BEAUMONT — Tuesday the Texas Department of Transportation held it’s second public hearing concerning the widening of I-10 and the demolition of the Brooks Road overpass.
“You go down to Walden road and nine out of ten times you’re having to play havoc with the 18-wheelers coming off of I-10,” said Kathi Hughes of Beaumont. “And you get there, and there is that four way stop and you don’t know who’s going first or second, so it’s kind of dangerous.”
Hughes is the Director of the Ben J Rogers visitor’s center, and a Beaumont resident who lives nearby. She wanted to her opinion to be heard at the public hearing on Tuesday. Hughes feels the removal of the overpass will discourage westbound visitors from visiting the center.
“What do you usually remember,” asked Hughes. “The last impression. And the last impression will be that our visitors had to drive a long way to get back on 10 after they leave the visitors center.”
As Hughes mentioned, when the project is completed the drivers will now be required to drive to the Walden road exit to get back on I-10 west. According to google maps, that’s about 2 miles from the visitors’ center, or a 4 minute drive. To Brooks Road? About .6 miles, or a 2 minute drive. Not much difference. Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick says that while he is for the widening of I-10 to 6 lanes, he believes taking away the overpass will get rid of easy access to communities showing growth as well as access to the baseball and football complexes off of I-10 east.
“We expect that there is going to be further development along the I-10 corridor and we hate to impede it, and cut off any transportation routes that could serve that development,” said Branick.
The overpass does have to be removed regardless. TxDot is mandating that all overpasses on the I-10 corridor be 18 ft. 5 in. The brooks road overpass? 15 ft. 11 in. at its lowest point. Sarah Dupre with TxDot says that they believe traffic flow won’t be a problem.
“The new major drive/I-10 overpass is fully capable of handling any additional traffic displaced from the brooks road overpass,” said Dupre.
Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of the year, and won't be done for about four years.