I-69 in TX

[Thegeet]

Does the project go thru Pierce or just to the East edge of town?

El Campo is the next town West of Pierce. It looks like the existing bypass around the South side of town is mostly up to Interstate standards. I wonder how much of that bypass will have to be upgraded. If TX DOT wants to continue the 3x3 lanes configuration farther West then a complete re-build might be in order.

Based on the details provided here, I'm guessing it just goes to the middle of the bypass.

[MaxConcrete]

Does the project go thru Pierce or just to the East edge of town?

El Campo is the next town West of Pierce. It looks like the existing bypass around the South side of town is mostly up to Interstate standards. I wonder how much of that bypass will have to be upgraded. If TX DOT wants to continue the 3x3 lanes configuration farther West then a complete re-build might be in order.

The main lanes stop on the east side of the Pierce bypass. The new frontage roads continue around the bypass but stop just before the west end (where it returns to be alongside the railroad). The new frontage roads have smoother curves than the existing bypass.

As for El Campo, the 2027 UTP shows the next project taking the interstate upgrade to the east side of El Campo, and the following project starting on the west side of El Campo, which strongly suggests the El Campo bypass is retained as-is with no upgrades planned.

[sprjus4]

Wasn't the El Campo bypass just upgraded in the last decade?

[Bobby5280]

Wasn't the El Campo bypass just upgraded in the last decade?

At least one interchange was re-built: the one with Blue Creek Road. The surface of the main lanes were covered with new asphalt. Overall, the upgrade job was pretty modest. Some on/off ramps may still be below current Interstate standards, such as the ones on the far West end of the El Campo bypass.

Further upgrades from El Campo to Victoria look like they should be pretty easy to complete, especially if the highway is just going to be a regular 2x2 lanes configuration rather than a more ambitious 3x3.

[Thegeet]

Wasn't the El Campo bypass just upgraded in the last decade?

At least one interchange was re-built: the one with Blue Creek Road. The surface of the main lanes were covered with new asphalt. Overall, the upgrade job was pretty modest. Some on/off ramps may still be below current Interstate standards, such as the ones on the far West end of the El Campo bypass.

Further upgrades from El Campo to Victoria look like they should be pretty easy to complete, especially if the highway is just going to be a regular 2x2 lanes configuration rather than a more ambitious 3x3.

That's the only new overpass constructed there. All other overpasses are from 1976 I think. The SH 71 had MSE built for a turnaround in both areas. The east end of the bypass has an intersection with El Campo Truck Stop (which TBH should be replaced with a newer building). I'll say this: that interchange with FM 960 looks ugly. They should do some sort of interchange like BUS 59 on the northern end of the Hungerford Bypass.

Otherwise, it's about time El Campo gets rewarded for their construction. As soon as Pierce is finished, TxDOT oughta finally study Ganado, maybe Edna, and Inez.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Looking around recent Google streetview in the Rio Grande Valley, the Google car has caught progress on projects to convert US 281 to I-69C. The Alice segment of I-69C looks like to be finished sometime in 2027. The segment from FM 490 to FM 1017/SH-86 interchange is a few years away, but they are making progress on building the frontage roads with a few realignments.

The Google car also has streetview coverage on the bypass around Riviera, which is also a few years away. Bridge piers are being built at the southern US 77 BUS interchange, CR 2340, and the FM 771 interchange. Very little progress is being made on the northern US 77 BUS interchange (probably to tie into the freeway upgrade north of Riviera?).
Upgrade on US 77 to I-69E between Riviera and Kingsville is moving along. Most of the bridges along that segment looks like it's done/close to being done. Asphalt pavement is being laid down on the mainlanes outside of the overpasses. Completion date 2027?

After the Riviera bypass, upgrading US 77 to I-69E south of Riviera will come along in ~5 packages over the next 5-10 years.

[Thegeet]

Looking around recent Google streetview in the Rio Grande Valley, the Google car has caught progress on projects to convert US 281 to I-69C. The Alice segment of I-69C looks like to be finished sometime in 2027. The segment from FM 490 to FM 1017/SH-86 interchange is a few years away, but they are making progress on building the frontage roads with a few realignments.

The Google car also has streetview coverage on the bypass around Riviera, which is also a few years away. Bridge piers are being built at the southern US 77 BUS interchange, CR 2340, and the FM 771 interchange. Very little progress is being made on the northern US 77 BUS interchange (probably to tie into the freeway upgrade north of Riviera?).
Upgrade on US 77 to I-69E between Riviera and Kingsville is moving along. Most of the bridges along that segment looks like it's done/close to being done. Asphalt pavement is being laid down on the mainlanes outside of the overpasses. Completion date 2027?

After the Riviera bypass, upgrading US 77 to I-69E south of Riviera will come along in ~5 packages over the next 5-10 years.

I'm actually going to move into Kingsville for college, so I will pass by sparingly.

[CoreySamson]

As of today from what I saw in the field, the southern terminus of I-69 is still Spur 10, and based on what I saw a month ago the northern terminus is still Fostoria Road near Splendora. Haven't noticed much new along the completed sections waiting to be designated in a while.

I passed through US 59 on my way to Tennessee on Sunday, and there are officially I-69 shield on the mainlanes in Hungerford, all the way up to Kendleton, where there's a gap in Shield. Very strange.

Got some pictures today. I can confirm that the I-69 shields in Hungerford and Kendleton are indeed true...

I drove US 59 NB today between south Wharton and Rosenberg. The I-69 shields start at the FM 1161 interchange along with the newly opened 3x3 lane configuration. I counted about 13 I-69 shield assemblies on the main lanes and frontage roads between Hungerford and the Fort Bend County line, so it is not a one-off. Here's the first one you encounter NB on the feeder just north of FM 1161:


And here is the first trailblazer at the US 59 Business interchange north of Hungerford:


Mysteriously, once you hit Fort Bend County, the I-69 shields disappear until you hit Spur 10 near Rosenberg. I am not sure if the missing I-69 shields in Fort Bend are in error or intentional. Is I-69 officially designated to Hungerford yet? I should also note that there are no exit numbers on the newly opened section signed as I-69 and the section in Fort Bend solely signed as US 59, as you can see in the 2nd picture. The exit numbers start at Spur 10.

As for active construction, US 59 from Hungerford to FM 961 (between Wharton and Pierce) is all under construction. I would best describe the work zone as somewhat understated compared with the chaos of some other I-69 work zones I have witnessed. Most of the activity is restricted to the frontage roads for right now, but there are several places where the main lanes are routed on the frontage road ROW on new concrete. The most active section was the construction of a new Colorado River bridge for the SB feeder, which was strangely tall for some reason. I also saw active work on breaking up the old asphalt main lanes near the FM 1301 intersection.

[Thegeet]

Sorry to bring Sinton up, but couldn't they just make the bypass go west of Love's and rejoin US 77 south of Odem?

[jgb191]

Sorry to bring Sinton up, but couldn't they just make the bypass go west of Love's and rejoin US 77 south of Odem?

Not sure if you were suggesting a single bypass around both Sinton and Odem, but -- according to our local news -- the Sinton bypass is slated to be upgraded when it turns into I-69E.  They need to modify the intersection with the US-181 bypass (which is TX-89), to raise or depress the mainlanes so it doesn't intersect with the US-77/I-69E at grade.  This is a high-risk collision concern especially with slow-moving trucks that need to cross.

[Thegeet]

Sorry to bring Sinton up, but couldn't they just make the bypass go west of Love's and rejoin US 77 south of Odem?

Not sure if you were suggesting a single bypass around both Sinton and Odem, but -- according to our local news -- the Sinton bypass is slated to be upgraded when it turns into I-69E.  They need to modify the intersection with the US-181 bypass (which is TX-89), to raise or depress the mainlanes so it doesn't intersect with the US-77/I-69E at grade.  This is a high-risk collision concern especially with slow-moving trucks that need to cross.

Yep. Precisely that. Just like they do for Kingaville and Bishop. It seems very redundant to shift east just to use existing highway for a short distance and then have to bypass west.

EDIT: You mean that SH 89 should have a stacked interchange with US 77?

[TheBox]

I know it's only been a month or two since I last saw it in this thread, how's the work north of Lufkin going?

As well as the work between Cleveland and Shepherd

[jgb191]

EDIT: You mean that SH 89 should have a stacked interchange with US 77?

Affirmative, a three-level stack: the ground-level intersection of their respective frontage roads, the existing mainlanes of US-77/I-69E in the middle-level, and the top level for the new mainlanes of TX-89/US-181 bypass to drastically reduce the risk of fatal collisions.

[MaxConcrete]

EDIT: You mean that SH 89 should have a stacked interchange with US 77?

Affirmative, a three-level stack: the ground-level intersection of their respective frontage roads, the existing mainlanes of US-77/I-69E in the middle-level, and the top level for the new mainlanes of TX-89/US-181 bypass to drastically reduce the risk of fatal collisions.

The schematic shows that the intersection remains as-is for the I-69 upgrade project. SH 89 remains at ground level. The north half of the Sinton bypass project (north of Chiltipin Creek) is estimated at $157 million and scheduled to receive bids in July 2027.

[Thegeet]

EDIT: You mean that SH 89 should have a stacked interchange with US 77?

Affirmative, a three-level stack: the ground-level intersection of their respective frontage roads, the existing mainlanes of US-77/I-69E in the middle-level, and the top level for the new mainlanes of TX-89/US-181 bypass to drastically reduce the risk of fatal collisions.

The schematic shows that the intersection remains as-is for the I-69 upgrade project. SH 89 remains at ground level. The north half of the Sinton bypass project (north of Chiltipin Creek) is estimated at $157 million and scheduled to receive bids in July 2027.

What concerns me is that Sinton Ranch, a new residential development, is taking up critical ROW if they are serious about building on reexisting territory.

[sprjus4]

EDIT: You mean that SH 89 should have a stacked interchange with US 77?

Affirmative, a three-level stack: the ground-level intersection of their respective frontage roads, the existing mainlanes of US-77/I-69E in the middle-level, and the top level for the new mainlanes of TX-89/US-181 bypass to drastically reduce the risk of fatal collisions.

That is a very dangerous intersection, and the fact the speed limit remains at 75 mph on US-181 through there is even crazier. I've had a few near misses there - and they wouldn't have ended pretty.

[bwana39]

I know it's only been a month or two since I last saw it in this thread, how's the work north of Lufkin going?

As well as the work between Cleveland and Shepherd

Looks like the Cleveland Bypass is going gung-ho.  There is evidence of work out around Redlands as well. You can see progress in Nacogdoches; not as much as farther south, but....

[Thegeet]

I know it's only been a month or two since I last saw it in this thread, how's the work north of Lufkin going?

As well as the work between Cleveland and Shepherd

Looks like the Cleveland Bypass is going gung-ho.  There is evidence of work out around Redlands as well. You can see progress in Nacogdoches; not as much as farther south, but....

How's that flyover going?

[bwana39]

How's that flyover going?

I am assuming you are talking about at Nacogdoches. It is going. It seems the loop around Corrigan is going faster.

As to the bridge at Nac, Longview Road and Bridge is focused on I-30 in Texarkana right now..... There is some work going on in Nacogdoches, but seemingly not that much.