One must admit that if it is true, TxDOT intends soon to transfer responsibility to the City for the area in question. That would make a moot point of the State’s curb-cuts permitting being considered and delayed, which is apparently the cause of the shuffle, reversal and extension of time giver the developers thus far. They might get their funding in place contingent on having the permits; get them either from CoSM or TxDOT; and be ready to roll, without delays, interest and fees, costs, or personal expenditure for the road work. The investor would avoid unneccessary exposure until their deal was ripe for closure; and in this scenario, the City would inherit full responsibility for the related road sector, including any utility expansion or moving to be done in future, as well as any future signalization, widening, drainage improvements, etc.

Your Capital Improvements Plan at work (as a variance, or favor?). What of that “minor increase in possible traffic at Hunter, Wonderworld, Stagecoach, and Hopkins/San Antonio? We can work that out later, on our nickel?

In the past, when the City wanted some major thoroughfarw change made (altering the one-way pair of Hopkins/ Guadalupe or LBJ/Guadalupe past the Square, TxDOT has offered to dedicate those roads lock, stock and barrel to the City–signalization, dealing with the Railroads,minor repairs, administration of rights-of way, reconstruction, major maintenance and repair–the whole enchilada.

These offers would seem to rid the State of a nuisance they created and are trapped in, and leave costs,etc. to an argumentative partner who is ALWAYS fielding crazy “new” ideas that have usually come and gone years before. The players and voices and the atmosphere change now and then, but those street segments, like “Old Man River,” just keep rollin’ along. Wait until the Commuter Rail Line comes to the fore. THEN see who should be the “party of the first part.” And who is first in liability.