I-35 expansion discussion open to public Posted On: Tuesday, Nov. 10 2009 05:08 AM By Jade Ortego
Killeen Daily Herald

BELTON – The Texas Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting at the Frank W. Mayborn Civic and Convention Center in Temple at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to discuss the expansion of Interstate 35 in Bell County.

"This will be one of a lot of public meetings we will have …if the commission goes through like they've indicated they will likely do, … this will accelerate these projects by several years," County Commissioner Eddy Lange said at a commissioners court meeting Monday. Commissioners had expected the expansion to begin in 2012 or 2013; it is now possible that construction could begin next year.

The commissioners court also recognized Lt. Charles Grogan of the Bell County Sheriff's Office jail division for completing the National Jail Leadership Command Academy at Sam Houston University from Oct. 25 to 30.

Judge Jon H. Burrows extolled the work of the Bell County jail.

"We don't hear about it much because it works so well," Burrows said.

The court also considered a report on $128,814 in savings for the first half of 2009 (compared to the first half of 2008) on the purchase of electricity. Bell County is a member of the Public Power Pool, a collaborative utility buying program.

"We essentially act as our own retailer… the project has been able to stabilize the rates over time so it's been an enormous success," Lange said.

The meeting began with a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims in Thursday's shooting at Fort Hood.

Contact Jade Ortego at jortego@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7553.