The State of Texas Proposes Filling Rollover Pass

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has proposed the filling of Rollover Pass, a popular fishing spot of more than 50 years on Bolivar Peninsula. The filling of the pass, cut through the peninsula in the 1950s, would cost the state an estimated $6M. Patterson argued that the pass needs to be filled to ensure the safety of the residents of the peninsula and also to offer protection to the eroding shoreline.

Before Hurricane Ike in September of 2008, a two lane, reinforced bridge carried peninsula traffic across the pass. That bridge became flooded well before Hurricane Ike made landfall, leaving hundreds of people stranded on the peninsula. After the hurricane passed, the bridge was washed out and has since been temporarily filled in and semi-repaired by the highway department.

Patterson says the pass is a major component in erosion along the shoreline and stated that, if the pass was not filled in, all of the work that's been going on since Hurricane Ike to rebuild and replenish the beach sand will be for naught.

Residents of the Gilchirst community have voiced their opposition of the plan, citing the revenue from the bait shops, souvenir stands, restaurants, and RV park that once called the pass home was vital for the community's livelihood. However, most of those establishments were also lost during Hurricane Ike. Non-residents are also against the closing of the pass because it's a very popular and no cost fishing destination along the peninsula. Rollover Pass costs the state $1M each year. These costs are incurred by the dredging of the pass.

Rollover Pass is a man-made straight that connects the Gulf of Mexico with East Bay. It was opened with good intentions in 1955 by the Texas Game and Fish Commission. The idea of the pass was to increase the salinity of the bay, promote vegetation growth, and facilitate easy access for fish to their spawning grounds. The pass measures 200ft wide and 1,600ft long, with a depth of five feet.

In the interim, Galveston County Commissioners haven't decided what to do about the pass, but due to the costs associated with the upkeep, most of them are in favor of filling it in. The county is working closely with the Texas General Land Office to compile information so that they can make a well-informed decision on the fate of the pass at some point in the future, when the project will be put to a vote.

For more information about Rollover Pass or further information regarding the proposed filling of the pass, you can visit the Rollover Community Website.

Source:
Galveston Daily News