Local economist urges commissioners to put MPO freeway proposal on agenda, calls regional loop unjustified

Adam Perdue, who identified himself as an urban and regional economist and transportation engineer, urged the Brazos County Commissioners Court on March 25 to place the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s proposed freeway/loop on the court’s agenda so officials can publicly debate the project’s justification.

Perdue said MPO population and employment forecasts do not support the proposed loop and argued that the highway would not function as a bypass because it is a longer route; he also challenged economic-development claims, saying roads do not create growth so much as shift it. Perdue criticized consultant spending on the study, saying much of the $12 million study-design money appears to go to consultants from Houston, Austin and San Antonio rather than local firms, and he requested the county pause the related contract until a more cost‑effective traffic study could be completed.

Perdue told the court the MPO’s forecasted population for the study area is 371,000 (which he called an overestimate) and contrasted that with the state demographer’s lower forecast. He said that population and employment are concentrated in Bryan and College Station south of State Highway 30 and west of State Highway 6, and that a loop would not relieve traffic by offering a longer alternative route.

Perdue asked the court to place the MPO matter on a future agenda so commissioners and the public can have a full record and discussion. He suggested the county pause the contract described in the MPO materials if the county intends to continue without a stronger, locally focused justification and requested either a cheaper traffic study to support the project or clearer evidence of need. The court did not take immediate action on his request during the meeting; commissioners did not announce a date for further discussion on the MPO item during the session.