Monday's Internet Edition, October 06, 2008.
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News editor - Copperas Cove City Manager Steve Alexander informed personnel from the city, chamber, school district and economic development corporation during Cove’s quarterly summit meeting that phase 1B of the reliever route project will be presented to the Texas Department of Transportation in 2004 to be considered for the 2005 Unified Transportation Plan.
Alexander said once the project is put on the UTP, TxDOT’s overall plan for state transportation projects, TxDOT can begin acquiring the right of way and start design plans.
“Once TxDOT acquires the right of way, it will make the project more of a reality,” he said.
Alexander said Phase 2, a four-lane divided highway from Farm-to-Market 116 to Old Copperas Cove Road, could also go before TxDOT in 2005 to be included on the 2006 UTP, he said.
The Killeen-Temple Urban Transportation Study technical and policy boards have already approved phase 1B to be at the top of the list.
“In order for it (the reliever route project) to have gone this far, the region had to show support for it,” Alexander said.
Cove EDC board president Dan Yancey said the extension of a $1 million Economic Development Administration grant has been approved.The extension is needed because of the delay of the land-trade agreement with Fort Hood. He said the process has started to acquire an easement from Fort Hood for the access road.
Cove Independent School District Board President Joan Manning said construction at the football stadium should be complete by the start of the high school football season. A concession stand for the visitor’s side is being built, as well as a press box with an elevator.
Because of a decreasing student population, she said the high school could be looking at becoming a 4A school.
Cove Chamber of Commerce Executive Director David Landmann announced that Taste of Cove will be held May 13, the week of the Festival of Five Hills, formerly called Rabbit Fest. This year’s festival theme will be “Remembering Rabbit Fest.”