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[Chrysler375Freeway]

So I looked over the Interstate 69 branches in Texas, and all but one (Interstate 69C) will connect to the Mexican border when completed. Can anyone here clear up why I-69W and I-69E connect to the border but I-69C lacks direct connections to the border and the Pharr-Reynosa Bridge and instead ends at I-2/US 83? Is it because of urbanization and opposition in Pharr that would doom 69C through it, in addition to the costs of upgrading the bridge to Interstate standards? Or is it because 69E/69W are sufficient connections despite connecting in Laredo and Brownsville in lieu of Pharr?

[sprjus4]

I think it’s simply because US-77 and US-59 originally were freeways to the border, US-281 was not, and all of the I-69 branches are simply taking over what already exists.

[Chrysler375Freeway]

Would it even be feasible to upgrade 281 to extend 69C through Pharr to Mexico, or would there be urbanization and considerable opposition to freeways running directly through the heart of Pharr?

[Some one]

I think it’s simply because US-77 and US-59 originally were freeways to the border, US-281 was not, and all of the I-69 branches are simply taking over what already exists.

Actually, US 59 originally ended at I-35, but was rerouted to end at the border with I-69W (and Loop 20)

[jgb191]

US-281 south of I-2 is a city street so makes sense to end I-69C at the interchange with I-2 in Pharr, but traffic could continue straight south all the way to the border.  And US-59 turns into a city street through the city of Laredo and ends at I-35.

[Evan_Th]

Maybe send it south along TX 396 to the border?  There's a lot of open space over there; it could be turned into a freeway relatively easily.

[Bobby5280]

The big Y interchange with I-2 is just as good a place for I-69C to end as anywhere. It's a pretty significant interchange. I-2 ends at I-69E for the same reason. AFAIK there are no plans to extend I-2 to Padre Island. There might be other highways or even freeways built there in the future, but not I-2.

If someone just absolutely had to extend the I-69C designation to the border the only realistic options would be overlaying I-69C onto I-2 for a few miles West and then down either Spur 115 or FM 396. Both have portions of limited access, but FM 396 is probably the only one that can be fully upgraded to Interstate quality without much difficulty. Even if both routes were upgraded to freeways, complete with direct Y interchanges with I-2, their route numbers would probably never change. I-69C in all likelihood has its Southern terminus permanently affixed to I-2.

[Thegeet]

So I looked over the Interstate 69 branches in Texas, and all but one (Interstate 69C) will connect to the Mexican border when completed. Can anyone here clear up why I-69W and I-69E connect to the border but I-69C lacks direct connections to the border and the Pharr-Reynosa Bridge and instead ends at I-2/US 83? Is it because of urbanization and opposition in Pharr that would doom 69C through it, in addition to the costs of upgrading the bridge to Interstate standards? Or is it because 69E/69W are sufficient connections despite connecting in Laredo and Brownsville in lieu of Pharr?

I think it may be possible to extend I-69C, but it will be costly, and it would take years of acquiring ROW from abandoned buildings to perform this. Expect maybe 50 years or more. I think that seeing multiple cases of freeway construction in South TX, opposition is not that strong. But, this may or may not be an exception. It’s very hard to predict, but it could be justified if traffic counts are high enough.

[Bobby5280]

There is no realistic way at all I-69C can extend straight due South past the current terminus with I-2. US-281 turns into a city street, S Cage Blvd, which is closely flanked by many commercial and residential buildings as it passes through Pharr and on down into the Hidalgo area. There is a lot of long term plans for new super highways in the Rio Grande Valley metro area, but not down that street.

[Chrysler375Freeway]

There is no realistic way at all I-69C can extend straight due South past the current terminus with I-2. US-281 turns into a city street, S Cage Blvd, which is closely flanked by many commercial and residential buildings as it passes through Pharr and on down into the Hidalgo area. There is a lot of long term plans for new super highways in the Rio Grande Valley metro area, but not down that street.

If they didn't plan to extend 69C to the border, I guess it's because TxDOT may have been expecting a situation similar to the opposition to the routing of I-40 through Midtown Memphis, Tennessee during the planning stages, as in opposition of some sort, despite not much opposition elsewhere along the 69 corridor and its branches.

[Bobby5280]

I don't think there has ever been any real plans or even aspirations to convert US-281 to a freeway down directly through Pharr to the Rio Grande River.

At best, it looks like there might have been some plans decades ago to make a freeway style interchange at the US-281 junction with Military Highway near the border crossing. That could have allowed some kind of freeway spur to be overlaid on S Cage Blvd going North into Pharr, but only to a limited distance. The former ROW for such a "Y" interchange is visible in Google Earth. Clearly those plans have been abandoned now that there are businesses built over the top of that former interchange ROW. Plowing a freeway through the central portion of Pharr would be extremely disruptive and extremely expensive.

[yakra]

At best, it looks like there might have been some plans decades ago to make a freeway style interchange at the US-281 junction with Military Highway near the border crossing. That could have allowed some kind of freeway spur to be overlaid on S Cage Blvd going North into Pharr, but only to a limited distance. The former ROW for such a "Y" interchange is visible in Google Earth. Clearly those plans have been abandoned now that there are businesses built over the top of that former interchange ROW.

https://historicaerials.com/location/26.094518/-98.200731/1983/16

[edwaleni]

Is the Fremont bypass finished?

The pylons were up with dirt build up last summer.

Just curious.

[Thegeet]

Is the Fremont bypass finished?

The pylons were up with dirt build up last summer.

Just curious.

Premont won’t be done until 2023-2024.

[Finrod]

The big Y interchange with I-2 is just as good a place for I-69C to end as anywhere. It's a pretty significant interchange. I-2 ends at I-69E for the same reason. AFAIK there are no plans to extend I-2 to Padre Island. There might be other highways or even freeways built there in the future, but not I-2.

Personally I'm wondering why they turned SH 550 into I-169 instead of an extension of I-2.

[edwaleni]

The preferred border crossing for I-69C commerce is the Puente Internacional Anzaldúas.

I-69C traffic have to take I-2 over to the FM-396 Exit and take Anzaldúas Parkway to Customs.

[Bobby5280]

Personally I'm wondering why they turned SH 550 into I-169 instead of an extension of I-2.

The toll road is still a work in progress. Parts of it are not up to Interstate standards. Some if it is limited access Super 2. Other portions flare out onto future frontage roads. Once it is fully built out as 4-lane divided from I-69E to TX-48 then it will probably be re-designated as I-169.

[CoolAngrybirdsrio4]

The big Y interchange with I-2 is just as good a place for I-69C to end as anywhere. It's a pretty significant interchange. I-2 ends at I-69E for the same reason. AFAIK there are no plans to extend I-2 to Padre Island. There might be other highways or even freeways built there in the future, but not I-2.

Personally I'm wondering why they turned SH 550 into I-169 instead of an extension of I-2.

SH 550 Toll is heading southeast bypassing Brownstown and was connected to Interstate I-69E.

[roadman65]

I think it don’t go all the way to the border as other area freeways need priority.  I agree with reply number 2, the others had freeways built or planned before the I-69 bs started so it just a coincidence. 

The distance between I-2 and the Rio Grande is not that far, and minimal traffic slowdown between the two points to warrant putting no real need to have a complete freeway all the way.

[edwaleni]

I think it don’t go all the way to the border as other area freeways need priority.  I agree with reply number 2, the others had freeways built or planned before the I-69 bs started so it just a coincidence. 

The distance between I-2 and the Rio Grande is not that far, and minimal traffic slowdown between the two points to warrant putting no real need to have a complete freeway all the way.

The border crossing for commerce here is the Puente Internacional Anzaldúas (FM-396)