US 69 (US 287) north of Beaumont freeway upgrade

[MaxConcrete]

A public meeting today revealed the recommended alignment for the freeway upgrade for 23 miles north of Beaumont, from south of Lumberton to north of Kountze.

The main news is that the recommended alignment is not among the multiple options that were considered in the route selection phase, although parts of the recommended alignment follow the path of original options.
Per the presentation: "Based on public input received during the May 2023 public meetings, TxDOT has eliminated the previous alternatives from further study and has developed a revised recommended alternative for public review and input."
You can see all the alignments in this map.

The good news is that the alignment is now very straight, since it follows a high voltage corridor. Yay!

Other observations

• The recommended alignment is entirely on new right-of-way.
• The right-of-way is a minimum of 345 feet wide, and is wider on some sections.
• The schematics show frontage lanes for the entire length, even though there is no need for access along the corridor. I'm thinking the frontage roads would be built after the main lanes.
• The schematics show some long bridges, mostly over Boggy Creek which meanders along the right-of-way. This will be expensive, and is probably why the recommended alternative was not in the original options.
• The cross section shows a 78-foot-wide median
• The presentation says construction could begin in 2032.

[splashflash]

US 69 or 96?