Residents tell Brazos County court East Loop would cut through family land, urge transparency

Dozens of Brazos County residents told the Commissioners Court on Jan. 28 they oppose the proposed East Loop alignment and want more transparency from the county and project planners.

"The East Loop is supposed to go right through my grandpa's house and his land on Billy Shaw Tap," resident Cal Good said during the public comment period. "It's 22 acres…many animals like most families are buried there. Memories. It's just personal."

The speakers asked the court to delay or release more information about the planned alignment and planning process. Keith Ballasse, who said he has lived in Brazos County for more than 12 years, said a petition and online following opposing the loop has grown rapidly: "As of yesterday, we have a 1,000 people that are following this loop that have signed on concerned, frustrated, angry about this East Loop, and it's growing every day."

Speaker Beverly Greenwood, who said she created the website noeastloop.com, criticized the planning process and warned of "induced demand," a traffic-engineering concept she described as likely to produce suburban sprawl and greater maintenance costs. Greenwood referred to the consultant study that planners hired: "The $11,200,000 study that Quiddity is performing right now will show that we need an East Loop. I know it will…If you build it, they will come."

Multiple speakers asked the court to publish the alignment being evaluated. "Please direct the engineers at Quiddity to release the alignment 7C," Kyle Greenwood said near the end of the public comment period.

Speakers also raised related concerns about infrastructure and county priorities: water availability, maintenance funding and the long-term cost to taxpayers. Paul Valerigo, who said he has lived in the county for 54 years, warned that large road projects have prompted local business disruption in the past: he cited Old Reliance Road construction as an example that harmed some businesses and cost the county and local firms time and money.

A town hall organized by opponents was announced for Feb. 10 at Bryan High School's Blue Auditorium; several speakers urged commissioners to attend and take residents' concerns into account.

Why it matters: the East Loop, still in study phases according to speakers, would alter land use for affected property owners and could reshape rural parts of Brazos County. Residents said they have not received what they consider adequate public information about exact alignments, impacts and assumptions in the consultant study.

The court did not take formal action on the East Loop during the Jan. 28 meeting. Commissioners and staff referenced prior meetings with planners and MPO representatives, and commenters cited a meeting on Dec. 3 that they said left questions unanswered.

The public comment period drew many speakers and sustained opposition across different precincts; the court moved on that agenda item after the public comment block concluded and proceeded to consider other agenda items, including property sales, appointments and contract actions.