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08-D NETMOBDRAFT F:~Attorney~ALICE~RESWORK\CURRENTLNETMOB Hwy 24 Res.wpd October 7, 2002 RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, PARIS, TEXAS, IN SUPPORT OF THE NORTHEAST TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY COUNCIL (NETMOB) DEVELOPING STATE HIGHWAY 24 FROM A TWO LANE ROADWAY TO A FOUR LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY, THUS CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN PARIS AND INTERSTATE 30 THROUGH DELTA COUNTY; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the Northeast Texas Regional Mobility Council (NETMOB) was organized to improve transportation systems and technology infrastructure through regional cooperation, planning, and the investment of public and private funds; and, WHEREAS, this purpose will facilitate better public safety, economic development, and accessibility; and, WHEREAS, State Highway 24 is four lane divided from Interstate 30 to Paris with the exception of 18.6 miles in Delta County; and, WHEREAS, State Highway 24 is a part of the Texas Trunk System and the National Highway System providing a vital link for industry and commerce; and, WHEREAS, this section of highway has received priority status through the commitment of Federal funds; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, PARIS, TEXAS: Section 1. That the findings set out in the preamble to this resolution are hereby in all things approved. Section 2. That the City Council of the City of Paris fully supports and endorses the efforts of NETMOB to close this transportation gap on State Highway 24. Section 3. That this resolution shall be effective from and after its date of passage. PASSED AND APPROVED this 14th day of October, 2002. ATTEST: Michael J. Pfiester, Mayor Mattie Cunningham, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Larry W. Schenk, City Attorney MEMORANDUM To: Paris City Council From: Don Wall, Chairman Date: October 14, 2002 My reason for contacting you at this time is a matter of utmost importance to the Paris Community. The Northeast Texas Regional Mobility Council (NETMOB) is making a plea before the Texas Transportation Commission on Thursday, October 31, 2002 in Austin. NETMOB will be asking for the commitment of construction dollars to expand State Highway 24 to a four lane divided highway in Delta County. This four lane highway access for Paris to connect to Interstate 30 is critical to. the economic development of Paris and Lamar County. TxDOT has committed almost 90% of its projected funds in the Paris District for the next four years. What this means to us in Paris is that we will have very little if any opportunity to get any highway construction that directly benefits Paris for the next six years. As a matter of fact, this Highway 24 project may very well be our only shot at highway construction for the next six years. It is absolutely imperative that we support this effort and let the Texas Transportation Commission know that we want this project. We need every elected official and every warm body we can get to be in Austin for this delegation appearance. I humbly solicit your support and attendance at this most important meeting. The future of transportation in Lamar County is at stake. TEXAS Serving Paris & kamar County · 1651 Clarksville Street · Paris, Texas 75460 · 903/'/84.2501 Fax 903/784.2503 · www,paristexas.com State Hi,qhway 24 The Deleqation: The "North East Texas Regional Mobility Council" was formed in 2001 by groups of people from Delta, Hopkins, Hunt, and Lamar Counties. The Council, which is an incorporated non- profit organization, goes by the moniker "NETMOB." · NETMOB's purpose for being is to improve for all modes of transportation - air, rail, highways, and technology infrastructure - that traverse and serve northeast Texas. · NETMOB membership includes civic leaders and elected officials, but is open to anyone who is interested in transportation in northeast Texas. · Shortly after its incorporation, NETMOB chose, as its first priority, to foous on completion of the widening of State Highway 24, from 2-lanes to 4-lanes, across Delta County. The Proiect: State Highway 24 begins at exit 101 on Interstate 30, and traverses through Hunt, Delta, and Lamar Counties, and the dties of Commerce and Cooper, to the dty of Paris and US 271. State Highway 24 is approximately 47.0 miles in length, and TxDOT has widened approximately 30.4 miles (or 65%) of State Highway 24 to four lanes, over the course of fourteen construction projects. The first of these widening projects was the Cooper bypass, which was completed in 1967. 16.6 miles of State Highway 24 remain as a two-lane facility, and this gap needs to be completed. [This is the project and the presentation request: please help us to close this gap by funding right-of-way acquisition and utility adjustments along the entire gap, and construction along the gap between State Highway 19 and the city of Cooper (acquisition and construction documents for work between SH 19 and Cooper are nearing completion; construction documents for the section between Cooper and Hunt County line are still a few years away).] State Highway 24 is a connector route between Interstate 30 and US 271 (and eventually the Indian Nation Turnpike and Interstates 40 and 44 in Oklahoma) which was chosen as a Texas Trunk System route by the Texas Transportation Commission, in 1997. [The Texas Trunk System is a network of highways that augment Texas' Interstate Highway System. Selection criteria for this designation includes connection with principal highways from adjacent states, and highways which serve as a pdndpal connector for Texas cities with populations greater than 20,000.] Unfortunately, funding to widen the remaining two-lane sections of State Highway 24 to four lanes has yet to be allocated by TxDOT. The Presentation: · NETMOB's presentation before the Texas Transportation Commission is a continuation of seven previous appearances by the State Highway 24 Association. These previous appearances, the first of which was on October 26, 1983, were the catalysts for obtaining funding for a majority of the previous widening projects along the State Highway 24 corridor, in Delta, Hunt, and Lamar Counties. The direct result of the Association's last appearance before the Texas Transportation Commission (on February 26, 1998) is the $18.6 million construction project that is currently taking place on State Highway 24 in Hunt County, between Commerce and the roadside park in Delta County. · NETMOB's presentation will focus on the three benefits that the completion of State Highway 24 to a 4-lane facility will offer to all of Texas: Congestion relief to the Metroplex: If north-to-south through traffic is given a four-lane bypass route that does not go through the Metroplex, it will use it, thereby reducing traffic volumes along the already overtaxed North Central Expressway. Air Quality relief for the Metroplex: A couple of years ago, the TNRCC tried to solve the air quality problems of the Metroplex by enlarging the sample area (as opposed to addressing the issue directly and working to reduce emissions). This proposed enlargement of the sample area would have placed the four NETMOB counties into the Metroplex's sample area. Had this happened, these four counties would currently be classified as being out-of-compliance with federal air quality standards, or non-attainment areas. NETMOB's four counties fought diligently to stay out of the Metroplex's sample area because they knew that this dubious distinction would be detrimental to their local economies. NETMOB is not seeking to bring air pollution problems to their communities. They believe that by providing a short-term exposure bypass of the Metroplex (of which State Highway 24 would be a part), vehicle air emission exposure times will be reduced within the Metroplex, thereby reducing the potential health and economic risks posed to NETMOB counties by their large, out-of-compliance neighbor. Economic Development: Based upon the 2000 census, 114 Texas cities have populations greater than 20,000. [Highways which serve as a principal connector for Texas cities with populations greater than 20,000 is a Texas Trunk System selection criteria.] Only three of these 114 cities do not have direct access, or four-lane highway access, to the Interstate Highway System within Texas. One of these three '~vithout access cities" is the city of Paris (population 25,898). Industries within Delta and Lamar Counties pay a transportation premium because they do not have four-lane access to the Interstate Highway System. The economic development foundations within these counties have a difficult time attracting new industries to their communities because they do not have four-lane access to the Interstate Highway System. The Importance of this Presentation: TxDOT has identified specific projects for almost 90% of its projected funding for the next four years. Very few of the selected projects are in Delta, Hopkins, Hunt, and Lamar Counties. The Texas Transportation Commission will allocate the 10% of projected funding which remains, to specific projects in the very near future. So this is it. Near term project selection is soon to be complete. We need to have our voices heard as one. · It is therefore of paramount importance that NETMOB's appearance and presentation before the Texas Transportation Commission be widely supported and attended. The Texas Transportation Commission takes notice when communities work together and travel great distances in support of worthwhile projects. [The Texas Transportation Commission also takes notice when delegation appearances are sparsely supported/attended.] NETMOB was formed because the leaders of our communities realize that when good things appear to happen for some of us, they actually happen for all of us, in northeast Texas. And, when we work together to accomplish something, it can and will happen. The timing is right. Congressman Max Sandlin recently obtained almost $1,000,000 in federal funding to help TxDOT and the citizens of northeast Texas to continue to work towards "closing the gap" on this important corridor. The Texas Transportation Commission knows that State Highway 24 has Congressional support. What it needs to see is that it also has local support. All that we need is your support! Please join us in Austin on October 31, 2002 at 9:00 am at the Greet Building (125 E. 11th Street), and support the future for our communities.