This is a look at the Texas trunk highway system. It’s an offshoot of the governor’s crazy Trans-Texas corridor http://www.keeptexasmoving.com/index.php/trans-texas_corridor scheme, but makes more sense. The idea is to connect huge parts of the state with expressways, building freeway bypasses of almost every populated place. Click images for larger versions.

Munday’s (pop. 1,500) new bypass

This view shows the bypass at Seymour (pop 3,000), which will be about 8 miles of freeway and will allow the town’s many US highways to bypass it and its 4 traffic lights.

Construction began in 2004 to turn US 277 into an expressway, and bypass tiny towns like Goree, Holliday, Haskell, Stamford etc. All in all, between 2004 and 2009 15 new large sections of freeway will be built (or have been already) along US 277 between Wichita Falls and Abilene.

US 183-277-273 at FM 422.

This view looks south at the new Guthrie (est. pop. 160) bypass under construction further west on US 83/82. The concrete panels are adorned with local cattle ranch brands.

This part of the south plains is currently undergoing a renaissance in new freeway and expressway construction. Maybe the idea is to bring development to the region, currently undergoing a population drain. There isn’t a lot of traffic out here, and there are places in the state where the funds are more urgently needed. The vast empty plains of north central Texas are quite devoid of people. It is a pretty rolling country with lots of cattle and oil and gas wells, quintessential Texas. I will be wishing I were there tomorrow while I am sitting in traffic in Dallas hoping Guthrie’s 150 or so residents enjoy their bypass.