Mischer News

As the future rolls in and a new year approaches area residents can look forward to some new projects making their way into town. These projects include a commuter rail from Houston to Galveston, a levee protection system along the gulf coast, a desalination plant, a Grand Parkway and some road projects in Friendswood. While the levee project and the desalination plant are in the beginning study stages, the other projects are moving along. "Commuter rail, Ike Dike, desalination plants, those projects, their time may be arriving," Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough said recently in a speech to the Friendswood Chamber of Commerce.

Commuter Rail:
The city has joined the Gulf Coast Rail District and is looking at the two possible rail options in the area to develop a commuter rail. Yarbrough shared, “the rails are cooperating because they want to work to use those lines better.” The Metropolitan Transit Authority, Harris County and Fort Bend County have also joined in pursuing a commuter rail."All the counties involved want it to happen," Yarbrough said. "Everybody wants this to happen and there's money there to make it happen. We've just got to figure out the logistics.“

Earlier this year Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas and City Manager Steve LeBlanc travelled to Washington D.C. to secure federal money for the project. They shared how the rail would be cheaper than expanding I-45, and would connect Galveston to League City and League City to Houston in two legs. Galveston is now backed with federal funds to study the project under Federal Transit Administration Guidelines. "This project has a lot of merit, a lot of possibility, and we're working on it," Yarbrough said. "I think someday down the road it will happen."

Grand Parkway:
The Grand Parkway, or State Highway 99, will be a 185 mile highway around greater Houston and will be funded with toll receipts. Again Yarbrough was hopeful, "I think the Grand Parkway is coming," he said. "We are negotiating with the property owner right now for purchase of right of way in Galveston County. We're behind the segments that connect some of the other parts of the Grand Parkway, but we are beginning to look at right of way and beginning to move in that direction." The move will be to build this highway as another option for evacuation and to lesson truck traffic on existing highways.

IKE DIKE Levee Protection System:
"We're looking at a levee protection system that will stretch from the Louisiana-Texas coast down through Brazoria County," Yarbrough said. The city has joined a local government organization comprised of Galveston , Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Brazoria and Harris Counties, to look at the possibilities and options for a levee protection system.

"Why is it important?” Yarbrough asked, “No. 1, I think over the years we have proven that we can develop building codes that protect us from wind problems. We did not have the wind issues with Ike that we had during Alicia. What we had was surge issues, flood issues. So this is an opportunity, not to say it will ever pan out, to see if we can find some kind of levee system that will extend across the Texas coast with appropriate gated-type openings at Port Arthur, Galveston-Houston and Freeport. It's a worthy project for us to look at."

Desalination Plant:
The City has also been working with the Gulf Coast Water Authority and the Houston-Galveston Area Council to determine possible sites and options for a desalination plant. One plant near Scholes Field in Galveston has been proposed. This plant, which produces 50-million gallons of water per day, would decrease reliance on water sources outside the city.

The only setback is that a project of this magnitude would require substantial federal funding, but Yarbrough is hopeful, "It's a natural for Galveston County or Brazoria County," he said. "We've got plenty to water to make that happen. Prices, technology and everything else, that's coming."

Other Projects Underway:
There are also a number of road projects in the beginning stages, three of which include Friendswood. One project, the Melody Lane project will cost $4.2 million, and another of the projects will be on Downtown (FM) 518 which will cost $1.5 million. "The surveyors were out the other day on Sunnyview and Skyview, and the contracts are out on Melody Lane," Yarbrough said.

In November of 2008 Galveston County residents approved $75 million in road bonds, and the $6.9 million needed for the Friendswood road projects is part of this amount. Taxes were also raised 6 cents per $100 valuation to help cover costs."We sold the bonds in September and pushed the tax impact to next year," Yarbrough said. "We anticipate (property) values bouncing back, not to where they were a couple of years ago, but bouncing back somewhat and we are hopeful that we can get the bounce back in values at the lower interest rate where you won't have any impact on your taxes as a result of the bond issue. If we can pull that off it will be a good day."

Source: www.hcnonline.com/friendswood_journal.com