About Us
ABOUT OUR EFFORT
S.T.O.P. is a grassroots organization of community leaders from Fort Bend County, including Brazos Gardens, Brazos Lakes, Brazos Village, Bridlewood Estates, Canyon Gate at the Brazos Greatwood, Tara, Greatwood Auto, Greatwood Chick-Fil-A, and Mount Moriah Baptist Church. We are working together, along with Crabb River business owners, to protect our quality of life while improving local access for the future.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is proposing to build a limited access toll road through the heart of our community. Segment C of the proposed Grand Parkway would run 26 miles from US-59 (Southwest Freeway) along Crabb River Road, then south and east over to SH 288, through Fort Bend and Brazoria counties. Rather than addressing traffic congestion in the populated areas of Fort Bend, Segment C is designed to spur development in the floodplains and farmland of southern Fort Bend County. The Grand Parkway Association (GPA) (http://grandpky.com) is a quasi-governmental board working to expedite construction of the proposed Grand Parkway. Originally formed by speculative land developers, the Grand Parkway Association coordinates planning with TxDOT, and lobbies the Transportation Commission and Texas Legislature for funding and favorable rules. The Grand Parkway Association does not represent the community.
Originally proposed as a free State Highway (SH-99), the Grand Parkway is now proposed as a toll road. TxDOT cannot afford to build "low priority" roads, and they recognize that there are not enough people in southern Fort Bend to warrant construction of this road. Fort Bend County studied Segment C for the feasibility of tolling and the County's consultant concluded that there is not enough traffic in southern Fort Bend to justify a toll road. The Texas Transportation Commission is now considering selling the proposed Grand Parkway to a private, potentially foreign, toll road developer. Enough is enough.
S.T.O.P. community leaders want to change TxDOT's plan. We are not anti-toll, but pro-mobility. We seek better mobility solutions, such as the original discussions of expanding Crabb River Road into a rural four lane divided highway. While we believe we must plan for growth, we believe it can be done in a responsible manner while protecting and preserving the quality of life and community for residents today and those to come.
We oppose the current proposed design for the development of Grand Parkway, Segment C with flyovers, tolling, and limited access through residential communities. We oppose any proposed plans to connect with the Trans Texas Corridor/I-69. We oppose any foreign private partnerships and oppose developing Segment C for the benefit of developers. To date, approximately three miles of the proposed 26 miles is inhabited by residents. We support local control, local investment, and local access.
If you agree that we need a better mobility solution than the proposed Grand Parkway toll road, please join us by becoming a S.T.O.P. member. Sign our e-petition. Purchase a tee shirt. Write your elected officials, your county commissioners, and attend County Commissioner's Court each Tuesday (see schedule at www.co.fort-bend.tx.us), William B. Travis Building, 301 Jackson Street, Richmond, TX 77469.
Previous page: Home
Next page: In The News