DRISCOLL, Texas — The town of Driscoll is expressing some concern over a new I-69 bypass.
While the project is supposed to alleviate and improve traffic conditions along US-77, Mayor Mark Gonzales said it may harm their town.
Gonzales said they are going to annex the land one mile east of I-69 and the new bypass. He said the Texas Department of Transportation is covering the funds as part of their construction costs.
"It's something new for the citizens, you know," Gonzales said. "We haven't had anything come through so it has its pros and its cons."
The Pros: Less traffic on Highway 77 and faster travel for people who are heading north and south.
The Cons: Driscoll will be bypassed, which could affect businesses throughout the town.
"Some of our business may suffer down the line, other than FM 665 that has traffic traveling still through Corpus and Alice," Gonzales said.
However, with the annexed land comes new opportunities for more businesses. Gonzales said they will be able to collect those sales taxes. Additionally, they already have city services that are accessible for the area.
"If we need to expand we'll be able to expand," Gonzales said. "Our services are already out there."