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January 17, 2017 <br />Mayor A.J. Hashmi and Paris City Councilors <br />Paris City Council <br />135 SE 1st St. <br />Paris, TX 75460 <br />Dear Paris City Council: <br />As you aware, US 271 serves as a vital transportation corridor throughout East Texas. It impacts the <br />lives of approximately 495,000 citizens, daily, who live and work in the corridor of the seven counties of <br />Smith, Gregg, Upshur, Camp, Titus, Lamar and Red River. The highway also provides valuable north - <br />south connectivity for travelers between 1 -20 and 1 -30, and possibly 1 -40 in Oklahoma in the near future, <br />representing an important economic asset for more than 42,000 businesses located in these counties. <br />The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has plans to construct $310M in improvements by <br />2025 on US 271. These proposed improvements are well overdue and highly anticipated. However, it is <br />greatly encouraged that TxDOT significantly accelerate funding and construction of these improvements <br />so that the corridor can be a safe and effective transportation link sooner versus later. <br />Enclosed with this letter are supporting materials including a sample resolution with attachments for <br />your usage in advocating the earlier committal of these improvements to 271. It is the desire of a <br />coalition of business persons to public officials to have Paris City Council adopt the enclosed resolution <br />as a symbol of support for TxDOT to more urgently commit to funding 271 at an earlier timeframe. <br />Thank you, <br />Chris Miller, <br />Executive Director NET RMA <br />/ <br />� V <br />Mr. John Cloutier, <br />Chair NET RMA Long Range Planning Committee <br />CC: Ms. Linda Thomas, NET RMA Chair, Jeff Austin III, Austin State Bank <br />