Blocking access to the Middle Bosque River, Speegleville Rd.

[Harold Ray]

Speegleville Road Bosque River Access, Waco, McLennan County, Texas BLOCKED

I have posted this before and I'm still frustrated about it, moreso everytime I drive that road, which is fairly often. These posts block access to the wide, easily travelled ditches leading to the only easy access site for Bosque River fishing in this area. Across the bridge access is a cliff. Who placed the posts; the land owner living in a house about 200 feet northwest off the road across the blocked ditch. I don't know if he also placed the ones across the road, the Sorrells side, or if the land owner there just thought it was a great idea whose time had come. The posts have been there for years. I along with many others would like the posts removed and not replaced, giving fishermen good access to a beautiful river site.

The owner on this side of the road set the posts and reportedly harasses people who try parking in the ditch to walk down to the river.




The sign says, "No Trespassing".

The Sorrells is building another residential development on the opposite side of the road which is blocked, too, as seen below.





Who would you report this to? I know the agency that does upkeep in this area knows the posts are there and access is blocked, but they have done nothing. Who would I contact to complain. These posts shouldn't be here. Ditches don't belong to individuals I don't believe.

Anybody have any ideas? Can the sherrif do anything about this? Who has authority here?

Ray

[Hirsch]

If the county sheriff will do nothing then maybe it is time to consult a lawyer and threaten a suit or energize a state office.

[saffra]

maybe it is time to consult a lawyer

......or a chainsaw

[Mojo227]

I beleive that a couple of good ol'boys, a logging chain,and a beat up 4 wheel drive should do the trick!

[Light Keeper's Kid]

What one man can put up one man can take down

Mike

[Iamdamoder]

I do prefer chainsaws to lawyers but they are both noisy,scary and dangerous.

There has to be someone at TRPA that can at least give some advice. Of course the advice may be "here is the lawyer we use".

Give it a try, Texas River Protection Assoc

http://www.txrivers.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We all owe a debt of gratitude for the works of this organization.

[shoalwater18]

Call the Texas Highway Department. They are very picky about third party objects [/u]on their right of way. You might ask them if the adjacent land owner is trying to obtain the fenced property by adverse possesion. On the other hand if the land owner has any pull with the locals, the state might come in and put up a set of cabled together posts.
You might also ask what the lease terms are for the state owned right of way, that you would like to fence off your little piece of state owned right of way.

I once parked a box van with a sign on it on a section of right of way outside of Wimberley, Texas. It was there about a day, and then I got a call from the state explaining that I was not allowed to do that.

[BLAINE]

im not sure if this would apply but . I asked the dps about placing a cross where my father was killed. i was told that the state has X AMOUNT of feet from the paved road which i think (and i may be wrong) but is like 5 feet. After that it is the property owners. this maybe a easy access but it may actually be private property and they would prefer people not parking alongside of bridge on their property.

[South Bosque]

http://recenter.tamu.edu/pdf/422.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Go to the above link. Pay special attention to page 7. I believe Speegleville Rd is a county rd,not a state hwy. Therefore, you would need to contact the county commisioner for that precinct. I think that is precinct 4; therefore, that would be Ben Perry.

http://www.co.mclennan.tx.us/elections/ ... cincts.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://countyofmclennan.us/McLennanWeb/ ... roadb.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

you'll have to find out how wide the county's road easement is. It should be wide enough to allow for a vehicle beyond the shoulder of the road I would think. If you need anything else, let me know.

[shoalwater18]

In further investigation of state highway right of way, the state may either own the property out right, or merely be granted an easement for the construction of the road, drainage, etc. It could be that this right of way is of the second variety. google it . The Highway department should be able to tell you

[Hirsch]

That is the cheapest and most tempting. I just foresee the opportunity for violence or future replacement. I agree the highway department might be a possibility or perhaps the game warden for harrassing fishermen and boaters.

My thought of a lawyer was that a letter threatening a personal lawsuit for inhibiting your rights might be the easiest and most effectivive.

maybe it is time to consult a lawyer

......or a chainsaw

[Harold Ray]

I always thought ditches were public property. Otherwise people would fence them in; then they would be pastures, and there would be no such things as ditches.

If the land all the way up to the roads around our places was ours, and not the county's or the state's, I'd have fences going up tomorrow to gain more land.

[budreaux]

Try talking to the owners about it.

The one on the east is:
http://propaccess.trueautomation.com/cl ... _id=311777

The owner on the west is:
http://propaccess.trueautomation.com/Cl ... _id=139894

[Harold Ray]

Try talking to the owners about it.

The one on the east is:
http://propaccess.trueautomation.com/cl ... _id=311777" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The owner on the west is:
http://propaccess.trueautomation.com/Cl ... _id=139894" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The links are non-functional on my computer. Are those listings of the owners?

I really don't want to spend time talking to the owner; the one on the northwest side is known for being aggressive and confrontational. Sorrells might be more amenable.

Ray

[budreaux]

Try the CAD search using the property ID 139894

http://propaccess.trueautomation.com/cl ... earch.aspx

I would still talk to the guy. All that can happen is that he is what you hear he is.

[bighop]

If I remember right, that's the same landowner who has stretched at least one fence across the middle bosque river just west of the bridge....

Referenced here: http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... e#p1359237" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Seems to be a recurrent issue: http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... mit=Search" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think those posts went up shortly after I moved to Speegleville Rd in 2007. Back then the subdivision was still new and they didn't have gates at either the road or their private little river access area inside the division. By 2008 the private little area was gated off with large no tresspassing signs, then the whole community was gated. I always put in at the access off Barrett Rd and paddled up stream. Sad to see it's been so long and they're still blocking/re-blocking access like this...

[Strider]

That is a very kayak unfriendly access anyway. It is a short paddle/portage from McLennan Crossing (which is wide open to public access) to that spot. No lawyers or chainsaws needed to get there. Just the stamina and the will.

Kim

[PV]

The posts in the right of way are bad enough, but if you look closely as you're driving by, on the Sorrels side of the bridge, there is a 6 foot chain link fence that runs perpendicular from their fence ALL the way up to the bridge guard rail. It's kind of hard to see in the trees. That can't be legal