By Catherine Cuellar, KERA Reporter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-617729.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Host: Activists and Dallas city council members disagree over a planned tollroad within the Trinity River levees. But both groups support a fall election to let Dallas voters consider it for the second time in 10 years. KERA's Catherine Cuellar reports on today's debate in council chambers.
KERA Reporter Catherine Cuellar: Dozens of TrinityVote volunteers signed up to speak Wednesday morning, urging Dallas city council members to skip the time and expense of a referendum by adopting an ordinance prohibiting construction of a tollway in the Trinity River basin. But the "Vote No: Save The Trinity" group -- which supports locating a tollway within the levees -- prevailed when Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert skipped the ordinance on the council's agenda to approve a November election instead. Thirteen of fourteen council members sided with Leppert, who believes the park and high-speed tollroad can exist side-by-side.
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert: We're going to have to deal with traffic issues and congestion issues, and we're going to have to make sure that in dealing with those, that we provide an opportunity for this community to have a very vibrant economy :52 One that provides opportunities.
Cuellar: Angela Hunt was the sole council member opposing the current Trinity River plans.
Councilwoman Angela Hunt: We're about to make a decision that will affect this city for generations to come. We can have a world class park people across the country will come to and talk about, and appreciate. Or we can put a tollroad in it, and ruin it.
Dallas voters get to weigh in November 6th.
Catherine Cuellar, KERA News.