CAMERON COUNTY
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND SECOND ACCESS PROJECT
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING

On Thursday, May22, 2008, the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA), in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), will conduct a public scoping meeting for the proposed South Padre Island Second Access Project. As currently envisioned, the proposed project would extend from State Highway 100, across the Laguna Madre, to Park Road 100 on the island. Connection points to State Highway 100 and Park Road 100 have not yet been determined and would be contingent upon the alternative ultimately selected for the proposed facility.

NEW LOCATION: The public meeting will be held at the South Padre Island Municipal Complex, Board of Aldermen Room (2nd Floor), between the hours of 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM The South Padre Island Municipal Complex is located at 4601 Padre Boulevard, South Padre Island, Texas 78597.

Maps and other information about the proposed project will be available at the public meeting and are available for review prior to the meeting at the CCRMA Office, 1100 E Monroe Street, Brownsville, TX. 78521 and the TxDOT Pharr District Office, 600 West U.S. 83 Expressway, Pharr TX. 78577. 

During the public meeting, project team members will be available to answer questions. Since no formal presentation will be made, those wishing to attend are encouraged to do so at their convenience anytime between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

The purpose of the public scoping meeting is to elicit input and comments from the public regarding the development of the need and purpose of the proposed project and identification of the boundaries of the study area. This is the first of three planned public meetings. Subsequent public meetings will focus on defining a range of alternatives for consideration in the EIS and the alternative evaluation methodologies to be employed. Public notification of future meetings will be published 30 days and 10 days prior to the meetings.

Persons who have special communication, access, or accommodation needs should contact Ms. Erika Salazar c/o HNTB Corporation, 1805 Ruben Torres St Blvd, Suite A-15, Brownsville, TX (956-554-7508) at least two working days prior to the meetings. CCRMA offices are open Monday-Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding national and state holidays. The public meetings will be conducted in English and Spanish interpretation will be available. The CCRMA will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate other special needs.

All interested citizens are encouraged to attend the public meeting and provide input on the project. Verbal and written comments may be presented at the public meeting. Written comments may also be submitted to: Ms. Erika Salazar, c/o HNTB Corporation, 1805 Ruben Torres Sr. Blvd, Suite A-15, Brownsville, TX 78521. Comments may also be faxed to (956) 554-7509 or e-mailed to SPI2ndAccess@hntb.com. All written comments received by 5:00 PM on Monday June 2nd, 2008, will be included in the official record of the public meeting.

Alice Donahue assisted the owner of one of Germany's largest bridge building companies, KEMPA Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH's, retired owner and professor Reinhard Kempa, in the purchase of his Boardwalk and Radisson South Padre Island second home properties.  In an interview with Alice he suggested a ferry could be started before or while the bridge is being built. He said it would add a "Holiday" effect to the Island. Because the building of the bridge could take years, a ferry, like the one available between Galveston and Bolivar Peninsula, would start to draw people and businesses to the northern end of the island.

Click here to read more: 2nd Causeway Linking Mainland to South Padre Island