Tarrant County Pays for Private Road

0:00Terran County taxpayers are footing the bill for a quarter-mile stretch of Billings Road that's locked behind the gates of the private Lecanteira neighborhood in West Terran County. The county took over maintenance back in October 2008, even though the road's been gated since 2003 and mostly served just. The residence inside, over the years, that work has added up to about $15,746. It started in 2016 with nearly $7,000 on litter cleanup, vegetation control, and pavement fixes. Then, 2017 saw over $2,000 more, and since 2021, another $6,600 on mowing. Weeds, trash, repairs, and inspections. Long-time resident Steve Simmons is fired up about it, leading a 2023 lawsuit against the Lecanteira Homeowners Association, too. Tear down the gate. He says it blocks access for nearby owners outside the HOA, and the county's precinct four commissioner, many Ramirez, agrees it's frustrating, his.

1:02Office calls it a situation that shouldn't exist. Now, Ramirez's team is teaming up with the Terran County District Attorney to figure out why the road was ever labeled public in the first place. Simmons just sent a letter last week to the county judge and other commissioners urging action, but as a precinct four matter, it'll likely land on. Ramirez to either privatize the road or force the HOA to open it up. This echoes a 2024 Texas Supreme Court case where ranchers lost their right to block public roads with gates and fences. Eyes are on Terran County to sort this out fair and square for everyone. From your city, powered by AI, this is Dallas News Today.