March 19, 2021
Texas

Residents concerned about crumbling rural road during construction of Central Texas wind farm

By Katie Aupperle | KWTX | Published: Mar. 18, 2021 | www.kwtx.com

Some Mount Calm area residents are concerned about the toll heavy equipment is taking on a rural road during the construction of a wind farm.

A concrete plant has been set up just outside Mount Calm and one truck after another is making its way down FM 339 hauling equipment for the NextEra Energy project.

“The problem is this is a farm-to-market road,” resident Don George said.

“They have widened it with just gravel and it’s, at best, treacherous.”

George says this road with dangerous drop-offs on either side is not made for sharing with so many large trucks.

“The only safe part is down the middle of the road, so you have to pull over,” George said.

“If you don’t, you are going to get run over. I’ve actually been personally pushed off to the side.”

Between the crumbling roads and high traffic, he’s concerned someone could get hurt.

“I think a lot of people that see the wind farms don’t realize that this is a major part of building the wind farms,” George said.

“They only see the end product.”

The construction manager on site says the crew will not be leaving the area in this condition.

The company is planning on taking care of the road and reseeding after construction wraps up in September.

He also said he understands this can be a difficult process for people living in the area, but the good news is that it is only temporary.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/03/19/residents-concerned-about-crumbling-rural-road-during-construction-of-central-texas-wind-farm/