BROWNSVILLE, Texas – When it comes to building a second causeway to South Padre Island, the state legislature failed the Rio Grande Valley this legislative session.
Cameron County leaders were hoping state lawmakers would find $3 million so that an environmental impact statement could be produced. It did not happen. And now, because local leaders came away empty handed, Valley residents are going to have to step up to the plate.
Cameron County is slated to chip in $1.5 million. South Padre Island will likely pony up $1 million. And Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA) will provide $500,000.
In an exclusive interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, CCRMA Executive Director Pete Sepulveda gave an update on where the second causeway project stands.
“The project was placed on hold back in December 2017 because we were developing it as a toll project. There was a change in the governor’s policy towards toll projects. Since that time we have been on hold,” Sepulveda said.
“Unfortunately, we had already done a draft environmental impact statement. We had done a public hearing. We had done a value engineering session where we had gotten some really good recommendations.”
Sepulveda said the engineering session had determined that the cost of the project could be lowered substantially if the amount of mitigation required was lowered.
“It was very unfortunate that we were placed on hold after that. We have spent the last couple of years trying to convince TxDOT that we need to move forward with the project. Unfortunately, through two legislative sessions we still don’t have authority for public-private partnerships and so we cannot continue to deliver the project as a toll project.”
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