Brazos County Commission will consider ending the design contract for the east loop highway

This podcast is a visit with Brazos County commissioner Chuck Konderla and WTAW's Bill Oliver.Further development of a proposed highway to the east of Bryan and College Station might be coming to an end.County commissioner Chuck Konderla, who represents most of the route of the proposed east loop, has placed on next Tuesday's agenda (July 29), terminating the contract with the design firm for the project.Konderla told WTAW News that he has enough information that shows the loop...which was part of a bond issue approved by voters in 2022, would not make a significant impact on reducing traffic on other highways.Konderla also said not knowing when or if the highway would be built was not fair to affected property owners.Konderla says the design firm has been paid $4 million dollars out of an $11 million dollar contract. He wants to spend the remaining $7 million dollars from that contract on other road bond projects.A Brazos County news release says acting county judge Kyle Kacal also supports terminating the design contract.Click HERE to read and download a May 27, 2025 update on the Brazos County road bond projects that voters approved in November 2022.News release from Brazos County:On Tuesday, July 29, 2025, Brazos County commissioners court will consider the possible termination of a contract with Quiddity Engineering LLC to study and design a loop on the eastern side of the county.Following months of listening to constituents and pouring over materials and information presented by Quiddity, Precinct 2 Commissioner Chuck Konderla submitted a written request to have this item placed on the agenda.“I remain uneasy about how few residents understood the Inner East Loop was part of the bond the previous court included on Prop A in the November 2022 election. It has weighed heavy on my heart this study has caused so much pain for so many people worried about their homes and their land,” Konderla said. “As there is conflicting data on when or if an Inner East Loop would be needed, I cannot, in good conscience, continue a project that could tie up taxpayers’ property.”Acting County Judge Kyle Kacal also has a long history with the eastern side of Brazos County and has spent quite a bit of time in his newly appointed role studying this project.“I am in a unique position of approaching this with a fresh perspective, and the information we have gained from Quiddity has been critical,” he said. “I want to be very clear, Quiddity has performed every assignment and executed this contract with the utmost professionalism. This possible action is in no way a reflection on the Quiddity team and the great work they have done.”Kacal continued, “None of the current commissioners were in office when the previous court voted to include an Inner East Loop study on the TRIP 22 bond proposition, but it was the responsibility of this court to carry out the process. It has since become clear that there is not a current purpose for the County to continue a study for a road the County would neither construct nor maintain.”Commissioners will discuss and consider this matter during their regular meeting next Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.