Is Carter Avenue Saved? TxDOT Submits Notice Of Proposed Highway Right Of Way Natural Gas Pipeline Installation

This morning Fort Worth's Lone Ranger, Steve Doeung contacted his Band of Bloggers to inform the Band of Bloggers that TxDOT has moved ahead on its plan to allow Chesapeake Energy to run a non-odorized natural gas pipeline on a route that does not run under homes.

Steve Doeung has been battling the City of Fort Worth and Chesapeake Energy for a long time now, trying to save Carter Avenue from having a possibly explosive pipeline run under their homes.

The legitimacy of Steve Doeung's objection to this threatened violation of his security was recently validated by a fatal natural gas pipeline explosion last month down by Granbury.

Steve is of the opinion that it is time to celebrate. Below is Steve Doeung's message to the Band of Bloggers. And you....

Hey Band of Bloggers:

I'm sending you what I finally got from TxDOT.

I ran this alternative plan by a couple of different pros in two different states who know about the subject and they both said that it looks legit and show serious intention of constructing. One of the consultants, who is an industry insider, warned that with these companies "you never know if they will follow through on their commitment".

Please note that, its a large easement but only one 8-inch pipeline, which is 1/2 the size (and 1/3 the original size they wanted) of the pipelines that CTK wanted to place under front yards. It appears that an 8-inch pipeline is adequate. Or is this the largest/most risk that TxDOT is willing to allow in their right-of-way?

I'm not sure if this is the so called "final approval" announced by councilwoman Kathleen Hicks on 04/30/10 or not. In any event, her office had ignored my and a few other citizens' requests for more details about CTK's plan that had allegedly been submitted to TxDOT starting in 12/09. CTK's silence is also perplexing.

So, this is the ONLY detailed document (and verification that CTK actually submitted a design plan) that I am aware of that a citizen has seen. Of course, the Startlegram and other media outlets had no interest in pursuing such basic journalistic follow up details as this.

What would you think about my planning a community-wide event to celebrate this victory and to share this information with the public? It would be fun, inform the community (hopefully media will be forced to cover this denouement of the Carter Ave. saga---the scandal part is to come), and force CTK to follow through with this plan. Ideas?

Thanks again for the crucial roles that each of you have played in this battle. WE deserve a celebration, one which THEY apparently DO NOT want to see happen (thus the silence ?)

Steve Doeung