I-69 in TX

[Thegeet]

Speaking of local airports, the intersection at Jackson County Airport could also use an overpass alongside the Cordele exit.

BTW, when are we going to see Jackson County get its first taste of I-69 construction?

[jgb191]

Speaking of local airports, the intersection at Jackson County Airport could also use an overpass alongside the Cordele exit.

BTW, when are we going to see Jackson County get its first taste of I-69 construction?

The bypass around Edna has been up to Interstate quality for as long as I can remember, ending at the Jackson County Airport intersection, it should have been redesignated as I-69 already; not sure why the hold-up there.

[Henry]

This is a map of the corridor upgrades as depicted in the paywalled article:

On another note, I'm going to predict that I-69 reaches Laredo/McAllen/Brownsville before it gets to Shreveport.

[sprjus4]

Speaking of local airports, the intersection at Jackson County Airport could also use an overpass alongside the Cordele exit.

BTW, when are we going to see Jackson County get its first taste of I-69 construction?

The bypass around Edna has been up to Interstate quality for as long as I can remember, ending at the Jackson County Airport intersection, it should have been redesignated as I-69 already; not sure why the hold-up there.

In order to be designated as I-69, it must both meet interstate standards and connect with an existing interstate highway segment.

This freeway portion is isolated from any other part of I-69, so it cannot be designated. Once upgrades from the north reach Edna, and I-69 is continuous from Houston to Edna, then they could designate it.

[sprjus4]

On another note, I'm going to predict that I-69 reaches Laredo/McAllen/Brownsville before it gets to Shreveport.

Easily, it's not even a question. They have been pretty aggressive with completing I-69E between I-37 and Brownsville, and could be complete by 2030.

Unless you're referring to Houston to Brownsville, including that long I-37 to Houston portion that hasn't been upgraded yet with the exception of spot projects.

[bwana39]

This is a map of the corridor upgrades as depicted in the paywalled article:

On another note, I'm going to predict that I-69 reaches Laredo/McAllen/Brownsville before it gets to Shreveport.

I certainly have to agree with you on that...

[Chris]

The bypass of Premont opened to traffic in 2022, my guess is sometime in November. It only opened for northbound traffic, because the bridges at either end for southbound traffic are not yet completed.





It is signed as US 281 and not yet as I-69C. Maybe because it is unconnected to other freeway segments.

[ethanhopkin14]

Quick question.  What would happen if the Valley interstates didn't connect to the rest of the system by 2038?  Do they lose their interstate status, or will an extension be asked for and granted to keep them isolated beyond the 25-year grace period?

[abqtraveler]

Quick question.  What would happen if the Valley interstates didn't connect to the rest of the system by 2038?  Do they lose their interstate status, or will an extension be asked for and granted to keep them isolated beyond the 25-year grace period?

If I were a betting man, Texas would seek an extension from Congress, and likely get it. But, I think that I-69E will be finished from I-37 to the Valley before that time period expires. The main obstacle now for completing I-69E is the bypass around Riviera, which is slated to start construction in 2027. Beyond the Riviera Bypass, the remaining 50-60 miles of US-77 from Riviera to Yturria runs through mostly undeveloped areas and should be relatively easy to upgrade to interstate standards.

Speaking of Riviera, the latest GSV shows that construction is now underway on US-77 through Ricardo (just north of Riviera), so I wouldn't be surprised if TxDOT is looking for an opportunity to get the Riviera Bypass funded and started sooner than 2027.

https://www.google.com/maps/@27.3920931,-97.8422293,3a,63.6y,343.49h,90.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s18TawR6Zfbx-esfpYCAPCg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

[ethanhopkin14]

should be relatively easy to upgrade to interstate standards.

You don't know TxDOT. lol

[MaxConcrete]

Bids were opened today to upgrade 4.5 miles of US 59 in Laredo to full freeway standards, from the existing freeway at International Parkway south to Sinatra Parkway. The plans show 3x3 main lanes and 2x2 frontage roads on right-of-way width between 400 and 450 feet.

This is on the far southwest end of I-69W, and will probably be signed as such when the work is done. However, I-69W between Laredo and Victoria is in the very far future, and the full length may never be built to interstate standards. Virtually all other parts of I-69 and I-369 are (justifiably) higher priority, and those other parts will take decades to complete.

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/insdtdot/orgchart/cmd/cserve/bidtab/08023001.htm

County:   WEBB   Let Date:   08/02/23
Type:   RECONSTRUCT EXISTING ROADWAY   Seq No:   3001
Time:   1318 WORKING DAYS   Project ID:   F 2022(745)
Highway:   US 59   Contract #:   08233001
Length:   16.250   CCSJ:   0086-14-075
Limits:   
From:   0.50 MI S OF DEL MAR BLVD   Check:   $100,000
To:   0.50 MI N OF DEL MAR BLVD   Misc Cost:   
Estimate   $311,492,995.71   % Over/Under   Company
Bidder 1   $344,030,534.94   +10.45%   JAMES CONSTRUCTION GROUP, LLC
Bidder 2   $366,647,955.05   +17.71%   PULICE CONSTRUCTION, INC.
Bidder 3   $395,827,719.99   +27.07%   WEBBER, LLC
Bidder 4   $506,017,011.60   +62.45%   KIEWIT INFRASTRUCTURE SOUTH CO.

[bwana39]

After reminding me for pronouncing Tenaha incorrectly

Just out of idle curiosity, what is the correct pronunciation of Tenaha?

I said it Yankee style "TEN-naha"

He said it Texas style "TEENA-haw" or at least that is what it sounded like with his rural accent.

"It was founded in 1885 as a shipping point on the Houston, East and West Texas Railway, when that railroad was being constructed through the county. The community was named by members of the Hicks family for Tenehaw Municipality, the original name of Shelby County."

More likely Tinn e haw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jur409DzINo  (Tex Ritter... John Ritter's dad.) Tex grew up outside of Carthage.

[thisdj78]

Quick question.  What would happen if the Valley interstates didn't connect to the rest of the system by 2038?  Do they lose their interstate status, or will an extension be asked for and granted to keep them isolated beyond the 25-year grace period?

I didn't realize there was a timeframe by which they had to connect to the rest of the interstate system.

[Bobby5280]

Bids were opened today to upgrade 4.5 miles of US 59 in Laredo to full freeway standards, from the existing freeway at International Parkway south to Sinatra Parkway. The plans show 3x3 main lanes and 2x2 frontage roads on right-of-way width between 400 and 450 feet.

That project would build out the easier "low hanging fruit" portion of the Bob Bullock Loop to Interstate standards.

The difficult part is just South of the Sinatra Parkway intersection. The United ISD Food Production Center facility stands in the path of any further extension of the freeway Southward. Much of the National Guard's parking lot would also get "eaten" by an Interstate quality upgrade. There is a lot of wide open territory to the right of US-59 just South of those two properties.

The most difficult hurdle may be the Lake Casa Blanca International State Park on the right side of US-59 and the Casa Blanca Golf Course to the left. It's going to take some creative design work to shoot that gap and connect into the existing freeway immediately South of there.

[thisdj78]

Bids were opened today to upgrade 4.5 miles of US 59 in Laredo to full freeway standards, from the existing freeway at International Parkway south to Sinatra Parkway. The plans show 3x3 main lanes and 2x2 frontage roads on right-of-way width between 400 and 450 feet.

That project would build out the easier "low hanging fruit" portion of the Bob Bullock Loop to Interstate standards.

The difficult part is just South of the Sinatra Parkway intersection. The United ISD Food Production Center facility stands in the path of any further extension of the freeway Southward. Much of the National Guard's parking lot would also get "eaten" by an Interstate quality upgrade. There is a lot of wide open territory to the right of US-59 just South of those two properties.

The most difficult hurdle may be the Lake Casa Blanca International State Park on the right side of US-59 and the Casa Blanca Golf Course to the left. It's going to take some creative design work to shoot that gap and connect into the existing freeway immediately South of there.

I wouldn't be surprised if TXDOT already owns those two properties and just letting them stay there until it's time to start construction. As you noted, it's very clear there is ROW set aside north and south of there.

[Duke87]

Bids were opened today to upgrade 4.5 miles of US 59 in Laredo to full freeway standards, from the existing freeway at International Parkway south to Sinatra Parkway. The plans show 3x3 main lanes and 2x2 frontage roads on right-of-way width between 400 and 450 feet.

This is on the far southwest end of I-69W, and will probably be signed as such when the work is done. However, I-69W between Laredo and Victoria is in the very far future, and the full length may never be built to interstate standards. Virtually all other parts of I-69 and I-369 are (justifiably) higher priority, and those other parts will take decades to complete.

Well there's also the question of do they do the intellectually lazy thing and just upgrade US 59 east of Loop 20 in place, or do they do something logical and build a cutoff instead, which would mean much of the section of Loop 20 currently slated for upgrade would not, in fact, be part of I-69W.

[Bobby5280]

I'm pretty sure I-69W will leave the Bob Bullock Loop and spur off to the East a few miles North of the existing US-59/Loop 20 interchange. There is too much property next to the existing US-59 path on the South side of Lake Casa Blanca. That will force I-69W to take a new terrain alignment to the North of Lake Casa Blanca and North of Texas A&M International University. There is a lot of wide open territory in that area. There's just a decent number of oil wells in that area.

The portion of the Bob Bullock Loop to the South of the I-69W split may one day be overlapped by I-2.

[splashflash]

US 59/259 Interchange Design Refinement in Nacogdaches

https://www.dailysentinel.com/news/local/state-unveils-design-plan-for-us-59-259-project/article_c2b9ecf6-f15c-5a23-a47f-b7c785d69433.html

Expected to begin construction in 2029, the $213.3 million reconfiguration of the U.S. 59 and U.S. 259 interchange was the topic of a second public feedback meeting Thursday, as transportation officials unveiled a revised design based on input gathered since an initial May 2022 public session.

Among the biggest changes is the construction of access roads southward to Loop 224.

The next steps include an environmental study and public hearing in spring 2024. Right-of-way acquisition and relocation of utilities is set to begin in 2024 and take approximately four years.

virtual presentation about the revisions is available online at us59-us259north.com. Comments about the project can be submitted online or sent by mail to: TxDOT Lufkin District Office, 1805 North Timberland Drive, Lufkin TX 75901.

Public comment deadline is Aug. 18. For questions about the project, contact Jennifer Adams, project manager, at 936-633-4383.

[splashflash]

Nacogdoches US 59 / Loop 224 Flyover July 2023 Drone Video

https://youtu.be/O394wsVdHmk

[CtrlAltDel]

I apologize if this has been brought up before, but is the plan to take the US-59 corridor north of Nacogdoches or rather US-259 to TX-315 or perhaps some other routing? I'm not asking because I got a ticket in Garrison yesterday and am now hoping they get bypassed forever.

[bwana39]

I apologize if this has been brought up before, but is the plan to take the US-59 corridor north of Nacogdoches or rather US-259 to TX-315 or perhaps some other routing? I'm not asking because I got a ticket in Garrison yesterday and am now hoping they get bypassed forever.

While there is minimal in the way of formal plans beyond Nacogdoches county (or more aptly the Lufkin TxDOT region) , at this point it appears that a large loop bypassing, Garrison, Timpson, and Tenaha (probably north of all three)  along the ROUGH path of US-59 is the primary plan being gossipped. Then there is discussion that it might go SOUTH of Garrison and Timpson to stay out of Rusk county (and the Tyler TxDOT region). TxDOT seems to favor a location  out near Woods in Panola County for the I-69 / I-369 split. The folks in Shelby county want the split closer to Tenaha.

So basically the plan is to continue along US-59  for both until the split. The US-259 route seems a long-shot at best. Seemingly the ONLY way it might come in play if there is an absolute cancellation of I-69 from Shelby / Panola counties to I-49.

[CtrlAltDel]

I apologize if this has been brought up before, but is the plan to take the US-59 corridor north of Nacogdoches or rather US-259 to TX-315 or perhaps some other routing? I'm not asking because I got a ticket in Garrison yesterday and am now hoping they get bypassed forever.

While there is minimal in the way of formal plans beyond Nacogdoches county (or more aptly the Lufkin TxDOT region) , at this point it appears that a large loop bypassing, Garrison, Timpson, and Tenaha (probably north of all three)  along the ROUGH path of US-59 is the primary plan being gossipped. Then there is discussion that it might go SOUTH of Garrison and Timpson to stay out of Rusk county (and the Tyler TxDOT region). TxDOT seems to favor a location  out near Woods in Panola County for the I-69 / I-369 split. The folks in Shelby county want the split closer to Tenaha.

So basically the plan is to continue along US-59  for both until the split. The US-259 route seems a long-shot at best. Seemingly the ONLY way it might come in play if there is an absolute cancellation of I-69 from Shelby / Panola counties to I-49.

You'll get your comeuppance, Garrison! Eventually.

But past that, thanks for this.

[splashflash]

Unfortunately US 259 north of Nacogdaches TX 204 to Rusk County line) is planned to be 5-laned, effectively jettisoning any interstate prospects for many years to come.

https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/get-involved/lfk/us259-sh204-rusk-county-line/042622-presentation.pdf

[dariusb]

Oh wow. How unfortunate.

[thisdj78]

Unfortunately US 259 north of Nacogdaches TX 204 to Rusk County line) is planned to be 5-laned, effectively jettisoning any interstate prospects for many years to come.

https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/get-involved/lfk/us259-sh204-rusk-county-line/042622-presentation.pdf

What was the original plan for I-69 in that area?