHED A REPORT THIS YEAR TITLED "ELIMINATING OR FAN WELLS AND SITES IN TEXAS" WE SUMMARIZED THE RAILROAD COMMISSION'S DATAON INACTIVE, UNPLUGGED OIL AND GAS WELLS. AND ORPHAN WELLS IN TEXAS. WE MADE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAN HELP SOLVE THE ORPHAN WELL CRISIS IN TEXAS. BUT THERE ARE TWO CATEGORIES OF WELLS THE RAILROAD HAS LITTLE DATABASEO ON, THESE INCLUDE LEGACY OIL AND GAS WELLS NOT IN THE RAILROAD COMMISSION DATABASES. AND LEGACY WELLS THAT WERE RECLASSIFIED AS WATER WELLS USING FORM P13. INACTIVE WELLS ORPHAN WELLS AND LEGACY WELLS ARE A PROBLEM TxDOT NEEDS TO HAVE A PLAN FOR. TODAY, I AM SUGGESTING TxDOT CONSIDER COLLABORATING WITH THE RAILROAD COMMISSION TO FIND A CLEANUP SOLUTION FOR BOOMER LAKE AND THE SINKHOLE AT FM 1053 AND AT THE POINT A LONG-TERM STRATEGY WITH THE RAILROAD COMMISSION FOR FINDING AND PLUGGING LEGACY WELLS, INCLUDING THOSE RECLASSIFIED AS WATER WELLS. THIS STRATEGY SHOULD INCLUDE A GOAL TO ELIMINATE THE FUTURE THREAT OF UNPLUGGED ORPHAN WELLS IN TEXAS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 8400 UNPLUGGED ORPHAN WELLS IN TEXAS OPERATORS ARE STILL ON THE HOOK TO PLUG 149,000 INACTIVE AND SLUT-IN WELLS IN TEXAS BUT THEY ONLY PLUG ABOUT 7,000 EACH YEAR. GIVEN THE PROBLEMS WITH BOOMER LAKE AND FM 1053, WELL BLOWOUTS ON ANTINA RANCH 150 GEYSER BLOWOUT IN CRANE COUNTY AND REDUCED SIZE IN PERMIAN AND BERNETTE AND SHELL REGIONS. >> MS. LAWSON. >> -- LIKELY 1053 NOT THE LAST ROAD DAMAGE BECAUSE OF UNPLUGGED OIL AND GAS WELLS IN TEXAS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ZACHARY FATTIS TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. IS ZACHARY FATTIS IN THE ROOM? OKAY. WE GO TO THE NEXT PERSON. MAY I INVITE TAMMY GONZALEZ TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> HI, I'M TANYA ANGERMAN A RESIDENT OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. I WILL, BEFORE I YIELD MY TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH THE COMMENT BY LATISSIA GUTIERREZ AND I WOULD ASK THIS BOARD TO PLEASE DO BETTER TO REPRESENT THE LATINA COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALSO TEXANS. WE REALLY NEED THE REPRESENTATION AND WE REALLY NEED YOU TO STEP UP. THANK YOU. AND I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MS. GONZALEZ. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE JULIA ORDINNIA TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JULIA ORDONNIA, SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL DIRECTOR FROM TEXAS HOUSERS. AND I STAND IN AGREEANCE WITH THE COMMUNITY FORMED BY STOP TxDOT I-45. AS LAREDOIAN LIVING IN HOUSTON WITH STAFF IN AUSTIN, I'M NO STRANGER TO TEXAS HIGHWAYS. IT IS IMPERATIVE TO LISTEN TO AND IMPLEMENT THE REQUESTS FROM THE EXISTING COMMUNITY WHO ARE LOW INCOME AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. HIGHWAY EXPANSION NORMALLY BENEFITS THE TRANSIENT, NOT THE PERMANENT. THE PLAN TO DISBAND AND DISPLACE IS NOT A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR PEOPLE'S LIVES DISRUPTED BY THE PLANS. AS CAN YOU SEE, TEXANS FAR AND WIDE HAVE COME TOGETHER TO UNITE THEIR VOICES FOR MORE PROGRESSIVE, MULTIMODAL TRANSIT OPTIONS, INCLUDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND BIKE LANES. WE DO NOT OPPOSE FUNDING OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. WE'RE STANDING UP AGAINST EXCLUSION OF THE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY DISPLACEMENT AND EMINENT DOMAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE KELSEY HUSSY TO PLEASE COME FORWARD STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> HI, I'M KELSEY HUGHES I'M A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN. I WAS 16 WHEN THE FIRST PEOPLE I KNEW DIED ON A HIGHWAY. FOUR YOUNG ADULTS AT THE CHURCH I ATTENDED WERE KILLED WHEN A CAR PASSED OVER THE MEDIAN, HITTING THEM HEAD-ON, SENDING BOTH CARS INTO FLAMES. MUCH WAS FOUND IN THE CAR THAT CROSSED THE MEDIAN WE TOLD OURSELVES THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO AVOID THE TRAGEDY THEY WERE VICTIM,OF THE ROAD. THIS WAS MY INDOCTRINATION T TO ACCEPTING DEATH BY CAR IN AMERICA. AT THE TIME WE MOURNED THE DEATH AND SAID GOD DOESN'T MAKE MISTAKES AND EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. WE NEVER ASKED OURSELVES WHY THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY WAS THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION OPTION. NOW I KNOW, 10 PEOPLE DIE EVERY DAY ON TEXAS ROADS. I'M DONE ACCEPTING THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DIE IN CARS. WE'RE HERE TO SAY WE'VE HAD ENOUGH. WE WANT TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE WALK TO SCHOOL AND GROCERIES STORES AND WHERE WE BIKE TO WORK AND WHERE WE TAKE HIGH-SPEED TRAINS TO VISIT OUR FAMILY MEMBERS. SIX DAYS AGO, THE NEW YORK D.O.T. ANNOUNCED THEY WERE TEARING DOWN INTERSTATE 81 THROUGH SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, REPLACING WITH SAFER STREET LEVEL GRID. DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE THE D.O.T. DIRECTOR SAID THE PEOPLE SPOKE AND THE COMMISSION LISTENED. WE NEED OUR MONEY TOWARD SAFER STREETS WITH OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION LIKE THE BIKE LANE IN AUSTIN AND PROCEED WAY IN SAN ANTONIO. >> MS. HUGHES YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE JAKE FANNING TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> MY NAME IS JAKE FANNING. I'M WITH RETHINK 35. I CAME TO AUSTIN FOUR YEARS AGO FOR COLLEGE. THERE WAS AN ENERGY IN THE CITY THAT DREW ME TOWARD IT. I COULDN'T PUT MY FINGER ON WHY AT THE TIME THERE'S NO INHERENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE BACK WHERE I'M FROM, NORTHWEST HOUSTON. GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, A PLACE LIKE THAT BORING SUBURBS COULD BE AS VIBRANT AS A PLACE LIKE AUSTIN, BUT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THEIR COMMUNITY LIKE THEY DO HERE. AND OFTENTIMES, LIKE I DID, THEY BLAME THEIR OWN MISGIVINGS WHEN WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS BUILT AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SEPARATES MORE THAN IT CONNECTS. AND, WELL, WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, IF I MISSED A BUS AND I HAD TO WALK, IT MEANT WALKING ALONG AN EIGHT-LANE FREEWAY THAT HAD NO SIDEWALK AND A CROSSING WITH NO PROTECTIVE CROSS WALK. ONE TIME, I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A TEACHER. ALMOST BECOMING ANOTHER ONE OF THE COUNTLESS WHITE CROSSES THAT LINE TxDOT ROADS. PROJECTS THAT INCREASE WALKABILITY AND BIKE ABILITY AND BROADWAY AND SAN ANTONIO AND THE LANES LIKE NORTH MAR HERE SHUT DOWN SAVE LIVES. GIVE BACK CONTROL OF THE ROADS. ALLOW PEOPLE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. FANNING FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE TIFFANY VALLEY, PLEASE COME FORWARD STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS TIFFANY BIA AND HERE WITH THE STOP TxDOT GROUP. I LIVE NEXT TO A FREEWAY IN HOUSTON. IT OFTEN MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO LIVE PEACEFULLY. THE CONSTANT NEVER-ENDING BUZZING OF CARS AND HONKING AND REVVING OF ENGINES OF ALL HOURS AND EXHAUSTION OF VEHICLES IN TRAFFIC MAKE A STREAM OF POLLUTION AND MAKE IT HARD TO SLEEP AND ENJOY BEING OUTSIDE IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD. THE SONGS OF SONG BIRDS ARE DROWNED OUT BY THE CO COPMONY OF CARS AND I'M FORTUNATE TO MOVE TO A NEW HOME TO ESCAPE THE FREEWAY. LOST OF GREEN SPACE, HOMES, CLEAN AIR, BUSINESSES, PLACES OF WORSHIP, COMMUNITIES, ALL OF THIS WILL AFFECT COMMUNITIES WHO ARE ALREADY IN VULNERABLE PLACES FROM PREVIOUS FREEWAY EXPANSIONS. PEOPLE OF COLOR. OF LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS THOSE THAT DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, CHILDREN. PEOPLE WITHOUT THE MEANS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. THAT IS WHY I AND STOP TxDOT I-45 ARE HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU CONSIDER OTHER FORMS OF ERASING CAR CONGESTION. MULTIMODAL TRANSIT LIKE THE BROADWAY ROAD DIET IN SAN ANTONIO. WE ASK YOU ALLOW COMPETENTARY VIRTUALLY SO ENGAGEMENT IS -- COMMENT VIRTUALLY SO ENGAGEMENT DOES NOT NEED TO BE HERE TODAY AND NOT INVEST IN COSTLY PROJECT THAT IS SIMPLY DO NOT WORK. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE PHILLIPA SANCHEZ TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> HELLO, CHAIR BUGG, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND STAFF. I'M PHILIPPIAN A RESIDENT OF HOUSTON AND MEMBER OF SUNRISE HOUSTON. I'M HERE IN SOLIDARITY OF TEXANS TO DEMAND YOU RETURN BROADWAY TO SAN ANTONIO. I'M PART OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP PRIMARILY MADE UP OF YOUNG PEOPLE. WE ASK EVERY NEW MEMBER HOW CLIMATE-ANXIOUS THEY GET. EVERYONE SAYS THEY HAVE TOUCHED AT LEAST A HIGHER THAN 7 OUT OF 10. SO ANY PROJECT THAT ALLOWS FOR THE CONTINUED USE OF CARS IS NOTHING SHORT OF MENTAL VIOLENCE AGAINST OUR KIDS AND AT THIS POINT EVEN PEOPLE IN THEIR 20s, LIKE MYSELF. I WANT YOU ALL TO ASK YOUR KIDS OR TELL YOUR KIDS TO ASK THEIR KIDS THIS QUESTION IS: THEN ASK YOURSELVES WHY A GROUP OF ALMOST PENSION-MEN WOULD WANT TO CRIPPLE EVEN MORE OF OUR YOUTH; MORE THAN THEY ALREADY ARE. I'VE TALKED TO SO MANY PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO AND THEY WANT THE ROAD DIET. SO PLEASE AGAIN RETURN CONTROL OF BROADWAY STREET TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW MAKES NO SENSE. AND, PLEASE, CONSIDER MAKING VIRTUAL COMMENTS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF TAKING A DAY OFF FROM THEIR JOB TO TELL THEIR GOVERNMENT HOW TO DO THEIR OWN. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. SANCHEZ, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. MARY SCHULTZ PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS MARY SCHULTZ, I'M FROM HOUSTON AND I WORK SOMEWHAT WITH STOP TxDOT I-45. I'M ALSO HERE IN SUPPORT OF ISSUES BEING RACED BY SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN AND EL PASO. I HONOR -- I HONESTLY HONOR YOUR MOTIVATION FOR THE SAFETY OF TEXANS ON THE ROADS. I HONOR YOUR BELIEF THAT THE HIGHWAY PLANS YOU ARE MAKING ALL OVER THE STATE WILL REDUCE THE TRAFFIC DEATHS THAT WE WITNESS DAILY. BUT I RESPECTFULLY REPEAT THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS NEEDED FOR SAFETY IS HUGELY MISGUIDED. REDUCING RELIANCE ON HIGH-SPEED VEHICLES IS WHAT MAKES COMMUNITIES SAFER. IF YOU INCREASE AND WIDEN ROADWAYS TO ACCOMMODATE MORE VEHICLES, THOSE ROADS WILL FILL IMMEDIATELY WITH MORE VEHICLES. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE AMOUNT OF INCREASED C02 EMISSIONS AND POLLUTION THAT WILL BE ADDED TO TEXANS' ATMOSPHERE BY YOUR PLANS. DOZENS OF STORIES BOMBARD US EVERY WEEK ABOUT HOW WE HUMANS ARE HAPLESSLY WARMING THE PLANET. I WANT TO SEE THE LEADERS FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY YOU HAVE FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR NEIGHBORS NOT TO MENTION YOUR OWN GRANDCHILDREN CAN IN CONSCIENCE CONTINUE TO MULTIPLY THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS WHY I CAME TO THE MEETING TODAY. I I AM A GRANDMOTHER AND WANT A SAFE FUTURE TOR MY GRANDSON. I ASK YOU TO OPEN YOURSELVES TO THE SUGGESTIONS PUT FORWARD BY THE PUBLIC. PLEASE IMPLEMENT LESS CAR-CENTRIC ALTERNATIVIST THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT. >> MS. SCHULTZ YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. >> AS YOU PLAN FOR TEXAS ROADWAYS. THANK YOU. >> T THANK YOU, MS. SCHULTZ FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMENTS I'M GOING TO SUGGEST A 5-MINUTE RECESS AND COME BACK FOR MORE OPEN COMMENTS. THANK YOU. THE TIME IS 11:19. WE'LL RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. TEST. TEST. >> IT IS NOW 11:26. OUR RECESS IS OVER, AND WE ARE NOW RECONVENING OUR COMMISSION MEETING. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF COMMENTS THAT WE STILL HAVE, I'M GOING TO ASK OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILLIAMS TO KEEP US ON TRACK FOR THE 90-SECOND RULE. AND AT THIS TIME IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR OPEN COMMENTS TO BE MADE, THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT I CALL THEIR NAMES, THEY DID NOT RESPOND, I'M GOING TO CALL THEIR NAMES AGAIN. IF THEY DON'T RESPOND, IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE ROOM, THEN THEY'LL BE UNABLE TO SPEAK. THE FIRST PERSON THAT WAS NOT HERE EARLIER, AND I WANT TO GIVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AGAIN, IS ZACHARY FADDIS, ARE YOU IN THE ROOM? OKAY. THE SECOND IS MS. BURKES. ARE YOU IN THE ROOM? OKAY. IF NOT, THEN WE WILL TURN TO THE NEXT SPEAKER, ZACH AMBURG. PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> HELLO, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS ZACH, I REPRESENT STOP TX DOT I 45 AND I LIVE IN HOUSTON. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO TAKE PERSONAL TIME OFF TO BE HERE TODAY. BUT I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO WOULD LOVE TO COMMENT ON YOUR DECISION TO TAKE BROADWAY FROM THEM. OR IN HOUSTON ON THE I-45 LINING OR ON THE I-35 WINDING IN AUSTIN OR I-10 IN EL PASO, OR ON UNSAFE ROAD DESIGNS, ON THE DEATHS OF HUNDREDS IN A CAR, ON BIKE OR ON FOOT. HOW MANY TEXANS COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT WIDENING HIGHWAYS WON'T FIX TRAFFIC, THAT WE WANT MORE BIKE WAYS AND SIDEWALKS, NOT LESS. THAT WE WANT ACCESS TO FREQUENT AND RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSIT, LIKE THE REST OF THE DEVELOPED WORLD. GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY OR ON A PHONE INSTEAD OF ONCE A MONTH FOR AN HOUR IN PERSON. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, LISTEN TO US. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MR. AMBERG. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE JOSEPH GIGS TO COME FORWARD. (INAUDIBLE) >> I'M HERE. (INAUDIBLE) >> GOOD AFTERNOON. CHAIR PERSON BUGG, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF. MY NAME IS PARIS BURKES. AND I AM A RESIDENT OF KELLY VILLAGE IN HOUSTON. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY THAT IS UNHEARD, UNINFORMED AND UNDER APPRECIATED. NOT ONLY IS KELLY VILLAGE PART OF A COMMUNITY, BUT IT IS A PART OF A HISTORICAL DISTRICT. I AM OVERCOME WITH ANGUISH AND DISBELIEF THAT NOT ONLY WILL THESE TXDOT DECISIONS RUIN A NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT WILL DISMANTLE THE LIVES OF SO MANY INDIVIDUALS FOR WHAT CAUSE. THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION TO THE CAUSE. THERE IS NO INFORMATION TO THE CHANGES OR UPDATES WITH THIS FORTHCOMING CHANGE TO EVEN START TO GIVE PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THIS LIFE CHANGING DECISION. EVEN WITH THE INFORMATION I HAVE FOUND ON MY OWN, NONE OF THAT INFORMATION SEEMS TO BE RELIABLE ENOUGH TO UPROOT MY FAMILY IN ORDER TO MAKE ROOM FOR A FREEWAY. WITH ALL THAT, THE MANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY COME TO MIND, THE ONLY ONE I CAN THINK OF THE MOST IS WITH ALL OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT IS NEEDED TO NOT ONLY TEAR DOWN THESE COMMUNITIES, BUT TO BUILD SOMETHING NEW TO REPLACE IT, WHY NOT PUT SOME EFFORT AND MONEY INTO BUILDING UP THAT COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT REALISTICALLY HELPS THE PEOPLE IN THAT SAME COMMUNITY? >> MISS BURKES YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. >> OKAY, IT JUST ISN'T RIGHT TO REPLACE PEOPLE'S HOMES AND LIVES FOR A FREEWAY THAT'S GOING TO BE CONGESTED ANY WAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MS. BURKES. SO AT THIS TIME I'LL RECALL JOSEPH HICKS, PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS JOSEPH HICKS I'M FROM HOUSTON. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO INVEST MORE IN PUBLIC TRANSIT, BIKE AND WALKING LANES FOR THE SAME REASON THAT YOU SHOULD ALLOW PUBLIC VIRTUAL COMMENTS. I WANT ALL TEXANS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN PUBLIC LIFE. I'M A TEACHER AT A SCHOOL WHERE 85% OF THE STUDENTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. ASK THEM SO WHY DON'T YOU COME TO MUSIC CLUB, WHY DID YOU MISS ALL OF LAST WEEK AT SCHOOL? AND THE ANSWER IS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A RIDE. MY STUDENTS SAY EVERY DAY THAT THERE'S EVENTS THEY WISH THEY COULD GO TO, BUT THEY CAN'T. AND WHAT'S THE RESULT? IT'S A FULL GENERATION OF STUDENTS THAT ARE STAYING AT HOME PLAYING VIDEO GAMES, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND NOT PARTICIPATING WITH THEIR FRIENDS. AND THIS IS AFTER A YEAR DURING A PANDEMIC. SO WHAT THEY NEED IS CONNECTION. SO, BY DESIGN, MY STUDENTS WHO CAN'T DRIVE ARE EXCLUDED FROM PUBLIC LIFE, FROM THEIR JOBS, THEIR CHURCHES, THEIR FRIENDS. AND WE KNOW THAT DEMOCRACY ISN'T JUST VOTING, IT'S PARTICIPATION. THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE DEFACT TO EXCLUDED FROM MAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS HERE. IF WE WANT TO GIVE CHILDREN OPPORTUNITIES, WE NEED TO MAKE TRANSIT THAT IS NOT CAR-CENTRIC. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MR. HIGS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MOLLY COOK TO PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> I'M MOLLY COOK, I'M WITH STOP TXDOT, I'M AN E.R. NURSE, GOT A MASTERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH. I AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, YOU SHOULD GIVE BROADWAY BACK TO THE VOTERS WHO APPROVED MAKING DRASTIC CHANGES, AND YOU OBVIOUSLY SHOULD NOT EXPAND I-45 AND YOU SHOULD MAKE VIRTUAL COMMENTS A REALITY HERE. BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T MAKE IT. IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE RICH ABLE-BODIED FOLKS WHO CAN GET DOWN HERE AND PARTICIPATE IN THESE GIANT PROJECTS THAT AFFECT EVERY ONE OF US. SO PLEASE ALLOW VIRTUAL COMMENTS MOVING FORWARD. >> THANK YOU, MS. COOK FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. ALEC -- PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> COMMISSIONERS, CHAIRMAN, ALEC EINSTEIN WITH STOP TXDOT I-45. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY GOOD MORNING, BUT IT'S NOT A GOOD MORNING, PEOPLE ARE DYING ON ROADS TODAY, THEY'RE GOING TO DIE TOMORROW AND NEXT WEEK. YOU SAID A DEATH-FREE DAY ON TEXAS IS ON MY WISH LIST TO SANTA, AND WHEN MY HUSBAND ASKED WHAT I WANTED FOR CRESS, I SAID END THE STREAK. YOU ALL ARE SANTA, RETURN BROADWAY BACK TO THE VOTERS OF SAN ANTONIO AND STOP THIS ENDLESS LANE RECONSTRUCTION THAT'S CAUSING SO MANY UNSAFE STREETS IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND HURTING EVERYONE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE BEN PETERS TO PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> MY NAME IS BEN PETERS, I'M A RESIDENT OF HOUSTON. I'M GOING TO READ A FEW WORDS TODAY TO YOU FROM A RESIDENT OF EAST HOUSTON. SHE WROTE, WE ARE FED UP, CHECKING ON OUR -- CHOKING ON EXHAUST FUMES, FED UP LOOKING AT CEMENT RIBBONS CRISSCROSSING OUR CITIES, FED UP WITH HOMES AND PEOPLE BEING DESTROYED TO BUILD MORE AND MORE FREEWAYS. NO FREEWAY HAS SOLVED THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS OF HOUSTON, AND THIS PROPOSED FREEWAY IS NO EXCEPTION. YOU MIGHT THINK, AND RIGHTLY SO, THAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT TODAY'S I-45 EXPANSION. BUT MAGGIE LAND DROP WROTE THOSE WORDS IN 1970 ABOUT THE HARRISBURG HIGHWAY. AND YET HERE WE ARE. HAS ANYTHING REALLY CHANGED? WE'RE STILL DYING, WE'RE STILL CHOKING ON FUMES. AND WE'RE STILL BULLDOZING OUR COMMUNITIES TO POUR CONCRETE, AND WE'RE FED UP. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WE NEED TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE HOW WE DO BUSINESS. WHEN I COMMUTE TO WORK I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN RIDING MY BIKE OR TAKING THE BUS OR TAKING MY CAR SOMETIMES IF I WANT TO. AND I DON'T WANT TO BE ON MY BIKE THINKING THAT I SHOULD BE AFRAID EVERY CAR THAT'S OUT THERE AND THAT THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF INHALING ALL THESE FUMES GOING -- NEGATE THE CUSTOMER SIZE I'M HAVING. GIVE BROADWAY STREET BACK TO SAN ANTONIO, SUPPORT PROJECTS THAT TAKE CARS OFF THE ROAD FOR GOOD TO HELP US BUILD ASAFER AND HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MR. PETERS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITED MICHAEL TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> MICHAEL YALCHI? >> GAUCI. >> OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. DICK KELLERMAN TO COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. DICK KELLERMAN? OKAY. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE JONATHAN BROOKS TO PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING, I'M JONATHAN BROOKS. I ADVOCATE FOR A ROBUST AND EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK IN HOUSTON BUT ALSO IN CONCERT WITH OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE. I'D LIKE TO RELATE A BRIEF STORY AND OFFER A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS. SO A FEW YEARS AGO A SET OF LOCAL PARTNERS IN HOUSTON OBTAINED A BUILDING GRANT, IT'S LIKE GETTING TO HARVARD TO GET A FEDERAL GRANT IN THAT CATEGORY, THE FUNDS WERE PASSED THROUGH TXDOT. WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS INSTANCE, WE FIRST SAY I HAVE HEARD PERSONALLY TXDOT STAFF IN THE HOUSTON DISTRICT AND OTHER DISTRICTS SAY THAT THEY RESPECT LOCAL POLICY. AND WHEN IT'S A LOCAL ORIENTED STREET THAT THEY'LL ABIDE BY THE LOCAL DESIGN MANUAL. BUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS INSTANCE, TXDOT USED THEIR LEVERAGE AS THE PASS THROUGH ENTITY FOR THESE FEDERAL FUNDS TO LOCAL PARTNERS TO INSIST ON WIDER LANES, IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO THE FEDS AND NOT IMPROVING SAFETY. MY FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU SHOULD PASS DISCRETIONARY FUNDS UNCHANGED. OUR SECOND RECOMMENDATION IS CLOSELY RELATED, TTC AND TXDOT SHOULD DIRECT STAFF IN THE DISTRICT OFFICES TO AGAIN RESPECT LOCAL LEADERS AND THEIR POLICIES, ESPECIALLY FOR ANY PROJECT THAT HAPPENS ON A NONSEPARATED HIGHWAY. IF IT'S LOCAL ORIENTED OR A FRONTAGE ROAD, IT SHOULD TRULY ABIDE BY THE LOCAL DESIGN MANUAL. THIRD RECOMMENDATION, IN CONCERT WITH EVERYONE ELSE, THESE SHOULD BE HYBRID MEETINGS. I GREW UP IN -- >> YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. >> OKAY, 500 MILES AWAY, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE HERE IN PERSON TO OFFER COMMENTS, WHETHER YOU'RE URBAN OR RURAL DOES NOT MATTER. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. BROOKS, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE IRA YATES TO PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> MY NAME IS IRA YATES, I LIVE AT 309 EAST 4TH STREET, I'M REPRESENTING MYSELF TODAY. I'M FROM THE COMMUNITY THERE IN PECOS COUNTY AND I WANT TO SPOKE TO YOU ALL VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT THE FRUSTRATING SITUATION WE HAVE WITH THE HIGHWAY COMING OUT OF STOCKTON TO IMPERIAL AND THE SINKHOLE AND THE FLOWING WELL. IT'S A NEW WORLD, AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU ALL TO DO WHAT YOU NORMALLY DON'T DO. LOOK AT THE ALTERNATIVES OUTSIDE OF WHAT YOUR PURVIEW IS, BECAUSE THE RAILROAD COMMISSION, YOU, TCEQ, ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY IT'S NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY. AND YET, EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY, YET WE VERY MUCH HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TAKING CARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. AND SO I WOULD ONLY ASK THAT MAYBE YOU HAVE A COMMISSION OR SOME KIND OF UNDERSTANDING ON HOW YOU CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES AND MAKE IT A BETTER WORLD. WE CAN HAVE BETTER HIGHWAYS, WE CAN HAVE BETTER ENERGY, WE CAN HAVE BETTER OIL. WE NEED BETTER WATER. BUT WORKING TOGETHER IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE WHAT YOUR SERVICE IS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR STATE. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU, MR. YATES, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MICHAEL SKELLI? PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> THANK YOU, MY NAME IS MICHAEL SKELLI AND I'M ONE OF THE LEADERS OF A GROUP CALLED THE MAKE I-45 BETTER COALITION. OUR COALITION IS MADE UP OF NUMEROUS CIVIC GROUPS IN HOUSTON, INCLUDING THE PARKS BOARD, GALVESTON BAY FOUNDATION, VARIOUS MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS AND DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS. WE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS AROUND I-45 AND SUBMITTED SEVERAL HUNDRED PAGES OF COMMENTS ON MANY DIFFERENT TOPICS. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF OUR COMMENTS WERE NOT TAKEN ON BOARD IN THE FINAL E.I.S., THOUGH A FEW WERE. AND WE APPRECIATE THOSE. AND THIS WAS DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE DID GET SOME VERBAL ASSURANCES FROM LOCAL TXDOT OFFICIALS THAT DIDN'T SHOW UP IN THE FINAL E.I.S. BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT JUST ONE TOPIC, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER RYAN AND MANY OTHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT TODAY WHICH IS SAFETY. AND UNFORTUNATELY TXDOT USES ALMOST IDENTICAL FEEDER ROAD DESIGNS AND SURFACE FREE INTERSECTION DESIGNS IN RURAL AREAS AS IT DOES IN URBAN AREAS. AND THIS CREATES VERY UNSAFE SITUATIONS, AND I REALIZE YOU ALL PROBABLY DON'T THINK OF IT AS YOUR JOB TO DEFINE HOW ROADS ARE DESIGNED. BUT WE HAVE A BIG DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE WAY TXDOT BUILDS ROADS AND CITIES. >> YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CHRISTINE RENBERG TO COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS CHRISTINA RONNA BERG AND I'M WITH BIKE HOUSTON, AN ADVOCACY BASED ORGANIZATION FROM HOUSTON ADVOCATING FOR SAFE AND EFFICIENT BIKE TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS DESPITE AGE, SEX OR SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. I'M HERE TODAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE AND THE PLANNERS OF SAN ANTONIO AND UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL CONTROL. AND I'M ASKING FOR THE PROJECT'S JURISDICTION TO BE RETURNED TO THE CITY TO ALIGN WITH THE DESIRES AND THE VOTES OF THE SAN ANTONIO POPULATION. MORE BROADLY, I'D LIKE TO STRESS HOW LIMITATIONS ON LOCAL CONTROL ARE IMPEDING TEXAS CITIES FROM BUILDING PROJECTS THAT THEIR CONSTITUENTS WANT AND NEED. WE ARE SEEING THIS RIGHT NOW IN HOUSTON, AND HOW SOME OF OUR BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING BUILT. SO THE WALNUT BEND WEST CHASE CONNECTOR PROJECT WAS ENVISIONED AND PLANNED AS PART OF OUR HOUSTON BIKE PLAN. BUT HOW IT ENDED UP BEING BUILT WAS WITHOUT ANY PROTECTION, BECAUSE IT WAS FORCED TO FOLLOW THE REQUIREMENTS OF TXDOT'S DESIGN GUIDELINES, WHICH DO NOT PRIORITIZE SAFETY OR RESILL YEBS. TODAY CITIES ARE THINKING ABOUT MORE THAN JUST MOVING CARS. WE HAVE SAFETY, EQUITY AND CLIMATE GOALS. AND I'M STRESSING CLIMATE TODAY BECAUSE FRIDAY IS EARTH DAY, AND THIS IS EARTH WEEK, AND WE UNDER THE MIDST OF A CLIMATE CRISIS. VEHICLES ARE THE NUMBER ONE EMITTER OF GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS WHY WE NEED TO REDUCE VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED AND MORE ROAD WIDENING PROJECTS. AND PRECISELY THE BROADWAY PROJECT IN SAN ANTONIO AND THE WEST CHASE BIKE LANE WOULD HAVE HELPED US DO THIS, IF IT WAS NOT FOR TXDOT'S OVERREACH. SO I ASK YOU TO RETURN LOCAL CONTROL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE -- RAMIREZ TO COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> HELLO, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF. MY NAME IS F. RAMIREZ AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE NEAR NORTH SIDE IN HOUSTON. I AM HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS DEMANDING YOU RETURN CONTROL TO BROADWAY AVENUE IN SAN ANTONIO. I ALSO BELIEVE VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION IN THIS DAY AND AGE SHOULD BE PROVIDED SO THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN PARTICIPATE WHEN MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS. TXDOT'S PROCESS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY'S BEST INTEREST, AND NOT RETURNING CONTROL OF BROADWAY TO THE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO IS THE SAME AS SHUTTING OUT THE VOICES OF ALL THE FAMILIES IMPACTED BY THE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. THESE TACTICS ARE DISTASTEFUL AT BEST, AND PROMOTE GENOCIDE, NOT GENTRIFICATION. OUR CULTURES AND FAMILIES DESERVE TO KEEP THEIR HOMES. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. RAMIREZ. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE A. THOMP SOP TO PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> MY NAME IS J. THOMPSON. I'M HERE TO ASSERT THAT TEXAS CANNOT BUILD ITS WAY OUT OF CONGESTION AND URGING TXDOT TO END THEIR PRACTICE OF DIVISIVE POLICIES USING HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AS A FORM OF DISCRIMINATION, PRIORITIZING UNFOUNDED CONCERNS OF CONGESTION DOES NOT OUTWEIGH THE COLLECTIVE GOOD OF ALTERNATIVE VISIONS THE KNOWS THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE PERFORMED OUT OF OUR SAFETY IS PAR DOCKS CAL AT BEST AND HYPOCRITICAL AT WORSE. F THEY ARE INTERESTED IN ENRICHING OUR COMMUNITIES AND MOTIVATED BY SAFETY, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE HERE DEMANDING CHANGE TODAY. BOTH TXDOT AND TCC HAVE FAILED SO SOLVE THE -- IF THEY CANNOT UPHOLD THEIR BURDEN OF PROOF. THEIR ALOOF BEHAVIOR IS A EFFORT TO BE WITH ITLESS OR ON TUESDAY. WHETHER THEY ARE AWARE OF THESE NEGATIVE CASES OR NOT, CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN YET. SO I DENOUNCE I-35 EXPANSION, I DENOUNCE THE ANNEXATION OF BROADWAY IN SAN ANTONIO AND I DENOUNCE THE I-10 REIMAGINE. PROJECTS OF THESE CALIBER ARE PLAGUED WITH OTHER PIT FALLS LIKE COST OVERRUN AND BENEFIT OVERE ESTIMATION. SO WHO ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF THESE PLANS? BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE RESIDENTS DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOME, IT'S NOT THE 60 BUSINESS OWNERS AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE SCHOOLS OF OUR CHILDREN. SO WITH THAT I URGE YOU -- THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU MR. YOUR COMMENTS, MR. THOMPSON. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE -- PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS -- BARTLEY AND I AM A RESIDENT OF KELLY VILLAGE, WHICH IS, IF THE EXPANSION AND SO FAR AS I KNOW THE EXPANSION IS COMING, I WILL BE AFFECTED, MEANING MY ADDRESS IS 3002 BUCK STREET, I WILL BE DISPLACED, WILL NOT HAVE A HOME. SO AGAIN, I AM A RESIDENT OF KELLY VILLAGE. A FELLOW TEXAN THAT ALSO IS BEING DISPLACED BECAUSE OF THE EXPANSION THAT MAJORITY ARE CLUELESS TO WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THEM. TO WHERE CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS WILL PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, OR JEOPARDIZE THEIR HOMES TO PROTEST FOR OUR RIGHTS. WHY ONLY CERTAIN OFFICIALS KNOW ABOUT THIS EXPANSION, WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE DISABLED, BLIND, AND DEAF, AND HARDSHIPS OF SINGLE PARENTS AND HOMES, WHICH IS ME, I'M A SINGLE PARENT. I WOULD LOVE TO CHANGE THE FACT THAT EVERYONE BECOME ONE BODY, ONE MIND AND ALSO UNITE TOGETHER TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR VOICES, OUR SELF CONTROL, AND OUR SELF-ESTEEM. ALL THIS IS DOING IS REALLY TRYING TO TAKE US BACK TO SLAVERY TIMES. I CAN'T AFFORD TO BE HOMELESS AGAIN. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR NO ONE ELSE, BURY CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR WHAT'S RIGHT AND THAT'S RIGHT NOW, AND I STAND FOR RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MISS BARTLEY FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO RECALL AND SEE, IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THAT SIGNED UP TODAY, AGAIN, MICHAEL GAUCI. MICHAEL GAUCI? AND THE SECOND PERSON IS DICK KELLERMAN. IS MR. KELLERMAN PRESENT NOW? THAT'S OUR SECOND EFFORT FOR THOSE TWO. THAT NOW COMPLETES ALL THE OPEN COMMENT CARDS. AT THIS TIME WE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071. FOR THE RECORD, THE TIME IS 11:51, A.M. THE COMMISSION HAS CONCLUDED ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THE MEETING OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IS RECONVENED. FOR THE RECORD, THE TIME IS 1:09 P.M. BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY CONDUCTED THE OPEN COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING, AND ALL OF THE ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ARE COMPLETED, IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION? THERE BEING NONE, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> SO MOVED. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RYAN. MAY I HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE." >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED. (ADJOURNED 1:09 P.M.)