Tag: eminent domain

FM 1387 in Ellis County

~ Luke Ellis ~ 2 Comments

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plans to expand FM 1387 from North Midlothian Parkway to FM 664 in Ellis County. The existing right of way (ROW) varies from 80 ft. to 100 ft. wide while the proposed ROW varies from 125 ft. to 140 ft. wide. It is estimated that an approximate 200 parcels will be affected by this ROW expansion.  According to the project’s timeline released at its second public meeting in September 2020, the project recently received environmental clearance, and is currently obtaining the necessary right of way.  

Southeast Connector

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The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is planning to make improvements at the interchanges at I-820, I-20 and US 287 in Tarrant County. These include short-term and long-term roadway and operational improvements on the each of the three interchanges that are within the 16.5 miles of the project’s study limits.

The improvements would require an additional 22.6 acres of right of way, along with 3.3 acres of permanent easements. The project would cause the displacement of 23 residences and 19 non-residential structures. According to TxDOT’s timeline found in their public meeting presentation that was held in June 2020, ROW acquisition is currently ongoing until 2023 while construction is anticipated to begin sometime this winter.

US 59 Loop Upgrade

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The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will be widening and reconstructing US 59 in Laredo through the ongoing project known as the US 59 Loop upgrade. The project will be constructed in 3 separate phases; TxDOT has completed the environmental study for phases 1 and 2 of this project. There is a separate ongoing study being done for the 3rd phase of this project. The improvements will take place across a distance of 7.198 miles from International Boulevard to the existing interchange of US 59/SL 20 and BU-59Z. The improvements include six 12-foot wide travel lanes, three 12-foot wide travel lanes, several new overpasses, and much more.

According to TxDOT’s project page, phases 1 and 2 will require approximately 192 acres of new right-of-way (ROW). No residential displacements are anticipated, but 2 commercial displacement are expected.  TxDOT held a virtual public hearing for phases 1 and 2 in April, and are now currently in the process of acquiring the new ROW.  Phase 1, the most rapidly moving of all phase, is set to let for construction in September 2022.

SH 72 in DeWitt County

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The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is proposing to widen and reconstruct State Highway (SH) 72 from Farm-to-Market (FM) 237 to United States Highway (US) 87 in DeWitt County. The improvements include one 12-foot-wide lane in each direction, a 4-foot-wide flush median between oncoming lanes, and 10-foot-wide shoulders.

According to TxDOT’s project page, approximately 55.26 acres of proposed right-of-way (ROW) will be acquired across the project’s total length of 14 miles.  It is possible that up to 115 parcels will be affected with the potential displacements of 2 non-residential structures. TxDOT held an open house in February 2019 and is now in the process of acquiring ROW.

US 377 Denton

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The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plans to reconstruct and widen US 377 in Denton County.  The proposed project involves the full reconstruction of the existing two-lane rural roadway to a four-way divided highway with sidewalk from south of FM 1171 to north of Crawford Road. The new right-of-way (ROW) would be 140 feet wide which would require approximately 54.6 acres of additional ROW. According to TxDOT’s timeline from their virtual public meeting held in November 2020, ROW acquisition began early this year and will continue into 2022.

FM 548 in Kaufmann and Rockwall Counties

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The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has proposed a widening and reconstruction of FM 548 within Kaufmann and Rockwall counties. The overall project has been divided into two segments. Segment 1 would expand the current two-lane roadway to a six-lane divided urban minor arterial from US 80 to Windmill Farms Boulevard, and segment 2 would expand the current two-lane rural roadway to a four-lane divided urban arterial (six-lane ultimate) from Windmill Farms Boulevard to SH 205. The existing right-of-way (ROW) width is approximately 100 feet wide while the proposed ROW width is approximately 122 feet wide. The improvements would require approximately 63.4 acres of new ROW and 8.01 acres of proposed permanent drainage easement. According to TxDOT, one vacant non-residential structure will potentially be displaced.  It is estimated that an approximate 115 parcels are to be affected by condemnation. Right of way acquisition is currently underway with construction anticipated to begin in March of 2025.  

The green line displays the limits and route of the proposed project.

SH 105 in San Jacinto, Montgomery, and Liberty Counties

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The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has proposed to reconstruct and widen State Highway (SH) 105 from 10th Street in Conroe to Business 105 in Montgomery, San Jacinto and Liberty counties. The total project cost is estimated to be $175 million and is State and federally funded. The existing SH 105 consists of (generally) a two-lane undivided roadway with 11-foot outside shoulders. The proposed project would include widening to a four-land roadway with a continuous turn land, constructing pedestrian and bicyclist accommodations, and converting the open ditch to curb-and-gutter. The improvements would require approximately 45 acres of additional right of way (ROW). According to TxDOT, displacements of businesses and residences are anticipated. ROW acquisition is currently underway.

Widening FM 1461

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The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will be reconstructing and widening FM 1461 from SH 289 to CR 166 within the cities of Celina, McKinney, and Proper in Collin County. The currently right of way (ROW) is 90 feet wide while the proposed ROW is 172 feet wide. It is estimated that an approximate 100 parcels will be affected by this ROW expansion.  The project has completed its environmental assessment, and is now in the process of acquiring the necessary ROW. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2025.  

Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration

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The Coastal Texas Study (conducted by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) & Texas General Land Office (GLO)) is a comprehensive plan examining all Texas coastal communities in order to establish coastal storm risk management and ecosystem restoration.  The study began in 2015 and has been gathering and collecting data in its evaluative and analytical phases ever since. That is, until recently when things began picking up speed in the project’s timeline. In April 2021, the Texas legislature passed a bill (SB 1160) that will establish the Gulf Coast Protection District, a regional district with eminent domain powers to decide on taxing and condemnation issues. 

The official Coastal Texas Study website states that “impacts to homes and businesses will be avoided and minimized as much as possible during refinement and optimization of the alignments…voluntary relocations and acquisitions will be pursued, and eminent domain would only be imposed by a local sponsor as a last resort” (Texas Coastal Study, 2021). The Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) are being finalized and will be released to the public and submitted to Congress for authorization, funding, and construction in September.

Dripping Spring SW Connection

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The Dripping Springs Southwest Connection is a project studying possible routes to extend the RM 150 Corridor from RM 12 around the Southwest side of Dripping Springs to connect to US 290. The project includes a four land divided road with a median in the middle.  It would also include a facility for pedestrians and biking. The exact length and constructing details will be identified in a future design phase. The right of way needed will be approximately 150 feet, exact dimensions will be determined by the final design. 

The route concept follows property lines and will impact several land owners with takings and possible relocations. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is currently in the process of developing a precise preliminary schematic that will be revealed to the public at its next open house this fall.