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Lubbock, TX: Marsha Sharp Freeway

Started by aboges26, February 02, 2015, 03:26:29 PM

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aboges26

So last week I had the privilege of sitting down with the Advance Project Development Engineer for the Lubbock district of TxDOT.  Needless to say I took full advantage of being able to pick his brain, and after 2 hours that went by like 10 minutes, I had to draw the interview to a close without unleashing all of my questions.  Officially I reached out for an interview in regards to a research project for a class I am taking.  But I of course squeezed in all of my personal questions that driving around on Lubbock area highways for 5 years have given me.


My project is in regards to the Marsha Sharp Freeway, so most of the information that I received has to do with the MSF, however the following other goodies were discussed:

1) Plan for Freeway to Freeway interchanges at the spokes - originally it was planned to have freeway to freeway type interchanges for all spokes at the loop, US 84 interchanges are purposely last however perpetually delayed now.  (SPOKES = IH 27, US 62/82/TX 114 Idalou Highway, US 84 Slaton Higway, US 87 Tahoka Highway, US 62/82 Brownfield Highway, TX 114 Levelland Highway, and US 84 Clovis Highway)
2) No plans for upgrading North Loop 289 at IH 27
3) South Loop 289 interchange with IH 27 is full build, no plans for flyovers or additional ramps
4) First stage of Lubbock Outer Route to let should be the segment between the Brownfield and Tahoka Highways, followed by the leg to the Clovis Highway, with the leg to the Slaton Highway likely to be constructed last
5) US 84 (Clovis Highway) Interchange at Frankford Ave that will start construction early to mid summer of this year
6) No plans for Loop 289 improvement at Clovis Highway or N University Ave
7) No plans for Parkway Drive or Idalou Highway (US 62/82/TX 114)


Now for the Marsha Sharp Freeway:

1) Planning dates back to the 60's
2) Schematics date to the 80's
3) Original plan was to leave the railroad in, after construction started on Texas Tech land, it became evident that it would be best to pull out railroad
4) Full flyover build out designed for at West Loop 289
5) Current flyovers were the only ones planned to go through, but WB MSF to SB W LP 289 was supposed to have 2 lanes and was cut at the last second
6) A flyover from NB IH 27 to WB MSF was planned but cut to shave costs
7) The 5 phase MSF will officially not have a Phase 6
8) Phase 5A is currently coming along nice with bridge piers being poured at Milwaukee Ave and traffic on the newly constructed frontage roads
9) Phase 5B let in December and will see the construction of the MSF from where Spur 327 joins up, to 82nd Street in Wolfforth

10) Phase 5C is due to let this summer and will be for the construction of an interchange and frontage roads at Loop 193 in western Wolfforth
11) A project to add a third lane for both directions between Ave Q/L to W Loop 289 is designed and will let sometime in 2016 or 2017
12) NO plans to increase the capacity of the interchange at W Loop 289 or redesign ramp placement and A/D lane lengths


Overall, Lubbock officially has no congestion issues.  However, mostly good planning has led Lubbock to be ahead of the curve when it comes to planning for freeway capacity and routes served.  The interchange between the Marsha Sharp Freeway and W Loop 289 is experiencing moderate strain at peak times already, safety will be an increasingly important issue and the interchange in general will be a flashpoint for congestion in the future if left neglected as the city's population steadily swells.





MaxConcrete

I'm wondering about the intersection of MSF and I-27.
Are any direct connectors planned? (If no, were direct connecters ever planned?)
Do you think there is a need for any direct connectors? I'm thinking EB MSF to NB I-27.
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aboges26

Quote from: MaxConcrete on February 02, 2015, 08:54:48 PM
I'm wondering about the intersection of MSF and I-27.
Are any direct connectors planned? (If no, were direct connecters ever planned?)
Do you think there is a need for any direct connectors? I'm thinking EB MSF to NB I-27.

There are no direct connectors currently planned.  The only one that was planned was NB IH 27 to WB MSF, but that was cut for financial reasons.  I think there is a need for at least the NB/WB connecter at the moment, but a EB/NB would not be bad either for handling traffic to the airport and points north.



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