Families need to take part in transportation survey
For weeks now, a survey assembled by the Burnet County Transportation Plan Group has been available online from the county Web site and also at local businesses and other venues, including this newspaper.
Officials say 678 responses have been tabulated with at least 93 more responses waiting to be interpreted.
So far, a large number of respondents have said finding alternative routes for trucks through Burnet County is the most important transportation goal faced by this region during the next quarter-century.
The second, third and fourth transportation goals are “improving roadway safety,” “maintenance on existing roads” and “building a new bridge across the Colorado River.”
Although members of the group say they are happy with the transportation survey results so far, more than 72 percent of responses came from participants who said they do not have children attending a local school.
That’s a disparity that needs to be corrected; more families must participate in this survey, which is helping planners develop a comprehensive strategy for transportation needs for the next few decades.
Their voices need to be heard. For one thing, enrollment in both the Burnet and Marble Falls school districts has risen more than 24 percent over 10 years, from 5,875 in 1996 to 7,306 in 2006.
That’s a lot of kids on the road, either being driven or driving themselves to school.
Related studies show both districts generate more than 3,400 car passengers each school day.
That’s a lot of kids in a lot of cars on a lot of roads any given day.
Plans must be made now to ensure there are enough roads and streets in the future to handle a student load that will surely grow as more newcomers move to the Highland Lakes.
Parents need to participate in the survey. Their voices need to be heard. The fate of the region’s roads should matter as much to them as to any group, especially since safety is a major component of roadway improvements.
As their children grow, get their drivers licenses and seek jobs or travel back and forth to college, the conditions of the roads have a direct impact on their quality of life.
These are voices that must be counted for more input on transportation issues.
In response, the planning group could distribute more surveys at places where concerned parents gather, such as PTO meetings at schools and with other family groups. They could also make the forms available at sporting events and family entertainment venues. Even churches could be places where the forms are passed out.
In the meantime, the transportation group plans to reconvene 8:30 a.m. Jan. 21 in Highland Haven.
During the rest of the year, the technical advisory committee, the Capital Area Council of Governments, the Texas Department of Transportation and Texas Traffic Institute representatives will continue to gather data related to existing transportation conditions.
Final adoption of the transportation plan is scheduled for February 2010.
In the meantime, families can do their part by visiting www.burnetcountytexas.org to take the Burnet County transportation public opinion questionnaire or to find out more about the Burnet County Transportation Plan.