TxDOT to discuss 190 expansion
Posted On: Friday, Nov. 13 2009 05:15 AM
By Victor O'Brien
Killeen Daily HeraldState plans to relieve congestion along U.S. Highway 190 may roll through some businesses and residences along the expansion path, according to a letter sent to properties along the route.
The Texas Department of Transportation will reveal the buildings that may be forced to relocate during a public presentation of its U.S. 190 expansion project on Thursday.
Officials will discuss the expansion of U.S. 190 to six lanes from Fort Hood's Bernie Beck Main Gate to Farm-to-Market 2410 in Harker Heights, along with the widening of Central Texas Expressway along that route.
"We don't want to scare people that we'll be coming down wholesale wiping our properties left and right. That's not the case," said Ken Roberts, TxDOT spokesman.
Some properties will be affected, but TxDOT has not identified which ones, Roberts said.
Buildings that may be impacted are situated at narrow parts of U.S. 190 and CTE, such as several homes by the pedestrian bridge near Fort Hood Street, Roberts said.
Property owners along the route need to attend the meeting to learn how it might impact them and to provide feedback to engineers before plans are finalized.
TxDOT will inform residents of their property rights should the project require them to relocate, Roberts said.
The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Shilo Inn, at 3701 S. W.S. Young Drive in Killeen.
The projects remain unfunded at an estimated cost of $118 million, not including related side projects. The Fort Hood to W.S. Young phase is not expected to go out for construction bids until October 2010. The bids for the W.S. Young to Harker Heights phase are expected in August 2011. Construction would begin several months after the bids and take approximately 2½ years, Roberts said.
Contact Victor O'Brien at
vobrien@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7468.