Public meeting (https://www.txdot.gov/projects/hearings-meetings/wichita-falls/2025/82-relief-route-082825.html) is today.
Two alternatives are presented. See page 17. (https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/get-involved/wfs/us-82-reliever-route/082825-exhibit-boards.pdf)
Observations
- These alignments are much farther north than I expected. Alignment 2 is about 1 mile from Oklahoma! Looking at Google maps, there appears to be at least one clear corridor much closer to Gainesville.
- Both alternatives have non-smooth (i.e. right-angle) intersections at the existing US 82. That's a disappointment.
- The east side of Alternative 1 is along FM 371, which will have more property impacts than an alignment away from the road. I'm immediately inclined to wonder: Why are they aligning it along FM 371?
- The environmental constraints map (https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/get-involved/wfs/us-82-reliever-route/082825-constraints-map.pdf) shows alignments which look much better than Alt 1 and Alt 2. However, this map is prominently marked with "Not for public display or distribution". I'm thinking it is mistakenly online. It may be offline by the time you read this.
- The bypass will be a 4-lane divided highway, not a freeway. Right-of-way is expected to be approximately 300 feet wide, which is wide enough to support future overpasses.
I'm not surprised to see both alignment proposals of the bypass have right angle intersections on both ends with existing US-82. The portions of US-82 within Gainesville and immediately outside of town will be impossible to upgrade to Interstate standards. So it wouldn't make much sense to have either end of the bypass neatly dovetail into the existing highway. Another consideration is these two bypass proposals are half loops. Maybe TX DOT wants to leave the option open to add to the bypass and turn it into a full loop in the future.
If US-82 were ever upgraded to an Interstate quality thru route in the Gainesville area much of it would have to be built on a new terrain alignment North of Gainesville. To the East of Gainesville the existing US-82 highway doesn't turn into an upgrade-friendly route until it reaches the Whitesboro area. West of Gainesville the upgrade situation is a little easier. But the Gainesville-Sherman link has to be the bigger priority since more growth in happening in that area and it is in close proximity to the Lake Texoma area.
Quote from: MaxConcrete on August 28, 2025, 06:43:20 PMBoth alternatives have non-smooth (i.e. right-angle) intersections at the existing US 82. That's a disappointment.
It's true that the diagram on the "Conceptual Alternatives" slide does show right angles, but that may be just a generalization, because each of the alternatives on the more-detailed "Constraints Map" indicate smooth transitions to the bypass.
For the ROW, I suggest a larger ROW for the day when some gaps of the proposed 4-lanes divided highway will be needed to be upgraded to freeway with service roads down the road.
Given the rapid growth, they really should be aiming for an Interstate-grade freeway in the area.
Amarillo to DFW (along US 287) is the ultimate goal for a future Interstate, which may explain the bypass initially being an at-grade expressway. But if US 82 from Henrietta to New Boston ever becomes a freeway, then it could get the spur into DFW.