Metropolitan Planning Organization revisits Loop 1604 and US 281 funding Issues

From Miles Vandewalle via the MPO:

The Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board (TPB) met Monday, September 28th to discuss a number of business items including revising the description and funding categories of the US 281 N, and Loop 1604 and the Loop 1604/US 281 interchange projects. If approved, the changes would mean the US 281 N and Loop 1604 projects would not be tolled.

Additionally, the City of Leon Valley requested amending the Long Range Transportation Plan to revise the description and funding sources of the Bandera Road project from Loop 410 to Loop 1604. Leon Valley requested any improvements not include a toll component and instead the corridor be pursued as a high-capacity transit corridor with VIA Metropolitan Transit.

After a lengthy discussion, the Policy Board decided to refer the proposal to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to obtain more information on the cost estimates and a number of other questions. Additionally, the TPB scheduled another working meeting for October 19th at 1:30 p.m. at the VIA Metro Center to further discuss these projects.

The Policy Board plans to vote on the non-tolling proposals at a special evening meeting to be held in the vicinity of Loop 1604 and US 281 on October 26, 2009. We will send out more information as the meeting date gets closer.