Road bond proponents about to get very vocal

By Howard Roden | Posted: Wednesday, August 24, 2005 12:00 am

So far there has been little public discussion about the massive improvement project – either pro or con – as the Sept. 10 election date draws near. But that is about to change.

Mobility NOW, the committee founded to drum up support for this first-of-its-kind bond issue in Texas, plans a campaign blitz that includes a wave of speaking engagements and an informational brochure that will distributed in newspapers throughout the county, including The Courier. Although Mobility NOW’s chairwoman, attorney Nelda Luce Blair, admits the bond election hasn’t been a tough sell up to this point, the committee isn’t taking any chances.

“We’re going to be at every Lions Club, Rotary Club or chamber of commerce luncheon between now and Sept. 10,” she said. “We don’t want this issue to drop off the radar. We don’t want to win by 10-0. We want to win by a bunch of votes.”

All indications suggest a landslide for road bond supporters as early voting begins today at four locations throughout the county. The project has received a formal blessing from just about every major civic organization in the county, including the chamber of commerces of Greater Conroe/Lake Conroe, South Montgomery County (The Woodlands), Greater Magnolia, Magnolia Parkway and the Community Chamber of East Montgomery County.

Even the Greater Houston Builders Association recently issued its endorsement of the bond proposal, Blair said.

“This isn’t just your average bond issue. This is a cutting-edge way to get roads built quicker and Montgomery County is the first county to take advantage of it,” she said.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Craig Doyal said he’s received nothing but a bunch of “thumbs up” from county residents about the bond issue. But if there’s any grumbling, it might occur in Doyal’s back yard.

While the right-of-way for the proposed Fish Creek Parkway (along Honea Egypt Road) through the Montgomery Trace and Sendera Ranch subdivisions was donated decades ago, some residents are not pleased with the multi-lane thoroughfare that will connect FM 1488 and FM 2854.

“I think there are some people who not in favor of it,” said Ann E.H. Tofft, president of the east 1488 Community Association and a Sendera resident. “These are people whose property is adjacent to the thoroughfare and don’t think the developer made that clear when they bought their land.”

To accelerate much-needed road improvements, Montgomery County taxpayers will fund projects up-front with the bonds. The county is then reimbursed by the Texas Department of Transportation, based on a traffic count agreed upon between the county and TxDOT.

The program is referred to as a “pass-through” or “shadow” toll, although drivers are not required to pay a toll when using the roads included in the bond election.

Of the $160 million in bonds, $100 million is earmarked for a handful of major projects including the expansion of Farm-to-Market roads 1488, 1314 and 1485. Plans also call for the relocation of FM 1484 to accommodate the proposed expansion of the Lone Star Executive Airport.

The remaining $60 million will be divided among the four county commissioners for improvements within their respective precincts.

If the opposition to the bond election is scattered, Mobility NOW has raised more than $15,000 for its war chest, collecting donations at $275 a pop. Those funds were used to create a brochure that Blair said would appear in 80,000 newspapers throughout the county next week.

The committee also has paid for signs that will be placed outside each of the voting locations.

“The volunteers are putting them out as we speak,” Blair said. “Obviously there are a lot of people interested in getting the word out that this issue is absolutely important for Montgomery County.”

Howard Roden can be reached at hroden@mail.hcnonline.net.