MoPAC/MoNAC update (February 2008)

MoPac 1 Project Status Report to MoNAC - Feb 2008

Due to the cash-flow and funding “crunch” that TxDOT is experiencing (and which has been reported in the media over the past few months), the MoPac 1 project is experiencing a bit of a slowdown in schedule, and consequently, the noise wall workshops that had been planned for early 2008 will now have to be postponed until mid-year, although an exact schedule has not yet been determined. The NEPA Public Involvement process for the corridor is continuing, however, and assuming continued favorable public response, the project is still expected to move forward over the next couple of years.

The Aesthetics Advisory Committee (AAC) meetings concluded in August. A copy of the AAC summary report can be found on the MoPac 1 project website http://www.mopac1.org The project team was fortunate to have active citizen participation which provided helpful guidance on the various aesthetic elements of the project (e.g. noise barriers and landscaping elements, etc.). The group was so dynamic that TxDOT has decided to invite the members to critique detailed concepts during the detailed design phase.

The next project activity involving the public will be a series of noise workshops. The project team will divide the approximately seven miles of potential barriers into 13 segments, and will invite the adjacent property owners, as well as neighbors, to the workshops to present the potential barriers. At some point in the future, the adjacent property owners will then have an opportunity to vote on whether or not they want a noise barrier built along their property in areas where the walls are determined reasonable and feasible. Non-adjacent property owners can provide input but only adjacent property owners can vote. The majority vote will determine the outcome for each individual barrier. We expect these workshops to occur in mid 2008 – check the MoPac1 website for information on the exact dates.

The Sample Noise Wall installation on Bull Creek Road is complete, and it is expected that TxDOT will host a ribbon-cutting event soon to let the public know of its availability for viewing. We will get the word out to MoNAC as soon as such an event is scheduled. The sample barriers are located at the TxDOT Bull Creek campus on the east side of Bull Creek Road across from the Westminster Manor retirement facility. Please note that this sample barrier does not represent the designs that would be used for the MoPac 1 project, nor will it demonstrate noise abatement, but will provide a sense of scale and visual appearance of a representative barrier.

We thank everyone for their continued interest in this unique and important project.

More info at the MoNAC website http://www.main.org/monac/