CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County commissioners are holding a meeting on Wednesday to encourage Texas lawmakers to move forward with all possible efforts to further plans for a second causeway.
"If people in the state of Texas (and) TxDOT, don't see what a priority of having a second access point to the island is then they are just not looking at it correctly," Pct. 4 Nueces County Commissioner Brent Chesney said.
Commissioner Chesney said this is the preliminary phase of trying to add a second causeway to Padre Island, a multi-million dollar project.
Commissioners understand that during potentially dangerous or deadly weather events, it is necessary to have a second evacuation route for people living on Padre Island, Mustang Island and the city of Port Aransas.
"If that causeway is shut down, they then either have to drive all the way to Port Aransas and hope the ferry is not shut down, or they're stuck on (the) island," Commissioner Chesney said. "That is just something that is not acceptable to any of us."
Commissioner Chesney said during the early stages of their efforts, its all about getting TxDOT and state lawmakers to consider funding.
"And if they need us to meet the local match, we will deal with that and I feel comfortable with the entities including the city of Port Aransas will participate," he said.
We reached out to the newly appointed County Judge Connie Scott but her office was unable to comment.
