Residents tell Brazos County commissioners to halt proposed East Loop; court approves routine items

Several residents told the Brazos County Commissioners Court at a recent public meeting that they oppose the proposed East Loop project, criticizing the county’s outreach and the scope of the engineering study.

Taylor Cooper, a resident, told the court he and his family moved to the Brazos Valley to avoid urban development and said the East Loop would “kill their dreams” for a property his son recently bought off Dilley Shaw. “This would kill their dreams. This would kill what their expectations were when they moved back into this area,” Cooper said.

The issue drew multiple speakers during the public-comment period. Keith King asked the court to “stop the East Loop studying project,” saying citizens have repeatedly told the court they do not want it and requesting more convenient meeting times and the option for four-minute video or audio submissions from residents unable to attend in person. “The citizens don't want it,” King said.

Roger Lassiter criticized what he described as poor transparency about the project’s timeline and contracting. He noted the county engaged a consultant identified in the meeting as Mr. Polster and said the consultant’s stated role is to “push these sorts of projects through and fast track them so that TxDOT can have a ready to build project at a moment's notice.” Lassiter urged the court to withdraw its support and cancel the contract.

Robert Johnson raised similar concerns about transparency and potential land-use change, saying the loop would “commercialize the county” and convert rural areas to urban development. “When the people tell you they want you to do something, you work for us,” Johnson said.

Why it matters: speakers pointed to a county-funded engineering study they said costs $11,200,000 and to consultant comments that environmental work and readiness for construction could be completed by 2026. Residents argued the county has not published a corridor-specific traffic study, questioned population-growth baselines cited in presentations, and warned the road could spur commercial development and new crime corridors.

Discussion versus action: the comments occurred during the public-comment portion of the meeting; no formal action on the East Loop or the consultant contract occurred during the meeting. Speakers asked the court to cancel the contract and to hold more neighborhood meetings in affected communities including Wixson Valley, Curtain and Edge, but the transcript shows no motion or vote on the East Loop during the session.

Votes at a glance: after public comment the court proceeded through regular agenda items and approved a series of routine motions by voice vote. The court approved an appointment, accepted donated/unclaimed property for the Brazos County Detention Center for June–December 2024, declared surplus property salvage under Local Government Code 263.152, renewed a uniform rental bid with UniFirst Corporation (bid 25-096R), approved contract 25-104 for short-term professional staffing, approved two Frontier Communications utility permits for fiber conduit/directional bores (North Dowling Road and Matrix Drive), accepted the November 2024 treasurer's report, approved listed tax refund applications (items a–f), approved FY 24–25 budget amendments 17.01–17.07, approved personnel status changes, approved the payment of claims (listed invoice ranges), and acknowledged several reports including the juvenile detention population and racial-profiling acknowledgments.

Meeting context and follow-up: public comment on the East Loop drew at least four speakers and several specific requests for more transparent outreach, corridor-specific traffic studies, and cancellation of what residents described as an $11.2 million engineering study. Residents cited consultant statements about an expedited path to a “ready to build” project and urged commissioners to consider less costly traffic studies and hold town-hall meetings in affected precincts. The court did not take action on the East Loop during the meeting; routine agenda items advanced by voice vote.

Ending: commissioners moved on to precinct reports and closed the meeting after approving the listed agenda items and acknowledging standard departmental reports.