AARoads Forum

We all know the I-27/SL-335 project that's a W.I.P. on the west side of Amarillo, but after that what do you think will be worked on next after? We all know the I-27/SL-335 project that's a W.I.P. on the west side of Amarillo, but after that what do you'll think will be done next after?

Everything else is either a 2-lane undivided road (south of San Angelo via US-277 and US-83) or is up to New Mexico. Either both into the far future and thus off the table.

I think the priority should be extending I-27 down to the Mexico border, at least to Del Rio if not down to Laredo. Obviously TX DOT cannot build all of it at once. So they need to take an approach similar to the US-277 4-lane upgrade project between Wichita Falls and Abilene. They built a series of bypasses at or near Interstate quality. The remaining segments between towns are standard 4-lane divided. The town of Anson still needs a bypass though.

Anyway, TX DOT needs to focus on building Interstate quality bypasses around towns like Lamesa and Sterling City as well as get the access problem solved in San Angelo. They can build I-27 into the Northern outskirts of San Angelo. But the point South of Humble Road down to the existing US-277 freeway is a tough gap to span. They may end up having to build a new highway parallel to the OC Fischer Dam. That will probably require some elevated bridge structures.

Of course, I'd like TX DOT to get some work done on US-87/287 North of Amarillo (since I use that highway on road trips to Colorado). But the greater need is going South of Lubbock.

Another Port-to-Plains thread?

Quote from: Rothman on December 04, 2023, 02:19:38 AM
Another Port-to-Plains thread?

That'll be the last one from me until there's actual progress, I promise you

TX really does have a lot on their plate, and most of us will probably be dead before all their proposed highways are completed, if ever: first they got I-69, then came I-14, followed by I-2, and now they have the I-27 extension. If anything, I think it'll be more likely that I-27 will terminate in Del Rio than Laredo. I'm sure that something to the north of Amarillo will be developed eventually (with or without that highly-touted Denver spur), but right now, the main focus is to the south of Lubbock.

Quote from: Henry on December 04, 2023, 10:47:03 PM
TX really does have a lot on their plate, and most of us will probably be dead before all their proposed highways are completed, if ever: first they got I-69, then came I-14, followed by I-2, and now they have the I-27 extension. If anything, I think it'll be more likely that I-27 will terminate in Del Rio than Laredo. I'm sure that something to the north of Amarillo will be developed eventually (with or without that highly-touted Denver spur), but right now, the main focus is to the south of Lubbock.

I-69 was followed by I-2, just so you know

I-69 > I-2 (shortly after) > I-14 > I-27 extension

Quote from: TheBox on December 05, 2023, 12:05:42 AM

Quote from: Henry on December 04, 2023, 10:47:03 PM
TX really does have a lot on their plate, and most of us will probably be dead before all their proposed highways are completed, if ever: first they got I-69, then came I-14, followed by I-2, and now they have the I-27 extension. If anything, I think it'll be more likely that I-27 will terminate in Del Rio than Laredo. I'm sure that something to the north of Amarillo will be developed eventually (with or without that highly-touted Denver spur), but right now, the main focus is to the south of Lubbock.

I-69 was followed by I-2, just so you know

I-69 > I-2 (shortly after) > I-14 > I-27 extension

I knew I-2 and I-14 were designated at approximately the same time, but wasn't sure on which came first.

I'm optimistic I'll live long enough to see I-2 completed to Laredo. One reason is most of the difficult portions are built already. Plans are serious to get I-2 extended West around Roma. Laredo has over 250,000 residents and is the busiest inland port of entry in the US; so it needs some highway improvements (like finishing the Bob Bullock Loop). The gap between Roma and Laredo will be fairly easy to fill. Zapata is the only significant town along that stretch.

I don't know if I'll live long enough to see I-27 finished down to Del Rio or Laredo. With some luck maybe TX DOT can get I-27 extended from Lubbock to Big Spring within the next 20 or so years. San Angelo may get its freeway entrances in and out of the city improved. But it may remain detached from the rest of the Interstate highway system.

The I-69 routes in Texas are such a big project there's no telling how long it will take to get them all finished. On the bright side it seems like the construction pace has picked up in recent years. Multiple projects across South and Eastern Texas are in progress.

why are they giving out more lettered interstate routes? i thought that was frowned upon.

Quote from: silverback1065 on December 20, 2023, 02:45:28 PM
why are they giving out more lettered interstate routes? i thought that was frowned upon.

From a different topic, but I think this answer applies:

Quote from: Urban Prairie Schooner on December 20, 2023, 08:20:48 PM

Quote from: codyg1985 on December 05, 2023, 08:05:47 AM
That really surprises me.

A leaf covered in hieroglyphics could blow onto the desk of the AASHTO US Numbering Committee and they would approve it.

Maybe AASHTO has forgotten why they did away with Interstate suffixes in the first place. Another possibility is they don't care if the Interstates in Texas have suffixes in them.

The history of the I-69 letter suffixes has been covered in great depth elsewhere on the forum.  What's the short story on why 27 is getting letters?

Same story—written into law by folks who aren't concerned with anything but capitalizing on the shiny new interstate in that area.

Quote from: Molandfreak on December 21, 2023, 06:50:25 PM
Same story—written into law by folks who aren't concerned with anything but capitalizing on the shiny new interstate in that area.

And then having said law taken literally by everyone else.  IIRC, I-2 is specified as part of the "I-69 Corridor" in law, and yet it isn't called I-69S or something, so if they can give it a separate number, IMO they could do so for the rest.  They choose not to.

I really don't see any of this being built, other than tiny segments. A lot of these new interstates have dubious usefulness over an at grade divided highway or super 2, where existing infrastructure could use the money.

The I-69 routes and an extension of I-27 is justifiable. A bunch of this is about helping move commerce. Like it not, a lot more of it will be crossing the US/Mexico border in the years ahead. Misbehavior by the Chinese government will speed the process of manufacturers fleeing that nation; a good bit of the production will land in Mexico. If it weren't for America's rabid appetite for hard drugs Mexico could be a booming, much safer country already.

Safety is another giant consideration. The Ports to Plains Corridor needs to, at the very least, be 4-lane divided the whole way. Some of the existing 2-lane portions are dangerous. Distracted driving is increasing the numbers of fatal collisions on the highways. The safety issues are compounded when a corridor has a lot of commercial trucks involved.

Quote from: Bobby5280 on December 22, 2023, 11:16:35 AM
The I-69 routes and an extension of I-27 is justifiable. A bunch of this is about helping move commerce. Like it not, a lot more of it will be crossing the US/Mexico border in the years ahead. Misbehavior by the Chinese government will speed the process of manufacturers fleeing that nation; a good bit of the production will land in Mexico. If it weren't for America's rabid appetite for hard drugs Mexico could be a booming, much safer country already.

Safety is another giant consideration. The Ports to Plains Corridor needs to, at the very least, be 4-lane divided the whole way. Some of the existing 2-lane portions are dangerous. Distracted driving is increasing the numbers of fatal collisions on the highways. The safety issues are compounded when a corridor has a lot of commercial trucks involved.

And the 3rd big one being Dividing the freight truck traffic off of the congested I-35 (and in I-69's case, divide traffic off of I-30 and I-40 too but Louisiana, Mississippi and to an lesser extent Arkansas will probably be the last states to get I-69 done decades from now, which at that point most of us will be dead).

I-35 is being used by fright truckers as much as is because there's no safe alternative and from the time being looking at the proposed plans, Future I-27 (US-277 and US-83) between San Angelo all the way to Laredo is currently a dangerous 2-lane highway with trucks, same with Future I-69W (US-59) between Laredo and Goliad.

Lots of trucks are and will be coming from Laredo which means I-35 freight truck traffic won't be dropping and not only that Laredo as a city has a growing population too, even when we won't be seeing I-27 nor I-69W at Laredo anytime soon far from it, we might see I-2 (US-83 south of it) at Laredo a decade or two from now tho.