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Sand Company Pulls Plug on Fannin County Road Widening Plans

Photo by George Hale, KETR
Photo by George Hale, KETR
County Roads 1010 and 1020 were earmarked for expansion.

A Fort Worth-based sand mining company that had been  seeking to widen parts of two county roads in northern Fannin County has pulled its petition. Metroplex Sand & Gravelhas formally withdrawn its plans to widen County Roads 1010 and 1020. The company wanted to widen the roads, in part, to create a conduit for its fleet of trucks. 

Ken Newell, owner of Metroplex Sand & Gravel told KETR this morning that public outcry against the road widening proposal was too great to ignore.  Environmental activists and rural landowners have been speaking out against the expansion of the roads to accommodate the company’s operations since late last year.

Commissioner Gary Whitlock of Fannin County’s first precinct had vowed to vote against the project. He said Monday that while neither he nor the Fannin County Commissioners’ Court are against the mining company operating  in Fannin, the commission wanted to keep some control over development in the county.

Newell  said his company  has multiple ways to use state highways and tracts of land it already owns. Business is expected to continue as it has.

Scott Morgan has been an award-winning journalist since 2001. His work has appeared in several newspapers and magazines as well as online. He has also been an editor, freelancer, speaker, writing teacher, author, and podcaster.