Unconventional Journalist4 Dec 2021

Freeway Expansion Resumes With Incomplete Civil Rights Investigation

Kendra, founder of Our Afrikan Family, and Molly with Stop TxDOT I-45 join me discuss how the pause on the I-45 freeway expansion was randomly and unexpectedly lifted last week. The I-45 expansion will displace 1079 homes, 2 schools, 5 places of worship, and 344 businesses, learn more here. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) originally paused the project to investigate violation of residents’ civil rights through Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Now, the pause on construction has been lifted for section 3A, 3B, and parts of 3C of the freeway despite the civil rights investigation being incomplete.

This week the FHWA will be visiting Houston to continue the civil rights investigation. Kendra and Molly join me to discuss why the pause has been lifted despite the investigation still being in process.

If you are an affected resident, you can make an appointment with the FHWA and/or submit a Title VI complaint, here.

From the Stop TxDOT 1–45 press release:

“What has changed recently is that there has been a concerted push from TxDOT and insider parties to leverage their money and access to end the FHWA’s Title VI investigation prematurely. At the Transportation Advocacy Group’s (TAG) ‘State of TxDOT’ fundraiser, TxDOT commissioner Laura Ryan explicitly asked attendees to make calls and leverage their relationships to move the project along. Several members of congress, none of whom represent anyone losing a home to the I-45 Expansion, asked the FHWA recently to ‘quickly finish’ the investigation into claims filed by affected residents that TxDOT is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.”

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