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Caddo Mills residents urge council to reject toll road

Mark Haslett
The Caddo Mills City Council heard a strone message from opponents of a proposed toll road at its Oct. 14 regular meeting.

Audio transcript:

Haslett: Last night in Caddo Mills, local residents urged their city council to oppose a proposed toll road from Greenville to Dallas County.

It was standing room only in the city council chamber in Caddo Mills Tuesday night. Over 30 people from around the area crowded into the room to urge their city council to pass a resolution against the proposed toll road that would connect Greenville with the President George Bush Turnpike in far northeastern Dallas County. The company attempting to secure rights to build the road is Dallas-based Texas Turnpike Corp. The road’s path remains a mystery, as no final routes have been published. However, several possible routes have been identified. They all go near or through Caddo Mills.

    

Long:  Eminent domain is one of my biggest issues with it. You have a private company that profit is their primary concern. They’re going to be able to take people land that they’ve worked for and that they worked on and they want to pass it on to their family and that’s just not right in any way you slice it. I looked at the Webster's dictionary of the definition of a thief and it’s that you can’t take something against another person's will for their own use. The scripture is pretty clear - in Exodus, thou shall not steal. We all answer to other people, other people in different capacities, but ultimately we answer to God, for what we look to for approval and for what we do. Thank you.

Haslett: Caddo Mills resident Kevin Long. Several towns along the proposed road’s path have passed resolutions against the toll road. Citizens were unanimous last night in Caddo Mills that their city council joins the list of municipalities stating their opposition. Wylie, Sachse, Rockwall, Lavon and Josephine have all passed resolutions against the project.

Pattison: The only response from the council can be to request these items to be placed on a future agenda for discussion or action.

Haslett: Caddo Mills Mayor Dwayne Pattison explaining that the city council could not vote on a resolution last night, as council members were obligated to stick to the meeting agenda.  However, the council did seem favorably disposed to those present and their concerns. The high turnout at the meeting was part of a concerted effort on the part of opponents of the proposed road. In Greenville, Royse City and Rowlett, citizens also turned out at their council meetings to express their opposition to the project.

Caddo Mills resident Debra Hawkins was the last person to speak during the public commentary period last night. She brought up another item related to transportation development in the area. Hawkins echoed the opposition to the toll road, but also pointed out that there are other changes under consideration in the upcoming regional transportation plan. Hawkins said that she doesn’t want FM 36 to be widened from two lanes to four lanes.

Hawkins:  I know we are concerned about the tollway the tollway, the tollway, but we need to be careful and watch what’s going on with the other things they are opposing and one of the thing on here is the proposal of for the arterial on page 12, the last five different things handed out and it says that on FM 36 from 380 to State Highway 66, they want to widen that from two lanes to four lanes. Now what’s going to happen to our town? This is the downtown, a part of our town, there is no room. Where are we putting four lanes?  I’ve talk to the business, this is where I shop, and my kids go to school here. If you got four lanes and truck and things barreling down, what’s going to happen to this town? I know they come through already but you guys need to look at this an address it and see what’s going on.

Haslett:  The regional transportation council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, will be meeting in November to decide on the upcoming regional transportation plan.

Mark Haslett has served at KETR since 2013. Since then, the station's news operation has enjoyed an increase in listener engagement and audience metrics, as well recognition in the Texas AP Broadcasters awards.
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