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TxDOT hosts meeting, receiving comments on Business 190 project

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

The Texas Department of Transportation along with the City of Copperas Cove held a public hearing on Tuesday on the Business Highway 190 median project. 
Victor Goebel, director of transportation planning and development for TxDOT’s Waco District presented an overview of the project, approximately 1.25 miles from Constitution Drive to Avenue D. 
The anticipated timetable for construction is from spring 2020 through early summer 2021. The median will run along the entire length of the route, with a five-foot bicycle lane and six-foot sidewalk on the south side, and a 14-foot shared bicycle and vehicle lane on the north side. 
The $420,000 Governor’s Community Achievement Award, won by Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful, will go toward a terraced landscape that will be installed where a current concrete riprap exists along Bus. 190.
Prior to the hearing opening at 6 p.m., citizens could view the current schematic design displayed along a series of tables on one side the civic center.
During its May 31 meeting, TxDOT had computers set up to take surveys without an opportunity for residents to speak. This time around, those attending the hearing had the opportunity to speak for three minutes, with a stenographer transcribing their comments. 
A total of nine individuals took to the microphone to speak, including Jason Manning and Jonathan Manning, with Manning Homes, located on Business 190. 
Both were concerned that delivery trucks would have issues accessing their place of business, and that there is no “back street” behind their business for traffic flow which could also cause an issue. 
Resident Beth Moore gave examples of other cities which once had medians, but removed them due to the problems it caused businesses, and stated that much of Copperas Cove is against the project. 
Silvia Rhoads, member of KCCB, stated she is in favor of the project, but that KCCB was not involved in the current terracing. Also, in the area of safety, she does not mind waiting to make a turn if it will prevent accidents. 
Those who weren’t able to attend the hearing may also submit written comments about the project to Liz Bullock, P.E., TxDOT Waco District Office, 100 S. Loop Dr., Waco, TX 76704.
Goebel said that all comments, whether written or verbal statements, carry the same weight and each will be considered. 
Comments must be received or postmarked by Wednesday, February 27, to be included in the documentation of the public meeting.  
The Killeen Temple Metropolitan Planning organization, or KTMPO, is a conglomerate of government entities that receive submitted projects and score them to award funding. 
Phase 1 of the Business 190 project was the third highest-scoring project out of the more than 60 proposed in 2016. KTMPO earmarked a mix of federal and state transportation funds for the median project, with the city of Copperas Cove to kick in as much as $1,000,000 toward the project’s design.
To date, the city has already spent more than $721,000 on the design, with that expense approved by the Copperas Cove city council in August 2017 when it authorized the city to hire BSP. The city council authorized an additional $70,000 for BSP to restart the design with the above modifications. 
After Tuesday’s public hearing next in the process, comes the environmental analysis. After that will come bid letting, with construction anticipated to begin in spring 2020. The project will take about 15 months to complete, Goebel said. 

Copperas Cove Leader Press

2210 U.S. 190
Copperas Cove, TX 76522
Phone:(254) 547-4207