McKeever Rd./Airport Expansion Update (from FBNow.com)-

McKeever Road Diversion Project Could Be Resolved Tuesday
by Bob Dunn, Feb 27, 12:50 pm

A controversial project to divert McKeever Road in Arcola – known as the South Post Oak extension project – may be resolved Tuesday by the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court.

The project has drawn vocal opposition from some Arcola residents who believe it’s being undertaken to help Houston Southwest Airport expand at the expense of several Newpoint Estates residents who would lose some of their property as right-of-way for the roadway relocation.

Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert said in December he’s trying to find a way to divert McKeever but take as little land as possible from Newpoint Estates property owners.

Hebert met a few days ago with Newpoint Estates residents, at their invitation, and said Monday the meeting “went very well.” He said he’s not at liberty to talk about the road project now, because commissioners court is scheduled to discuss it in an executive session at the end of Tuesday’s regular 1 p.m. meeting.

During that discussion, it’s likely Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers may express his own opposition to the McKeever Road diversion.

In a recent interview, Meyers said that, based on traffic congestion and traffic safety data, improving McKeever Road “shouldn’t even be on the radar screen.”

McKeever Road carries only 200 cars a day, Meyers said, and after improvements, studies show traffic may gradually increase to 600 cars a day. But meanwhile, other roads in serious need of improvement are carrying anywhere from 6,000 to 12,000 vehicles per day.

“Not only congestion, but traffic accidents,” Meyers said. “We’ve had some serious accidents and fatalities. I don’t want that to continue or increase.”

Houston Southwest Airport owner Jamie Griffith has agreed has agreed to allow Arcola to annex some of his property, provide $500,000 for road construction costs and deed over land for right-of-way if the county will spend what has been estimated at $4 million for the roadway diversion.

Commissioners court members sought and received an interlocal agreement from Arcola City Council stating, in part, that the city would be responsible for acquiring right-of-way property for the project.

The diversion would make 700 additional feet of airport property usable, Hebert has said, but it can only be used as a buffer to insure FAA-required clearance.

But Meyers said he looks at it as an issue of finding the best places to spend county highway funds to achieve the greatest “quality-of-life” return on the money.

He named Harlem Road, Greenbush, a portion of Dulles Avenue and a portion of Kirkwood as four roads with a “tremendous amount” of traffic and subject to accidents.

“I’ve got other more important places to put $4 million,” Meyers said. “The issue is, we should put our money on a road that makes a difference, and putting money into McKeever Road won’t make a difference.”


Comment: Does this mean the airport expansion will be haulted???