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Highway might go ahead on larger scale
Published December 31, 2006
The plan: A developer would come in and pay to widen Highway 36 to four lanes from Port Freeport to West Columbia.
The cost: Nothing.
Zachry American Infrastructure has received permission from Brazoria County Commissioners to pursue the project with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Zachry intends to widen and then maintain the highway for the next 35 years. It plans on being reimbursed from the highway department with a pass-through toll agreement, which a government entity or developer, in this case, would be reimbursed for how many cars use the highway after it is built.
Now commissioners are considering the idea of expanding the private development all through Brazoria County and into Fort Bend and possibly Austin counties.
Zachry representatives have met with Fort Bend County Judge Robert Heber, and he expressed his interest in the project in a letter to the transportation department sent Dec. 18.
“With another hurricane season fast approaching, the Highway 36 project is a priority to our counties and the Gulf Coast,” Heber said in the letter. “The public-private approach assures the timely development of the project.”
County Judge-elect E.J. “Joe” King, who will take office Monday, said he supports the private development of the project. Widening the highway for a hurricane evacuation route would do no good if it exits only at the Brazoria County line, he said.
Using a private developer to pay for the highway’s construction may be different but would be quicker than trying to pay for the project with public funds.
“If that’s the way to get it done, that’s good,” he said.
Even though Heber has announced interest in joining the project, Brazoria County officials also are trying to bring in Austin County so the highway would be expanded to four lanes all the way to Interstate 10.
“It would really be better if we got this corridor all the way to I-10,” said County Engineer Gerald Roberts. “We’re really just trying to see if they want to get on board.”
No official deal has been made but one likely will come in the first months of 2007. Commissioner Dude Payne has scheduled meetings with King and Heber regarding the project, he said.
“To do Highway 36 right, you need to have them on board, too,” Payne said.
Brazoria County Commissioners Court will have three new faces Monday. King will take over as county judge, while Matt Sebesta and Mary Ruth Rhodenbaugh will be sworn in as commissioners for precincts 2 and 4, respectively.
John Tompkins covers Brazoria County commissioners for The Facts. Contact him at (979) 849-8581.
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