ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BROWNSVILLE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION HAS LEVERAGE!

The push to merge, realign, combine the three RGV Metropolitan Planning Organizations is coming from the upper valley; McAllen, Pharr, Edinburg, etc.

While Pedro Alvarez, a member of Pharr District TxDot, the narrator at last week's City of Brownsville workshop on the merger, claimed to have "no dog is this fight," his bullet point presentation listed many, many more "pros" than "cons" for merger.

Make no mistake.  Hidalgo County is beyond eager, perhaps even desperate to merge valley MPOs, to have access to the highly prized discretionary funding that could enable them to complete the rerouting of trucks out of Pharr, McAllen and Edinburg, looping them to I-69.(Contrary to what was reported in another blog, that ill-advised toll road has not been totally funded, only one $150 million dollar leg.  Currently, the State of Texas prohibits more toll road construction.)

To accomplish their desired goal of forming an MPO that would vault past El Paso into the coveted 5th position, qualifying for discretionary funding for huge projects, the Hidalgo County MPO NEEDS the cooperation of the Brownsville MPO.  Without 75% approval from the members of the Brownsville MPO, the merger is dead.

Yes, mayor and city commissioners of Brownsville.  Whether you realize it or not, you have leverage!

A deal can be worked out that will benefit Brownsville and, perhaps, even right some of the obvious funding slights our city has experienced in recent decades.

Consider this possible prerequisite to approving the MPO merger:

1.  Full funding for Brownsville's much needed East Loop, as a freeway, not a toll road, necessary to move the humongous truck traffic crossing Los Tomates Bridge from Mexico, now using International Boulevard and Highway 48, redirecting that traffic to the eventual I-69.  

2.  Removing the silly toll road designation from the Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. SH 550 connecting the Port of Brownsville with I-69E.(Locals avoid this road like the plague.  Only truckers whose companies pay the toll even consider riding those ramps.)

The leverage the Brownsville MPO currently holds gives it a fighting chance in what is currently an unfavorable political climate.  

Texas is obviously a red state with nearly every state official a Republican.  While McAllen and Hidalgo County fawn over these Republicans, Brownsville's relationship with state leaders is cool at best.  

This new leverage, based on Hidalgo's County's coveting of discretionary funding, may be Brownsville's best hope for a more level playing field with respect to transportation funding.