Truckloads of dirt from construction of the SH-190 Eastern Extension are being transferred to GISD property on Brand Rd.

 
A number of people couldn't help but notice all the dirt being dumped on a lot at the northeasterly corner of Brand Rd and SH-190. Trucks form a line bringing dirt to the site and leaving for more. Traffic is kept slowly moving by workers with signs, alternately giving permission to proceed between vehicles on the road and trucks coming from the site.
 
Karel Holloway, Dallas Morning News reporter, gave an early alert to readers on the DMN Garland Blog of the efforts:

Company dishing the dirt on Garland schools

9:57 PM Sun, Feb 07, 2010
Karel Holloway/Reporter
 
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The construction company working on the extension of Bush toll road needs to get rid of about 90,000 cubic yards of dirt. And the district needs clean fill dirt for a site at Highway 190 and Brand. The company has agreed to donate the dirt to the district.
 
Jess Hudson, executive director of facilities, estimated that the fill dirt would cost about a half-million dollars if the district had to buy it. The district still needs another 200,000 cubic yards and hopes at least part of that will be donated as well.
 
The dirt will be used to fill in the back portion of the site, bringing it out of the flood plain. Tress in that area will not be disturbed, Hudson said.
 
While the subject involved some serious money, it didn't keep board members from joking about "dishing the dirt" on the district.
 

 
The property was bought by the Garland Independent School District several years ago and has been the object of rumors ever since. Originally said to be the possible site of a future elementary or middle school, the property is now classified by the district as excess property. It is expected that the property will eventually be sold. Zoned "Agricultural," almost any future development will require a zoning change and an approval process that involves notices to neighbors and will ultimately be decided by the Council.
 
As noted above in Karel's report, much of the land is in the Spring Creek flood plain and, as can be seen in the photo, there is a strong drop from the front of the property at the road to the back. Eventual development would have probably involved exactly this same type of fill efforts but would have required trucks bringing expensive dirt from much further away. Free dirt now is a boon to the district and to taxpayers. The value of the land is enhanced, which will someday translate to an easy profit to the district. Higher land value also generally translates to better development.
 
Meanwhile, I know neighbors are looking forward to when the dust settles.