Collin County Outer Loop alignment slated for approval

[MaxConcrete]

On December 11, Collin County Commissioners court is scheduled to approve the final alignment of the highway between US 75 and SH 289 (Preston Road)

http://eagenda.collincountytx.gov:8085/agenda_publish.cfm?id=&mt=ALL&get_month=12&get_year=2017&dsp=agm&seq=44146&rev=0&ag=2173&ln=113083&nseq=&nrev=&pseq=&prev=#

The alignment is a horrifically swerving and curving route, but that's par for course these days in Texas. What's most annoying is that the swerves and curves don't appear to be avoiding anything of consequence, with undeveloped land just about everywhere along the route.

[Hurricane Rex]

On December 11, Collin County Commissioners court is scheduled to approve the final alignment of the highway between US 75 and SH 289 (Preston Road)

http://eagenda.collincountytx.gov:8085/agenda_publish.cfm?id=&mt=ALL&get_month=12&get_year=2017&dsp=agm&seq=44146&rev=0&ag=2173&ln=113083&nseq=&nrev=&pseq=&prev=#

The alignment is a horrifically swerving and curving route, but that's par for course these days in Texas. What's most annoying is that the swerves and curves don't appear to be avoiding anything of consequence, with undeveloped land just about everywhere along the route.

If it is undeveloped, logic would say to make it as strait as possible. Curves slow people down and can make the road less safe. I'm sorry to hear its going through like this.

[Road Hog]

The land is not completely undeveloped. If you look at the maps linked on the agenda page, there are quite a few residences that the county took great pains to avoid, with one exception: that house where it crosses FM 2478.

The curves are very gentle, too. It's not like they're building a switchback goat path.

[compdude787]

Doesn't seem insanely curvy to me. At least not as much as I-14 between I-35 and I-45. 

[austrini]

It's curving to avoid residences, USDA fill ponds, cattle tanks, and elevation changes - (source: I'm a county GIS guy)  - makes it a lot cheaper.

[Road Hog]

What's the construction timetable?

[sparker]

Doesn't seem insanely curvy to me. At least not as much as I-14 between I-35 and I-45. 

Re I-14: only if it strictly follows the present US 190 alignment will its profile look like the teeth of a circular saw (because US 190's profile looks pretty much like that!).  Chances are there will be more than a little cutoff of the more gratuitous right-angles, but the only town between Temple and Bryan that's almost certain to get close service is Hearne -- primarily because it's at the most feasible point to cross the Brazos River floodplain.

[austrini]

What's the construction timetable?

I dont think its been established yet, I only have a bunch of engineering stuff. It would just be the north frontage road on the 3,000' ROW at first.

[MaxConcrete]

I dont think its been established yet, I only have a bunch of engineering stuff. It would just be the north frontage road on the 3,000' ROW at first.

Do you mean 300 foot wide ROW? The 2015 schematics at the official web site show a 500 foot wide right-of-way. I hope they have not trimmed the right-of-way to the bare minimum 300 feet.
http://www.collincountytx.gov/mobility/pages/outerloop.aspx

[aboges26]

I dont think its been established yet, I only have a bunch of engineering stuff. It would just be the north frontage road on the 3,000' ROW at first.

Do you mean 300 foot wide ROW? The 2015 schematics at the official web site show a 500 foot wide right-of-way. I hope they have not trimmed the right-of-way to the bare minimum 300 feet.
http://www.collincountytx.gov/mobility/pages/outerloop.aspx

Your link states the following:

In December 2002, Collin County initiated the Outer Loop Alignment Study to develop various alignments within and along a 3,000-foot-wide corridor. The study identified a locally preferred alignment in order to determine right-of-way needs for the road to be built when the time comes.

[NE2]

In December 2002, Collin County initiated the Outer Loop Alignment Study to develop various alignments within and along a 3,000-foot-wide corridor. The study identified a locally preferred alignment in order to determine right-of-way needs for the road to be built when the time comes.

Emphasis changed. Read more carefully.

[Bobby5280]

Considering how some new toll roads and freeways are being built it would not surprise me if the final ROW for this part of the Collin County Outer Loop was only 300' wide. Hell, the beginning of I-88 in Binghamton, NY is as little as 140' across and that's including the frontage roads.. A 500' wide ROW would certainly be better for any future expansion needs, like going from 2 lanes in each direction to 4 and still maintaining good road and ramp geometry. A 300' ROW is do-able for a super highway with only 2 lanes in each direction flanked by frontage roads, especially if the main lanes of the super highway are butted up against each other, separated only by a concrete Jersey barrier or cable barrier.

[austrini]

Yeah, sorry, its 500 feet.... I had the 3,000 number stuck in my head because it was right in front of me when I wrote that!