TxDOT's Dirty Trick-closes popular relief route

Terri Hall (photo)

Founder/Director San Antonio Toll Party & TURF
WEB: www.SATollParty.com /www.TexasTURF.org

TxDOT’s Dirty Trick
Closes popular relief route used by Timberwood Park residents to eliminate free alternative to 281 toll road

As if US 281 traffic snarls aren’t bad enough due to TxDOT’s man-made congestion through signal light manipulation, now TxDOT or the County has shut down a favorite bypass route Timberwood Park residents use to avoid the back-up at the lights on 281.

“I’ve received several emails from supporters alarmed at the road closure. There is no rational reason to close a relief artery for residents other than the dreaded non-compete clause associated with the 281 toll road,” says Terri Hall, Founder/Director of San Antonio Toll Party. Residents of Timberwood Park have been taking Evans Road to and from 281 since it goes right to Borgfeld (Evans Rd. turns into Canyon Gulf) and cuts out five stoplights between Borgfeld and Evans.

The road turned into Dal-Cin at Borgfeld and the two-lane section across Borgfeld still bears that name. The new four-lane Canyon Gulf winds through developments that are barely populated and still largely under construction.

However, this weekend the road was closed off. It’s obvious from this photo (view here: http://satollparty.com that it’s not a temporary closure either.
“I can see parts of bumpers where people have already hit these posts, probably at night because it is very dark out here,” said one resident.

“This is a four-lane road just yards from a fire station. If there is a fire in the new development, the fire trucks will now have to wind their way down Timberline and other two lane roads through Timberwood Park in order to help anyone.”

The Alamo Regional Mobility Authority (ARMA) confirmed at the December 3 Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting that the US 281 toll project will, in fact, have a non-compete clause. A non-compete clause is where the ARMA agrees not to expand any roads surrounding the tollway so as not to “compete” with the toll revenues. So eliminating or clogging free alternatives is the goal of a non-compete agreement in order to maximize toll revenues.

“Either the tolling authority is getting prepared to implement the non-compete even before any contract is signed, or the County (headed by a pro-toll Judge) has decided to put the screws to residents snarling traffic so badly they cry ‘uncle’ and beg for the toll road,” thinks Hall.

Terri Hall