The countywide transportation committee is now discussing “controversial” roadway projects, which include greenfield recommendations, and community responses already are starting to heat up.
The Kendall County, Boerne and Fair Oaks Transportation Committee is a citizen-run committee, with several officials from local municipalities seated, charged with making recommendations for shortrange projects to quickly alleviate existing traffic congestion and long-range projects to address current and projected transportation needs. The committee also is tasked with making policy recommendations to help design the transportation and land-use system across the county.
Several city officials – including Boerne Mayor Tim Handren – brought up the Kendall Gateway Study, expressing interest in reviewing some of the projects outlined in the failed 2017 Texas Department of Transportation study recommendations. The study included a “loop” around the city of Boerne that would require the acquisition of several privately owned lots that would have served as an alternate route for commercial and recreational vehicles around downtown Boerne.
However, public outcries against the TxDOT recommendations led the Kendall County Commissioners Court formally to reject the study in late 2018 despite having asked TxDOT to conduct the study in 2015.
The committee is still set to discuss four versions of a “loop” concept in the county, but the first round of “controversial” projects discussed focused on the southeastern portion of the county, mostly falling in or near Fair Oaks Ranch.
Beginning with a less-heated topic, the committee discussed a roundabout at the intersection of Dietz-Elkhorn Road and Fair Oaks Parkway, where the two major city roadways intersect near one of the city’s few commercial areas. This was a project considered by FOR city officials a couple of years ago, but committee Cochair Don Durden recalled the city council shot down the project.
FOR Mayor Greg Maxton said TxDOT was willing to put up 50 to 60 percent of the cost for the buildout, but he said the remaining cost to the city was not budgeted for at the time, so the project died. Additionally, he said city staff looked at accidents at the intersection, and he said only one major accident resulting in an injury was reported.
While there was no clear show of support nor opposition for a roundabout at the major FOR intersection, committee member Jonah Evans suggested the item be moved for further discussion when the committee conducts a final review of project recommendations.
The transportation committee has whittled down hundreds of recommendations from the public, the committee and government officials to review for its final list of shortterm and long-term project recommendations. However, the list continues to grow as the initial round of review trucks on.
Next, the transportation committee heard what could be considered a “controversial” project recommendation, which led to frustrated outbursts from the audience. The committee discussed proposals on how to straighten Ammann Road, which contains a couple of sharp, 90-degree turns in its connection between State Highway 46 and Farm-to-Market Road 3351.
The first recommendation would create a direct route between Highway 46 and FM 3351. However, committee member Bitsy Pratt pointed out several citizens objected to this concept, and she expressed opposition to continued consideration.
Another committee member representing FOR, Bobby Balli, felt differently. Balli pushed to move the recommendation for further consideration, saying right of way issues “are going to be there,” whether it be in handling the intersections at Herff and River roads or FM 3351 and Interstate 10.
An alternate solution was proposed that would straighten out the curves on Ammann Road by developing the Highway 46 and FM 3351 connection through the incoming George’s Ranch development and the pending Boerne Ranch Estates development. While this was much more favorable among committee members apprehensive about encouraging public officials or municipalities to enact eminent domain, this proposal henges on the development of Boerne Ranch Estates which has faced years of legal battles between changing developers and the city of FOR and Kendall County.
In the end, the second recommendation was moved forward for further consideration with the caveat that the improvements be made with incoming development rather than cutting through some “historic ranch.”
The transportation committee meets at 2 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month at Boerne City Hall.
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