I-14 in Texas

[Bobby5280]

The news (at least to me) is that the I-214 loop around Bryan-College Station is now officially part of the study.

It looks like they're still holding on to that very crooked W-shaped bull$#1t path for I-14. Just gotta stick with that ping-pong path right?

"I-214"? What kind of path is that going to take around Bryan-College Station? As it stands, they've already goofed up three attempted bypass routes for that metro already. There's TX-40, aka Fitch Parkway -a little stub of frontage roads that doesn't connect so well with TX-6. Then there's FM-2818, aka Harvey Mitchell Parkway. A lot of that could be upgraded into a freeway. But it would be a challenge to get both ends connected to the TX-6 freeway in Interstate quality. And then there's Raymond Stotzer Parkway, aka TX-47. That has a messy connection with Harvey Mitchell Parkway on one end and an easier to upgrade connection with TX-21 on the other end. But it doesn't lend itself to any sort of loop.

Does I-214 use up any of those existing roads or does it, as a bypass, just have to start over from scratch?

[splashflash]

The news (at least to me) is that the I-214 loop around Bryan-College Station is now officially part of the study.

It looks like they're still holding on to that very crooked W-shaped bull$#1t path for I-14. Just gotta stick with that ping-pong path right?

Well, if they want to deliver that on a silver platter, they probably will have resistance.  Some local politicians seem to think otherwise.  From https://www.kbtx.com/2022/03/21/interstate-14-could-take-15-20-years-come-fruition/
Mayor Karl Mooney said latest support of the new interstate would have it connect east through Huntsville instead of Madisonville.

I recommend engaging vigorously with the online TxDOT planning segment with exactly what you have written in these threads.

[thisdj78]

The news (at least to me) is that the I-214 loop around Bryan-College Station is now officially part of the study.

It looks like they're still holding on to that very crooked W-shaped bull$#1t path for I-14. Just gotta stick with that ping-pong path right?

"I-214"? What kind of path is that going to take around Bryan-College Station? As it stands, they've already goofed up three attempted bypass routes for that metro already. There's TX-40, aka Fitch Parkway -a little stub of frontage roads that doesn't connect so well with TX-6. Then there's FM-2818, aka Harvey Mitchell Parkway. A lot of that could be upgraded into a freeway. But it would be a challenge to get both ends connected to the TX-6 freeway in Interstate quality. And then there's Raymond Stotzer Parkway, aka TX-47. That has a messy connection with Harvey Mitchell Parkway on one end and an easier to upgrade connection with TX-21 on the other end. But it doesn't lend itself to any sort of loop.

Does I-214 use up any of those existing roads or does it, as a bypass, just have to start over from scratch?

This is my guess for where a loop would go west of SH-6:


free image hosting sites

[splashflash]

Looks like it will loop to the north and east.  https://www.bcrma.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-RMA-Annual-Project-Report-Final.pdf  Have a look at page 12.

[thisdj78]

Looks like it will loop to the north and east.  https://www.bcrma.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-RMA-Annual-Project-Report-Final.pdf  Have a look at page 12.

Interesting. Seems to make more sense to somehow combine the North and East portion with the one on my map above to make a complete loop.

[MaxConcrete]

Looks like it will loop to the north and east.  https://www.bcrma.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-RMA-Annual-Project-Report-Final.pdf  Have a look at page 12.

I was not aware that the BCRMA had already made a preliminary route. Thanks for finding that! However, that map is not from the Bryan-College Station Metropolitan Planning Organization (BCSMPO). RMAs (Regional Mobility Authorities) are usually intended to build toll roads, and their proposal may or may not have support at the MPO level.

The potential alignment by ThisDJ78 is a good option which maximizes use of existing corridors, which of course minimizes cost and nimbyism. There is less need for a loop around the east and north sides, which is another reason this option could be viable. But viability will also be heavily dependent on the location of I-14 going east and west from BCS (i.e on the north or south side of the area).

Texas A&M will likely be very influential in the west side alignment. If they want it close, it will probably look like ThisDJ78's alignment. If they don't want it nearby, the BCRMA alignment may be in play. However, it is long and expensive, requiring two new Brazos River crossings.

[thisdj78]

Looks like it will loop to the north and east.  https://www.bcrma.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-RMA-Annual-Project-Report-Final.pdf  Have a look at page 12.

I was not aware that the BCRMA had already made a preliminary route. Thanks for finding that! However, that map is not from the Bryan-College Station Metropolitan Planning Organization (BCSMPO). RMAs (Regional Mobility Authorities) are usually intended to build toll roads, and their proposal may or may not have support at the MPO level.

The potential alignment by ThisDJ78 is a good option which maximizes use of existing corridors, which of course minimizes cost and nimbyism. There is less need for a loop around the east and north sides, which is another reason this option could be viable. But viability will also be heavily dependent on the location of I-14 going east and west from BCS (i.e on the north or south side of the area).

Texas A&M will likely be very influential in the west side alignment. If they want it close, it will probably look like ThisDJ78's alignment. If they don't want it nearby, the BCRMA alignment may be in play. However, it is long and expensive, requiring two new Brazos River crossings.

I found this older article which shows an alignment that combines what splash posted and my concept:

https://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Loop-could-connect-Bryan-and-College-Station-in-future-370029311.html

[sprjus4]

It looks like they're still holding on to that very crooked W-shaped bull$#1t path for I-14. Just gotta stick with that ping-pong path right?

The outlined routes shown on the map are the existing routes. There's no existing direct route to highlight. It doesn't draw new lines for proposed routes, because those are what is going to be determined from this study. The study has a large bubble where the proposed alignment of I-14 could ultimately be anywhere inside it.

[armadillo speedbump]

This is my guess for where a loop would go west of SH-6:


free image hosting sites

I'm skeptical the part southeast of 60 (Raymond Stotzer Pky/the airport) will be the route.  Would probably require taking 15-20+ large lot houses (wealthy) and the relocation of a bunch of mobile homes.  Could be politically tough on the local level.

In the latest Google Earth (6/23) view for that area, it looks like 2818 (Harvey Mitchell Pky) is being widened into feeder roads with room for freeway lanes and overpasses from Stotzer Pky to Wellborn (the RR tracks).  That is more likely to be the route, as it gets very close to aTm.  East of Wellborn is also a wide ROW of 300'+ and note the large radius curve setback going east from Harvey Mitchell to south on Texas Ave.  The short stretch of Texas Ave needed conversion to freeway would require perhaps 2 houses and a half dozen businesses.  Seems like a more cost effective alternative that might serve the most users.  I'd guess any east side loop is likely to tie in south of there on Hwy 6, so the existing interchange of Hwy 6 to/from Texas Ave wouldn't require much modification.

An alternative would be to route from Harvey Mitchell southeast along Wellborn to William D. Finch Pky.  Expensive, would require taking at least 8 apartment buildings, several condos, and several businesses on the south side of the RR tracks (plus anything that springs up on the vacant land in the next decade).  Depending on design they might also move the RR west some and build on the east side of the tracks.  More $$$.  Or elevate for 2 miles over Wellborn, but probably cost prohibitive and politically toxic given all the neighborhoods close to Wellborn. 

There has been talk over many years of relocating the RR to a bypass of BCS, but it never went far because of the huge cost and removal would still not provide enough ROW along Wellborn for a freeway without taking those apartments and businesses.  I would guess a Wellborn option would be more expensive than your route, but perhaps more politically doable.

The proposed routes west of the Brazos are way out there (for BCS) and through high quality farm areas (much of it floodplain).  There was plenty of outcry when similar land was acquired for the railroad yard further north near Hearne.  The railroads have sizeable powers of eminent domain and are less beholden to local politics (though still a factor) so that option may be tough for the MPO, or resulting in years more of decision delays.

I'd guess the Stotzer Pky to Harvey Mitchell Pky to Texas Ave option will end up being the route built.

BTW, it's hard to foresee much demand or economic justification for I-14 east of Hwy 6.  The Sam Houston National Forest is a huge swath that provides a northern boundary for the eventual dense suburban type development of the Houston area.  It will be a long, long time before there is much north of it on the Huntsville side.  Better use of limited dollars to upgrade 105 from Navasota/aggy tollway to I-45 in Conroe.

[ski-man]

This is my guess for where a loop would go west of SH-6:


free image hosting sites

I'm skeptical the part southeast of 60 (Raymond Stotzer Pky/the airport) will be the route.  Would probably require taking 15-20+ large lot houses (wealthy) and the relocation of a bunch of mobile homes.  Could be politically tough on the local level.

In the latest Google Earth (6/23) view for that area, it looks like 2818 (Harvey Mitchell Pky) is being widened into feeder roads with room for freeway lanes and overpasses from Stotzer Pky to Wellborn (the RR tracks).  That is more likely to be the route, as it gets very close to aTm.  East of Wellborn is also a wide ROW of 300'+ and note the large radius curve setback going east from Harvey Mitchell to south on Texas Ave.  The short stretch of Texas Ave needed conversion to freeway would require perhaps 2 houses and a half dozen businesses.  Seems like a more cost effective alternative that might serve the most users.  I'd guess any east side loop is likely to tie in south of there on Hwy 6, so the existing interchange of Hwy 6 to/from Texas Ave wouldn't require much modification.

An alternative would be to route from Harvey Mitchell southeast along Wellborn to William D. Finch Pky.  Expensive, would require taking at least 8 apartment buildings, several condos, and several businesses on the south side of the RR tracks (plus anything that springs up on the vacant land in the next decade).  Depending on design they might also move the RR west some and build on the east side of the tracks.  More $$$.  Or elevate for 2 miles over Wellborn, but probably cost prohibitive and politically toxic given all the neighborhoods close to Wellborn. 

There has been talk over many years of relocating the RR to a bypass of BCS, but it never went far because of the huge cost and removal would still not provide enough ROW along Wellborn for a freeway without taking those apartments and businesses.  I would guess a Wellborn option would be more expensive than your route, but perhaps more politically doable.

The proposed routes west of the Brazos are way out there (for BCS) and through high quality farm areas (much of it floodplain).  There was plenty of outcry when similar land was acquired for the railroad yard further north near Hearne.  The railroads have sizeable powers of eminent domain and are less beholden to local politics (though still a factor) so that option may be tough for the MPO, or resulting in years more of decision delays.

I'd guess the Stotzer Pky to Harvey Mitchell Pky to Texas Ave option will end up being the route built.

BTW, it's hard to foresee much demand or economic justification for I-14 east of Hwy 6.  The Sam Houston National Forest is a huge swath that provides a northern boundary for the eventual dense suburban type development of the Houston area.  It will be a long, long time before there is much north of it on the Huntsville side.  Better use of limited dollars to upgrade 105 from Navasota/Aggie Tollway to I-45 in Conroe.

There, I fixed your spelling for you.

[Bobby5280]

BTW, it's hard to foresee much demand or economic justification for I-14 east of Hwy 6.  The Sam Houston National Forest is a huge swath that provides a northern boundary for the eventual dense suburban type development of the Houston area.  It will be a long, long time before there is much north of it on the Huntsville side.  Better use of limited dollars to upgrade 105 from Navasota/Aggie tollway to I-45 in Conroe.

Given the unlikely situation I-14 will actually be built East of Texas on the proposed alignment I think a good case could be made to route I-14 along/near TX-105 and down to Beaumont.

TX-105 from Navasota to Cleveland is turning into a very busy corridor. Residential and commercial development from Montgomery thru Conroe and over to Cleveland is already getting fairly dense. There might actually be too much development in place already for any kind of super highway corridor to be built. The existing TX-105 alignment is pretty narrow in most areas. Its widest points range from 200' to 250' wide. That's well short of the 300'-400' range seen in most Texas freeways or toll roads flanked by frontage roads. It's possible to squeeze a six-lane freeway or toll road into a 250' wide ROW (not counting room needed for on/off ramps). The growth trend along TX-105 points to the eventual need of a six or eight lane freeway flanked by frontage roads.

That difficult upgrade situation for TX-105 could actually be a selling point for building I-14 directly from College Station to Huntsville and then farther East.

[debragga]

This is my guess for where a loop would go west of SH-6:


free image hosting sites

I'm skeptical the part southeast of 60 (Raymond Stotzer Pky/the airport) will be the route.  Would probably require taking 15-20+ large lot houses (wealthy) and the relocation of a bunch of mobile homes.  Could be politically tough on the local level.

In the latest Google Earth (6/23) view for that area, it looks like 2818 (Harvey Mitchell Pky) is being widened into feeder roads with room for freeway lanes and overpasses from Stotzer Pky to Wellborn (the RR tracks).  That is more likely to be the route, as it gets very close to aTm.  East of Wellborn is also a wide ROW of 300'+ and note the large radius curve setback going east from Harvey Mitchell to south on Texas Ave.  The short stretch of Texas Ave needed conversion to freeway would require perhaps 2 houses and a half dozen businesses.  Seems like a more cost effective alternative that might serve the most users.  I'd guess any east side loop is likely to tie in south of there on Hwy 6, so the existing interchange of Hwy 6 to/from Texas Ave wouldn't require much modification.

An alternative would be to route from Harvey Mitchell southeast along Wellborn to William D. Finch Pky.  Expensive, would require taking at least 8 apartment buildings, several condos, and several businesses on the south side of the RR tracks (plus anything that springs up on the vacant land in the next decade).  Depending on design they might also move the RR west some and build on the east side of the tracks.  More $$$.  Or elevate for 2 miles over Wellborn, but probably cost prohibitive and politically toxic given all the neighborhoods close to Wellborn. 

There has been talk over many years of relocating the RR to a bypass of BCS, but it never went far because of the huge cost and removal would still not provide enough ROW along Wellborn for a freeway without taking those apartments and businesses.  I would guess a Wellborn option would be more expensive than your route, but perhaps more politically doable.

The proposed routes west of the Brazos are way out there (for BCS) and through high quality farm areas (much of it floodplain).  There was plenty of outcry when similar land was acquired for the railroad yard further north near Hearne.  The railroads have sizeable powers of eminent domain and are less beholden to local politics (though still a factor) so that option may be tough for the MPO, or resulting in years more of decision delays.

I'd guess the Stotzer Pky to Harvey Mitchell Pky to Texas Ave option will end up being the route built.

BTW, it's hard to foresee much demand or economic justification for I-14 east of Hwy 6.  The Sam Houston National Forest is a huge swath that provides a northern boundary for the eventual dense suburban type development of the Houston area.  It will be a long, long time before there is much north of it on the Huntsville side.  Better use of limited dollars to upgrade 105 from Navasota/Aggie Tollway to I-45 in Conroe.

There, I fixed your spelling for you.

It was right the first time, no correction needed

[splashflash]

I think the main obstacle to a direct connection between Bryan/College Station and Huntsville is the heavy traffic demand in the US 190 corridor between the former and Madisonville--AADT is consistently above 10,000 VPD from Bryan/College Station to the FM 39 intersection due south of Normangee.  Much of this length is already four-lane divided.  An origin/destination study would clarify whether traffic would benefit more from a Huntsville beeline or an Interstate-quality connection to I-45 at Madisonville.

https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/get-involved/bry/i14/101823-boards.pdf

Interesting the map provided for the I-14 open houses shows the daily traffic counts but with the following tiers:
0 - 4,999
5,000 - 14,999
15,000 - 29,999
30,000 - 70,000

US 190 east of Wixon Valley falls into 5,000 - 14,999, shown in blue, like the most other routes.  TX-6 north of BCS to Hearne stands out as being above 15,000 (green), as does TX -21 to Caldwell.  Interesting   that north of Hearne TX-6 is four laned while it seems to be underbuilt to the south.  Perhaps the BCS to Hearne of US 190 will become I-14 based on current demand

[TheBox]

The furthest most i see it reaching are BCS and Huntsville (and i prefer them to use the TX-30 allignment)

Any further east then those two i doubt it.............at least within my lifetime and I'm in my early 20s

[longhorn]

https://kdhnews.com/fort_cavazos_herald/interstate-14-corridor-study-launched-proposed-extension-would-go-from-rogers-to-huntsville/article_9d2cef64-6c67-11ee-9179-5b56e61cba25.html

Interstate 14 corridor study launched; proposed extension would go from Rogers to Huntsville

With traffic volumes continuing to increase throughout much of the state, the Texas Department of Transportation is evaluating the feasibility of extending Interstate 14 from Rogers in Bell County to Huntsville in Walker County.

"The I-14 Central Texas Corridor Study will align with ongoing I-14 development and planning efforts in Texas to ensure consistency and continuity of the interstate corridor from west Texas to Louisiana," TxDOT said in a statement. "Additionally, the study will include evaluation of the recently designated future Loop I-214 around the cities of Bryan and College Station, which is expected to overlap with I-14 as it passes through the Bryan-College Station area."

Although the agency cited a need for a more efficient east-west route for interstate traffic, some residents along the planned route have already taken to social media to voice their concerns.

"If this happens, the city of Kurten will be severely impacted in a negative way," Ronnie Vitulli Sr. said in a Facebook post. "Certainly our way of life will be. There is good news though. If we band together as a community, along with our neighbors, I believe we can change the course and save our community that has been in existence since the 1850s. Many of us have family farms that have been around since that time."

[Bobby5280]

"If this happens, the city of Kurten will be severely impacted in a negative way," Ronnie Vitulli Sr. said in a Facebook post. "

Kurten, TX will only be "severely impacted" if TX DOT stupidly chooses to stick with that "W" shaped jig-saw, shark tooth route plan. Kurten is on the way up to Madisonville. If I-14 is merged into TX-6 thru parts of Byran and College Station and then given an Eastbound outlet direct to Huntsville the town of Kurten would not be affected at all.

[TheBox]

https://kdhnews.com/fort_cavazos_herald/interstate-14-corridor-study-launched-proposed-extension-would-go-from-rogers-to-huntsville/article_9d2cef64-6c67-11ee-9179-5b56e61cba25.html

Interstate 14 corridor study launched; proposed extension would go from Rogers to Huntsville

With traffic volumes continuing to increase throughout much of the state, the Texas Department of Transportation is evaluating the feasibility of extending Interstate 14 from Rogers in Bell County to Huntsville in Walker County.

"The I-14 Central Texas Corridor Study will align with ongoing I-14 development and planning efforts in Texas to ensure consistency and continuity of the interstate corridor from west Texas to Louisiana," TxDOT said in a statement. "Additionally, the study will include evaluation of the recently designated future Loop I-214 around the cities of Bryan and College Station, which is expected to overlap with I-14 as it passes through the Bryan-College Station area."

Although the agency cited a need for a more efficient east-west route for interstate traffic, some residents along the planned route have already taken to social media to voice their concerns.

"If this happens, the city of Kurten will be severely impacted in a negative way," Ronnie Vitulli Sr. said in a Facebook post. "Certainly our way of life will be. There is good news though. If we band together as a community, along with our neighbors, I believe we can change the course and save our community that has been in existence since the 1850s. Many of us have family farms that have been around since that time."

I know I doubt in most of our lifetimes here we'll see I-14 ever finished in all of Texas let alone all the way to Georgia or North Carolina (which ever one it was), but how's the Rogers bypass going?

[Bobby5280]

Google Street View imagery from 6/2023 shows some decent progress on the Rogers, TX bypass. It may be another year before the project is finished.

[longhorn]

Just went through there, traffic is shifted to new right of way as the old one is tore up and rebuilt.
Can't wait till the Cameron section is done and then on to Hearne or Bryan.

[TheBox]

I know I-14 west of it's current terminus is in a far future but it is worth noting that US-87 between Sterling City and (west of) Eden is a 4-lane divided expressway.

Here there needs to be ones of (again) Eden, Sterling City where it splits from I-27(E), and Garden City; It gets tight around San Angelo and especially Midland (TX-158 is still 4-lane, just undivided).

East of Eden and west Lampasas is 2-lane undivided, 4-lane undivided between said Lampasas and the Super 2 bypass around Copperas Cove.
And that's without mentioning all the other bypasses that'll have to be done.

[longhorn]

I know I-14 west of it's current terminus is in a far future but it is worth noting that US-87 between Sterling City and (west of) Eden is a 4-lane divided expressway.

Here there needs to be ones of (again) Eden, Sterling City where it splits from I-27(E), and Garden City; It gets tight around San Angelo and especially Midland (TX-158 is still 4-lane, just undivided).

East of Eden and west Lampasas is 2-lane undivided, 4-lane undivided between said Lampasas and the Super 2 bypass around Copperas Cove.
And that's without mentioning all the other bypasses that'll have to be done.

The Super 2 Bypass around Copperas Cove is about to be expanded four lanes divided and expanded west of Copperas Cove for a few miles.