About the Author
Mark Richardson is a multimedia journalist, editor and writer who has worked in digital, print and broadcast media for three decades. He is a nationally recognized editor and reporter who has covered government, politics and the environment. A journalism graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, he was recently awarded a Foundation for Investigative Journalism grant and has three Associated Press Managing Editors awards for excellence in reporting.
Newsletter Signup
The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.
Most Popular Stories
- APD won’t enforce SB 14 as Paxton and Trump further attack gender-affirming health care
- Austin Transit Partnership presents pedestrian features, changes to stops in revised Project Connect plan
- Austin’s new CapMetro Rapid lines debut with buses every 20 minutes
- Austin ISD announces hiring freeze as budget deficit grows to $110 million
- Commercial EV station moves forward despite opposition
-
Discover News By District
CAMPO approves controversial funding plan for US 290 East
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 by Mark Richardson
Last night, the board of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) approved a controversial funding method for the US 290 East toll project, also known at the Manor Expressway. The plan would allow the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority to use toll revenues from one of its other toll roads, US 183A, as collateral to fund the new project.
Construction on the $624 million Manor Expressway, a 6.2-mile limited-access toll road intended to alleviate congestion in the US 290 East corridor between
And as with almost everything regarding CAMPO and toll roads, the vote did not happen without some controversy. Prior to consideration of US 290 East project, CAMPO Chair Sen. Kirk Watson recused himself because he is on the board of a business that owns property along US 290 East in Bastrop County and left the gavel to vice chair Cynthia Long, a Williamson County Commissioner. Watson said the property is outside the CAMPO service area.
Once members of the CAMPO board had questioned staff, including CAMPO Director Joe Cantalupo and CTRMA Director Mike Heiligenstein about the creative funding plan for the Manor Expressway, Long announced that because public comments had been taken at four public meetings held in October and November, there would be no public comment at Monday’s CAMPO meeting. That was a surprise since Watson said prior to leaving the meeting that comments on the toll road would be heard.
A number of people in the crowd began shouting at the chair, and Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt moved to allow comments on the project. Her motion was defeated by a 13-5 vote.
Eckhardt, who generally opposes spending toll revenues outside of a roadway’s corridor, had just finished a lengthy cross-examination of Heiligenstein over just how his agency planned to structure the financing of the US 290 East project using money from tolls on US 183A to partially fund the project.
Heiligenstein said the CRTMA has proposed the toll road revenue as a type of collateral for the financing package for the Manor Expressway. The
Following her questioning, Eckhardt moved to table the US 290 East project until the CTRMA board had finalized its funding plans. However, Heiligenstein said if the board approved the motion, he would have to shut down all operations on US 290 East and a planned extension of US 183A.
Board members, with Mayor Will Wynn leading, voted down that idea by a15-3 margin. Wynn immediately moved to approve the funding for the US 290 East project, and the measure passed 15-3, with Eckhardt, Sunset Valley Mayor Jeff Mills and State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez voting “no.”
You're a community leader
And we’re honored you look to us for serious, in-depth news. You know a strong community needs local and dedicated watchdog reporting. We’re here for you and that won’t change. Now will you take the powerful next step and support our nonprofit news organization?