TX: "Unified Transportation Program" approved

[-- US 175 --]

$77 billion has been approved by the Transportation Commission for a wide array of statewide projects over the next 10 years.

* Several interstate 4-to-6-lane widenings
* DFW, Houston, central TX, east TX, Amarillo, El Paso, and more all getting funding/construction

I haven't had time to go over the entire list, but needless to say, there will be more than enough cones and barrels for everyone, and dust will be flying for a while.

http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/tpp/utp/2020-utp.pdf
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Massive-Highway-Projects-Planned-for-North-Texas-560021611.html

[-- US 175 --]

Here's a brief (if you want to call it that) rundown of some of the projects covered/funded:
(or, the whole .pdf is 327 pages, if you like)

District:  Abilene ... Project summary, pg. 50 ... Project list, pg. 51-52

District:  Amarillo ... Project summary, pg. 54 ... Project list, pg. 55-57
Includes: 
* Loop 335 relocation/widening projects (SW, west, and NW Amarillo)
* I-27 widening to 6 lanes between Sundown Lane and US 60-US 87 split
* reconstruction of I-27/US 60-US 87 interchange

District:  Atlanta ... Project summary, pg. 60 ... Project list, pg. 61-64
Includes: 
* US 59 grade separation (Panola Co.) at FM 1794 (I-369 future segment)
* Loop 390 freeway (Marshall) between US 80 and I-20 (I-369 future segment)
* widen US 82 (6 projects) between US 259 and I-30 to 4 lanes
* widen segment of I-20 to 6 lanes
* widen segment of I-30 to 6 lanes
* widen US 271 between Gilmer and Gladewater to 4 lanes

District:  Austin ... Project summary, pg. 66 ... Project list, pg. 67-80
Includes: 
* Numerous I-35 projects
* widening segments of US 79, US 183, US 281, US 290
* widening and other work on TX 71
* Loop 360 grade separations (as well as 1 DDI)

District:  Beaumont ... Project summary, pg. 82 ... Project list, pg. 83-87
Includes: 
* I-10 Sabine River bridge widening to 6 lanes
* widening segments of US 90 and US 96 to 4 lanes
* widening US 69-US 96-US 287 to 6 lanes from I-10 to TX 347
* US 59 segment near Cleveland conversion to full freeway segment (I-69 future segment)
* US 69 widen to 4 lanes (multiple projects) in Hardin, Jasper, and Tyler Cos.
* US 69 widen to 6 lanes in 2 other segments north of Beaumont

District:  Brownwood ... Project summary, pg. 90 ... Project list, pg. 91-93
Includes: 
* Multiple projects to improve and widen TX 6
* widen several segments of US 183 and US 281 to 4 lanes

District:  Bryan ... Project summary, pg. 96 ... Project list, pg. 97-102
Includes: 
* Multiple projects to widen US 190 to 4 lanes
* US 79 widening project to 4 lanes near Buffalo
* various improvements to I-45

District:  Childress ... Project summary, pg. 104 ... Project list, pg. 105-106

District:  Corpus Christi ... Project summary, pg. 108 ... Project list, pg. 109-112
Includes: 
* Widening of I-37 bridge over Nueces River
* several widening/freeway upgrades on US 77 (I-69E future segments) and US 281 (I-69C future segments)

District:  Dallas ... Project summary, pg. 114 ... Project list, pg. 115-129
Includes:  Wide array of projects...
* Phase 2 work on I-35E from I-635 to US 380
* US 80 widening to 6 lanes from I-30 to FM 460
* Loop 9 launch of construction between I-35E and I-45
* US 380 grade separations and widenings between Denton and Prosper
* I-30 new service roads across Lake Ray Hubbard (Bass Pro Dr. to Dalrock Rd.)
* I-30 widening to 8 lanes east of Dalrock Rd.
* I-35 widening to 6 lanes from US 380 to Cooke Co. line (includes redo of US 380 interchange)
* I-30 widening to 8 lanes between Dallas Co. line and TX 161-Bush Turnpike
* I-30 reconstruction/widening to 10 lanes as well as service road work between I-45 and I-635 ($1 billion!)
* I-30 reconstruction/widening to 12 lanes as well as service road work between I-35E and I-45 ($300 million)
* TX 183 / Loop 12 / Spur 482 interchange reconstruction
* I-45 interchange reconstruction at S.M. Wright
* New service roads on I-20 between Cockrell Hill Rd. and Hampton Rd.
* Loop 12-NW Highway intersection at Skillman St. conversion to a SPUI

District:  El Paso ... Project summary, pg. 132 ... Project list, pg. 133-135

District:  Fort Worth ... Project summary, pg. 138 ... Project list, pg. 139-149
Includes: 
* I-30 widening to 8 main lanes/4 service road lanes from Cooper St. (Arlington) to Dallas Co. line
* US 287 service road additions in Mansfield
* "Southeast Connector" reconstruction/improvements on I-20, I-820, and US 287 ($1.590 billion total, 5 projects)
* TX 199 between Azle and Lake Worth, up to 6 main lanes, Lake Worth bridge reconstruction, and service road realignment
* I-20 direct ramp additions at Chisholm Trail Pkwy. tollroad
* I-20 widen to 10 lanes with up to 6 service road lanes, between Park Springs Blvd. (Arlington) and Dallas Co. line
* TX 199 from Azle Ave. and I-820, 6 main lanes, up to 6 lanes of service road, new I-820 interchange
* Add service roads missing between FM 1938-Davis Blvd. and Dove Rd. on TX 114 (Trophy Club, Westlake, Southlake)
* Add main lanes on TX 170 between I-35W and Denton Co. line
* Grade separation/realignment of FM 1810 at US 81-US 287 in Decatur

District:  Houston ... Project summary, pg. 152 ... Project list, pg. 153-167
Includes:  Numerous widenings and reconstruction projects as well as the Pierce Elevated removal
(probably best to defer to Mr. Concrete and/or others better-versed in Houston goings-on than I am)

District:  Laredo ... Project summary, pg. 170 ... Project list, pg. 171-175

District:  Lubbock ... Project summary, pg. 178 ... Project list, pg. 171-175
Includes: 
* Work to begin putting together freeway segments of future outer Loop 88
* interchange reconstruction for various projects on US 82, US 84, and Loop 289

District:  Lufkin ... Project summary, pg. 184 ... Project list, pg. 185-187
Includes:  Various US 59 freeway conversions around Shepherd, Cleveland, Corrigan, Diboll, Lufkin, and Nacogdoches (I-69 future segments)

District:  Odessa ... Project summary, pg. 190 ... Project list, pg. 191-198

District:  Paris ... Project summary, pg. 200 ... Project list, pg. 201-204
Includes: 
* Widening I-30 to 6 lanes between Royse City and Greenville
* multiple widenings to 4 lanes on US 82 and US 271
* new 4 lane bypass of Quinlan on TX 276
* US 75 widening to 6 lanes (Howe to Van Alstyne)
* 2 projects to widen US 75 in Sherman to 6 lanes
* redo ramps and service roads at US 75/US 82 interchange

District:  Pharr ... Project summary, pg. 206 ... Project list, pg. 207-216
Includes: 
* Several freeway upgrades for US 77 and US 281 (I-69E and I-69C future segments)
* many assorted off-freeway improvements and widenings

District:  San Angelo ... Project summary, pg. 218 ... Project list, pg. 219-222

District:  San Antonio ... Project summary, pg. 224 ... Project list, pg. 225-230
Includes: 
* I-35 "Northeast Expansion" project work to widen to 14 total lanes from I-410 to past the Bexar-Guadalupe Co. line ($1.567 billion in projects)
* US 90 expansion to 6 lanes from I-410 to TX 211
* Loop 1604 expansion to 10 total lanes in 2 projects east and west of US 281
* I-10 east widening to 6 lanes out to Bexar-Guadalupe Co. line (as well as 2 projects to widen to 6 lanes in Guadalupe Co.)

District:  Tyler ... Project summary, pg. 232 ... Project list, pg. 233-237
Includes: 
* Reconstruction of I-20/US 259/TX 31 interchange between Longview and Kilgore to remove left exits
* US 271 widening to 4 lanes between FM 16 and Gladewater
* TX 42 widening to 4 lanes between I-20 and US 80
* grade-separate US 69/FM 2493 intersection south of Bullard including a realignment of FM 2493 to remove the US 69 overlap
* widen I-20 to 6 lanes between Van Zandt Co. line and US 69 exit
* widen several segments of FM 2493 south of Loop 323 in Tyler to 4 lane and 6 lane widths

District:  Waco ... Project summary, pg. 240 ... Project list, pg. 240-244
Includes: 
* Widening of I-35 to 8 lanes between Belton and Temple
* 2 projects to widen US 190 to 4 lanes as well as another (I-14 related segment) widening west of I-35 to 6 lanes

District:  Wichita Falls ... Project summary, pg. 246 ... Project list, pg. 247-250
Includes: 
* Widening I-35 in 4 projects in Cooke Co. between Denton Co. line and the Red River to 6 lanes
* widening various sections of US 82 to 4 lanes

District:  Yoakum ... Project summary, pg. 252 ... Project list, pg. 253-256
Includes: 
* I-10 widening in Austin Co. and Colorado Co. to 6 lanes
* US 77 widening to 4 lanes north of Victoria
* US 59 freeway upgrade segments and service road work (I-69 future segments)

[In_Correct]

Absolutely nothing for U.S. 377, as usual, still a 2 lane road in the middle of dense urban and suburban traffic. 





EDIT. NEVER MIND:

Project: US 377 - Widen Non-Freeway


Description: RECONSTRUCT AND WIDEN 2/4
TO 4 LANE DIVIDED URBAN 1
Limits To: NORTH OF BS-114K
Limits From: HENRIETTA CREEK RD 2 METRO CORRIDOR
Amount
$13,444,113

[Plutonic Panda]

Is the I-30 project near downtown the last phase of Pegasus? IIRC, this freeway will be on a new alignment?

[-- US 175 --]

$77 billion has been approved by the Transportation Commission for a wide array of statewide projects over the next 10 years.

Well, amazingly enough, some of that $$$$ was spared for US-- well, you know which one  ...

* The last 17 unwidened miles in Anderson and Cherokee Cos. will get 4-laned in 3 projects:
-- Frankston to the Neches River
-- new approaches/spans over the Neches River on a new alignment
-- Neches River to Jacksonville
Timeline: 2020-2023 (even though not all the ROW has been acquired/prepared).  Cost: $173,500,000.

(If this timeline stays true, it will have taken close to *7 decades* to have 4-laned the whole highway, all ~120 miles of it, since the first widening/freeway segment was done in the mid-1950s.  This will leave only 2 towns, Eustace and Frankston, where traffic will still encounter signaled intersections and have no bypass option. 

Family members have told me that in the earliest days of travel, it took as long as 2 DAYS to get from Jacksonville to Dallas; now with current conditions and speeds, it takes less than 2 hours.)

* In Crandall, a missing segment of service road will *finally* be added, between FM 148 and Kaufman County Rd. 4106.  In conjunction, the current north side service road that does exist in this same segment will go from 2-way, to one-way WB.
(This segment has been unbuilt because when US 175 was made into a freeway in this area in the early 1970s, it was constructed in too close a proximity to a then-parallel Southern Pacific RR track to include an EB service road.  The railroad company abandoned the line's ROW in the mid-1980s, yet nothing was done (in well over 30 years) about the placement of the missing service road segment before now.)
Timeline: 2020-2023.  Cost: $12,925,618.

* "Ramp modifications" between Malloy Bridge Rd. and FM 1389 in Seagoville; 2 projects.  Timeline: 2020-2023.  Cost: $4,326,200.

[thisdj78]

District:  Lubbock ... Project summary, pg. 178 ... Project list, pg. 171-175
Includes: 
* Work to begin putting together freeway segments of future outer Loop 88
* interchange reconstruction for various projects on US 82, US 84, and Loop 289

Lubbock getting an outer loop? Do they even need one?

[-- US 175 --]

Is the I-30 project near downtown the last phase of Pegasus? IIRC, this freeway will be on a new alignment?

The "Pegasus" labeling actually hasn't been used for any of the downtown-area freeway plans and projects in a while, but this would be likely the last of what that consisted of.  There had been other alignments considered and suggested in recent years, but this plan is along the same path as the current I-30.

The city of Dallas, in all its back-and-forths with the state over this and other highway plans, had most recently brought up wanting TxDOT to do any I-30 project in conjunction with work on I-345, as in, at the same time.  Fortunately, it looks like TxDOT didn't take the bait on that one.  Having 2 of the 4 downtown-area freeways down for construction at the same time would have been too crazy IMO.

[-- US 175 --]

District:  Lubbock ... Project summary, pg. 178 ... Project list, pg. 171-175
Includes: 
* Work to begin putting together freeway segments of future outer Loop 88
* interchange reconstruction for various projects on US 82, US 84, and Loop 289

Lubbock getting an outer loop? Do they even need one?

I remember a while back when I first saw something about a Loop 88 among the designations listed online, it was a huh-duh to me, I'd never heard of Loop 88 before.  But yes, apparently, somebody out that way seems to think Loop 289 isn't enough.  So far, I haven't seen enough online designations that refer to Loop 88 as something that would go all the way around Lubbock for now.  From what I can tell, any designated segments currently cover parts of the south and west sides of the city.  I've never been there, but it looks like there is some southward/southwestward growth outside Loop 289 in the city.  To me, I'd think a good set of decent  off-freeway arterials would have been fine, but I don't know what the latest traffic patterns and counts are like out there.

[Plutonic Panda]

The city of Dallas, in all its back-and-forths with the state over this and other highway plans, had most recently brought up wanting TxDOT to do any I-30 project in conjunction with work on I-345, as in, at the same time.  Fortunately, it looks like TxDOT didn't take the bait on that one.  Having 2 of the 4 downtown-area freeways down for construction at the same time would have been too crazy IMO.

Agreed though I am anxious for the 345 project to get underway. I'd say I-30 is of higher significance. I just hope 345 is not torn out and becomes part of I-45 down the road.

[In_Correct]

Interstate 30 and Interstate 345 NEEDS to be improved at the same time. If there are traffic nightmares so be it. The traffic nightmares will demonstrate the importance of these corridors especially if traffic is backed up on those "desired" surface streets. Measures must be taken before NIMBY people decide to move to a median (grass or cement) and demand removal of improved roads.

[motorola870]

The city of Dallas, in all its back-and-forths with the state over this and other highway plans, had most recently brought up wanting TxDOT to do any I-30 project in conjunction with work on I-345, as in, at the same time.  Fortunately, it looks like TxDOT didn't take the bait on that one.  Having 2 of the 4 downtown-area freeways down for construction at the same time would have been too crazy IMO.

Agreed though I am anxious for the 345 project to get underway. I'd say I-30 is of higher significance. I just hope 345 is not torn out and becomes part of I-45 down the road.

I don't think L345 will be torn out of the system instead it will be resigned as I45 when they finish the rebuild of US75 in Grayson county. There was a quote a while back TXDOT promising sherman an interstate. They are likely to send I45 to the state line with it ending after the Colbert freeway ends into at grade intersections.
http://www.kten.com/story/39298089/grayson-county-green-lights-us-75-expansion

I drove this back in June on the way to Kansas City and they have done so much work from Dallas to Sherman it is almost fully interstate grade. They are seriously looking at signing it as an interstate and there is mention of some companies won't even look at a county if they don't have an interstate. They were working on US69 in Oklahoma near lake Eufaula and that was fun jersey barriers with no shoulder to work with.

[DJStephens]

   Have observed quite a bit in El Paso District in last twenty plus years, and frankly a lot of it is not good.   Piecemeal work on I-10, a majority of the "improvements" did not mesh together.   Failure to anticipate and plan for growth and needed widenings.   
   Over emphasis on frills and architectural details - such as the "dress up" of the antiquated US 54 and I-10 "spaghetti bowl".  Quite a number of operational and geometric deficiencies there that seem to be now "locked in" indefinitely.  Noticed that it appears that I-10 heading E out of downtown may be necked down to three lanes permanently eastbound in spaghetti bowl interchange.   Should be four.  Five would be preferable.  Appeared that column placement of some sort is taking place in unused R lane.  Nuts.   Severe weaving is present between S 54 to 10 E ramp and ancient US 62/ Paisano EB  exit.  Weaving also exists on WB 10, too many off and on points, too close together.  Crazy.  No WB frontage exists through spaghetti junction, all frontage traffic dumps on WB 10 mainline through interchange.  Antiquated.  From another antiquated structure - the Raynolds overpass, which is simply too close to the spaghetti bowl to have direct access to 10.  Any possible seismic event will bring all or most of that interchange (spaghetti bowl) down.   
  And an $800 million plus project on the W side is nearing completion, most of which is a mistake.  The addition of a vaunted "toll road" hugging the border and 10 in places.   A lot of bridge work, including complicated pier work, bents, and cantilevers.   10 itself should have been straightened, widened, and frontage added to the west side of the UTEP campus.  And it could have been possible for 3/8 to 1/2 as much, without the "toll 375" monstrosity.  Would have used half of that $800 million - to replace the spaghetti bowl, with a modern box beam interchange - far less piers, no unsightly beams/girders, and some seismic resistance.   
   Have to wonder - is there any kind of watchdog or whistle blower organization monitoring this spending??   

[Bobby5280]

Given the title of the effort: "Unified Transportation Program," this measure seems to be anything but "unified." Scrolling through the list of projects, most seem to be little spot upgrades or maintenance programs with a small sprinkling of a few major urban-only upgrade projects, such as the re-alignment of I-45 in downtown Houston.

The I-69 system is the only state-wide corridor really getting any kind of attention, and much of that attention is very piece-meal in nature. I don't see anything on the order of building out a hundred miles or more of the corridor.

I'm a little pissed, but not surprised, the US-287 corridor between Fort Worth and Amarillo got next to nothing in terms of attention. Did they even include getting rid of the at-grade driveways and other non-freeway quality crap along US-287 immediately NW of the I-35W interchange? US-287 needs to be an Interstate quality facility between Amarillo and I-45 South of Dallas. This plan shows one big project for the I-20/I-820/US-287 junction on the South side of Fort Worth. I guess that's pretty much it. We can't even get US-287 fully converted to Interstate quality between I-20 and I-45 in the DFW metro.

An outer loop for Lubbock? I'm glad I'm not the only once who reacted with a "whaaaat?" when seeing it. What the hell happened to extending I-27 South of Lubbock to either the Midland-Odessa area and/or over to San Angelo to go either to San Antonio or down to Del Rio, or even to Laredo? What happened to those Ports to Plains Corridor efforts? Even freeway upgrades to US-82/380 down to Brownfield would be more worthwhile than this Loop 88 nonsense.

[debragga]

$77 billion has been approved by the Transportation Commission for a wide array of statewide projects over the next 10 years.

Well, amazingly enough, some of that $$$$ was spared for US-- well, you know which one  ...

* The last 17 unwidened miles in Anderson and Cherokee Cos. will get 4-laned in 3 projects:
-- Frankston to the Neches River
-- new approaches/spans over the Neches River on a new alignment
-- Neches River to Jacksonville
Timeline: 2020-2023 (even though not all the ROW has been acquired/prepared).  Cost: $173,500,000.

(If this timeline stays true, it will have taken close to *7 decades* to have 4-laned the whole highway, all ~120 miles of it, since the first widening/freeway segment was done in the mid-1950s.  This will leave only 2 towns, Eustace and Frankston, where traffic will still encounter signaled intersections and have no bypass option. 

Family members have told me that in the earliest days of travel, it took as long as 2 DAYS to get from Jacksonville to Dallas; now with current conditions and speeds, it takes less than 2 hours.)

* In Crandall, a missing segment of service road will *finally* be added, between FM 148 and Kaufman County Rd. 4106.  In conjunction, the current north side service road that does exist in this same segment will go from 2-way, to one-way WB.
(This segment has been unbuilt because when US 175 was made into a freeway in this area in the early 1970s, it was constructed in too close a proximity to a then-parallel Southern Pacific RR track to include an EB service road.  The railroad company abandoned the line's ROW in the mid-1980s, yet nothing was done (in well over 30 years) about the placement of the missing service road segment before now.)
Timeline: 2020-2023.  Cost: $12,925,618.

* "Ramp modifications" between Malloy Bridge Rd. and FM 1389 in Seagoville; 2 projects.  Timeline: 2020-2023.  Cost: $4,326,200.

I used to live in the neighborhood just north of the new service road just outside of Crandall. With that project, the Malloy Bridge/1389 improvements mentioned, and the new FM 148 bypass of Crandall, there will be lots of great construction happening in the area real soon!

[-- US 175 --]

I was a little surprised the FM 148 bypass project wasn't on the list, as it's supposed to get underway in the next few years.  The exit for it will require US 175 to be redone to go over the new FM 148 intersection.  Maybe it already had funding other than UTP, or it will have separate funding.

[Brian556]

Given the title of the effort: "Unified Transportation Program," this measure seems to be anything but "unified." Scrolling through the list of projects, most seem to be little spot upgrades or maintenance programs with a small sprinkling of a few major urban-only upgrade projects, such as the re-alignment of I-45 in downtown Houston.

The I-69 system is the only state-wide corridor really getting any kind of attention, and much of that attention is very piece-meal in nature. I don't see anything on the order of building out a hundred miles or more of the corridor.

I'm a little pissed, but not surprised, the US-287 corridor between Fort Worth and Amarillo got next to nothing in terms of attention. Did they even include getting rid of the at-grade driveways and other non-freeway quality crap along US-287 immediately NW of the I-35W interchange? US-287 needs to be an Interstate quality facility between Amarillo and I-45 South of Dallas. This plan shows one big project for the I-20/I-820/US-287 junction on the South side of Fort Worth. I guess that's pretty much it. We can't even get US-287 fully converted to Interstate quality between I-20 and I-45 in the DFW metro.

An outer loop for Lubbock? I'm glad I'm not the only once who reacted with a "whaaaat?" when seeing it. What the hell happened to extending I-27 South of Lubbock to either the Midland-Odessa area and/or over to San Angelo to go either to San Antonio or down to Del Rio, or even to Laredo? What happened to those Ports to Plains Corridor efforts? Even freeway upgrades to US-82/380 down to Brownfield would be more worthwhile than this Loop 88 nonsense.

TxDOT will soon start a project on US 81/287 in Decatur. It will be to create an interchange for FM 1810. FM 1810 is to be re-aligned. It sounds like it will be re-aligned north to meet US 81/287 up where the business route splits away on the north side of town.

They had to make FM 1810 right-turn-only at US 81/287 several years back because the intersection was just too dangerous.

[In_Correct]

Given the title of the effort: "Unified Transportation Program," this measure seems to be anything but "unified." Scrolling through the list of projects, most seem to be little spot upgrades or maintenance programs with a small sprinkling of a few major urban-only upgrade projects, such as the re-alignment of I-45 in downtown Houston.

The I-69 system is the only state-wide corridor really getting any kind of attention, and much of that attention is very piece-meal in nature. I don't see anything on the order of building out a hundred miles or more of the corridor.

I'm a little pissed, but not surprised, the US-287 corridor between Fort Worth and Amarillo got next to nothing in terms of attention. Did they even include getting rid of the at-grade driveways and other non-freeway quality crap along US-287 immediately NW of the I-35W interchange? US-287 needs to be an Interstate quality facility between Amarillo and I-45 South of Dallas. This plan shows one big project for the I-20/I-820/US-287 junction on the South side of Fort Worth. I guess that's pretty much it. We can't even get US-287 fully converted to Interstate quality between I-20 and I-45 in the DFW metro.

An outer loop for Lubbock? I'm glad I'm not the only once who reacted with a "whaaaat?" when seeing it. What the hell happened to extending I-27 South of Lubbock to either the Midland-Odessa area and/or over to San Angelo to go either to San Antonio or down to Del Rio, or even to Laredo? What happened to those Ports to Plains Corridor efforts? Even freeway upgrades to US-82/380 down to Brownfield would be more worthwhile than this Loop 88 nonsense.

TxDOT will soon start a project on US 81/287 in Decatur. It will be to create an interchange for FM 1810. FM 1810 is to be re-aligned. It sounds like it will be re-aligned north to meet US 81/287 up where the business route splits away on the north side of town.

They had to make FM 1810 right-turn-only at US 81/287 several years back because the intersection was just too dangerous.

Map??

I mean what are the going to do with the businesses on the old alignment? Dead End the old alignment before it reaches U.S. 287? And there are many businesses located at the Business Route intersection. Will they close this intersection also?

Is this Interchange going to be in the empty space south of Superior Auto Repair? If they did, perhaps FM 1810 will be straighter and not have as much curve in it.

[Bobby5280]

TxDOT will soon start a project on US 81/287 in Decatur. It will be to create an interchange for FM 1810. FM 1810 is to be re-aligned. It sounds like it will be re-aligned north to meet US 81/287 up where the business route splits away on the north side of town.

It has been at least a couple or so years since I saw it, but I did see a plan with schematics to upgrade a portion of US-287 on Decatur's North side to Interstate quality, including the intersection with FM-1810. IIRC, that plan also included a little side route down to US-380 nearby (with a limited access exit there too). AFAIK that plan got shelved.

Nothing in that plan showed any true freeway upgrades going into Decatur itself. US-287 thru Decatur is a growing problem. The non-freeway segments of US-287 in there have all sorts of driveways and other crap. At least a couple or so businesses adjacent to the road would have to be cleared to bring that part of US-287 up to Interstate standards. It's either that or the non-freeway portion would have to be elevated above the existing US-287 main lanes. I think if the America's Best Value Inn hotel at the NW corner of US-287 and W Thompson St was removed it would create enough room to squeeze in frontage roads and freeway main lanes. The portion of US-287 between the US-380 interchange and Washburn Street is a tougher issue. A freeway in that spot would have to be elevated. Or the businesses on at least one side of the road would have to be cleared.

[motorola870]

TxDOT will soon start a project on US 81/287 in Decatur. It will be to create an interchange for FM 1810. FM 1810 is to be re-aligned. It sounds like it will be re-aligned north to meet US 81/287 up where the business route splits away on the north side of town.

It has been at least a couple or so years since I saw it, but I did see a plan with schematics to upgrade a portion of US-287 on Decatur's North side to Interstate quality, including the intersection with FM-1810. IIRC, that plan also included a little side route down to US-380 nearby (with a limited access exit there too). AFAIK that plan got shelved.

Nothing in that plan showed any true freeway upgrades going into Decatur itself. US-287 thru Decatur is a growing problem. The non-freeway segments of US-287 in there have all sorts of driveways and other crap. At least a couple or so businesses adjacent to the road would have to be cleared to bring that part of US-287 up to Interstate standards. It's either that or the non-freeway portion would have to be elevated above the existing US-287 main lanes. I think if the America's Best Value Inn hotel at the NW corner of US-287 and W Thompson St was removed it would create enough room to squeeze in frontage roads and freeway main lanes. The portion of US-287 between the US-380 interchange and Washburn Street is a tougher issue. A freeway in that spot would have to be elevated. Or the businesses on at least one side of the road would have to be cleared.

It will happen eventually they should just start buying empty land now on the route to get it ready for rebuilding to interstate standard. I find it crazy they even let them build next to it when they rerouted US380 and US81/US287 around town. They should have done grade separations fully and had a setback ROW bought before it was developed.

[motorola870]

I want to know when they are going to build more of the TX121 south along the Chisholm Trail why even add the designation on the service road at interstate 20 if your going to leave it as a short service road to connect I20, TX183 and the CTP. They clearly have it marked as a state highway for some of the intersections also when do they finally twin the parkway from FM1187 to US67 and build that future interchange at nolan river road/US67?

[motorola870]

Given the title of the effort: "Unified Transportation Program," this measure seems to be anything but "unified." Scrolling through the list of projects, most seem to be little spot upgrades or maintenance programs with a small sprinkling of a few major urban-only upgrade projects, such as the re-alignment of I-45 in downtown Houston.

The I-69 system is the only state-wide corridor really getting any kind of attention, and much of that attention is very piece-meal in nature. I don't see anything on the order of building out a hundred miles or more of the corridor.

I'm a little pissed, but not surprised, the US-287 corridor between Fort Worth and Amarillo got next to nothing in terms of attention. Did they even include getting rid of the at-grade driveways and other non-freeway quality crap along US-287 immediately NW of the I-35W interchange? US-287 needs to be an Interstate quality facility between Amarillo and I-45 South of Dallas. This plan shows one big project for the I-20/I-820/US-287 junction on the South side of Fort Worth. I guess that's pretty much it. We can't even get US-287 fully converted to Interstate quality between I-20 and I-45 in the DFW metro.

An outer loop for Lubbock? I'm glad I'm not the only once who reacted with a "whaaaat?" when seeing it. What the hell happened to extending I-27 South of Lubbock to either the Midland-Odessa area and/or over to San Angelo to go either to San Antonio or down to Del Rio, or even to Laredo? What happened to those Ports to Plains Corridor efforts? Even freeway upgrades to US-82/380 down to Brownfield would be more worthwhile than this Loop 88 nonsense.

US 287 is already being planned to be 100% interstate grade south of I20 to Interstate 45 they already have maps showing potential displacement drawn up and already had a town hall. They are even in the process of figuring out if they are going to rebuild the parclo stack interchange of US67 and US287 with fly overs.

[In_Correct]

If they do not clear the land for U.S. 287 and U.S. 380, they are going to have to build a loop.

[Brian556]

Given the title of the effort: "Unified Transportation Program," this measure seems to be anything but "unified." Scrolling through the list of projects, most seem to be little spot upgrades or maintenance programs with a small sprinkling of a few major urban-only upgrade projects, such as the re-alignment of I-45 in downtown Houston.

The I-69 system is the only state-wide corridor really getting any kind of attention, and much of that attention is very piece-meal in nature. I don't see anything on the order of building out a hundred miles or more of the corridor.

I'm a little pissed, but not surprised, the US-287 corridor between Fort Worth and Amarillo got next to nothing in terms of attention. Did they even include getting rid of the at-grade driveways and other non-freeway quality crap along US-287 immediately NW of the I-35W interchange? US-287 needs to be an Interstate quality facility between Amarillo and I-45 South of Dallas. This plan shows one big project for the I-20/I-820/US-287 junction on the South side of Fort Worth. I guess that's pretty much it. We can't even get US-287 fully converted to Interstate quality between I-20 and I-45 in the DFW metro.

An outer loop for Lubbock? I'm glad I'm not the only once who reacted with a "whaaaat?" when seeing it. What the hell happened to extending I-27 South of Lubbock to either the Midland-Odessa area and/or over to San Angelo to go either to San Antonio or down to Del Rio, or even to Laredo? What happened to those Ports to Plains Corridor efforts? Even freeway upgrades to US-82/380 down to Brownfield would be more worthwhile than this Loop 88 nonsense.

TxDOT will soon start a project on US 81/287 in Decatur. It will be to create an interchange for FM 1810. FM 1810 is to be re-aligned. It sounds like it will be re-aligned north to meet US 81/287 up where the business route splits away on the north side of town.

They had to make FM 1810 right-turn-only at US 81/287 several years back because the intersection was just too dangerous.

Map??

I mean what are the going to do with the businesses on the old alignment? Dead End the old alignment before it reaches U.S. 287? And there are many businesses located at the Business Route intersection. Will they close this intersection also?

Is this Interchange going to be in the empty space south of Superior Auto Repair? If they did, perhaps FM 1810 will be straighter and not have as much curve in it.

Go to Project Tracker, and click on US 81/287 at this location
Here's the page for the project, with possibility schematics: https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/about/hearings-meetings/fort-worth/061714.html

[Bobby5280]

It will happen eventually they should just start buying empty land now on the route to get it ready for rebuilding to interstate standard. I find it crazy they even let them build next to it when they rerouted US380 and US81/US287 around town. They should have done grade separations fully and had a setback ROW bought before it was developed.

In all fairness, a good number of those properties hugging close to US-287 in Decatur have been there for many years and pre-date the spot widening projects and isolated freeway exits that have been built so far.

A bunch of the properties on the North side of Decatur between the US-380 interchange and S Washburn St are pretty old looking. The only thing new in there is the Hampton Inn, and it is positioned far enough from the road to allow a new frontage road. They might lose some parking spaces however. Other businesses, like Yesterdays Texas Restaurant and various auto sales/services businesses are right up on the existing road.

On the South side of town US-287 squeezes between the Karl Klement Ford dealership and various agriculture equipment dealers on the other side of the road. That bottle neck is bracketed by freeway exits for S College Ave and a new one for Business US-81.

US-287 between Decataur and I-35W has a mix of frontage roads with freeway exits along with all sorts of other non-freeway spots littered with driveways entering the main lanes of traffic. All of that needs to be cleaned up and converted to Interstate quality ASAP. The Fort Worth district of TX DOT at least has plans (and a little bit of progress made) to bring US-287 up to Interstate quality, complete with parallel one-way frontage roads from I-35W up to TX-114. The stretch between Rhome and Decatur is going to take longer to fix/upgrade. It still needs to be done nonetheless.

US 287 is already being planned to be 100% interstate grade south of I20 to Interstate 45 they already have maps showing potential displacement drawn up and already had a town hall. They are even in the process of figuring out if they are going to rebuild the parclo stack interchange of US67 and US287 with fly overs.

I saw that a town hall meeting was held in Mansfield for an extension of US-287 frontage roads from Heritage Pkwy down to the TX-360 interchange. I don't know if they're going to bridge over the railroad between Heritage Pkwy to tie into the existing frontage roads that end just South of the Broad Street exit (and U-turn under US-287 at the railroad tracks). I saw another plan (with schematics) for adding a new US-287 freeway exit at Plainview Rd between Midlothian and Waxahachie. Overall these look like spot upgrades. The biggest project along US-287 in this area is the upgrade in Ennis from TX-34 to I-45. The upgrades TX DOT is building is certainly better than doing nothing. Maybe once enough upgrades have been made the situation will reach a kind of critical mass, forcing upgrades on the rest of the non-freeway quality gaps.

If they do not clear the land for U.S. 287 and U.S. 380, they are going to have to build a loop.

US-380 already acts as a sort of partial loop for Decatur. I think it would actually be easier and less costly just to upgrade the existing US-287 route in Decatur and buy up any properties needed to be cleared. Who knows? A bunch of the property owners along the road might really want to sell.

[motorola870]

It will happen eventually they should just start buying empty land now on the route to get it ready for rebuilding to interstate standard. I find it crazy they even let them build next to it when they rerouted US380 and US81/US287 around town. They should have done grade separations fully and had a setback ROW bought before it was developed.

In all fairness, a good number of those properties hugging close to US-287 in Decatur have been there for many years and pre-date the spot widening projects and isolated freeway exits that have been built so far.

A bunch of the properties on the North side of Decatur between the US-380 interchange and S Washburn St are pretty old looking. The only thing new in there is the Hampton Inn, and it is positioned far enough from the road to allow a new frontage road. They might lose some parking spaces however. Other businesses, like Yesterdays Texas Restaurant and various auto sales/services businesses are right up on the existing road.

On the South side of town US-287 squeezes between the Karl Klement Ford dealership and various agriculture equipment dealers on the other side of the road. That bottle neck is bracketed by freeway exits for S College Ave and a new one for Business US-81.

US-287 between Decataur and I-35W has a mix of frontage roads with freeway exits along with all sorts of other non-freeway spots littered with driveways entering the main lanes of traffic. All of that needs to be cleaned up and converted to Interstate quality ASAP. The Fort Worth district of TX DOT at least has plans (and a little bit of progress made) to bring US-287 up to Interstate quality, complete with parallel one-way frontage roads from I-35W up to TX-114. The stretch between Rhome and Decatur is going to take longer to fix/upgrade. It still needs to be done nonetheless.

US 287 is already being planned to be 100% interstate grade south of I20 to Interstate 45 they already have maps showing potential displacement drawn up and already had a town hall. They are even in the process of figuring out if they are going to rebuild the parclo stack interchange of US67 and US287 with fly overs.

I saw that a town hall meeting was held in Mansfield for an extension of US-287 frontage roads from Heritage Pkwy down to the TX-360 interchange. I don't know if they're going to bridge over the railroad between Heritage Pkwy to tie into the existing frontage roads that end just South of the Broad Street exit (and U-turn under US-287 at the railroad tracks). I saw another plan (with schematics) for adding a new US-287 freeway exit at Plainview Rd between Midlothian and Waxahachie. Overall these look like spot upgrades. The biggest project along US-287 in this area is the upgrade in Ennis from TX-34 to I-45. The upgrades TX DOT is building is certainly better than doing nothing. Maybe once enough upgrades have been made the situation will reach a kind of critical mass, forcing upgrades on the rest of the non-freeway quality gaps.

If they do not clear the land for U.S. 287 and U.S. 380, they are going to have to build a loop.

US-380 already acts as a sort of partial loop for Decatur. I think it would actually be easier and less costly just to upgrade the existing US-287 route in Decatur and buy up any properties needed to be cleared. Who knows? A bunch of the property owners along the road might really want to sell.

They just recently held a town hall on the complete interstate grade upgrade of U.S. 287 beyond 360. The plainview rd./walnut grove rd. interchange is set to break ground sometime in 2019.