Our traffic and government transparency

I think about this often these days. In my mind, we still do not have a transparent government. For example, are decisions related to development of our western frontier something our community should be concerned about? Are there decisions related to the mobility of the region in which our government should be making a stand? You and I have seen but not been involved in plans by TXDOT to expand The Woodlands Parkway to highway 149. The reason to expand? Development! Think about the effects of that expansion? Like one board member told me this week. "The western section of The Woodlands Parkway will be six lanes also." Well, if the western section will be six lanes, then the front part will be 8 lanes, or worse, a freeway! How do we protect our community from continued decline by utilizing our roads as commute freeways? Who is representing and protecting us? Is it the Township Board who endorsed the TXdot proposed widening of highway 242 for the entire length so as to promote more transient traffic through our community?  Do you know that 50% of that roadway is for The Woodlands, but the remainder is for transient traffic? No wonder our crime rate continues to erode! I have heard soem interesting ideas in the past few weeks from residents on this subject. 

Typically some of the most important issues are discussed behind "closed doors". Our politicians might be working on some of these issues privately, but the issues are in gray areas that everyone should be concerned about. The newspapers do not seem to be there nor residents. We live in a complex society that is filled with influence as a value to support enterprising individuals, organizations and companies toward their hidden agendas.

Do you want status quo in our government?  I sure don't!  Who is helping us? The development company?