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AHTD has posted the Final Findings and the Executive Summary.
Texas and Kentucky (except for the Ohio River Bridge) were excluded from the analysis:QuoteNo tolled traffic and toll revenue forecasts were developed for Texas SIUs as TxDOT is not considering the use of tolling as a funding mechanism for any currently planned portion of the I‐69 route in Texas.
No tolled traffic and toll revenue forecasts were developed for Texas SIUs as TxDOT is not considering the use of tolling as a funding mechanism for any currently planned portion of the I‐69 route in Texas.
the FHWA High Priority Corridors page provides the relevant part of the statutory I-69 definition:Quote18. Corridor from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada ....to the Lower Rio Grande Valley at the border between the United States and Mexico, as follows: [I-69] ....D. In the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the Corridor shall- ....iii. include ... FM511 from United States Route 77 to the Port of Brownsville.
18. Corridor from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada ....to the Lower Rio Grande Valley at the border between the United States and Mexico, as follows: [I-69] ....D. In the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the Corridor shall- ....iii. include ... FM511 from United States Route 77 to the Port of Brownsville.
Quote from: Grzrd on June 02, 2013, 10:39:40 AMI'm guessing that, somewhere along the historical way, the SH 550 corridor replaced the FM 511 corridor as satisfying the statutory I-69 mandate. Any historical insight into that transition would be appreciated.SH 550 is (mostly) toll lanes in the middle of FM 511.
I'm guessing that, somewhere along the historical way, the SH 550 corridor replaced the FM 511 corridor as satisfying the statutory I-69 mandate. Any historical insight into that transition would be appreciated.
I think Cameron County RMA runs SH 550. I have not found and read the agreement between them and TxDOT so as to see how that works ... I have not only an interest in roads, but also in law, so these arrangements are of double interest to me.
wxfree - If you can find the SH 550 tolling agreement, then it would be interesting to look at it with an eye as to whether it is consistent with the MAP-21 Tolling Provisons for interstates. If it is, then I have a strong suspicion that local officials might see appeal in having an I-2 dual designation with SH 550 (along with an I-69E overlap) that would give the Port of Brownsville an I-2 E-W designation to serve as a complement to the I-69E N-S designation. Since SH 550 is already tolled, and only road enthusiasts would care/notice that it is part of the Texas I-69 "system", then I don't think doing so would trigger alarms that the Trans-Texas Corridor is returning. Good luck in finding it!
This is the minute order that designates the Interstate Highway System, of which SH 550 is a part.
And why were they designating an Interstate Highway System in 1945?
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 included three important steps leading to the development of an interstate highway network.In 1945 the Wisconsin State Highway Engineer submitted tentative route designations for approval and inclusion in the interstate system.
Quote from: wxfree on June 09, 2013, 02:18:09 PMAnd why were they designating an Interstate Highway System in 1945?http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/archstories/late_roads/interstate_system.aspQuoteThe Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 included three important steps leading to the development of an interstate highway network.In 1945 the Wisconsin State Highway Engineer submitted tentative route designations for approval and inclusion in the interstate system.
Thus, it was proposed that steps be taken to plan and develop a system of highways so constituted as to be national in scope, but so located as to render the maximum local service possible. The whole would be built as a modern express highway system, including portions to and through urban areas, embodying features of design and construction to provide, insofar as feasible, facilities capable of serving safely and efficiently a mixed traffic of automobiles, buses and trucks in the volumes, weights and speeds to be expected 20 years from the date of construction.The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 includes provisions for the designation of "A National System of Interstate Highways" and for the expansion of the Federal-aid highway system to include the whole of such a system. (The character and extent of the system to be designated agree identically with the recommendations of the Report on Interregional Highways; so that change in description from "Interregional" to "Interstate" is without significance.) With the passage of this Act in December 1944 the way has been cleared for the designation and beginning of work on the system. Other sections of the Act authorize substantial amounts for planning and post-war construction of highway projects on the Federal-aid system, in both rural and urban areas, as found necessary in the several States.
TxDOT is in the process of conducting an interstate development plan for US 281 (and a small piece of US 59), with a final report anticipated to be completed in late 2013:QuoteThe purpose of this study is to develop a plan to bring US 281 (from US 83 to I-37) and US 59 (from US 281 to I-37) up to Interstate design standards, with the eventual goal of designating and signing these highways as part of the I-69 system .... A draft of the plan will be completed in the summer of 2013 with the final report complete in late 2013.
The purpose of this study is to develop a plan to bring US 281 (from US 83 to I-37) and US 59 (from US 281 to I-37) up to Interstate design standards, with the eventual goal of designating and signing these highways as part of the I-69 system .... A draft of the plan will be completed in the summer of 2013 with the final report complete in late 2013.
The Texas Department of Transportation is conducting a study to determine what upgrade improvements will be necessary to bring US 281 up to interstate highway standards along the Interstate 69 Central route. The study area begins at the intersection of US 59 and Interstate 37 in Live Oak County. It extends west on US 59 to George West and then south on US 281 to the intersection with Interstate 2/US 83 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley as shown on the adjacent illustration.A draft Interstate Development Plan will be compiled in the coming months and a final Feasibility Study Report is scheduled for completion by the end of the year.Projects to upgrade sections of US 281 to freeway standard are currently underway at Alice, Rachal and at the north edge of Edinburg. The Alice project includes an overpass at FM 1554, now approximately 50% complete. Work on an overpass at FM 755 in Rachal began earlier this year. The $20 million Edinburg project will deliver 2.4 miles of new freeway near the Edinburg Airport.
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=919619Signs are officially going up on the 15th on the new I-69E & I-69C segments, according to this link.
The I-69C and E and I-2 signs will be installed beginning Monday in the Rio Grande Valley. The major overhead signs at intersections will be the first to be installed and those major directional signs will be installed by the fall. The route marker signs along the road are anticipated to be completely installed by the end of the year. There are a big number of those signs, along a long stretch of road, so it will take a few months to complete that installation. The I-369 signs near Texarkana will probably beginning being installed in the fall. I'm checking in with our local office in Corpus to see when they plan to make the transition from I-69 to I-69E and will send you that information once I receive it.
Are they planning to bypass it around Premont or take the existing ROW through the town?
New I-69 signs unveiled today in Harlingen symbolize more than just the first interstate in south Texas - they mean enhanced connectivity, better commerce and more economic development for our great state!!
I take it there isn't enough old alignment to justify a relocation instead of a truncation?