Kevin O’Connor Kommentary October 31

The consultant hired by Brazos County commissioners to develop a loop highway east of Bryan and College Station is having another public meeting. The consultant’s news release says there will be no formal presentation. It is being promoted as an opportunity to see the updated study area and the latest proposed routes for the future highway. The gathering is Tuesday, May 6, from five until seven p.m. at Legends Events Center in Bryan. County commissioners for months have heard from multiple opponents to the loop and have called on the commission to terminate its contract with the Quiddity consultant group, which is hosting the public meeting. News release from Quiddity consultants: The Inner Loop East Study Team is holding the second public meeting for the Inner Loop East Study to share information and collect input on the updated study area, refined alignment concepts, traffic modeling, and next steps. Public Meeting Tuesday, May 6, 2025 5 to 7 p.m. Legends Event Center 2533 Midtown Park Blvd, Bryan, TX 77801 No formal presentation is planned, and community members are invited to come and go at their convenience. Meeting materials will be available online at brazoscountytx.gov/653/Inner-Loop-East beginning Tuesday, May 6, 2025. While comments are always welcome and considered, to have them included in the official meeting documentation, comments must be postmarked by Friday, May 23, 2025. Comments may be submitted by: • Mail: 1862 Rock Prairie Road, Suite 200, College Station, TX 77845 • Online: brazoscountytx.gov/653/Inner-Loop-East • Email: BrazosInnerLoopEast@quiddity.com • Voicemail: 979-383-2036 At the first public meeting in November 2024, the study team shared information on the study background, the need and purpose of the proposed roadway, environmental considerations, proposed roadway configuration, and six alignment concepts for public and property owner feedback. The public meeting had over 600 attendees and over 1,300 comments. Based on feedback and additional environmental studies, the team adjusted the original study area to find ways to reduce the number of impacts to property owners and existing home sites. Since then, the team has been working through additional environmental studies and meeting with property owners within the adjusted study area to inform them of the change and share updates. Working with the community and property owners is a priority for the County and the Study Team. We recognize the potential impacts of this proposed roadway and are committed to keeping everyone involved and informed throughout this process. Public input is essential and is used to guide and shape study development and future decisions. About the Inner Loop East Study The Inner Loop East Study Team is studying the feasibility of a potential new roadway that would connect the eastern areas of Bryan and College Station. Should the study determine a new roadway is needed, it would improve north-south connectivity, mobility, and roadway capacity to accommodate traffic volume growth associated with new and future planned development. The proposed new alignment would connect at SH 6 east of FM 2818 in Bryan, cross SH 30 south of Elmo Weedon Road, and connect with William D Fitch Parkway in College Station. The study is funded through Brazos County’s voter-approved Transportation Road Improvement Program (TRIP) 2022 Bond. The goal of the study is to preserve a corridor that works for the travel needs of the community while honoring the rich character and agricultural aspect of the area that benefits the community. Corridor preservation is a vital step in transportation planning and works to minimize impacts in the future as development continues.

Thursday’s (April 25) College Station city council meeting included almost one hour of discussion on how to address housing overoccupancy by implementing parking restrictions. A council majority agreed to consider an overnight ban on street parking in affected neighborhoods. The council was given a list of other options that includes issuing permits for street parking and additional restrictions on parking in the front and/or backyards of homes in targeted neighborhoods. Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the April 24, 2025 College Station city council meeting. Click below to hear comments from the April 24, 2025 College Station city council meeting. Listen to “College Station city council majority is interested in parking restrictions as one way to address housing overoccupancy” on Spreaker.

Jennifer Cain, Capital Projects Director, visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia about birding, progress on fire station 7, pickleball and futsal courts at Anderson Park, new tennis courts, project budgets, committee studies, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs on Friday, April 25, 2025. Listen to “City of College Station Update on The Infomaniacs” on Spreaker.