The high price of progress
City of Alto must move gas lines when Highway 69 is expanded
BY LELAND ACKER

A high priority project for the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) Tyler district will come at a great price for the city of Alto, said Alto Utilities Supervisor Charlie Luse. The city of Alto will have to move gas lines and meters when TxDOT expands U.S. 69 in Wells, Mr. Luse said. The City of Alto provides gas service to the City of Wells.

The U.S. 69 expansion project in Wells became a high priority for TxDOT when the narrowing of the highway caused traffic delays during the Hurricane Rita evacuations of 2005.

Larry Krantz, public information officer for TxDOT, said the existing two-lane highway will be expanded to a four-lane highway with a center turn lane.

Mr. Luse said part of the project includes lowering the highway for drainage purposes, which means Alto's gas lines which run close to U.S. 69 in Wells will have to be moved.

He estimated the cost of moving the gas lines and meters at approximately $200,000 and said only $50,000 worth of work would be eligible for reimbursement from TxDOT. Alto's gas service earns approximately $500,000 per year for the city, Mr. Luse said. He said the expenses of moving lines that are currently on highway property will not be eligible for reimbursement, while the expenses of moving lines that are not currently on highway property that will have to be moved will be eligible for reimbursement.

Mr. Luse said he and the engineers will be looking at what needs to be moved and will form a plan in January 2008.

"We're trying to get this done before TxDOT's 'let' date of December 2008," Mr. Luse said.

"Utilities should plan to begin actual construction of the relocations as soon as possible," Mr. Krantz said. "If construction begins in the spring of 2010, utilities should target having lines adjusted prior to that date. We would like to work with utilities to approve plans and initiate respective agreements over the next six months although some lines may not move until late 2009 to early 2010."

Mr. Krantz said the U.S. 69 expansion in Wells remains a high priority despite TxDOT's funding issues that have delayed construction on many mobility projects throughout the state.

"This is a very important statewide mobility corridor and hurricane evacuation route," he said. "TxDOT appreciates the support received from the City of Wells and its citizens."