MOTION FOR A
STUDY FOR BUILDING A
BETWEEN THE
INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY AND BRAUNIG LAKE
Whereas there is the opportunity for great success by the utilization of
waterways to connect commerce with other regions of the United States and of
the world. U.S. waterways extend from Brownsville to
Chicago, throughout the Mississippi River watershed – heartland of America, to
the Great Lakes, and from Key West to Boston. The opportunity will provide
hundreds of thousands of jobs,
Whereas a barge canal was recently
built between the Intracoastal Waterway in San Antonio Bay and Victoria, Texas,
Whereas there is historic proof
that barge canals lead to great impact and very successful economic development
adjacent to the canal,
Whereas there will be opportunity
for development of nearby luxury high-rise condos (additional tax revenues) and
docks for luxury boats that can make their way to the sea through the canal,
Whereas better flood control is
necessary for the length of the San Antonio River in view of past floods,
improved flood control will be available from a canal,
Whereas a railroad line and a U.S.
Interstate Highway already exist at Bruanig Lake,
Motion is hereby made for
a study, by the Army Corps of Engineers, for building a SAN
ANTONIO BARGE CANAL between the Intracoastal Waterway, at San Antonio Bay
on the Texas Coast, along the San Antonio River, and connecting to Braunig Lake, in Bexar County, Texas.
Motion is hereby made for
a study, by the Army Corps of Engineers, for building a SAN
ANTONIO BARGE CANAL between the Intracoastal Waterway, at San Antonio Bay
on the Texas Coast, along the San Antonio River, and connecting to Braunig Lake, in Bexar County, Texas.
DETAIL:
The SAN ANTONIO BARGE CANAL should ideally be
of a minimum of 90 feet wide and 9 feet deep.
The Intracoastal Waterway uses slightly deeper dimension but that is
because of the tides that affect the depth from time to time. Wider dimensions (up to 125 feet wide) may be
required here and there if sharp turns in the canal may be required. (NOTE: For comparison, the San Antonio River
under LOOP 13 Military Drive in San Antonio is currently approximately 150 feet
across in dimension.)
Attached is a photo image of a barge tug pulling one
barge with 136 containers (of tractor-trailer type containers) on it. Apparently one barge tug can pull about 30
barges; that
would be over 4000 containers being pulled by one barge and saving much on
highway traffic, fuel burn, and provide huge environmental advantage!
SOME
STATS THAT SHOW HOW BARGES FIT IN THE TRANSPORTATION PICTURE:
One
barge of grain = 60 trucks or 15 rail cars.
One
30 barge tow of grain = 1800 trucks or 450 rail cars.
Ten
30 barge tows a week = 18,000 trucks or 4500 rail cars.
52
weeks of tows = 936,000 trucks or 234,000 rail cars.
936,000
trucks = 7,090 miles of bumper to bumper trucks.
Imagine
getting stuck in that traffic jam.
Cross-Florida boat canal
HISTORICAL COMPARATIVE STUDY
– PADOVA BARGE CANAL:
In the 1500s an inland city in Italy built a barge
canal from Venice inward for 22 miles to the center of Italy and into the city
of Padova. The
Brenta Canal proved so successful that the entire
region became very wealthy. Many large home estates were built all along the
canal between Venice and Padova. The city of Padova itself also became very wealthy from its new
commerce arriving from the sea and originating from many other nations of the
world.
(Saint Anthony of Padova
[Italy].. by the way.. is who San Antonio, Texas is
named in honor of.)
The canals are still there today..
there are even excursion tourist boat services. Maybe SARA board members should travel over
to study the Brenta Canal in Italy?
Canale Piovego in Padova,
Italy (Padova is the city of Saint Anthony; Saint Anthony of Padova
is for whom San Antonio, Texas is named.)
IN SUMMARY:
It
should be highly beneficial to get the SAN ANTONIO BARGE CANAL
constructed as soon as possible; we can begin with a study by voting
for approval of this Motion.
Very
Respectfully,
Nazirite Ruben Perez, Board Member
San
Antonio River Authority
