Texas Transportation Commissioner Jeff Moseley met with Pearland and Brazoria County officials at the Pearland Chamber of Commerce monthly mobility committee meeting Thursday (Nov. 14). Appointed by Governor Rick Perry in June 2012, Moseley is one of five commissioners who govern the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDot).
Matt Buchanan, President at Pearland Economic Development Corporation, opened the meeting; outlining commercial and residential growth statistics and the launch of the 288 Municipal Management District.
"We hope to work with the state to improve the appearance of the State Highway 288 (SH 288) area through the new 288 Municipal Management District," he said. "Our goal is to clean up that area to make a better first impression to those coming into our city to help attract people and businesses to our community."
Trent Epperson, Pearland's Director of Project Management, outlined a number of projects, including ongoing construction on State Highway 35 (SH35) and needed improvements to Farm to Market Road 518 (FM 518) which he said are the city's top transportation priorities.
"The SH35 widening project was originally scheduled to be complete in late 2012 and is now significantly behind schedule. The main reason we wanted to bring this forward is these delays are really affecting the businesses along that corridor," Epperson said. "We now see a light at the end of the tunnel. The most recent traffic switch really helped the businesses there. But, we still expect that area to be under construction through April of next year.
"I think the main thing we want to do is to make sure as we move forward is that April time frame is not moved any further out and we can get everything back up and running," he said.
Alleviating traffic problems on the west end of the city along FM518 was another top priority, Epperson said.
"FM 518 is a very important transportation artery. It is the nexus of Pearland's retail and commercial area with Pearland Town Center on the southwest corner just west of SH288." he said. "In fact, all four corners there have a significant retail component. We've got the Memorial Hermann site and also the future site of the Alvin ISD high school.
"The last major reconstruction was roughly 20 years ago on the segment from SH35 to Friendswood and (west side improvements) need to be looked at in the very near future."
But, it was the proposed SH288 toll road that took center stage. Matt Sebesta, Brazoria County Commissioner, Precinct 2, made a presentation outlining the project's progress and correct status.
"We expect construction to begin in the first quarter of 2015 and hopefully we will open the facility in 2017 from County Road 59 all the way up to the MacGregor area," he said.
Commissioner Moseley said the proposed SH288 toll road project had become a top priority for TxDot officials.
"We've identified the top 100 congestion points in the state. It helps us prioritize how we can leverage these precious gasoline tax dollars that aren't nearly enough; that's why SH 288 is a strategic corridor," Moseley said.
Two portions of SH288 are listed among the state's most congested roadways, including an 11-mile section stretching from the Beltway to Loop 610, a section now included in the proposed toll road.
"SH288 has become a dynamic corridor where we see a large percentage of the area's workforce moving in and out," Moseley said. "The Texas Medical Center has 100,000 workers who report to work every day with about 10 percent commuting from this region. That's a wonderful reason why this project is a priority for the state to look at to enhance mobility along SH 288. "
Moseley served as chief executive officer of the Greater Houston Partnership prior to his appointment where he worked on numerous regional transportation policy efforts. In addition to serving as Transportation Commissioner, Moseley is a partner in Griffith Moseley Johnson and Associates which provides economic development and site selection consulting.
"I have worked with Commissioner Moseley for many years in various capacities," Carol Artz-Bucek, Chamber President and CEO said in a press release announcing the event. "I am thrilled he again represents the entire State of Texas; although, this time for better mobility and, he lives and breathes the Houston region transportation issues we all experience daily."
The Pearland Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee meets monthly at the Commerce Center located at 6117 Broadway. For more information, call 281-485–3634 or visit www.pearlandchamber.com[1]
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