ALDINE– The ACID, or Improvement District, at their last meeting on January 21st, took action to hire an engineer to work with TxDOT on safety improvements on Aldine Mail Route. The consultant, Hawes Hill and Associates, was authorized to negotiate the engineers contract for the purpose of initiating the design work.
After four fatalities in the last year, it was determined at a special meeting with State Rep. Kevin Bailey in December that a previously approved state grant could be used for some of the work of improving sidewalks, drainage, and lighting, and that this work was urgently needed to upgrade the safety for pedestrians along the streets in this area, especially in the area of MacArthur High School and walks east and west of that location. TxDOT is planning the design from Gloger Road to US59 on the east.
The District also moved to contact CenterPoint electric, to negotiate immediate improvements in the lighting on this stretch of Aldine Mail Route, a length of about a mile. Hawes Hill was also authorized to investigate issuing the hiring of a financial adviser, who will study the feasability of issuing bonds to pay for the improvements, since the expected costs may exceed $3,000,000. Several projects may be included, since the sales tax money could support as much as $10,000,000 in work, according to Bill Caulderon of Hawes Hill.
Halls Bayou Greenway
In another improvement action, the Board moved to support the Texas Parks and Wildlife Grant application for a trails and flood control project for Halls Bayou and surrounding areas. The ACID committment is for $31,000 for connecting trails to schools, parks and Greens Bayou and Crowley Park. These funds will be combined and leveraged with other collaborators, for a total of $120,000 in matching funds. The total grant application is for $1,5000,000 of improvements from TPWD for public recreational and stormwater detention facilities in the Aldine area.
