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Author Topic: I-69 in TX  (Read 971734 times)

US71

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #125 on: May 09, 2012, 12:18:00 PM »

There is also a proposal to designate part of US 59 near Texarkana as part of I-69. It appears in today's Texarkana Gazette (behind a paywall).


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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #126 on: May 09, 2012, 01:32:59 PM »

Guessing the section of the Beltway from I-30 to US 59.

But that's not going to be part of I-69!

Looking at the growth of I-69 and I-49 it's interesting - I-69 is in multiple sections - as soon as a freeway is up to standard (or not in the case of KY) and links two sections of the NHS, they go with it. I-49 is much more conservative, waiting for continuous freeway from existing I-49 before renumbering.

Then again, neither have removed the 3-digit interstates that they will abolish (I-164 and I-540).
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US71

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #127 on: May 09, 2012, 01:53:17 PM »

Here is the article:


MPO to mull I-69 designation
By: Brandy S. Chewning - Texarkana Gazette

The Metropolitan Planning Organization is considering whether to support designating a small section of U.S. Highway 59 as Interstate 69.

U.S. 59 bypass (originally known as Loop 151), connecting U.S. 59 and Interstate 30, is already built to interstate standards, and the local committee for planning I-69 in Texas has requested that MPO support designating it I-69.

Jerry Sparks, chairman of the Segment 1 corridor committee, said part of the southern portion of the route, around Houston, has already been designated I-69.

“We’re going to show people that Texas has it tagged at the top and bottom; all we have to do is connect the dots,”  Sparks said.

To get a legitimate designation as I-69, not just as a future corridor, will likely take 18 months, Sparks said.

“It is an awareness that I-69 is moving forward,”  he said. “It’s a very small piece, more for recognition value than anything else. It is my understanding that the recognition of the north and the south ends of I-69 being built to interstate standards is a positive factor in helping secure more federal funds.”

The proposed resolution says all that will be designated is the short section of the bypass (Loop 151) and calls for continued study of a relief route west of Texarkana. Various routes have been considered, and all have met with public opposition.

In other action at an upcoming meeting, the MPO technical committee is expected to recommend a project for spending $2.2 million received from the Texas Transportation Commission.

Though it sounds like a lot of money for most pocketbooks, MPO Director Brad McCaleb told MPO members last month that $2.2 million is minimal in the transportation world.

Two billion dollars is being divvied out to MPOs in Texas, but qualifying projects will have strict criteria and tight timelines. McCaleb said there has been discussion of allowing MPOs to loan their funds if they do not have qualifying projects themselves.

“You have one MPO and they don’t have any projects that they can get ready to meet this timeline, but you have another MPO, they have a project, it’s ready to go out the door but they’re short on funding,”  McCaleb explained. “The first MPO would transfer their allocation to the second MPO ... part of the agreement being that that second MPO then, at a particular point in time in the future, would send a portion of their allocated funds back to the first MPO.

“Basically, you’re buying yourself time to develop that project that you don’t currently have ready,”  he said.

Texarkana’s portion of the state funding will likely be used to rebuild the intersection of U.S. 59 and Kings Highway.

The MPO technical committee meets at 10 a.m. Thursday and the policy board will take final action at 10 a.m. May 17. Both meetings will be at the Texas Municipal Building, 220 Texas Blvd.

Published: 05/09/2012
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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #128 on: May 09, 2012, 03:04:23 PM »

There is also a proposal to designate part of US 59 near Texarkana as part of I-69. It appears in today's Texarkana Gazette (behind a paywall).




That's CRAZY! From what I remember, I-69 will go nowhere near Texarkana; instead, passing through El Dorado towards Haynesville, LA, then near Shreveport and into Texas well south of US 79. Maybe a SPUR I-69 or I-169, but not I-69 itself.

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #129 on: May 09, 2012, 11:27:30 PM »

Here is the article:


MPO to mull I-69 designation
By: Brandy S. Chewning - Texarkana Gazette

The Metropolitan Planning Organization is considering whether to support designating a small section of U.S. Highway 59 as Interstate 69.

U.S. 59 bypass (originally known as Loop 151), connecting U.S. 59 and Interstate 30, is already built to interstate standards, and the local committee for planning I-69 in Texas has requested that MPO support designating it I-69.

Jerry Sparks, chairman of the Segment 1 corridor committee, said part of the southern portion of the route, around Houston, has already been designated I-69.

"We’re going to show people that Texas has it tagged at the top and bottom; all we have to do is connect the dots,” Sparks said.

To get a legitimate designation as I-69, not just as a future corridor, will likely take 18 months, Sparks said.

"It is an awareness that I-69 is moving forward,” he said. "It’s a very small piece, more for recognition value than anything else. It is my understanding that the recognition of the north and the south ends of I-69 being built to interstate standards is a positive factor in helping secure more federal funds.”

The proposed resolution says all that will be designated is the short section of the bypass (Loop 151) and calls for continued study of a relief route west of Texarkana. Various routes have been considered, and all have met with public opposition.

In other action at an upcoming meeting, the MPO technical committee is expected to recommend a project for spending $2.2 million received from the Texas Transportation Commission.

Though it sounds like a lot of money for most pocketbooks, MPO Director Brad McCaleb told MPO members last month that $2.2 million is minimal in the transportation world.

Two billion dollars is being divvied out to MPOs in Texas, but qualifying projects will have strict criteria and tight timelines. McCaleb said there has been discussion of allowing MPOs to loan their funds if they do not have qualifying projects themselves.

"You have one MPO and they don’t have any projects that they can get ready to meet this timeline, but you have another MPO, they have a project, it’s ready to go out the door but they’re short on funding,” McCaleb explained. "The first MPO would transfer their allocation to the second MPO ... part of the agreement being that that second MPO then, at a particular point in time in the future, would send a portion of their allocated funds back to the first MPO.

"Basically, you’re buying yourself time to develop that project that you don’t currently have ready,” he said.

Texarkana’s portion of the state funding will likely be used to rebuild the intersection of U.S. 59 and Kings Highway.

The MPO technical committee meets at 10 a.m. Thursday and the policy board will take final action at 10 a.m. May 17. Both meetings will be at the Texas Municipal Building, 220 Texas Blvd.

Published: 05/09/2012

You beat me to the punch. I posted this a few minutes ago but typed the whole article from the newspaper itself since I don't subscribe to the Gazette and didn't allow me access to the entire article.
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Perfxion

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #130 on: May 10, 2012, 06:32:40 AM »

Odd part is that they want to sign US59 north of I-610 as I-69, yet the freeway is built south halfway to Victoria. You would think they would make the whole city of Houston one number instead of doing a Dallas split like I-45.
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Grzrd

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #131 on: May 16, 2012, 05:38:49 PM »

Odd part is that they want to sign US59 north of I-610 as I-69, yet the freeway is built south halfway to Victoria. You would think they would make the whole city of Houston one number instead of doing a Dallas split like I-45.

I recently received an email clarification from the Alliance for I-69 Texas.  Basically, the stretch through Houston has been divided into three parts as explained in the email:

Quote
TxDOT has broken the I-69 route into 3 segments through the Houston region stretching from the Liberty County line on the north to just south of Rosenberg due to some of the complexities in getting approval for a large stretch.  As you indicated, the northern section is on AASHTO's spring agenda.  TxDOT is finalizing the documentation to submit to FHWA in June for the southern segment which stretches from I-610 on the south side of Houston to just south of Rosenberg.  They will then proceed with the documentation necessary for the middle section which could be more complicated since it is an older section.
I hope this clarifies things.

I wonder if the middle section will be considered "close, but not quite interstate grade" like the Kentucky parkways?
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Anthony_JK

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #132 on: May 16, 2012, 10:18:10 PM »

Why would the middle section of US 59 in Houston (Eastex/Southwest Freeways) be that hard to designate an Interstate? Inadequate shoulder length or height restrictions on some underpasses??

I know that I-45 has that low-height underpass just north of the junction with I-10..and that didn't prevent it from getting an I-shield.

Perhaps H-Town's still looking to have the Grand Parkway finished and designated as I-69??


Anthony
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Perfxion

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #133 on: May 17, 2012, 06:32:49 AM »

Grand parkway is WAY south and WAY north of I-610 to be in the picture. Plus that is many years away, if anything. Most of the freeways inside of I-610 are not to the standards outside of I-610. But, a few are to interstate standards that most older highways are. (45, US59, SH288) The only big issue I can think of is the US59 merge/split with SH288 right before they hit I-45. There is a lower than standard overpass(but trucks still can get through) along with no shoulder for like a mile stretch.
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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #134 on: May 17, 2012, 09:12:25 AM »

If one of the goals of 69 is moving long-distance truck traffic from Mexico to points north then it makes perfect sense to route 69 well away from Houston proper.  If the completion date of the loop from I-10 to US-59 along the west and north sides of the metro area by 2015 is met, that seems reasonable.
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Perfxion

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #135 on: May 17, 2012, 02:18:40 PM »

Problem is that Grand Parkway seems to be a tollway and US59 is non tolled. It would be faster, smarter, and cheaper resigning US59 than to build another highway that is WAY outside the city of Houston. It would be smarter than to use Beltway 8/Sam Houston Tollway than to wait on the Grand Parkway which might only be 2 lanes anyways.

Only other option from what they are labeling as I-69 would be part of I-610. Which would be worst than US59 as way too much traffic is on that road. Especially south and west of downtown.
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Anthony_JK

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #136 on: May 17, 2012, 07:00:05 PM »

Well...one of the original plans when the I-69 extension was originally thought of was to run I-69 through a completed Grand Parkway (TX 99) around its western and northern ends...and work is ongoing on completing the segments of the Grand Parkway between both ends of US 59.  Also, there was a plan to designate the GP as a spur of I-69 as well (in the same form as I-69/I-269 in Memphis).

And, there are plans to widen the completed segments of the GP to six lanes (while upgrading them to Interstate standards).
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InterstateNG

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #137 on: May 17, 2012, 07:26:28 PM »

Problem is that Grand Parkway seems to be a tollway and US59 is non tolled. It would be faster, smarter, and cheaper resigning US59 than to build another highway that is WAY outside the city of Houston. It would be smarter than to use Beltway 8/Sam Houston Tollway than to wait on the Grand Parkway which might only be 2 lanes anyways.

Only other option from what they are labeling as I-69 would be part of I-610. Which would be worst than US59 as way too much traffic is on that road. Especially south and west of downtown.

What's the rush to sign 69?
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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #138 on: May 17, 2012, 09:01:49 PM »

I wonder if AHTD reapplied for I-49 if AASHTO would accept it from I-40 in Alma to US 62 in Bentonville/Rogers and the AR 549 portion after the new I-30 interchange and connector is built in Texarkana.
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Perfxion

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #139 on: May 18, 2012, 06:51:15 PM »

I am in no rush to label it anything, just think is really stupid to have one highway in the same city limits have the names of EasTex freeway, Southwest freeway, US 59, and 2 stubs of I-69 on the outside of the inner loop. Hard enough telling people how to get to Minute Maid Park, lets not keep adding names and numbers to the same highway in one area.

Personally, do the whole city or none.
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Grzrd

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TxDOT to take cost quotes for 12-mile US 77 to I-69 Upgrade
« Reply #140 on: May 31, 2012, 04:51:14 PM »

This article indicates that the 12-mile US 77 to I-69 upgrade is planned to be between Driscoll and Kingsville:

Quote
The governing board of the Texas Department of Transportation on Thursday approved the department's plan to request cost quotes for improving a 12-mile stretch of U.S. 77 between Driscoll and Kingsville as part of the Interstate 69 corridor expansion ....  during the next few months, the department will receive, analyze and select a list of quotes for use in developing a formal request for pricing ... the project will cost about $50 million but, until proposals are received, a more accurate cost estimate is not yet available.
The department's goal is to have financing for the project secured by the end of the year, he said, and for work to be under way sometime in 2013.
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Grzrd

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #141 on: June 01, 2012, 08:50:20 PM »

This article indicates that the 12-mile US 77 to I-69 upgrade is planned to be between Driscoll and Kingsville

The Alliance for I-69 Texas website refers to the above project as a 10-mile design-build project and indicates that another 6.5 mile US 77 upgrade to I-69 project between Robstown and Driscoll is already funded and scheduled to go to bid in 2013:

Quote
other Nueces County projects south of I-37 are funded ... a $35 million project to upgrade 6.5 miles of US 77 to interstate standard between Robstown and Driscoll .... planned to go to bid in 2013

I'm not so happy with the proposed toll bypasses for Driscoll and Rivera, but I'm guessing that because they will be short, the toll won't be so bad...and there will be TxTollTag available for the locals to avoid mail sticker shock.
Anthony

Local politicos are also pushing for engineering and right-of-way funding for the Driscoll and Riviera relief routes, with the Driscoll relief route connecting the above two projects:

Quote
The environmental assessment for the overall US 77 Upgrade calls for new relief routes at Driscoll and Riviera.  The Driscoll route would connect on the north with the $35 million project planned to go to bid in 2013 and on the south with the 10-mile design-build project.
Cameron County Commissioner David Garza urged the transportation commissioners to allocate an additional $15 million for engineering and right of way for the two relief routes in order to get them ready for future construction.  He pledged that Cameron County and the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority will assist TxDOT with planning and design necessary to move these two projects forward.

Steady progress on the US 77 leg ...

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #142 on: June 01, 2012, 09:52:07 PM »


Ugh... In this case, I actually prefer neutered shields. The numerals are so huge within the shield that it just makes the state name look really cramped and an afterthought. The only good state name shields are the original '57 specs.
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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #143 on: June 02, 2012, 02:03:18 PM »

All caps clearview on the "MILE" notation as well. We deserve better.
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Grzrd

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #144 on: June 08, 2012, 12:57:49 PM »

The results are out.  All applications where approved, with the three Interstate applications receiving conditional approval pending final approval by FHWA (who has final approval authority for all Interstate route numbering changes).
(above quote from AASHTO Meeting May 18, 2012 thread)

I recently received an email update from TxDOT regarding their efforts to receive FHWA approval for adding the section northeast of Houston to the interstate system; TxDOT hopes for FHWA approval later this summer and approval from the Texas Transportation Commission will still be necessary after FHWA approval in order for the dual I-69/ US 59 signage to occur:

Quote
A request to dually designate US 59 as I-69/US 59 northeast of Houston has been sent to FHWA.  Because AASHTO meets twice a year to consider interstate numbering, AASHTO conditionally numbered this section of highway as I-69 dependant on FHWA adding it to the interstate system.  Once FHWA approval is acquired, the Texas Transportation Commission will also have to approve the dual designation of this section of highway as I-69/US 59 before interstate signs are posted.  TxDOT is hoping to receive FHWA approval later this summer. 
In addition to the northeast portion of US 59 in the Houston area, US 59 southwest of Houston and through Houston are also under review for interstate standards.  It is anticipated that a request to add the southwest section to the interstate system will be done later this year and the section through Houston will be done in 2013.
(bold emphasis added by me)

It's interesting that TxDOT submitted its requests to AASHTO and FHWA before having final approval from the TTC (I'm sure it's just a formality, but it is a strange procedural process that could possibly turn out to be a waste of time for both AASHTO and FHWA).
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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #145 on: June 08, 2012, 06:04:06 PM »

Toronto Transit Commission?  Trident Technical College?  The Tetris Company?

Or maybe this thing Wikipedia call the Trans-Texas Corridor?

Note: those three are all real organizations.
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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #146 on: June 08, 2012, 06:10:13 PM »

^ Nah, it's totally the French hip-hop trio TTC that has final approval on the project. :sombrero:
« Last Edit: June 08, 2012, 06:13:14 PM by Takumi »
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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #147 on: June 08, 2012, 09:50:35 PM »

Toronto Transit Commission?  Trident Technical College?  The Tetris Company?

Or maybe this thing Wikipedia call the Trans-Texas Corridor?

Note: those three are all real organizations.
reading the post.

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #148 on: June 08, 2012, 10:55:51 PM »

Toronto Transit Commission?  Trident Technical College?  The Tetris Company?
Or maybe this thing Wikipedia call the Trans-Texas Corridor?

I want to see the "sex lane" area. TxDOT may have struck gold and a new way to raise funds   :sombrero:
(above quote from I-10 From Houston to Louisiana thread)

It's not the Texas Trysting Commission, either (but 2 out of 3 ain't bad).
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Grzrd

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Re: I-69 in TX
« Reply #149 on: June 29, 2012, 11:13:30 AM »

The Texas Transportation Commission, in its revision of the 2012 Unified Transportation Program (UTP) gave approval for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to move forward with additional funding identified earlier this year. Several I-69 projects are included in TxDOT's Projects Selected for $2 Billion Allocation list:

Quote
(US 59) Liberty County line to south of Cleveland freeway upgrade - $6 million
(US 281) Premont relief route - $41 million
(US 77) Design-build Driscoll to Kingsville - $60 million
(US 59) Priority project development services - Corrigan - $5 million
(US 59) Priority project development services - Lufkin - $6 million
(US 59) Priority project development services - Nacogdoches - $6 million
(US 59) Ramps, frontage roads, remove cross overs from north of SL 463 to south of US 87 - $11.62 million
(US 59) Priority project development services - Fort Bend and Wharton counties - $6 million

It looks like the most immediate progress will be on the US 281 Premont relief route and the US 77 Driscoll-Kingsville design-build projects.

EDIT

The Alliance for I-69 Texas also has an article, "$144 Million in New Funding Approved for I-69 Projects".
« Last Edit: June 29, 2012, 12:31:46 PM by Grzrd »
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