RE: Trinity River Toll Road

So Loyd, Paul Lehner, director of planning and development for the Trinity River Corridor Project, sent me this in response to your question about the trees:

“I don’t recall that trees have ever been mentioned as a major issue. In any case, it is easy to see that in the downtown area there are almost no trees immediately inside the east levee which is where the proposed road would be located. Further downstream there are a few trees near that levee, but I don’t have the exact number. However, the Draft Environmental Impact Study (“DEIS”) being prepared by NTTA states in Section 4.9.2.2 that all the toll road alignments (including the Industrial Blvd. alternatives) have about 7 acres of “Forested Impacts,” due primarily to levee extensions to the south which are crossed at some point by the road.”

Meaning: You’re still going to have the exact same number of trees removed, no matter the road’s location. Inside the levee or not, a road’s going in and the trees are coming down.
Lehner also mentioned that unclogging traffic will, in the long run, be better for the environment.

“It seems logical that, if one assumes the same number of cars passing though a given network of roads, it is much better to have them moving efficiently than to be gridlocked and spewing out exhaust fumes in one spot for long periods of time.”