(January 07, 2009)—“Major changes are underway for the Trans-Texas Corridor, including the project’s name, vision and scope,” says the Texas Department of Transportation sponsored newsletter “Keep Texas Moving”.

TxDOT announced Tuesday the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor is dead in its initial form.

The TxDOT Executive Director says the department however isn't abdicating its mission to "Keep Texas Moving".

"We will still develop transportation projects that move Texas forward," Dir. Amadeo Saenz said.

"We will still partner with local governments and entities, and where appropriate, the private sector, to get needed projects on the ground," Saenz continued.

A New Scope
Instead of a major corridor, there will be segments of highways built in narrower corridors no more than 600-feet wide and each project will carry its original name.

State Representative Charles “Doc” Anderson calls the new direction a more common sense approach.

“The Trans-Texas Corridor concept was pretty well refuted across the state,” said Rep. Doc Anderson. “This is a much more common sense approach: take [the land] piece by piece as needed."

The Point of Contention
Since its conception, Texas landowners have opposed the corridor project and in some cases called it a state sponsored land grab.

“This would have been, as originally conceived, the largest taking of private property in the state’s history,” said Texas Farm Bureau spokesman Gene Hall.

The biggest objection to the Trans-Texas Corridor by landowners was the appropriation of approximately a quarter million acres of private property to build the 1400-mile long toll road.

“If the corridor had been implemented with the eminent domain laws in our state in such a sorry state as they are, then, in many cases, those takings would have occurred without just and fair compensation,” Hall said Tuesday.

Hall says the Texas Farm Bureau will now focus its attention to protecting the rights of landowners.

During the 2007 Legislative Session, House Bill 2006, a bill aimed at eminent domain reform, passed both houses of legislature but was vetoed by Governor Rick Perry.

“Our goal will be to pass…the same bill or a bill identical to it…so that we can fix what is wrong with eminent domain,” said Hall

The Vision Remains
For his part Gov. Rick Perry said the smaller version of the project isn't a rejection of his vision.

On a conference call from Iraq, Perry says Texans agree with his long-time assertion that Interstate 35 and other major highways are congested and need relief.

He said his office will continue to work with legislative leaders on building more highways.