County reluctant on FM 3083 project funding

By Howard Roden
Updated: 04.26.10
Conroe city officials approached Montgomery County commissioners Monday about helping fund construction of the FM 3083 overpass at the Union Pacific railroad crossing.

But with the 2010-11 budget process around the corner, county leaders were reluctant to commit funds for the project before a proposed road bond election in November.

“Right now, we don’t have the money,” Precinct 1 County Commissioner Mike Meador told representatives from the Conroe City Council, city staff and the Conroe Industrial Development Corporation.

“We all support the project, but we’re talking about tapping into an operational budget,” said County Judge Alan B. Sadler. “The timing couldn’t be worse.”

The overpass is deemed important in Conroe’s plan to keep the FM 3083 corridor – from North Loop 336 (Veterans Memorial Loop) to Texas 105 – as an attractive location for development.

Cost of the overpass is estimated at $15 million, but Conroe officials will settle for $300,000 to keep the project on track. Lynn Spencer, a consultant for The Goodman Corp., said that amount is the minimum needed to complete the engineering of the overpass. The actual design costs $500,000, but the Texas Department of Transportation’s Area engineers agreed to complete the design for $300,000, she said.

The environmental work on the overpass is only 30 percent finished, but TxDOT’s local area again agreed to complete that work at no additional expense.

Spencer said getting the overpass “shovel ready” when funds – whether they are local, state or federal – become available is key to FM 3083’s future.

Larry Calhoun, Conroe’s Downtown Manager, suggested that the city, CIDC and county agreed to an even split of $100,000 per entity. But CIDC member Mickey Deison said the group was willing to contribute $55,000.

Meador said the commissioners’ plan to promote a $250 million to $300 million bond election would focus on county roads.

“We’ve spent a great deal of money on state roads, and county roads keep getting pushed back,” he said. “There’s a tremendous amount work needed on county roads.”

In other action taken at Commissioners Court Monday:

Sponsored LINK: Find anything in East Montgomery County



MCHD transfer: The Montgomery County Hospital District is taking over many public health functions in the county after commissioners voted unanimously Monday to transfer those responsibilities from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

MCHD will assume control of duties that include coordination of health and medical response to disease outbreaks – like H1N1 and tuberculosis – bioterrorism preparedness, immunization, and local planning and coordination of the Strategic National Stockpile.

UTMB will continue operating its maternal, child and nutritional services at the UTMB clinic on East Davis in Conroe, said Carolyn Nelson-Becker, regional UTMB administrative director.

“They (UTMB) are at a place where they need to concentrate on their core mission,” MCHD CEO Allen Johnson said. “We think we’ve got the expertise to provide a more effective and efficient response. We’re excited about the possibilities.”

MCHD board members agreed to take over some of the public health functions at their meeting earlier this month.

Panorama preserve: Commissioners approved the submission of a $116,000 grant to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for the development of a nature preserve at Panorama Park.

Located a half-mile west of Interstate 45 on FM 830, the 12-acre park will include 3,200 linear feet of crushed granite trail, parking area and a 576-square-foot covered pavilion that will serve as a classroom for schools and nature groups, said county Parks Director Corliss O’Shaugnessy.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE