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Pearland backs out of pass-through talks
Published November 1, 2009
PEARLAND — After getting a second chance with a state highway financing program, Pearland city officials now are pulling out of negotiations that could have reimbursed the city for widening FM 865.
The city announced Thursday it failed to meet a deadline on the pass-through financing program that reimburses local entities for highway projects. Pearland and Harris County hoped for reimbursement to widen 4 miles FM 865, or Cullen Parkway, from FM 518 to Almeda-Genoa Road in Harris County Precinct 1. The program would have reimbursed about $24.6 million for the project over the next 10 to 20 years.
A pass-through project is funded by a local entity and the highway department repays it for a percentage of work done, based on negotiated agreements.
“The funding program just didn’t work out,” Pearland Assistant City Manager Mike Hodge said. “That’s pretty much what it amounted to.”
Pearland said they could not come to an agreement with Harris County officials on how to share the reimbursed funds from the state. The final amount had to be turned in to the Texas Transportation Commission by Oct. 23, Hodge said. The final list of projects, which included a project to widen segments of Highway 36 in Brazoria County, was approved Thursday, officials said.
Harris County officials will meet with Pearland about the project, said David Ellison, spokesman for Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee. FM 865 is in Lee’s precinct.
Ellison said he could not comment further.
Several governmental entities applied for pass-through financing when the program started in 2006.
The Transportation Department suspended the program soon after, due to lack of funds, but then reinstated it in February 2009, announcing that about $273 million would be available.
Pearland originally applied for pass-through financing the first time and applied again when the program started again.
The Transportation Commission included the FM 685 widening project in a list of 10 projects that received preliminary approval in September for pass-through financing.
Transportation Department officials said since the project is not eligible for pass-through reimbursement now, the funds set aside for the projected will be allotted if there is another call for projects.
“If it meets the requirements at another time, they can apply for it then,” said Kelli Petras, Transportation Department spokeswoman. “They’ll have to wait until the next program call.”
Hodge said if the opportunity arises, the city would pursue the reimbursement.
“We’re doing what we can,” he said.
Pearland voters passed a $162 million bond issue in 2007 for infrastructure improvements including the FM 865 project. Widening the road was supposed to ease congestion for Pearland drivers moving through the city north and south, Hodge said. The road is under construction, according to a release from the city.
John Tompkins is senior reporter for The Facts. Contact him at 979-849-8581.
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