Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Roads topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hidalgo County court renames stretch of roads to 'Nolana Loop' after public hearing
Summary
Commissioners voted to rename segments of Erling, Hernandez, Mile 11½ North and Nolana Avenue to Nolana Loop after a public hearing; one resident raised concerns about federal grant and environmental compliance during comments.
Hidalgo County Commissioners Court on a voice vote approved renaming several connected roadway segments in Precinct 1 — commonly known as Erling Road, Hernandez Road, Mile 11 And A Half North and Nolana Avenue — to a single designation: Nolana Loop.
The change followed a public hearing required by the county and the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). County staff explained that consolidating multiple names along the corridor was necessary to comply with MPO rules and to ensure consistency for project funding and permitting.
Why it matters: The renaming is a technical step tied to a road-expansion and mobility project managed through the MPO and federal and state funding partners. Using one continuous road name simplifies permitting, mapping, and the paperwork required by federal-aid programs.
During the public hearing, Jorge Cruz Saenz, a McAllen resident and veteran who spoke during the meeting’s public comment period, expressed broader concerns about federal grant compliance and information sharing, saying his worry was about whether “we are abiding by our constitutional rights to demand our representatives and authorities to actually hold them accountable.” Saenz also referenced federal grant guidance and environmental policy requirements during his remarks.
County staff responded during the hearing that the item before the court was the road renaming for the Nolana Loop project and that the project is coordinated through the MPO and the U.S. Department of Transportation. A county representative told the court the MPO consolidates and administers federal and state approvals for such corridor projects and said, “This is coordinated through the Metropolitan Planning Organization and U.S. Department of Transportation, where all of these funds are consolidated and everything is done in accordance with standards.”
After the hearing, a motion to approve the renaming was made and seconded; the court recorded, “All in favor say aye. Aye. Motion carries.” The court’s action was recorded as an order under Chapter 251.013 of the Texas Transportation Code.
What’s next: The new single designation will be used for project documents, wayfinding, and related MPO submittals. The court did not set a separate public comment period for environmental approvals because those items are handled through the MPO and related permitting processes.
