Published: March 25, 2008 01:13 am         

Regional mobility board plans meeting

The SURRMA board plans to meet this week, as the new organization takes its first steps in outlining transportation improvement measures across the area.

SURRMA stands for the Sulphur River Regional Mobility Authority, one of eight regional mobility authorities in the state.

The board is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Sulphur Springs Economic Development office, 1200 Enterprise Lane in Sulphur Springs.

Don Wall of Paris is the SURRMA’s presiding officer and there are two Hunt County members of the board. Danny Duncan represents the interests of the City of Commerce, with W. D. Hilton of Greenville the other member from the county.

While the SURRMA board already has big plans for new transportation projects, it does not yet have a designated revenue stream to pay for the efforts.

The SURRMA represents Hunt, Delta, Hopkins and Lamar counties. In early 2007, the commissioners courts in all of the counties filed a petition before the Texas Transportation Commission, seeking the formation of the SURRMA, which is governed by a nine-member board of directors. Two members are appointed by the commissioners courts from each county, with one of the two members specifically representing the interests of a city within the county.

The SURRMA was officially made operational as of Jan. 15 of this year, the charter date under the state resolution authorizing the formation of the agency.

The SURRMA'S first planned project is completing the expansion into four lanes of State Highway 24 from Commerce to Paris. The SURRMA is proposing to develop, design and construct a $32 million, 10-mile expansion project using a pass-through financing agreement.

Wednesday, the board is scheduled to discuss and take action regarding a public information outreach Web site, discuss the status of open government training for board members and hear a report from Texas Department of Transportation District Engineer Bobby G. Littlefield.