Skillman over I-635 by Danny Fulgencio

Skillman over I-635 by Danny Fulgencio

The State of Texas yesterday announced the formation of a I‐635 East Legislative Caucus, which aims to expedite construction and improvements along I-635 from Central to 1-30, and to do so without any managed toll lanes.

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Members of the caucus spoke of the importance of the I-635 East project.

“LBJ East is critical to finalizing the larger I‐635 East project. The I‐635 corridor connects all the major highways in Dallas County, making a lynchpin for mobility improvement and congestion relief,” notes Senator Don Huffines, whose state district 16 includes some of Lake Highlands. “The I‐635 East project is essential to the future job growth and prosperity in the region. It needs to be under construction as quickly as possible, and it needs to be toll free.”

“For my constituents, the development of the I‐635 East project will change their everyday lives,” added Representative Jason Villalba whose district 114 includes Lake Highlands, “the badly needed access and noise abatement will improve my constituent’s quality of life and improve economic development opportunities.”

What they say is widely supported — in fact, a few months ago we ran a three-part series about I-635 and Skillman corridor improvements and what they could mean for our area (what they could mean, in short, is huge changes for a blighted area).

See:

Part 1: The revitalization of our neighborhood begins with Skillman-I-635, and here is why

Part 2: A closer look at possible development around Skillman-I-635

Part 3: I-635 improvements and how to fund them

A legislative caucus, in general, is a group of legislators who organize to advocate or influence legislation that promotes their common goals and interests … (learn more about legislature organization and caucuses here).

This I-635-focused caucus includes Senator Bob Hall (Edgewood, Senate District 2); Senator Don Huffines (Dallas, SD 16), Senator Van Taylor (Plano, SD 8); Representative Cindy Burkett (Sunnyvale, House District 113); Representative Angie Chen Button (Garland, HD 112); Representative Linda Koop (Dallas, HD 102); Representative Kenneth Sheets (Dallas, HD 107); and Representative Jason Villalba (Dallas, HD 114).

According to a press statement, the group will meet “frequently and regularly” to  “analyze and develop a number of options for the continued development of the I‐635 East project, and they have agreed to the following:

The I‐635 East project “must be procured before the beginning of the (next) 85th Session … must be developed according to community‐preferred alternative … must have an expedited construction schedule to align with the opening of the LBJ Express project … needs to be developed while utilizing the economic development growth as a possible funding mechanism.”

We will attend the first caucus meeting and report back.