I-69 in TX

[Henry]

I reckon Texas will complete its segments of Interstate 69 before most of the other states 69 will run through will have their segments completed.

As it should be. Large portions in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi are useless.

I think it's safe to say that the Evansville-Indianapolis portion (including the Ohio River bridges) will also be completed before the other states do theirs.

[Bobby5280]

I wonder how much traffic will actually use the Evansville to Indianapolis leg of I-69. It's a really crooked path.

The big picture scheme of I-69 doesn't look like it would save much, if any mileage at all, for long distance traffic from Mexico headed to the Northeast US or Canada. The Texas sections look okay. But once the proposed path of I-69 gets into Arkansas it's just plain crooked clear to Indianapolis.

A long haul trucker would be better off taking I-369 up to Texarkana, taking I-30 to Little Rock and then US-67 into Missouri where he could reconnect with the Interstate system. Right now a lot of the traffic runs up I-35 into the Dallas area then picks up US-75 & US-69 to Big Cabin, OK and then I-44 to St. Louis. It's a pretty straight shot even if it's not all up to Interstate standards. Sidebar: I think the US-75 & US-69 path to Big Cabin ought to be an extension of I-45.

[noelbotevera]

I reckon Texas will complete its segments of Interstate 69 before most of the other states 69 will run through will have their segments completed.

As it should be. Large portions in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi are useless.

Well, Arkansas has a small portion done, the Monticello Bypass, but it's 2 lanes.

Mississippi and Louisiana are studying the corridor. But Mississippi already has their game plan and is done with I-69 near Tennessee, like in areas such as Hernando and Southaven.

[english si]

I wonder how much traffic will actually use the Evansville to Indianapolis leg of I-69. It's a really crooked path.

It's the shortest route and the route with the highest average quality: all Evansville - Indy traffic would use it, before we look at places like Bloomington that are in between.

[lordsutch]

It's the shortest route and the route with the highest average quality: all Evansville - Indy traffic would use it, before we look at places like Bloomington that are in between.

Indeed, most of the crookedness is to avoid the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center (a huge military reservation); the rest ensures it serves the key population centers in-between, most notably Bloomington. Access to Bloomington in particular was/is a pet cause for people in Evansville and SW Indiana.

[yakra]

Well, Arkansas has a small portion done, the Monticello Bypass, but it's 2 lanes.

Is this open to traffic now? If so, what's its designation?

[noelbotevera]

Well, Arkansas has a small portion done, the Monticello Bypass, but it's 2 lanes.

Is this open to traffic now? If so, what's its designation?

Nope, still under construction. No designation yet.

[Grzrd]

Texas Congressman Blake Farenthold's office announced in a January 14, 2015 press release that Farenthold has reintroduced the "44-to-69" legislation for this year

If anyone cares to follow the progress of the bill, it is also known as H.R.301 – 114th Congress (2015-2016).

TxDOT must be assuming that the proposed legislation will be enacted because an August, 2015 TxDOT I-69 System Planning and Environmental Progress map includes a study about the SH 44 route through Robstown:

[Grzrd]

AASHTO has approved the I-169 designation:
http://route.transportation.org/Documents/05%2014%202015%20Cheyenne,%20WY%20Report/SM%202015%20USRN%20SCOH%20REPORT.pdf

FHWA also approved the I-169 designation on May 14 ....
It looks like we might have a Texas Transportation Commission formality later this month.

This September 12 article indicates that, although FHWA has approved the I-169 numerical designation , TxDOT is still seeking approval from FHWA regarding SH 550/ Future I-169 meeting interstate-grade constructions standards for its two remaining sections:

... an update from the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority for fiscal year 2015, presented at a Sept. 10 meeting of Cameron County Commissioners Court by CCRMA Chief Financial Officer Adrian Rincones.
The project furthest along and in fact nearly complete is S.H. 550, a tollway that eventually will connect the port and S.H. 48 with I-69E via interstate-grade roadway. The first phase was finished in 2011. The "direct connector,"  the segment connecting S.H. 550 with I-69E, opened in June.
Two gaps in S.H. 550 have yet to be completed. Work on the smallest, between Old Alice Road and Paredes Line Road, is scheduled to begin in April or May, Rincones said. No date has been set for starting work on the larger gap, between Paredes Line Road and Dr. Hugh Emerson Road, he said.
"One of the things that was slowing that project down was, we wanted to make sure 550 meets interstate standards as well, because in the future it will probably turn into interstate,"  Rincones said. "We had to do some redesign on those gaps and that's what's been slowing us down."
He said the gap closest to I-69E was prioritized because that stretch of S.H. 550 serves RanchoVerdeElementary School, the U.S. Border Patrol Station in Brownsville and the Southmost Regional Water Authority.

Maybe TxDOT is waiting for FHWA to approve the entirety of SH 550 as interstate-grade before it asks for an I-169 designation from the Texas Transportation Commission.

[Grzrd]

This August 26, 2014 Alliance for I-69 Texas article reports that, in addition to the large ceremonial I-69W sign, signage is currently being installed along the newly designated I-69W section, I-35, and other roadways:

The newly designated interstate section  begins near the busy World Trade Bridge on the west side of Laredo and extends east to an interchange with Interstate 35.  New Interstate 69W signs are going up on this section and on I-35 and other roadways approaching 69W.

Laredo now has an I-69W shield on the updated Texas Official Travel Map:

In addition to an I-69W shield, the Texas Official Travel Map has both a US 59 shield on Loop 20 and a BR US 59 shield along the former US 59. Do we have any confirmed sightings in the field for I-69W shields (and concurrent US 59 shields) and/or US 59 shields on the Future I-69W part of Loop 20 and/or US 59 Biz shields (assemblies?) along the former US 59?

While recently checking to see if Google Street View has been updated in the Laredo area (Dec. 2012 is the current imagery and Google Earth has December 2012 aerial imagery) in order to locate I-69W signage, I noticed that Google Maps has removed the I-69W shield from its map:



Does anyone know whether, aside from the large, ceremonial I-69W shield, TxDOT ever installed I-69W signage in Laredo?

[Grzrd]

This August 26, 2014 Alliance for I-69 Texas article:

The newly designated interstate section  begins near the busy World Trade Bridge on the west side of Laredo and extends east to an interchange with Interstate 35.  New Interstate 69W signs are going up on this section and on I-35 and other roadways approaching 69W.

While recently checking to see if Google Street View has been updated in the Laredo area (Dec. 2012 is the current imagery and Google Earth has December 2012 aerial imagery) in order to locate I-69W signage, I noticed that Google Maps has removed the I-69W shield from its map:

Google Maps has returned the I-69W shield to its Laredo map (what was up with that?):



However, the Google Street View imagery in the vicinity of the I-35/ I-69W interchange is still pre-2014 vintage.  Any confirmed sightings of I-69W signage in the area will be greatly appreciated.

[yakra]

Any confirmed sightings of I-69W signage in the area will be greatly appreciated.

as would a confirmation of the new US 59 mainline @ business route.

[US 41]

The I-69W shield is also shown in the Laredo inset in the 2016 Rand McNally. It's too bad that Bridge 3 is for trucks only. If cars were able to use it, it would be a great bypass around Nuevo Laredo for Monterrey traffic.

[lordsutch]

For traffic bound to Monterrey, bridge 2 is fine - you can get straight on the Colosio bypass road after crossing, and outside of paisano season there's no waiting usually (during paisano season, you're screwed no matter which way you go).

It's coming back that's a pain (thus, using bridge 4 is recommended instead).

[TXtoNJ]

Today I was driving on the Southwest Freeway, and noticed that they had mile markers up. These are the real deal, as well - not reference mile numbers.

The West Loop will be Exit 123 or so, and the Beltway Exit 117.

[The Ghostbuster]

Those exit numbers seem low considering the distances from Interstate 69's terminuses in Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville.

[noelbotevera]

Those exit numbers seem low considering the distances from Interstate 69's terminuses in Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville.

That's due to the split routes. The split routes were created so that TXDOT and FHWA could agree on a border crossing for I-69. When US 59 south of Houston is interstate standard, one of those three split routes will be I-69, and the others are either eliminated or demoted to US Route or State Highway.

[NE2]

Those exit numbers seem low considering the distances from Interstate 69's terminuses in Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville.

That's due to the split routes. The split routes were created so that TXDOT and FHWA could agree on a border crossing for I-69. When US 59 south of Houston is interstate standard, one of those three split routes will be I-69, and the others are either eliminated or demoted to US Route or State Highway.

What the fuck?

[TXtoNJ]

Those exit numbers seem low considering the distances from Interstate 69's terminuses in Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville.

That's due to the split routes. The split routes were created so that TXDOT and FHWA could agree on a border crossing for I-69. When US 59 south of Houston is interstate standard, one of those three split routes will be I-69, and the others are either eliminated or demoted to US Route or State Highway.

Not exactly. The zero point will be at the current split with US 77 in Victoria. 69E, 69C and 69W will have different numbering altogether.

[Grzrd]

TxDOT has issued a Notice of Public Hearing for a 10.5 mile US 59 to I-69 upgrade from Spur 10 to CR 227 ....
Here is a snip of the Project Location Map:

this article reports that the Spur 10 to Darst Road section of this project could begin (I assume this means actual construction) this year

This article says construction will start later this year and the plan is to complete it by 2018

Today I was driving on the Southwest Freeway, and noticed that they had mile markers up. These are the real deal, as well - not reference mile numbers.
The West Loop will be Exit 123 or so, and the Beltway Exit 117.

On October 19, TxDOT issued a Finding of No Significant Impact "FONSI" for the CR 227 to Spur 10 project.  Maybe the project will include some more mile markers on the way down to Victoria ......

[Scott5114]

Those exit numbers seem low considering the distances from Interstate 69's terminuses in Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville.

That's due to the split routes. The split routes were created so that TXDOT and FHWA could agree on a border crossing for I-69. When US 59 south of Houston is interstate standard, one of those three split routes will be I-69, and the others are either eliminated or demoted to US Route or State Highway.

This is incorrect.

[Anthony_JK]

Those exit numbers seem low considering the distances from Interstate 69's terminuses in Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville.

That's due to the split routes. The split routes were created so that TXDOT and FHWA could agree on a border crossing for I-69. When US 59 south of Houston is interstate standard, one of those three split routes will be I-69, and the others are either eliminated or demoted to US Route or State Highway.

Ummm....no. The Milepost Zero for I-69 will be the US 59/US 77 split near Victoria. The "branches" of I-69 will remain, but have their own milestones for mileage; probably the western/southern termini for each branch.

Though personally, I still think I-69 should run all the way to Laredo via US 59 (I-69W); I-69E should be an I-37 extension, and I-69C should remain US 281. Plus, what do you do with TX 22 44 between Fleer and Robstown if that's upgraded as part of the I-69 system?


{Updated to correct for TX 44.}

[lordsutch]

Plus, what do you do with TX 22 between Fleer and Robstown if that's upgraded as part of the I-69 system?

I assume TX 44 from Freer to Corpus Christi would be an x37 or x69 route.

[TXtoNJ]

Those exit numbers seem low considering the distances from Interstate 69's terminuses in Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville.

That's due to the split routes. The split routes were created so that TXDOT and FHWA could agree on a border crossing for I-69. When US 59 south of Houston is interstate standard, one of those three split routes will be I-69, and the others are either eliminated or demoted to US Route or State Highway.

Ummm....no. The Milepost Zero for I-69 will be the US 59/US 77 split near Victoria. The "branches" of I-69 will remain, but have their own milestones for mileage; probably the western/southern termini for each branch.

Though personally, I still think I-69 should run all the way to Laredo via US 59 (I-69W); I-69E should be an I-37 extension, and I-69C should remain US 281. Plus, what do you do with TX 22 between Fleer and Robstown if that's upgraded as part of the I-69 system?

For me, it's 69 to Brownsville via current 77, I-6 from Victoria to Laredo, and 281 as the I-37 extension. Current I-37 can become I-137.

[noelbotevera]

Must've misremembered things.