April 25, 2007
Mayor AC Wharton
Shelby County Government
160 North Main, 8th floor
Memphis, TN 38103
RE: Houston Levee Road
Dear Mayor:
I write this letter to share with you my disappointment concerning this
$7,100,000 road project. I also write to confirm what I believe are going
to be some yet undisclosed issues for you and the County Commission. I ask
that you withhold final contract authority until May 8 so that the
commission might reconsider their approval.
First, my disappointment. I publicly shared in a commission committee
session last fall my concern that the Director of Public Works and County
Engineer were advocates for county projects and not stewards of our tax
resources. The county engineer over the last 5 months or so has met with
developers and others advocating this project and advising them of my
opposition. I have heard from many people about these statements. Clearly
what I said last fall is very true and is the source of my disappointment
in the Public Works and Engineering staff.
The biggest deficiency of the very short public discussion of this project
is the failure of the administration to point out in map or any other way
some project aspects which may embarrass you and/or the commission.
1. The major impediment to traffic in the Houston Levee part of Cordova is
the Macon/Houston Levee intersection. Rather than have the developers make
the improvements when they built many commercial/retail projects there,
this administration has taken funds in lieu. Now the intersection looks
terrible and functions even worse. The $7,100,000 Houston Levee project
only improves one of the four legs of the intersection. How can we spend
$7,100,000 and not solve that problem? How do we answer the citizens
concerns? This aspect of the project is most embarrassing.
2. This project replaces a two lane road with a few tight curves and some
hills causing reduced sight distance with a new two lane road with gentler
curves and good sight
distance. I think most citizens believe this will be a four lane divided
median parkway. How do we tell them they don't get four lanes from this
$7,100,000 project? What are the benefits?
3. While the Commission does not build roads for county or city schools,
this project builds a road through a private school campus, essentially
giving the school a "front door" and "main street address." How do we
explain this?
4. The project gives three large landowners south of the private school a
new major road through their property, a road they would otherwise build
and pay 100% for but for this project. How do we explain this?
5. The project has $600,000 budgeted for right of way. I think the
Commission should be shown and told who is going to be paid how much for
the right to improve their property values.
These issues will become evident as the project is built and completed.
None of these issues were discussed with the Commission. I think it would
be appropriate for your administration to ask that this matter be
reconsidered so that a fuller and more complete disclosure of these issues
can be made to the Commission.
In conclusion, it is not for the above issues that I oppose this project.
I oppose the project because it is very premature and we cannot afford it.
I mentioned in the CIP Review a few months ago my support for improvements
for the Macon/Houston Levee intersection. Developer' funds are available
to pay for much of the necessary work there. We can wait for developers to
build some of Houston Levee before the taxpayers fill in the gaps. This
project does not even allow the developers to build any part of Houston
Levee from the bridge over the Wolf River to Woodlands Hill Drive, just
south of Macon.
Sincerely,
Mike Ritz, Commissioner
Shelby County Board of Commissioners
MR/lf
Cc: All Shelby County Commissioners
Mr. Ted Fox, Director of Public Works
Mr. Michael Oakes, Engineer
