More Sidewalks Needed

Last year I owned a shuttle company in town ferrying clients from airports, hotels, etc. Many of my clinets would complain about the lack of sidewalks along the Frontage roads (access roads). Just getting to a restaurant or convenience store took courage to brave the traffic alongside you. Last week, I witnessed to gentlemen in their suits walking along the grass on Frontage Rd to some unknown destination. I finally decided to write about this situation.

When the Expressway 77/83 Frontage roads and FM 802 were widened, I really thought (stupid of me) that, FINALLY, sidewalks would be installed. I had grown tired of watching people walking on the uneven grass or even worse, on the road, to get to some destiation. THen, to my dissappiontment, no sidewalks were built!? Why? If Brownsville wants to change its image, it begins with simple things like being able to get around town without a car. A sidewalk may not be the greatest image of a city but, man, when you need one, you really appreciate it a lot.

I thought that TxDot and the city of Brownsville was becoming more proactive in building sidewalks. After the construction of the Linear Park and hike/bike trail along the old RR lines, I was sure that more sidewalks would be built. Ha, what a joke. Com'on Brownsville and TxDot, you can do better.

Here is a list of some roads that I think need sidewalks, though I'm sure that every street in Brownsville needs one but for sure these (if you can think of any other streets in dire need of sidewalks, please comment on it):

1. Frontage Rds (all within city limits!)

2. FM 802

3. Pablo Kisel

4. Jose Marti (BCC)

5. Boca Chica Blvd

6. Sam Pearl Blvd between Levee St and the B&M Int'l Bridge (ASAP!!!), Comm. Camarillo, I did bring this up to you several times!

7. Central Blvd

8. Sports Park entrance road

9. Old HW 77

10. Price Rd.

To name of few.

West Parkway Needed

Well, It's been a while since I've written but here I go again. This time I will talk about a hot issue concerning the proposed West Loop a.k.a West Parkway. I feel that I am in the monority but that's OK cuz I see things differently than most and think about long term when it comes to economic development.

West Parkway, as envisioned by the CCRMA, will connect the B&M Int'l Bridge via the soon-to-be abandoned RR line to the Expressway 77/83 (maybe someday I-69) just north of the 77 Flea Market. See the CCRMA Neighborhood Meeting 2009 for more on the West Parkway proposed project.

Why do I support it when most are against it, you ask? Well, economics and mobility. The west side of Brownsville is stagnant, economically. I live on this side of town and simply don't see much growth happening here. Commissioner Troiani once told me that he did not support the West Parkway because many residents were against it and mentioned that it would be better to develop HW 281 into a limited access highway. But the reality is that the cost of expanding HW 281 and developing it into an expressway will be far more costly on just purchasing the ROWs and far more residents would be against such a plan. Many years and public meetings will have passed before any such project could get underway while the price tag increases.

That is why Brownsville and Cameron County has the next best option and that is to use the existing railroad and turn it into a highway. Very little ROW is reqiured, thus bringing down the cost and the rail already connect directly to Matamoros, which is also working on building a new highway that connects to Monterrey. This new connection between Matamoros and north Expressway 77/83 will create new economic opportunities to the west side of Brownsville.

Not only will the west side have a positive gain but also downtown Brownsville. One of the major flaws of the downtown is simply having access to a highway such as the expressway. Just to travel from the expressway to the core business district of downtown requires at about 10 blocks. People who want to gain acces to the downtown area have no choice but to go either from the expressway or Palm Blvd. Both of which require extensive driving. Having a more direct acces to downtown will help bring people closer and invest in the area once a connection to the northern section of the city is achieved.

If there is ever to be a binational river walk on the Rio Grande river as envisioned by Imaginge Brownsville masterplan, then this vital vehiculare arterial link is necessary to help locals and tourists reach this new entertainment district. Imagine,no pun intended, the traffic jam piling up on six/seventh street and University Blvd to get to the river walk. This reminds me of when traffic would back up to the expressway in the '80s and '90s to get the the Gateway and B&M Int'l bridges. Not a good scenario. West Parkway would cut down on this nightmare of a situation.

UTB/TSC would definatley benefit with a direct access to the ITEC center. As more students and companies call ITEC home and campus, then the traffic will build up on Palm Blvd and cause major headaches for all.

There is simply too many benefits to the West Parkway than there are negative to list here. Those who oppose the project do not see far enough into the future. West Parkway is needed and its benefits will soon outweigh the negative. Just as the current expressway changed the image and demographics of Brownsville in a way that it could not have been envisioned fifty years ago, the same will be with the West Parkway project.

If the project fades into obscurity, so will half of our city. Therefore, I support the West Parkway project.