Interstate 169 (Texas)

[Scott5114]

The Grand Parkway doesn't need an Interstate designation. Leave it TX 99.

Nothing needs an Interstate designation.

[kphoger]

Nothing needs an Interstate designation.

Interstates do.

Or do they? 

[Scott5114]

Nothing needs an Interstate designation.

Interstates do.

Or do they? 

Some people get downright militant about calling I-11 "the 95".

[english si]

The Grand Parkway doesn't need an Interstate designation. Leave it TX 99.

The Ghostbuster doesn't need to make this post for every single Interstate proposal. Leave it unsaid.

[Thegeet]

I can't recall ever seeing anything suggested that the Grand Parkway would be dubbed "I-669." If Texas toll road authorities (and their partners) are largely paying for a toll road's construction they appear extremely hesitant to apply an Interstate number to the finished product. Houston, DFW and Austin have numerous toll roads that could have been signed as Interstate highways long ago, but that has never happened. Unless there is some major philosophical change in the Texas state government I wouldn't expect Interstate signs to appear on the Grand Parkway any time soon, if ever.

The only potential possibility I see for the Grand Parkway getting any Interstate signage is if US-290 between Austin and Houston was fully developed into an Interstate corridor, such as a second I-12. That could be carried over the North portion of the Grand Parkway and then even on to Beaumont. Given Texas' history it might be just as likely the corridor would get upgraded to Interstate quality but with current designations, such as US-290, staying put.

I would expect it to branch off of I-610, like US 290 does. Maybe they get lazy and just duplex it with I-10 just like I-20/59 in MS/AL.

[ElishaGOtis]

I'm wondering what the interstate number will be on the east-west road that is officially confirmed (emphasis needed) to be a part of the I-69 system connecting 69W to 69E, generally following SH 44.

[Bobby5280]

If the TX-44 corridor (from I-69W in Freer, thru Alice & Robstown to Corpus Christi) is to get an Interstate designation there's no telling what it could end up being. I-2 is technically part of the I-69 system, but it has its own number.

The distance from Freer to the TX-358 freeway in Corpus Christi is only about 74 miles. I'm not sure that's long enough to justify using up "I-6." But then again, we have that dinky I-97 stub of a route over in Maryland. I don't think there is any place else in the 48 contiguous US states where I-6 could be used other than something like a Laredo-Corpus Christi concept. I-49 is planned on the route from Lafayette to the NOLA West Bank.

It's probably just as likely that a Interstate designation applied over TX-44 would end up being a 3 digit I-x69 route.

[The Ghostbuster]

If a 1di is chosen for the TX 44 corridor, it should be Interstate 6. If it becomes a 3di of Interstate 69, it should be numbered Interstate 269.

[Bobby5280]

I'd feel alright about them using up the I-6 designation if there was at least some long term possibility the route could be extended farther East, like over the new Harbor Bridge currently under construction and then along the TX-35 corridor.

[Rothman]

What is this $%^*?

[CoreySamson]

What is this $%^*?

It's the favorite pastime of the Mid-South board.

[Scott5114]

If the TX-44 corridor (from I-69W in Freer, thru Alice & Robstown to Corpus Christi) is to get an Interstate designation there's no telling what it could end up being.

I-69F!

[Thegeet]

If the TX-44 corridor (from I-69W in Freer, thru Alice & Robstown to Corpus Christi) is to get an Interstate designation there's no telling what it could end up being. I-2 is technically part of the I-69 system, but it has its own number.

The distance from Freer to the TX-358 freeway in Corpus Christi is only about 74 miles. I'm not sure that's long enough to justify using up "I-6." But then again, we have that dinky I-97 stub of a route over in Maryland. I don't think there is any place else in the 48 contiguous US states where I-6 could be used other than something like a Laredo-Corpus Christi concept. I-49 is planned on the route from Lafayette to the NOLA West Bank.

It's probably just as likely that a Interstate designation applied over TX-44 would end up being a 3 digit I-x69 route.

I'd go bold and say they invent a 4di of I-1069.

But it'll probably be I-6 or some kind of lame niumber..

[ElishaGOtis]

Watch this be a duplicate I-4... 

[Bobby5280]

I'd go bold and say they invent a 4di of I-1069.

I-69 in Texas still has several other 3-digit route numbers to spare. So far, I-169 and I-369 are the only ones used.

But it'll probably be I-6 or some kind of lame number.

Given the existence of I-2 farther South, I think there would be a good chance this route could end up being called I-6. Such a route wouldn't be as lame if it ran a farther distance.

I think a good case could be made for extending this Interstate over the new Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi and then Eastward near/over the TX-35 corridor into the Houston region. Why? Hurricane evacuation for one thing. A lateral high speed route might make it easier for evacuating traffic to find alternate routes. Certain towns along the way, such as Port Lavaca and Point Comfort are significant in size and have some major industrial operations, like big oil refineries. Some portions of TX-35 are in a freeway-friendly upgrade-able state. That's the case in Aransas Pass-Rockport, Port Lavaca-Point Comfort and Old Ocean.

[Revive 755]

The distance from Freer to the TX-358 freeway in Corpus Christi is only about 74 miles. I'm not sure that's long enough to justify using up "I-6." But then again, we have that dinky I-97 stub of a route over in Maryland. I don't think there is any place else in the 48 contiguous US states where I-6 could be used other than something like a Laredo-Corpus Christi concept. I-49 is planned on the route from Lafayette to the NOLA West Bank.

Drifting fictional, there are multiple possibilities for an I-6 in Florida.  There's also the chance of future developments along US 90 west of San Antonio (though https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/statewide/us90-tx-corridor-study.html doesn't seem to indicate any major upgrades occurring for US 90 in the near term) or US 57.

[jgb191]

I wouldn't mind seeing TX-44 upgraded to Interstate standards, but I'd be happy with keeping it a regular four-lane divided continuously from here to Freer.  Just need to upgrade the 25-mile segment between San Diego and Freer, and bypasses around the towns of Robstown, Agua Dulce, Alice, and San Diego.  As it is (depending on traffic) driving on TX-44 to Laredo and back, it has taken me as long as a quarter-hour to drive through Robstown (eight traffic lights) and almost a half-hour through Alice (15 traffic lights), plus other towns combine for several more lights.  A continuous four-lane or Interstate could as shave nearly an hour off the travel time between Corpus Christi and Freer.  The Alice/San Diego bypass could be a single one around both towns; eastern end could logically start somewhere around (or at) the intersection with TX-359 Northbound and western end past San Diego.

[Bobby5280]

There's also the chance of future developments along US 90 west of San Antonio (though https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/statewide/us90-tx-corridor-study.html doesn't seem to indicate any major upgrades occurring for US 90 in the near term) or US 57.

I think it would be a tough sell to upgrade US-90 to Interstate standards from Del Rio to San Antonio. Most of the cross border commerce passing thru San Antonio is coming up from Laredo with most of the remainder coming up from the Rio Grande Valley. US-90 drops from being a divided 4-lane highway to being undivided about 35 miles West of Loop 1604.

Farther South, Laredo and Corpus Christi are both fairly big cities with no direct Interstate link between them. The combination of I-69W and whatever gets built from Freer to Corpus Christi would create that Interstate quality connection. I would just as soon say I-6 should be signed from Laredo to Corpus Christi, but there is already I-69W signage in Laredo. Any new Interstate going West out of Corpus Christi would end up terminating at Freer.

Regarding Florida, considering its residential real estate market is turning into a disaster, I'd expect the state to start shedding residents.

[kphoger]

If the TX-44 corridor (from I-69W in Freer, thru Alice & Robstown to Corpus Christi) is to get an Interstate designation there's no telling what it could end up being.

I-69F!

Crap.  What does it say about me, or about the I-69 alphabet mess that already exists, that an I-69F doesn't actually sound all that bad...

Watch this be a duplicate I-4...

Or this.

[The Ghostbuster]

Would it have been possible to construct the Interstate 69E/Interstate 169/TX 550 Toll interchange as a full interchange instead of a half-interchange?

[Bobby5280]

The current I-69E/TX-550 interchange could be an interim configuration. However, adding a second pair of ramps to complete the "Y" interchange would almost certainly require buying/removing a few existing properties near the interchange. The La Nueva Frontera Mexican Grill would be a likely casualty. So would the US Post Office and Plains Capital Bank building on the opposite side of the interchange. The View Tower Business Center building and even the Stripes convenience store in the corner of the interchange could be in the construction path.

The rest of the TX-550 toll road (future I-169) probably needs to be completed first, maybe including a full Y interchange with TX-48 at the South terminus of the road, before they can consider completing the Y interchange with I-69E.

[Thegeet]

I'd go bold and say they invent a 4di of I-1069.

I-69 in Texas still has several other 3-digit route numbers to spare. So far, I-169 and I-369 are the only ones used.

But it'll probably be I-6 or some kind of lame number.

Given the existence of I-2 farther South, I think there would be a good chance this route could end up being called I-6. Such a route wouldn't be as lame if it ran a farther distance.

I think a good case could be made for extending this Interstate over the new Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi and then Eastward near/over the TX-35 corridor into the Houston region. Why? Hurricane evacuation for one thing. A lateral high speed route might make it easier for evacuating traffic to find alternate routes. Certain towns along the way, such as Port Lavaca and Point Comfort are significant in size and have some major industrial operations, like big oil refineries. Some portions of TX-35 are in a freeway-friendly upgrade-able state. That's the case in Aransas Pass-Rockport, Port Lavaca-Point Comfort and Old Ocean.

Would it require the construction of a bypass around Port Lavaca? (which is where I live, btw) I think at this stage, it supports two superlanes or whatever they are called (two lane freeway), and I don't know if it has enough room to support a whole 4 lanes and frontage roads at it sits.

[Bobby5280]

Would it require the construction of a bypass around Port Lavaca? (which is where I live, btw) I think at this stage, it supports two superlanes or whatever they are called (two lane freeway), and I don't know if it has enough room to support a whole 4 lanes and frontage roads at it sits.

The existing TX-35 highway in Port Lavaca has enough ROW in place for a narrow urban freeway design. The median in between the EB and WB lanes is about 120' wide, which is plenty for a 2x2 freeway (including shoulders). The overall ROW is about 250'. It's not the optimal 300'-400' foot print used by some freeways in Texas. But there is enough room to squeeze freeway main lanes in there. Slip ramps would need to be built in a longer, more narrow design though.