Stop the Merritt Road Interconnector

This isn't just a line on a map to me. The proposed Merritt Road Interconnector would be built directly behind my home. What is currently open space, wildlife habitat, and a peaceful backyard could become a roadway connecting future development corridors to Liberty Grove Road. We chose our home because of its surroundings. We invested our savings, our time, and our future in this neighborhood. We believed we were purchasing a home near a natural area, not next to a future 18-wheeler thoroughfare.

Mayor, City Council Members, and City Staff,

I oppose the proposed Merritt Road Interconnector and urge the City of Rowlett to abandon this project. This roadway is being presented as a transportation improvement, but many residents recognize it for what it truly is: a growth-enabling project designed to open additional development corridors in northeast Rowlett.

We do not want this road. You didn't listen to us when we all stood up against the warehouses. It is your time to make things right and say NO to this.

This project threatens established neighborhoods, sensitive environmental areas, and the quality of life of the residents who already live here. The proposed roadway would connect Merritt Road to Liberty Grove Road and Chiesa Road, creating a new corridor that could attract commercial traffic, industrial traffic, and 18 wheelers serving future warehouse, business park, and development projects. Residents should not be forced to accept increased truck traffic, noise, congestion, and safety risks in order to facilitate future development.

Our children should not have to compete with heavy truck traffic on roads near their neighborhoods, parks, schools, and recreational areas.

The project also raises serious concerns regarding infrastructure. Rowlett continues to struggle with aging sewer infrastructure, wastewater capacity concerns, drainage issues, and the aftermath of major failures along the Liberty Grove corridor. Before expanding growth opportunities, the City should focus on fixing and maintaining the infrastructure that serves existing residents.

Equally concerning are the environmental impacts. The project would require construction through wetlands and floodplain areas that provide critical wildlife habitat, natural flood protection, water filtration, and environmental benefits. Wetlands often contain protected and sensitive species and are typically avoided during development whenever possible because of the important role they play in protecting surrounding communities.

Once these natural areas are disturbed, the damage cannot easily be undone.

Residents also deserve transparency regarding project costs, bond funding allocations, developer participation agreements, environmental impacts, traffic studies, and utility capacity. To date, many of these questions remain unanswered.

Most importantly, this project does not solve a problem that residents have identified as a priority. It creates new impacts while exposing existing neighborhoods to additional traffic, development pressure, environmental disruption, and public safety concerns.

The people who live here should have a voice in determining the future of their community.

We believe Rowlett should prioritize maintaining existing infrastructure, protecting neighborhoods, preserving natural areas, and improving quality of life for current residents rather than constructing new roads that encourage additional development.

We respectfully ask the City Council to reject the Merritt Road Interconnector project and remove it from future planning and funding considerations.

Protect our neighborhoods.

Protect our wetlands.

Protect our children.

Stop the Merritt Road Interconnector.

Sincerely,

The People of Rowlett