Aug 20, 2024 City Council Meeting Work Session

AND 89. NOTHING ON MY.

[00:00:01]

IT APPEARS THAT EVEN THAT ADDITIONAL BUILDING STRUCTURE IS IN VIOLATION OF THE SITE PLAN.

THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO. SO THE ITEM IN QUESTION RIGHT NOW IS THE NEW PATIO RATE, WHICH I GUESS FROM THIS AREA YOU CAN'T SEE IT WASN'T BUILT YET.

SO THIS THIS STRUCTURE WAS ALREADY EXISTING, RIGHT? BUT IT'S NOT REALLY THE ITEM THAT WE'RE VOTING ON RIGHT NOW.

I GUESS NOT IN.

[00:05:31]

[1. CALL TO ORDER, ESTABLISH QUORUM]

ON THE COUNCIL, MAYOR RAMIRO GARZA JR.

MAYOR PRO TEM DANIEL DAN DIAZ, COUNCIL MEMBER JASON DELEON, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID SALAZAR JR.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID WHITE SITTING IN AS ADVISERS, CITY MANAGER MYRA AYALA AND CITY ATTORNEY JOSEPHINE RAMIREZ SOLIS, AND NOW LIVE FROM EDINBURG CITY HALL.

THE EDINBURG CITY COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. IT IS 5:00 ON THE MIC.

ALL RIGHT. IT IS 5:00.

I'M GOING TO CALL THIS WORK SESSION MEETING TO ORDER.

I DO SEE WE HAVE A QUORUM WITH COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID SALAZAR AND MAYOR PRO TEM DAN DIAZ AND

[A. Pledge of Allegiance.]

AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IF YOU CAN PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR

[2. CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE]

CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE.

YES, SIR. MAYOR. THE MEETING WAS POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON

[3. DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST]

SIR. ITEM THREE IS DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

MAYOR. COUNCIL. UNDER STATE LAW, CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS IF A COUNCIL MEMBER, A CERTAIN MEMBER OF THAT PERSON'S FAMILY, HAS A QUALIFYING FINANCIAL INTEREST IN AN AGENDA ITEM. MEMBERS WITH A CONFLICT OF INTEREST CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION

[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

ARE THERE ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST TO DISCLOSE AT THIS TIME? NO. NO, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

ITEM FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

MAYOR. VERY WELL. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS.

[5. PRESENTATION AND REPORT]

[A. Presentation and Discussion Regarding the Alignment of State Highway 68 as Presented by the Texas]

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBER TIM COUNCILMAN SALAZAR.

TOM REYNA, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AS REQUESTED ON THE UPDATE FOR STATE HIGHWAY 68. WE HAVE MR. PEDRO AND MR. RICKS HERE TO GIVE US A SLIDE PRESENTATION AND AN UPDATE ON THE NEW ALIGNMENT FOR HIGHWAY 68. AND HE'LL BE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, MR. OLIVER. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCILMAN.

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

TO TO TALK ABOUT STATE HIGHWAY 68 PROJECT.

MAYOR, AS YOU MAY RECALL WE HAD A MEETING WITH YOUR WITH YOUR STAFF.

AT THAT MEETING, WE WERE ABLE TO DISCUSS SOME ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP REGARDING THE STATE HIGHWAY 68 PROJECT.

AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY, WE WENT AHEAD AND MET WITH THE WITH THE COMMITTEE BACK ON I BELIEVE IT'S JUNE 25TH MADE THIS PRESENTATION TO THEM AND ENTERTAINED VARIOUS QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS PROJECT.

I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN DE LEON AND THE REST OF YOUR STAFF FOR FOR ALLOWING US THAT OPPORTUNITY AND HAVING A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION AND EXCHANGE, IF YOU WILL. OKAY. SO THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION HERE, BUT THE PURPOSE OF ME PUTTING UP THIS SLIDE IS JUST TO, TO BASICALLY HAVE A TIMELINE.

TIMELINE ON, ON THIS PROJECT.

THE PUBLIC MEETING WAS HELD SEPTEMBER 2014, AND A PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING WAS HELD IN MARCH OF 2016 THAT BASICALLY KICKED OFF THE PROJECT.

WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO PRESENT TO THE PUBLIC WHAT IT WAS OUR INTENTION.

I'M GOING TO BE SKIPPING OVER SOME OF THESE JUST IN THE ESSENCE OF TIME.

SO SOME PRELIMINARY ALIGNMENTS WERE LOOKED AT A WHOLE BUNCH OVER 20.

WE SETTLED IN THERE THE PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS TO DO A FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE VARIOUS ALIGNMENTS IN JANUARY OF 2017, A PUBLIC MEETING WAS HELD.

THEN IN APRIL OF 2018, A PUBLIC HEARING WAS HELD.

IN THOSE MEETINGS, WE HEARD SOME FROM THE PUBLIC WHERE THEY ADVISED US OF SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD.

AND WITH THAT SAID, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS FOR THESE VARIOUS ALIGNMENTS AND

[00:10:06]

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM UP DESIGN MODIFICATION, ONE, TWO, THREE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH ALL THE WAY TO DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER SEVEN.

THE GOAL HERE WAS TAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS VERY SERIOUSLY, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MITIGATE, IF YOU WILL, AND BE WITHIN OUR DESIGN PARAMETERS, BUT YET ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF THE PUBLIC.

FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING, I'M GOING TO FOCUS OUR DISCUSSION ON DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE TIE IN POINT FOR STATE HIGHWAY 68 ONTO US 281, SOON TO BE I-69.

SO WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT'S IN THE WORKS AND WE'RE EXCITED FOR THAT PROJECT.

ANOTHER GREAT JOB HERE IN THE CITY OF EDINBURGH THAT WILL PROVIDE IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT AREA. SO ONE THING THAT I NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE UP FRONT, WHEN WE FIRST CAME UP WITH THE VARIOUS ALIGNMENTS AND LET ME SEE IF I CAN DO THIS REAL QUICK MOST. OKAY.

SO SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE PRELIMINARY ALIGNMENTS HERE ON 490 AND US 281, THESE ALIGNMENTS ALL SHOWED A TIE IN, IF YOU WILL, ALONG US 81 AND FM 480.

WHAT I WANT TO TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND ACKNOWLEDGE IS WE FAILED.

I FAILED IN PRESENTING THE ALIGNMENTS FOR THE THE DIRECT CONNECTORS, THE BRIDGES, IF YOU WILL, THE MAIN LANES IF YOU WILL, WOULD GO ALONG FM 490.

BUT THE DIRECT CONNECTORS BASED ON THEIR CURVATURE, IF YOU WILL, WOULD HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE OF THOSE ALIGNMENTS.

SO. LET ME, LET ME THEN FOCUS HERE.

WE HAD TO TAKE SEVERAL THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN COMING UP WITH A DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER SEVEN AT FM 490.

THERE ARE VERTICAL CONSTRAINTS.

SO BEAR WITH ME AS I TRY TO TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS.

THERE ARE VERTICAL CONSTRAINTS RIGHT HERE AT THE FM 490 AND US 281 INTERSECTION.

WE DO HAVE AN OVER AN EXISTING OVERPASS THERE.

THAT OVERPASS DOES NOT HAVE HIGH MASS ELIMINATION.

IT HAS THE SHORTER THE SHORTER ELIMINATION, IF YOU WILL, THE LIGHTS BECAUSE THE THE PATHWAY THE FLIGHT PATHWAY IS, IS ALONG THIS AREA IN ADDITION TO VERTICAL CONSTRAINTS BECAUSE OF THE.

THE FLIGHT PATH FOR THE AIRPORT.

WE HAD BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES HERE THAT WE.

WERE LOOKING OBVIOUSLY TO TO AVOID WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE.

AT TXDOT IS TO MINIMIZE THE DISPLACEMENTS, TO MINIMIZE YOU KNOW, THE HOW IT AFFECTS PROPERTY OWNERS.

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S THEIR, THEIR HOMESTEAD OR COMMERCIAL BUILDING A BUSINESS, IF YOU WILL.

SO SORRY, JUST A RECORD TO REFLECT.

COUNCIL MEMBER DILLON HAS JOINED THE MEETING. THANK YOU SIR.

AND SO WE HAD TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE TOOK INTO INTO CONSIDERATION IS.

THE VARIOUS DESIGN PARAMETERS STARTING DOWN HERE, SHIFTING WE SHIFTED THE ALIGNMENT IN THIS GENERAL AREA.

IN ORDER TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT TO A SUBDIVISION, THE ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT IN THE BLUE LINE HERE THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT HAS OCCURRED SINCE 2014. AND SO THERE ARE SUBDIVISIONS THERE.

AND WE MOVED THE ALIGNMENT, THE RED, IF YOU WILL, TO TO MITIGATE AND AVOID DISPLACEMENT FOR THAT SUBDIVISION.

WE LOOKED AT REDUCING THE LENGTHS OF THE CURVE TO MAKE THOSE CURVES SAFER AND BASICALLY GET FOLKS BACK ONTO US 21 SOONER.

AND THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS IS OBVIOUSLY A STRAIGHT LINE. HERE WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY THE CURVATURE THAT'S REQUIRED FOR A PROJECT OF THIS MAGNITUDE.

I ALSO WANT THE RECORD REFLECT. COUNCILMEMBER DAVID WHITE IS JOINING THE MEETING. AS I MENTIONED AT THE VERY BEGINNING, OR, YOU KNOW, IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, FLIGHT PATH, THERE ARE FAA FEDERAL AVIATION REQUIREMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE LANDING PATH FOR THE THE THE AIRPLANES.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS SLIDE HERE IS BASICALLY TO DEMONSTRATE HERE'S THE RUNWAY.

HERE'S THE PLANE COMING INTO THE RUNWAY.

THIS GRAY AREA IS THE AREA THAT THE FAA BASICALLY EVALUATES IN GREEN.

IN GREEN IS THE EXISTING FM 490 OVERPASS AT 281.

AS YOU CAN SEE, GREEN MEANS GOOD.

IT'S GO. AND SO IT'S WITHIN THE THIS THIS AREA THAT STRUCTURES BUILDINGS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE WOULD BE PERMITTED IN RED ARE THE DIRECT CONNECTORS OR THE BRIDGES THAT WOULD CONNECT US 281 TO THE FUTURE STATE HIGHWAY 68.

[00:15:04]

AND BASICALLY THEY'RE WITHIN THE FLIGHT PATH FOR AIRPLANES LANDING THERE AT THE AIRPORT UP HERE, YOU SEE HIGH MAST ILLUMINATION, TYPICALLY ABOUT 150FT ABOVE THE GROUND.

AND THAT TOO IS IN RED.

SO ANYTHING THAT'S OUTSIDE THIS, THIS GRAY AREA IS CONSIDERED A CONFLICT, IF YOU WILL. AND WE TRY OUR VERY BEST TO, TO BE WITHIN THE REQUIREMENTS OF OF FAA.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE WENT IN AND BASICALLY MODIFIED THE TIE IN POINT OF STATE HIGHWAY 68 TO US 21 OR I-69C. AND BEAR WITH ME.

I'M GOING TO GO BACK A COUPLE OF SLIDES.

WHAT I'M REFERRING TO IS WE MODIFIED THAT ALIGNMENT INSTEAD OF TOUCHING A POINT HERE AT FM 490, WE MOVED IT NORTH APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE.

NOW, MIND YOU, I STARTED OFF THIS PRESENTATION BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE DID NOT SHOW THE DIRECT CONNECTORS AT THIS LOCATION.

THAT LOCATION WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF A MILE NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF FM 409 AND US 21. SO BY MOVING THIS ALIGNMENT TO THE NORTH, APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE, NOW THE PROPOSED OVERPASSES, BRIDGES AND DIRECT CONNECTOR, THEY'RE ALL IN GREEN, GREEN. GREEN MEANS GO.

AND SO THEY WOULD BE OUTSIDE OF THE FLIGHT PATH AND THEREFORE BASICALLY PROVIDING AND MEETING FAA REQUIREMENTS.

SO LET'S GO INTO A LITTLE DEEPER AS TO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO.

THIS IS A TYPICAL SECTION UP HERE OF OF THE STATE HIGHWAY 68 ULTIMATE ROADWAY CONFIGURATION. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE WOULD HAVE MAIN LANES NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND. AND THEN WE HAVE NORTHBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD AND SOUTHBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD.

SO ULTIMATELY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE STATE HIGHWAY 68 AS AN EXPRESSWAY TYPE FACILITY.

ONE DAY WE BELIEVE STATE HIGHWAY 68 IS GOING TO BE ACTUALLY AN INTERSTATE CONNECTING ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO THE PORTS OF ENTRY.

OKAY, SO THIS IS FM 490 RIGHT HERE.

MOVING THE ALIGNMENT NORTH ALLOWED US TO HAVE THE DIRECT CONNECTORS DESIGNED TO, TO TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

MR.. I HAVE A QUESTION.

YES, SIR. I GUESS A QUESTION FOR STAFF.

WHERE'S OUR AIRPORT? ON HERE.

IT'S ON 480, ISN'T IT? YEAH. SO IN YOUR PLANS, MR. ALVAREZ, DID YOU EVER CONSIDER THE AIRPORT MAYBE GOING BENEATH INSTEAD OF OVER IT? YES, SIR. IF I MAY, I'M GOING TO GO BACK.

AND DO YOU HAVE FFA REPORTS THAT THAT SUBSTANTIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I KNOW I'D HEARD IN THE PAST, BUT I NEVER KNEW IF THERE WAS AN ACTUAL STUDY DONE. YES. SO. SO YOU CAN SEE THESE ALIGNMENTS HERE.

WE ONLY SHOWED THE BASICALLY THE TOP SEVEN.

BUT WE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT ALIGNMENTS ON FM 2812.

WE LOOKED AT ALIGNMENTS NORTH OF FM 2812 FM CIBOLO CIBOLO ROAD 162.

WE LOOKED A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH, RAMSEIER AREA AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

THERE WERE OTHER CONSTRAINTS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE THE LANDFILL WAS ONE OF THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAD TO ACCOMMODATE AND THEREFORE WE HAD TO MOVE THE ALIGNMENT TO THE NORTH. SO YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE DID LOOK AT AT ALIGNMENTS SOUTH OF THE EDINBURGH AIRPORT. IT MET THE FAA REQUIREMENTS.

BUT THERE WERE OTHER CONSTRAINTS THAT PROHIBITED US MOVING FORWARD WITH WITH THOSE ALTERNATIVES. AND I GUESS, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THIS THIS EXPANSION IS COMING FROM THE BORDER GOING ACROSS AND LANDING ON I 69.

CORRECT? YES. SO SO THIS THE STATE HIGHWAY 68 PROJECT GOING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH IS JUST NORTH OF FM 490. GOES EAST IN THE VICINITY OF BRUSHLAND ROAD, THEN SOUTH CROSSES FM 1925.

MONTE CRISTO CROSSES STATE HIGHWAY 107.

HUGS FM 1423, WHICH IS VALVERDE ROAD AND ULTIMATELY INTERSECTS AT INTERSTATE TWO OR USED TO BE US 83 INTERSTATE TWO THERE IN THE ALAMO AREA, AND THEREFORE PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE FOR THE EXISTING I-69C.

SO BASICALLY, THE TRAFFIC WOULD HAVE AN OPTION TO UTILIZE I-69C OR STATE HIGHWAY 68 TO GET DOWN FURTHER SOUTH.

OKAY. SO HERE ARE WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING AS FAR AS THE STATE HIGHWAY 68 AT FM 490 HERE, WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO A FULL BLOWN OVERPASS WHERE BASICALLY STATE HIGHWAY 68 MAIN LANES WOULD GO OVER FM 490.

WITH THESE OVERPASS, WE ALSO DO WHAT WE CALL THE TEXAS TURNAROUNDS, THE U-TURNS, WHERE PEOPLE CAN MAKE A U-TURN AND COME BACK AROUND.

BUT THEN IT ALSO PROVIDES FULL ACCESS TO FM 490 SO PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS STATE HIGHWAY 68, EXIT ON 290 AND THEN UTILIZE THAT FM 490 AS WELL.

[00:20:02]

WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING AT TXDOT TO HELP IMPROVE ACCESS TO TO THE EDINBURGH AIRPORT AND PROVIDE ACCESS IN THIS ENTIRE AREA IS WE'RE PROPOSING TO DO A FIVE LANE FACILITY.

IN OTHER WORDS, TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION AND A CONTINUOUS LEFT TURN LANE.

WE BELIEVE THAT BY ADDING THIS TYPE OF CAPACITY, IT WOULD IMPROVE, IF YOU WILL, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CONNECTIVITY TO 281 FM ALONG FM 490 TO STATE HIGHWAY 68.

IT WILL ALSO, WE BELIEVE, ALLOW AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR IN THE AREA AND IN, YOU KNOW, JUST IN GENERAL PROVIDES ADDED CAPACITY ALONG THIS CORRIDOR.

AND THOSE ARE IN THOSE PLANS, ANYTHING WOULD THAT ALLOW FOR BIG, BIG RIGS COMING FROM THE BORDER TO ACCESS OUR FUTURE DREAM AND PLANS OF HAVING CARGO AT OUR AIRPORT? IS THERE GOING TO BE ACCESS THAT WAY? YES, SIR. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. SO I MENTIONED THE FM 490 AT 60 STATE HIGHWAY 68 OVERPASS RIGHT HERE.

THE WHOLE GOAL THERE IS TO PROVIDE THAT ACCESS.

SO SOMEBODY HEADING NORTH ON STATE HIGHWAY 68 EXITS UTILIZES Z490 AND IMPROVED FM4 90, NOW HAVING FIVE LANES TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE EDINBURGH AIRPORT.

THANK YOU. SO EXCUSE ME.

I'M GOING TO COMPARE A DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER SEVEN TO A DESIGN MODIFICATION SEVEN A AND IF YOU WILL BEAR WITH ME I HAVE A COUPLE OF THESE SLIDES TO TO LOOK AT.

AND BASICALLY POINT OUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE FACING WITH THE, THESE VARIOUS DESIGN MODIFICATIONS.

SO DESIGN MODIFICATION JUST TO, TO REITERATE DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER SEVEN, WE WENT BACK IN 2018, 2019, STARTED LOOKING AT IT AND MADE THE MODIFICATIONS. WE HAD A MEETING WITH, WITH YOUR STAFF AND WE WERE ASKED TO CONSIDER OTHER ALTERNATIVES. SO WE NAMED THOSE DESIGN MODIFICATIONS SEVEN A AS AN EXAMPLE.

WE LOOKED AT HAVING INSTEAD OF NUMBER SEVEN THAT YOU SEE HERE, WE WENT TO SEVEN A, WHICH IS A MUCH SHARPER TURN, RETURN TO AND THE CURVES ARE A LOT TIGHTER.

THE CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE FACING WITH THAT MODIFICATION.

SUPER SUPER ELEVATED SHARP CURVES.

BASICALLY THE CURVES NOW HAVE CURVATURE.

AND THAT'S NOT AS SAFE AS A FLAT CURVE IF YOU WILL.

THE RED SHADED AREAS ARE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE 100 YEAR FLOOD ZONES.

SO PUTTING A HIGHWAY IN A FLOOD ZONE YOU KNOW, IS NOT THE IDEAL SITUATION.

WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE FEATURES IN THE AREA BUILDINGS.

WE LOOKED AT ACCESS HOMES.

AND BASICALLY AT THAT POINT WE DETERMINED THAT DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER SEVEN A WAS NOT FEASIBLE. SEVEN B VERY SIMILAR FLOOD ZONES, ALIGNMENTS, SHARP CURVES.

THIS ONE WAS A LITTLE FLATTER BUT STILL WAS NOT MEETING OUR DESIGN REQUIREMENTS.

SEVEN C YOU'RE TALKING TO YOUR STAFF.

YOU SAID LOOK, ORIGINALLY IT WAS HERE FOR 90.

WE'RE PROPOSING UP HERE ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE.

THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, CAN WE DO SOMETHING IN BETWEEN? AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THAT, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO TO MAKE THAT ACCOMMODATION BECAUSE OF THE STATE HIGHWAY 68 CONNECTORS WAS WITHIN THAT GRAY AREA OF THE TRIANGLE THAT I SHOWED PREVIOUSLY.

THEREFORE, IT DID NOT MEET FAA, FAA REQUIREMENTS.

THIS IS 70 VERY SIMILAR, DID NOT MEET FAA REQUIREMENTS, FLOOD ZONES, BUILDINGS, HOMES, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THIS SLIDE I KNOW IT'S VERY BUSY, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO FOCUS ON THE COLORS. GREEN MEANS BEST.

YELLOW IS MEDIUM. RED IS WORSE.

AND SO DESIGN MODIFICATION.

THE DESIGN MODIFICATION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER SEVEN.

AS YOU CAN SEE SEVEN A, B, C AND D HAVE A LOT OF YELLOW AND A LOT OF RED. THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE I BASICALLY WENT WITH DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER SEVEN, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO ULTIMATELY DO.

THE ONE THAT HAS THE LEAST OVERALL IMPACTS FOR FOR THE COMMUNITY.

I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE LAST SLIDE. SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER FOR YOU THIS THIS AFTERNOON.

COUNCIL. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO OPEN IT UP TO ANYBODY ON COUNCIL.

WELL, PETE, THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR FIRST OF ALL, COMING BEFORE US TODAY.

I APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR SOME TIME. AND I KNOW WE'VE MET, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

[00:25:03]

I THINK EVEN SOME OF YOUR SLIDES, IF YOU GO BACK TO SOME OF THE ORIGINAL SLIDES, SHOWED THE CONNECTION DIRECTLY TO 490 AND TO 281, OUR AIRPORT. AND SO I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING BECAUSE I KNOW, I MEAN, I AS LONG AS I'VE EVEN USED TO WORK FOR THE CITY, I MEAN, Y'ALL INVOLVING CONSTRUCTION DO A LOT OF LONG RANGE PLANNING.

I MEAN, YOU ALL LOOK AT SEGMENTS, YOU LOOK AT, I MEAN, ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

AND I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING, SINCE 2014, THAT CONNECTION WAS SHOWING DIRECTLY. WHY DID ALL OF A SUDDEN CHANGE? I MEAN, I KNOW YOU JUST EXPLAINED IT.

WHY? BUT HOW COME ALL THAT TIME SINCE 2014, THERE WAS NEVER YOU KNOW, ISSUES OR HEY, THIS SECTION IS NOT GOING TO WORK.

I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT, I THINK Y'ALL'S WEBSITE AT TEXDOT AND IT STILL SHOWS, I THINK THE CONNECTION TO STATE HIGHWAY 68 TWO, FOUR, 90 TO OUR AIRPORT.

AND I UNDERSTAND NOW THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE REASONS THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT UP, RIGHT AS TO WHY THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.

BUT I'M JUST I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE, I'LL BE REAL HONEST WITH YOU, THAT OVER ALL THIS TIME, THIS SECTION WAS NOT LOOKED AT.

EVERYTHING WAS LOOKED AT, THERE WAS PUBLIC HEARINGS. THERE WAS AND THIS WHOLE TIME THERE WAS THAT CONNECTION DIRECTLY FOR 90.

I THINK IT WAS ONLY UP UNTIL WAS IT LAST YEAR OR OR MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO, 2020, WAS IT 2021 WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A CHANGE AS TO WHAT IS BEING DESCRIBED.

BUT ANYWAY, I JUST KIND OF I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I JUST HAVE A BIG ISSUE WITH THIS NOT BEING CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO 490, TO OUR AIRPORT, TO 281, AS HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN PLANNED.

THE WHOLE PLAN OF, SAY, HIGHWAY 68 IS YOU CONNECT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE TRADE CORRIDOR DOWN IN SOUTH, YOU KNOW, FAR BRIDGE. ALL THE BRIDGES CONNECT, SAY, HIGHWAY 68. AND THE IDEA AND WE'VE BEEN INVESTING IN OUR AIRPORT TREMENDOUSLY.

THE STATE HAS BEEN INVESTING OUR AIRPORT QUITE A BIT, TRYING TO GET READY NOT JUST TO MAKE IT A BIG COMMERCIAL AIRLINE AIRPORT.

THAT'S NOT OUR GOAL. OUR GOAL IS TO TO BE CONTINUE TO BE A GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT, BUT ALSO FOR CARGO, FOR INDUSTRIAL.

AND WE'VE DESIGNATED SEVERAL HUNDRED ACRES OF PROPERTY THERE FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO ALL ALONG WHEN THIS STARTED, THIS, THIS WHOLE STATE HIGHWAY 68 PROJECT, WE SAW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT AND BRING OPPORTUNITIES HERE FOR OUR CITY THROUGH THESE PORTS OF ENTRY. BUT OBVIOUSLY NOW THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PORT OF BROWNSVILLE, SAY, HIGHWAY 550, IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE PORT.

AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S NOT AN AIRPORT. IT'S NOT A FAIR COMPARISON, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE A POINT AS TO, YOU KNOW, THAT 550 DOES NOT BYPASS THE PORT.

IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE PORT.

THE FAR BRIDGE, RIGHT? THE HIGHWAY, EVERYTHING GOES DIRECTLY TO THE FAR BRIDGE AS IT CONNECTED.

THAT WAS THE IDEA THAT WE HAD IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR AIRPORT WITH STATE HIGHWAY 68. HOW TO CONNECT. BUT NOW, IN MY OPINION, IT BYPASSES, YOU KNOW, OUR AIRPORT. IT I MEAN, AND OBVIOUSLY FOR THE REASONS YOU'RE STATING, BUT IT'S SO MY QUESTION GOING BACK IS, IS JUST, I'M JUST KIND OF WANTING TO KNOW WHY DID IT TAKE SEVEN YEARS FROM 2014 TO 2021 TO LOOK AT THIS SECTION AND MAKE AN ALIGNMENT CHANGE? YEAH. SO WE WERE EVALUATING SEVEN DESIGN MODIFICATIONS, IF YOU WILL. THIS PROJECT, STATE HIGHWAY 68 HAS THREE DIFFERENT PHASES.

PHASE NUMBER ONE IS I2 TO FM 1925.

PHASE NUMBER TWO IS THOSE ARE THE WHERE THE FRONTAGE ROADS.

PHASE NUMBER TWO WOULD BE MAINLANES FROM I2 TO TO 1925, AND THEN PHASE NUMBER THREE WOULD BE 1925.

BACK TOWARDS US 21, WE HAD A CHANGE IN OUR.

OUR CONSULTANT. THE CONSULTANT? THE ORIGINAL DESIGNER.

IN IN HIS. YOU KNOW, DESIGN DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE FAA REQUIREMENTS.

AND SO 2021 COMES AROUND.

WE HAVE A CHANGE IN PROJECT MANAGER.

THE PROJECT MANAGER ASKS THE QUESTION FAA REQUIREMENTS, ARE THEY BEING MET? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT WAS NO.

AND I STARTED OFF THE CONVERSATION BY STATING, CAN I. I'M SORRY. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO INTERRUPT YOU REAL QUICK THERE SO THAT DESIGN CHANGES. THERE WAS PUBLIC HEARINGS ALL ALONG.

I THINK THERE WAS 2014, 2017.

RIGHT. 2018. SO YOU'RE SAYING IN 2021 IS WHEN THERE WAS I GUESS, A CHANGE IN THE CONSULTANT ENGINEER AND THERE WAS FAA REQUIREMENTS.

[00:30:02]

RIGHT? I MEAN, WERE YOU DOING ALL THESE ALIGNMENTS? AND THERE'S SEVEN OF THEM YOU'RE HAVING TO LOOK AT. I MEAN, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSES, EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO CHECK OFF. AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE CONSULTANT YOU KNOW, THAT PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, OVERSAW THAT.

BUT AS YOU ALL HAVE THAT CHECKLIST, TOO, WAS THAT NOT LOOKED AT BY THE DISTRICT? I'M JUST KIND OF WONDERING HOW THAT GOT MISSED. IF AT THE END, IT'S A TEXTILE ROAD, RIGHT.

AND SO AND WE HAVE OVERSIGHT.

IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT. WE WERE TRYING TO MITIGATE ALL THESE OTHER DESIGN CONSTRAINTS. THE REASON I MENTIONED THIS WAS DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER SEVEN IS WE WERE FOCUSING DESIGN MODIFICATION NUMBER 1234.

AND SO THAT TOOK SOME TIME.

SUBDIVISIONS ARE BEING BUILT LEFT AND RIGHT HERE IN EDINBURG ALONE.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A GROWING COMMUNITY, BUT THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR THE OTHER COMMUNITIES. SO WE WERE FOCUSING ON THE SOUTHERN ASPECT, RIGHT? THEN WHEN WE GOT HERE, WE WERE LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, TIME OUT. THERE'S AN ISSUE HERE.

AND WE LOOKED AT THAT. I STARTED OFF THE THE MEETING THIS AFTERNOON BY SAYING WE DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DIRECT CONNECTORS.

AND IF I CAN JUST DO A QUICK COMPARISON.

SO THE THE I2, I-69 INTERCHANGE LOCATED IN THE CITY OF PHARR.

YOU SEE HOW WIDE THOSE BRIDGES HAVE TO BE.

YOU SEE HOW FAR OUT THOSE BRIDGES GO THROUGH, HALF A MILE TO THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE IN ORDER TO TOUCH DOWN.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, HALF A MILE TO THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE IS RIGHT HERE IN THIS GENERAL AREA.

AND SO WE FAILED TO SHOW THE DIRECT CONNECTORS.

WHAT WE WERE SHOWING WAS JUST THE MAIN LANES ALONG FM 490.

WE FAILED TO SHOW THE DIRECT CONNECTORS, AND I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.

MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS, WE SHOULD HAVE SHOWN THAT.

AND THEN AT THAT POINT IT WOULD HAVE DEMONSTRATED TO NOT ONLY THE CITY OF EDINBURGH, BUT TO THE PUBLIC. HEY, THESE BRIDGES ARE WIDE BRIDGES THAT THEY'RE NOT ALL TYING IN. AT ONE POINT.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT CURVATURE TO MAKE THEM SAFE AND DESIRABLE AS FAR AS THE DESIGN IS CONCERNED. AND SO, YES, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS A THERE WAS AN ERROR MADE THERE. WE WENT BACK AND WE'RE TRYING TO MODIFY THE DESIGN TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT ERROR. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE STARTED HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS AND WE STARTED LOOKING AT THESE AT THESE REQUIREMENTS HERE IN THE FLIGHT PATH.

AND AT THAT POINT, WE DETERMINED WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SHIFT THE ALIGNMENT TO THE NORTH IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THAT.

PETE, THE OTHER QUESTION, I HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS OF THE BRIDGE.

OBVIOUSLY, THE ISSUE HERE IS THE SIZE OF THIS BRIDGE. AND I THINK WHEN WE HAD TALKED THIS BRIDGE, THE HEIGHT OF IT IS KIND OF LIKE THE THE INTERCHANGE AND FAR RIGHT.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S GOING IN TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

THIS IS REALLY ONE DIRECTION.

RIGHT. BECAUSE WE'RE COMING FROM THE THE EAST TO CONNECT US.

IS THERE A NEED FOR SUCH A HIGH STRUCTURE? I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT'S THE ISSUE. THERE'S I MEAN THE HEIGHT IN THIS DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THE FAA FLIGHT PATH, BUT IS THERE A NEED? I MEAN, COULD IT BE LOWERED PERHAPS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT DIRECT CONNECTION.

YEAH. THERE'S BEEN CHANGES IN DESIGN REQUIREMENTS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR THAT MATTER.

AS AN EXAMPLE, CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS BACK IN THE DAY WAS 14FT CLEARANCE FOR TRUCKS.

THEN IT WENT TO 16FT. TODAY MINIMUM OF 18FT DESIRED 21 OR 23 DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION.

SO THAT THOSE REQUIREMENTS BASICALLY 23FT APPROXIMATELY PER LEVEL.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, 23, 46, 69, 70, 70FT UP IN THE AIR, UP STATE HIGHWAY 68, THIS PROJECT, EACH PROJECT STANDS ALONE.

BUT WE'RE ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WE DO HAVE A PROJECT WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HIDALGO COUNTY HMA, WHICH IS REFERRED TO AS HIDALGO COUNTY LOOP, STATE HIGHWAY 68 IBTC TO THE SOUTH OR CITY OF SAN JUAN PHARR FOR MCALLEN, IF YOU WILL. TOLL 365 TOLLWAY MCALLEN.

FOR MCALLEN MISSION AND THEN SEGMENT.

SEE THAT GOES TOWARDS PENITAS.

PALMVIEW HEADS NORTH AND THEN WRAPS AROUND AND TIES IN RIGHT HERE.

SO THE THE PROPOSED HIDALGO COUNTY WMA LOOP WOULD BE TYING IN HERE.

IS THERE A NEED TO GO THAT HIGH? YES. THE REASON FOR THAT IS TO BE ABLE TO CROSS US 281 AND BE ABLE TO GET TO THE WESTERN SIDE OF 281 OR TOWARDS WESTERN HIDALGO COUNTY.

SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAVE TO BE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, ACCOUNTING FOR THE DEMANDS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN OUR AREA.

AND THAT'S WHY IT'S GOING TO BE A FULL BLOWN INTERCHANGE ONE DAY.

SO THAT BEING THE CASE, SEGMENT C, DO WE KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO CONNECT TO ON THE WEST SIDE AT THIS TIME.

SO SEGMENT C IS BEING EVALUATED BY THE HIDALGO COUNTY EMA.

THEY THEY'RE BARELY KICKING OFF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS.

THEY HAVE TO TAKE MANY THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION. PUBLIC OUTREACH IS ONE OF THEM. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, NO, WE DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT'S GOING TO LAND. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS EAST OF TO 81.

[00:35:05]

AND SO RIGHT NOW IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, WE BELIEVE THAT JUST NORTH OF THE EDINBURGH AIRPORT, THE AREA SEEMS TO BE APPROPRIATE.

THEY'RE STILL EVALUATING ENVIRONMENTALLY AS ARE WE.

YEAH. AND I'M ONLY ASKING BECAUSE I DO RECALL SEEING THE AND I KNOW THOSE ARE JUST ESTIMATED AREAS CONNECTORS.

BUT I THOUGHT FOR 90 WAS GOING TO BE THE CONNECTOR ALSO ON THE, ON THE, ON THE WEST SIDE.

AND SO ALSO I WAS ASKING BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THIS VEERS OFF RIGHT FOR THE REASON YOU'RE STATING. AND SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT HAD BEEN SOLIDIFIED OR, OR IF THAT WAS STILL. YEAH.

SO IN THE WORKS FOR THE SAME REASON THE AIRPORT OBVIOUSLY THE PATHWAY WOULD BE RIGHT HERE. IT WOULD BE. IT WOULD BE GOING AGAINST FAA REQUIREMENTS IF THE COUNTY SEGMENT C WERE TO CONNECT. AT THIS POINT, WE BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO CONNECT AT THIS POINT AS WELL. AND SO BACK TO FAA.

SO IS THERE WHAT IS THE EXACT HEIGHT REQUIREMENT THAT IS KEEPING THIS CONNECTION FROM GOING DIRECTLY? I MEAN, IS THERE A WAY IF WE GO TO FAA AS A CITY, RIGHT, AND, AND SEE IF WE COULD REQUEST FOR THEM TO MODIFY THOSE REQUIREMENTS? AND IF WE DO MAKE SUCH A REQUEST, WHAT WOULD OUR REQUEST BE TO FAA TO ALLOW THE, THE HEIGHT OF THIS BRIDGE TO BE THERE AND THEN THE CONNECTION TO BE DIRECTLY THERE.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S WE'RE GOING AGAINST FAA REQUIREMENTS.

THAT'S YOUR STATING. RIGHT. SO WHAT IS IT THAT WOULD NEED A CHANGE TO SO THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY MAKE THAT REQUEST, YOU KNOW WITH FAA.

SO THE REQUIREMENT IS RIGHT HERE 100 TO 1 SLOPE.

THAT IS A REQUIREMENT. THAT'S THE TRIANGLE THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

THAT'S WHAT FAA HAS DEEMED NECESSARY.

AND OBSTRUCTION EVALUATION NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO OBSTRUCTIONS.

AND DO WE KNOW WHAT SIZE OF PLANES THAT IS FOR, BY ANY CHANCE, IS THAT BASED UPON JUST GENERAL.

YEAH, IT'S FOR ALL PLANES.

YEAH. BECAUSE I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS FOR LARGE AIRCRAFT BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE A 5000 FOOT RUNWAY. RIGHT. THERE'S ONLY CERTAIN SIZE AIRCRAFT THAT CAN LAND AT OUR AIRPORT.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING IF WHAT THIS REQUIREMENT IS TIED TO.

AND I'M ONLY ASKING THIS BECAUSE I STILL WOULD LIKE. I DON'T KNOW HOW COUNCIL FEELS.

IT'S JUST ME. I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS CONNECTION IF POSSIBLE.

AND I GUESS THE ONLY WAY IS IF OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ABLE TO MEET THIS FAA REQUIREMENT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT MEETING IT BASED ON THE STRUCTURE.

YES. AND SO AS FAR AS THE THE 100 TO 1, THAT'S THAT'S THE REQUIREMENT.

THE LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY IS WHAT AND THE DEPTH OF THE RUNWAY WOULD BE FOR LARGER AIRCRAFT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN IT COMES TO FAA, THEY'RE LOOKING AT 100 TO 1 SLOT, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE DEPICTED HERE.

AND MAYBE IT'S MORE FOR STAFF.

TOM, DO WE KNOW WHAT THIS HEIGHT RESTRICTION OR FAA REQUIREMENT IS TIED TO BY ANY CHANCE? NO, SIR. UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T.

BUT THIS IS JUST PART OF THE APPROACH ZONE.

OUR PORTION FOR THE APPROACH ZONE IS WE DO HAVE TO PRESERVE THAT AREA FREE AND CLEAR, RIGHT. WHICH WE DO HAVE THAT SECTION.

AND THIS IS JUST THE LANDING PATTERN THAT HAS TO GO.

I KNOW WE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE OTHER END OF THE AIRPORT OVER THE WE HAD TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OVER THE LAND FILLED UP.

SO WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE, ESPECIALLY THE BIRDS AND ANYTHING ELSE. BUT LET ME SEE, EDDIE IS HERE.

EDDIE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT JUST A LITTLE BETTER THAN I COULD.

SO HE CAN GET YOU THAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE AIRPORT.

FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATION, PART 77.

IT'S BEEN MEANT FOR DECADES.

THAT'S THE BASICALLY WHAT RULES OVER ALL AIRPORTS APPROACH SERVICES AND SUCH HAVE BEEN SAID. AND TO SUPPLEMENT WHAT WAS SAID THERE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERPASS, THE 281 OVERPASS OF 490, THAT'S WHY THERE ARE NO THERE ARE NO LIGHTS ON THAT STRUCTURE. THE TALLEST VEHICLE THAT GOES THROUGH THERE TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, A SEMI TRAILER.

IMAGINE 13FT ABOVE THAT.

ANY TYPICAL TRAILER THAT GOES OVER THE OVERPASS, YOU KNOW, NORTHBOUND THERE.

AND THAT'S THE LIMIT. OTHERWISE DID YOU PENETRATE A PART 77 SURFACE.

AND THEN THAT AFFECTS, OF COURSE, THE NOT ONLY THE STRAIGHT END APPROACHES TO THE RUNWAY, BUT ALSO YOU THINK OF THE AIRPORT LIKE A BOWL. SO YOU HAVE AIRCRAFT THAT CIRCLE THE AIRPORT THERE IN A PATTERN.

SO NOT ONLY NOT ONLY AS FAR AS THE STRAIGHT IN APPROACH THERE, BUT THAT BOWL EFFECT ACTUALLY THAT'S WHY IT AFFECTS THE AIRSPACE LATERALLY THERE ABEAM THE APPROACH SURFACE. SO I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OPTIONS.

OH, LOOK, THERE'S A FLIGHT PATH, RIGHT? AND IF WE COULD PUT THAT STRUCTURE SOMEWHERE JUST NORTH.

BUT NOT THIS NORTH. JUST SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF THAT.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN LOOKED AT, BUT IF I, IF I COULD JUST ADD, I GUESS HERE'S MY POINT.

I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT OR ON OUR COUNTRY TO DO THINGS

[00:40:05]

I MEAN, CERTAINLY I'M SURE WE COULD FIGURE SOMETHING OUT TO WHERE THIS DOESN'T VEER OFF AS MUCH, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR AIRPORT.

WELL, YEAH. AND TO THAT POINT.

SO LET'S GO FURTHER SOUTH.

WHY ARE YOU GOING NORTH OF THE AIRPORT? WHY NOT CONFIGURE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT WHERE THEY CAN ALWAYS VEER OFF? WE HAVE OUR LANDFILL THERE.

IT RUNS INTO THE LANDFILL.

WELL, YEAH, WE HAD SOME. THEY'VE LOOKED AT THAT AND AND THE ALIGNMENT IS ACTUALLY ALREADY IN PLACE UP TO 490.

THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS RIGHT NOW.

IT'S JUST THE ISSUE WITH THIS SEGMENT. IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. BUT THAT OUR LANDFILL THAT HAD BEEN LOOKED AT BEFORE FOR THE LOOP.

YEAH. AT ONE POINT, I THINK Y'ALL LOOKED AT 2812.

I THINK IT ORIGINALLY 2812 WAS THE ONE LOOKED AT.

AND ACTUALLY THE CITY OF EDINBURGH IS THE ONE THAT PUSHED TO HAVE IT GO TO 490 SO THAT WE COULD CAPITALIZE RIGHT ON THE AIRPORT.

AND WE LOOKED AT 2812.

WE LOOKED AT THE AMOUNT OF COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THE AMOUNT OF RESIDENTIAL AREA AND THAT TYPE OF DISPLACEMENT THAT WOULD OCCUR. SO, SO HERE, HERE, MAYOR, WE LOOKED AT OPTION DESIGN MODIFICATION SEVEN C IS JUST MOVING IT JUST A LITTLE NORTH.

AND THAT TWO DID NOT MEET THE FAA REQUIREMENTS.

WE DID CONSIDER THAT AS PART OF OUR ANALYSIS AND DID NOT MEET FAA FOR THE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS FOR THAT.

THAT AREA ALSO AFFECTS THE FLIGHT PATH.

YES. HOW FAR NORTH IS THE FLIGHT PATH FROM THERE? DO WE KNOW DO WE KNOW THAT THAT WHAT HOW FAR NORTH DOES THE FLIGHT PATH? IN ESSENCE, IF YOU TAKE THIS AND PROJECT IT OUT, THAT'S WHERE THE FLIGHT PATH IS AT.

AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO PUSH IT A LITTLE BIT NORTH. GOT IT. SORRY.

THE EARLIER DIAGRAMS, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THAT SCENARIO, THEY'RE THEY'RE ACCURATE AS FAR AS STAYING AT LEAST 50FT ABOVE ANY APPROACH SURFACE THERE.

SO THAT'S THAT'S A GOOD ONE THERE VERSUS THE INTERMEDIARY.

SO I CAN'T I DON'T HAVE A POINTER.

BUT SO DO YOU SEE WHERE OUR ENTRANCE IS.

IF YOU COULD ZOOM IN TO THE AIRPORT RIGHT THERE.

SO IS THERE A WAY WHERE IT COULD COME UP TO THERE AND THEN GO VEER OUT DIRECTLY OUTSIDE OF THE FLIGHT PATH? SO BEAR WITH ME.

SO, DOES SOMEBODY HAVE A PRINTOUT OF THIS? I'LL MARK IT. SO. SO YOU HAD ASKED THE CLOSEST THE CLOSEST AREA.

RIGHT.

OKAY, SO LET ME SEE WHICH WHICH.

YEAH. SO WHAT I DREW UP THERE, P WAS JUST GOING WEST ALL THE WAY TO OUR, WHERE OUR ENTRANCE IS AROUND THAT AREA, AND THEN HAVE IT VEER DIRECTLY SLANTED TOWARDS THE, THE NORTH, RIGHT WHERE THE BRIDGE WOULD BE OUTSIDE OF THE. AND IT WOULDN'T BE SLANTED.

WE COULD DO A STRAIGHT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A STRAIGHT SHOT, AN ANGLE. IT WOULD BE I GUESS DIAGONAL.

I'M TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR, YOUR YOUR ALIGNMENT.

AND THIS CLOSELY MIMICS WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE, MAYOR, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE PUBLIC IS ALSO AWARE WE'RE NOT ONLY LOOKING AT THINGS HORIZONTALLY, RIGHT.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS VERTICALLY.

SO IN THIS AREA YOU'RE UP 75FT AND WE NEED TO LAND AND HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION.

RIGHT. THAT 18 WHEELERS IF YOU WILL.

AND PASSENGER VEHICLES CAN.

AS YOU KNOW I'M NOT AN ENGINEER. SO THAT'S WHY I KIND OF DREW UP.

AND THAT'S OKAY. BUT I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO THE TRAVELING PUBLIC YOU ALL RECALL THE PHARR INTERCHANGE, RIGHT? THE STEEPER SLOPES, EVERY TIME AN 18 WHEELER WENT THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED, EVERYBODY SLOWS DOWN.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THE THE UPDATED DESIGN REQUIREMENTS TO BE ABLE TO GO FROM 75FT UP IN THE AIR AND THEN TOUCH DOWN THAT TOUCHDOWN POINT BASICALLY IS WE CANNOT DO THAT THIS CLOSE. WE WOULD NOT BE MEETING THE ROADWAY DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR SLOPE AT THAT POINT. SO, YES, MAYOR, THAT WAS CONSIDERED AS PART OF OUR ANALYSIS.

OKAY. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

I THINK IF WE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING WITH I THINK FAA SOON, IT'D BE GOOD IF WE CAN GET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

I MEAN, ALL WE CAN DO IS ASK, RIGHT? I MEAN, I KNOW WE'RE RIGHT NOW WE'RE ADHERING TO THOSE, BUT IF WE CAN ASK THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.

YEAH. AND JUST BY PUSHING THE ALIGNMENT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE NORTH OF FM 490, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, I WANT TO REITERATE, GREEN MEANS GO.

IT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS.

THIS IS AT FM 490. ONLY THE EXISTING OVERPASS THERE WOULD MEET THAT REQUIREMENT.

[00:45:05]

YEAH. THE WHOLE GOAL HERE.

AND I DO WANT TO ALSO MAKE ANOTHER POINT THAT I HAVE THE MIC.

AS I SAY, WE WANT TO PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS OR THE BEST POSSIBLE ACCESS TO THE AIRPORT.

SO ACCESS WOULD BE ALONG US 281.

SOMEBODY WANTS TO GO TO THE EDINBURGH AIRPORT. THEY TAKE THE EXIT, CROSS UNDERNEATH THIS OVERPASS, ACCESS TO THE AIRPORT COMING FROM THE SOUTH, EXIT FOR 90 TRAVEL AND AN IMPROVED ROADWAY ACCESS TO THE AIRPORT.

SO WE FEEL THAT PROVIDING THESE TWO ACCESS POINTS ALONG 490 AND US 281 IS IS BENEFICIAL.

ANOTHER POINT THAT I, THAT I JUST HAVE TO MAKE.

WE CANNOT PROVIDE ACCESS FROM THE MAIN LANES THEMSELVES.

THE ACCESS COMES FROM FRONTAGE ROAD.

ANY PROJECT YOU LOOK AT AT THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE DO NOT HAVE A DIRECT MAIN LANE.

TWO TO A FACILITY, AN AIRPORT.

WE JUST THE ACCESS COMES FROM FRONTAGE ROADS.

IN ESSENCE, 281 AND 490 ACT AS FRONTAGE ROAD PROVIDING THAT ADDITIONAL ACCESS FOR THE AIRPORT. WE JUST PUT A THREE WAY IN ABOUT FIVE 5550 ON THE TOLL ROAD.

ON 550 YOU JUST GET OFF AND GO STRAIGHT INTO THE PORT, RIGHT? DEAD ENDS RIGHT INTO THE PORT. FOR THIS, THERE'S A LIGHT THAT'S CORRECT THAT REGULATES THE PORT.

THAT'S CORRECT. NOT A FRONTAGE ROAD BUT THERE IS NO OTHER DESTINATION HERE.

WE HAVE THE DESTINATION TO THE INTERSTATE. BUT YOU JUST SAID YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER, ANY ROAD THAT DEAD ENDS RIGHT INTO ANOTHER OR ENTERS INTO ANOTHER FACILITY.

AND THEN 550 DOESN'T. YES.

PETE, I JUST FOR THE RECORD, I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE ALIGNMENT CHANGE WAS FIRST MADE PUBLIC ON FEBRUARY 2023.

IS THAT CORRECT? I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, IT WASN'T 2021.

2021 IS WHEN WE BASICALLY DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE.

WE WERE WORKING THROUGH DESIGNS AND IT WAS INTERNALLY, INTERNALLY, BUT PUBLICLY PUBLICLY IN 2020, FEBRUARY OF 2023.

THAT'S CORRECT SIR. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

AND LIKE I SAID, ON OUR END, I JUST LIKE TO EXPLORE WITH FAA TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY, ANYTHING THAT WE COULD REQUEST TO MAKE ANY KIND OF CHANGES BECAUSE THE CLOSER, ULCER, IN MY OPINION TO 469 CENTRAL THE BETTER.

BUT ANYWAY, I BELIEVE, MARY, THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT THOSE ALTERNATIVES. 2021. THIS WAY JUST A REAL QUICK STATUS ON THE PROJECT.

I KNOW THE PUBLIC IS INTERESTED IN THAT PROJECT.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS. WE ANTICIPATE HAVING ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE LATE SEPTEMBER, EARLY OCTOBER.

THAT WILL ENABLE US TO THEN PROCEED WITH A RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION.

WE ARE DOING SOME RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION AT THIS TIME IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THIS PROJECT.

BUT HAVING ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE WILL ENABLE US TO WORK WITH THE CITY, TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY PRESERVE THAT THOROUGHFARE.

SO NO ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS, NO ADDITIONAL SUBDIVISIONS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE WILL BE BUILT TO ALLOW US TO TO BASICALLY PROCEED WITH THIS PROJECT.

AND SO AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED AS FAR AS TIMELINE, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT'S ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE. CAN YOU GIVE US A GENERAL TIMELINE OF STATE HIGHWAY 68 FROM WE ARE LOOKING AT 20 LATE 2026, EARLY 2027 TO START CONSTRUCTION ON PHASE ONE FROM THE INTERSTATE TO TO FM 1925 OR MONTE CRISTO. THAT PROJECT IS SCHEDULED FOR LATE 2026 OR EARLY 2027.

IT'S GOING TO BE IN PHASES.

SO THAT'S THAT FIRST PHASE WOULD BE IN 2027 IS WHAT WE'RE BELIEVING.

WE THINK IT'LL BE FROM 1925 TO I 69.

CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT SIR. OKAY.

BUT IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS OR ANYTHING ON STATE HIGHWAY 68, OR IS EVERYTHING IN PLACE ALREADY? BASICALLY, EVERYTHING'S IN PLACE.

WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT THAT IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THAT WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIAL SUPPORT. SO MY REQUEST TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON IS PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE THE UPDATED ANALYSIS THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY TXDOT AND OUR CONSULTANTS.

THIS PROJECT IS IS CRUCIAL FOR OUR AREA.

AND SO AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE ROUTES FOR I-69.

WE'RE PROJECTED TO HAVE OVER 50,000 VEHICLES A DAY ON THIS ROAD.

AND SO ANY DELAYS THEY OBVIOUSLY JEOPARDIZES THEIR ABILITY TO MOVE PEOPLE AND GOODS.

AND SO SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, CONNECTIVITY ARE ALL BASICALLY ACCOUNTED FOR WITH A PROJECT OF THIS MAGNITUDE.

AND THEN WE HAVE ALSO VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THIS PROJECT FOR IT TO HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER.

SO AND TO BE CLEAR ALSO, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A TOLL.

THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S A TOLL, I THINK ORIGINALLY ORIGINALLY IT WAS DISCUSSED. SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A TOLL ROADWAY.

YEAH. SO 2014 THIS WAY.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. IT STARTED OFF AS A TOLLWAY. SCRATCH THAT.

WE HEARD THE PUBLIC, THEY SAID NO MORE TOLLS.

[00:50:01]

OKAY. VERY WELL. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

YOUR STAFF, WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

[6. ADJOURNMENT]

CAN I GET A THERE'S ANOTHER DISCUSSION.

MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS WORK SESSION.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.