Hamilton Pool Road

Some parts of this community is going to grow and we have got to keep up with mobility and we've got to keep up with road building. And I wish that I could miraculously say, everybody take public transportation. If I asked you to take public transportation, y'all wouldn't be here today because it doesn't get out there.

[Gerald Daugherty] formed ROAD (Reclaim our Allocated Dollars), an organization that was the major force in successfully defeating the multi-million dollar light rail referendum in 2000. As a member of several transportation groups, he continues to help shape the future of transportation projects for our area.

Yesterday, Rep. Dennis Kucinich introduced Articles of Impeachment against President Bush.

Lamar Smith, our representative, sits on the House Judiciary Committee. That's the committee that will decide whether to hold hearings.

Help Lamar understand that his constituents feel these Articles deserve a hearing. You can contact him here.

Alan Watts, the Fix290 webmaster, reports clear cutting of old growth oaks near Old Bee Caves Road:

I just spoke with Paul Roberts at City of Austin Environmental Review. Last month when the clear-cutting occured, someone else noticed the large trees being cut and a stop-work order was issued. He said his supervisor said this was one of the worst destruction of Class 1 trees she had seen in her 13 years here. Over 1000 inches of old growth Oaks, Elms and Pecans were destroyed along a tributary of the creek. What I saw was only about 1/10 of the total - the others were already hauled and shredded. These trees were supposed to be left alone but a worker who obviously didn't get the memo went out on a weekend and just cleared the entire site. Quite saddening...

See the sad email thread. And here are Alan's photos.

Envision Central Texas is collecting input from the locals. Why don't you head on over, fill out the survey, and contribute to steering a greener course for the future of the Hill Country?

South Texas Chisme remarks on San Antonio's water service rejecting a developer's application for water. A 1700+ acre development!

If only LCRA had been so responsive to our concerns when they chose to supply water to new developments along HPR. LCRA's board, appointed by the governor, just isn't as alive to citizens' concerns as San Antonio's water service, which I'm guessing answers to the city council. Go figure.

Commissioner Gerald Daugherty has been politer than I deserved, and he recently tangibly improved bicycle safety on Hamilton Pool Road. Thanks, Commish.

But out here on The Road, we're still voting for Karen Huber. We need proactive protection for Hamilton Pool, and safeguards in place to protect creeks and their wildlife, before the county builds the roads that bring the development that, unrestricted, destroys our natural resources. And our way of life.

And Gerald is all about roads and development.

Oh: Did I mention Karen's running? I endorsed her weeks ago.

From: Karen Huber To: Karen Huber Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 6:06 PM Subject: Travis County Commissioner - Precinct 3 race

Hi!
Just thought I'd let you know it is official -- I've filed for the Democratic Primary.
Thanks for the encouragement. We're going to WIN this one!

More later!

Cheers,
Karen

Thanks to Commissioner Daugherty for getting us "Share the Road" signs along Hamilton Pool Road! There are three in each direction between RR12 and the Blanco County line.

I think the biggest effect these signs will have is a subliminal message to motorists saying, "The county thinks it's OK for cyclists to ride on these roads."

For a great review, with charming photos, of what we seek to preserve out here on Hamilton Pool Road, see Ric's new post.

He sent out an email this morning, mobilizing the troops against the proposed Hammett's Crossing flyover:

As you are now probably all too intensely aware, the powers that be have big plans for our sleepy little Hamilton Pool Road. They (they being CAMPO with the complicity of Travis County) want to build a 4-lane divided highway all the way out to the Travis/Blanco County line. Many of us out here have resolved to not take this onslaught lying down. We need to organize. We need to fight. We need to make our opinions heard. Here's a first step: Annie has put together a petition. It can be found, along with supporting materials on this webpage: http://www.neighborsinparadise.org/4LaneHiway.html. If you don't want to look at the webpage but just want to download the petition and start collecting signatures, here's the link directly to it: http://www.neighborsinparadise.org/PDF/4-lane/Petition.pdf If you'd like the petition and booklet containing a rationale and lovely color pictures and maps, here's the direct link: http://www.neighborsinparadise.org/PDF/4-lane/Petition-BookletS.pdf. Please collect as many signatures as you can but, even if yours is the only signature on the page, send it in anyway. The address is on the bottom of the petition. Thanks in advance for your activism. Onward, Ric

Ric and Annie, thanks for taking up the gauntlet.

Minor points: Even though the CAMPO plan has Hamilton Pool Road down for MAD4, Commissioner Daugherty has conceded that point already. So we're fighting a three lane, not a four lane, highway now. That's almost a trivial point though. The three lane road they contemplate would support as many cul de sac subdivisions as they could ever put out here.

Pam Reese met with Gerald Dougherty and engineer Steve Manilla about Hammett's Crossing. Remember, we had had a meeting a few weeks ago about building a new bridge across the river. And most neighbors want no changes -- but most are OK with minor safety improvements (even though nobody can remember any actual accidents occurring).

Pam says the options are:

1. rehabilitating the existing bridge by widening it to two lanes, adding guard rails, etc.;
2. replacing the bridge with a 2- lane bridge that will not overtop (flood) more frequently than a 3-year event (approximately 30 feet higher than the existing bridge)
3. building a 100-year event bridge that will accomodate CAMPO's plan for Hamilton Pool Rd. being a MAD4 (4-lane divided highway) from Hwy. 71 to the Blanco County Line by the year 2030. This type of road is also described as an arterial class roadway.

Number 3 above has been ruled out since the County and TxDOT do not have the funds to build such a bridge. However, number 2 above does appear the most likely approach after Steve's meeting with the TxDOT engineers. Commissioner Daugherty and Steve Manilla would like to form a committee of residents to help decide some of the parameters and design elements of this bridge. Starting in February or March, this group would meet perhaps once a month for several months to a year or more to give input on the bridge design. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW SO THAT I CAN PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO THEM.

Heloooo? They want a citizens group to rubber stamp for their decision for #2, get it?

Look: nobody at the meeting wanted a bridge three stories over the river. Guard rails: sure. Flyover: NO.

Pam tells us the Commissioner's real agenda:

Another outcome of the Friday meeting with Commissioner Daugherty and Steve Manilla is that the Commissioner agreed to pursue with CAMPO having Hamilton Pool Rd. from FM 12 to the Blanco County Line reclassified as a Hill Country Arterial. This is a 2-lane road with wide shoulders and a buffer of land on either side. The Commissioner mentioned that turn lanes would need to be added in places and that eventually he sees the entire length of Hamilton Pool Rd. from Hwy. 71 to the Blanco County Line being a 2-lane road with a third center lane. We should all thank and encourage the Commissioner for his willingness to work on getting the classification of Hamilton Pool Rd. changed in the CAMPO 2030 plan.[Emphasis original]

Pam. Pam pam pam pam pam.

A three lane highway west of RR 12. Across the river on a 30 foot bridge. Who is that for? Is it to benefit Kaila and me? Annie and Ric? Any residents out here at all?

No. The new bridge is not for us. It is for new cul de sac neighborhoods needed to house shoppers for the Hill Country Galleria.

The threat to make HPR a 4-lane was always a straw man. They presented it as option #3 above just so that they can make option #2 appear to be a compromise.

Option #2 was the plan all along.

The community meeting was a sham, providing cover for it. Now we have to fight, and keep fighting, just to preserve what it seemed we won that evening.

Raymond Slade has posted his must see Power Point presentation: Water Resource Issues in the Texas Hill Country. It's entertaining -- not dry. Everything you wanted to know about floods, droughts, groundwater quality, and groundwater quantity.

Sample: Here's Hammett's Crossing in 1952 after floods covered it to a depth of 60 feet:

(Via HCA)