Following up on FedUp’s comment the other day it looks like they are at it again.
The Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority (CRRMA) is an organization that facilitates transportation projects according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) web site.
Stalled or parked?
Now it seems that the ball park or city hall destruction projects have created an opportunity or need to build a new parking garage in downtown.
The CRRMA has announced plans to spend $60,000 dollars on a study to see about building one.
Why?
Why can’t the CRRMA spend our money on transportation projects.? Roads might be a good idea.
Who for?
Actually the city and the Downtown Management District will each kick in $20,000. So is this a project that is needed because of the move of city hall and the building of the ball park? It sure looks like the city is trying to find another entity to build something that the city needs.
Why study?
The study has not even been started but the city development department director was quoted in the Times as saying: “There are not that many physical pieces of land with that kind of land mass to put a garage on Downtown”. That was in response to the thought of building the garage on the land that the city bought when they bought the Times building.
It seems that the decision has already been made. They want to (need to?) build another parking lot. It looks like it will be next to the new city hall even though we were told that there is plenty of parking for city hall. Heck they were even willing to share the existing flat parking lot with a developer if he remodeled the old Downtowner Motor Inn.
Financing again
To make matters worse it looks like the CRRMA is considering revenue bonds to finance the garage. Why can’t they tighten their belts a little and pay cash for things like this? Financing often more than doubles the cost of projects.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Wasted money for a needless job. What gets me is that, I believe it was reported, it will take up to a year to complete the study. This is probably a simple bean counter job, looking at the numbers of people attending the various events over the past year and comparing to the the numbers of parking spots and maybe other public transportation availability and usage. Giving it a year is just fudge factor time, maybe to attend a few ball games as part of the “study.”
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We need a year to fully evaluate the needs of Mr. Hunt and Mr. Foster and their various downtown entities. We want to make sure they get everything they need.
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Add this amount to the cost of the ballpark. Anyone keeping a running tally of the “We swear it will only cost us $50,000,000” project?
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That will increase tourism. See the city with more garages downtown than retail or office buildings!
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