LINDALE — The expansion of a Lindale road is forcing families out of their homes. The idea for expanding FM 16 came about more than a decade ago, and it will inevitably force 16 families and one business to move.
A hearing was held Tuesday evening to discuss roadway improvements. TXDOT engineers said the expansion will ease congestion and improve safety in Lindale and just outside the city.
All aspects of the proposed project, which will include the construction of a five-lane highway were discussed for FM 16 including possible displacements.
This project has been at least 10 years in the making and other meetings have happened over the last couple of years. After each meeting, TxDOT has taken people's comments and concerns and used the feedback to make adjustments to the project.
"It is a major construction project that would improve mobility and increase safety along this corridor," said TxDOT spokesperson Kathi White.
The more than four mile stretch of FM 16 between County Road 481 and US 69 in Lindale has many curves that TxDOT would like to straighten out.
"We've had a number of incidents through the years due to speed and some of the curves," Vernon Webb, the Deputy District Engineer for TxDOT said.
Toll 49 is expanding, too. When that is complete, it's expected to bring an increase in traffic to the area.
Webb said additional lanes will help support the growth.
"Most of the feedback we've received on this project has been positive," Webb said.
He said the only downside is that homeowners are losing land. TxDOT has had to acquire some pieces of property owners land to support the expansion.
"I am concerned that they are taking land from me and disappointed that they're going to take land from these homeowners," Joyce Vermillion, a homeowner who will lose some of her land to the expansion said, "as opposed to vacant land across the road."
She was informed that it's coming from her side of the road to help straighten the road out.
Vermillion also doesn't think the project needs to be as large as it is.
"Most of the traffic, the majority, turns at Hideaway. They could stop there and not come on out the other two-and-a-half miles," she said.
Doing that would also allow some property owners keep their land.
Wilbur Shiflet had that concern more towards the beginning of the expansion planning process. He owns a 230 acre farm and was worried about losing land, but TxDOT adjusted their plans.
"They (TxDOT) moved the road to the north so they wouldn't have to buy the storage building from me," Shiflet said.
Now, his concern is the infrastructure and drainage from the road.
"This is my farm storage building and when they expand the road across where the green is, if they don't give me drainage toward Lindale then it will wash out the foundation," he explained. "Which is a slab of my 6,000 square foot building."
Chris Calip has lived on FM 16 for nearly 30 years. He is one of the lucky ones. While he won't lose his home, his livestock will be impacted.
Right now, he said there is plenty of room for them to graze. That space will diminish after the expansion.
While he's in favor of the project, he is not optimistic about traffic getting any better.
"There's going to be even more traffic I feel if they widen it. The speed limit is going to be much faster if they widen it," he said.
If you have any concerns about the project TxDOT will take written comments up until July 12,2018. They can be submitted at the TxDOT office at 2709 West Front Street, Tyler, TX 75702. Or, you can e-mail your concerns to steven.swindell@txdot.gov.
The construction for the projected is set to start in November of 2020. It could be pushed back depending on further changes to the plans, and construction would then be set to start in August of 2021.
The total cost of the project is around $53.8 million dollars.