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[Grzrd]

The Texas Transportation Commission ("TTC") May 30, 2013 Agenda suggests that the TTC may slightly alter their past practice and grant approval to several interstate designations that will be contingent upon later FHWA approval

Jeff emailed us the commission notes, which includes the redesignation of I-69 in Corpus Christi as I-69E. The notes also involve I-2, I-69C and I-369:

Thanks for sharing, Alex!

If I read the commission notes correctly, FHWA has given all of the necessary approvals (no waiting for contingent approval!) and it is time to start installing some new shields:

As of May 24, 2013, AASHTO and the FHWA Administrator have issued the required approvals.

[agentsteel53]

so they're gonna take down all the shiny new I-69 Texas shields... figure they'll ship 'em up north to where there is no split.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I know it would be a pain, but could someone do up a simple map of whats going on down there.

[Grzrd]

I know it would be a pain, but could someone do up a simple map of whats going on down there.

In the below map, the Nov. 2011 Robstown I-69 designation is now I-69E, the US 83 designation is I-2, the US 281 designation is I-69C, and the US 77 designation is I-69E (the eventual designation is actually a bit longer; it extends from north of Raymondville southward instead of from south of Lyford southward):

The combined Segments Four and Five report has .... A map showing the proposed border designations is below (page 45/165 of pdf; page 39 of document):

[O Tamandua]

Dumb question but isn't Kenedy County pretty...er...remote, despite its size and location between CC and the LRGV?  I know there's the little county seat (Sarita) but what all needs to be done there again?  Are there a lot of old King Ranch roads crossing the highway at grade?  (1,946 sq. miles, 2011 population 437 (!))

[Speedway99]

I was hoping Corpus Christi would get I-69 mainline. The Freer-Victoria route should be I-269, or better yet not build it. I think a more direct Houston-Laredo route is redundant, while Corpus should have the single number to Houston. Also, shouldn't the control city signs on the Eastex and Southwest freeways in Houston be changed to say Laredo and Shreveport eventually?

[Grzrd]

List of applications:
....
TX I-2 (Mission to I-69E)
TX I-69E (Raymondville south)
TX I-69E (Robstown, renumbering I-69)

(above quote from AASHTO May 5, 2013 Route Numbering Actions and Applications thread) ....
Notable by its absence is an application for US 59 to be signed as I-69 "inside" I-610.

This article provides an update on the "inside I-610" section through Houston:

The 11-mile section of US 59 through downtown Houston is under engineering review by the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. It is anticipated it will be added to I-69 within the coming year.

[Grzrd]

I know it would be a pain, but could someone do up a simple map of whats going on down there.

In the below map, the Nov. 2011 Robstown I-69 designation is now I-69E, the US 83 designation is I-2, the US 281 designation is I-69C, and the US 77 designation is I-69E (the eventual designation is actually a bit longer; it extends from north of Raymondville southward instead of from south of Lyford southward):

The combined Segments Four and Five report has .... A map showing the proposed border designations is below (page 45/165 of pdf; page 39 of document):

The Alliance for I-69 Texas has posted an article about the recent designations, which includes a more straightforward map showing Interstates 2, 69C and 69E in the Lower Rio Grande Valley:

This article provides an update on the "inside I-610" section through Houston:

The 11-mile section of US 59 through downtown Houston is under engineering review by the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. It is anticipated it will be added to I-69 within the coming year.

It looks like the above linked newspaper article received its information from an Alliance for I-69 Texas press release that served as a basis for the Alliance's article.

[texaskdog]

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

[O Tamandua]

Grzrd,

1.  Still mildly amusing that Texarkana's getting I-69 (sort of) before Shreveport does.

2.  Looking at Kenedy County on maps.google.com, it's still interesting to contemplate what will have to be done, and what won't have to be done in a 1,900+ square mile county with under 500 residents, to get that County's section of highway up to I-69 standards.  I wonder how long it will take.

[CanesFan27]

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

In this forum - and in this hobby - it's never too late

[Grzrd]

1.  Still mildly amusing that Texarkana's getting I-69 (sort of) before Shreveport does.

Not to mention that Texarkana, TX is getting I-369 before Texarkana, AR gets I-49.

2.  Looking at Kenedy County on maps.google.com, it's still interesting to contemplate what will have to be done, and what won't have to be done in a 1,900+ square mile county with under 500 residents, to get that County's section of highway up to I-69 standards.  I wonder how long it will take.

This prior post discusses in part some of the plans for Kenedy County:

The Alliance for I-69 Texas also has an article about the issuance of the FONSI and it discusses the method of ranch access:

An interesting element of the schematic plans included in the EA is the way ranch access is to be accomplished in the 42-mile passage through Kenedy County where there are no public roads crossing US 77. This highway passes through sections of the King Ranch, the Kenedy Ranch and the Armstrong Ranch, all of which span the highway and the adjacent Union Pacific Railroad. Brief sections of access road will be built near ranch gates to allow traffic on and off the freeway lanes. Overpasses will be built at intervals of 5 to 10 miles to allow traffic to reverse direction. Below is a simplified drawing of a ranch gate access point. This arrangement will avoid the need to build long stretches of dual frontage roads that have little transportation value.

[NE2]

In this forum - and in this hobby - it's never too late

I'm still annoyed over US 66 not being 60 west of Springfield.

[O Tamandua]

Grzrd,

1.  Well, Arkansas-side Texarkanans are always complaining that the Texas side gets everything first. 

2.  Thanks for the Kenedy County info.  I wonder what part the total of those items are going to cost out of the $1 billion between Harlingen and CC?  (EDIT: What's also interesting is that the Interstate is now going to currently be signed to above Raymondville, Kleberg's County seat.  I think the old King ranch was in Kenedy and Kleberg Counties (both are King Ranch names).  Don't know how many public roads cross between the Kenedy border and the new Interstate access point above Raymondville, but once the Sarita-Raymondville section is finished that will be nearly one 12th of the Texas section of I-69 right there!)

[Grzrd]

I wonder what part the total of those items are going to cost out of the $1 billion between Harlingen and CC?

I don't know, but you might be able to find out by looking at the various documents listed in the Index of US 77 Upgrade EA and FONSI Documents.

edit

I took a look at the Environmental Assessment Volume 1 and ran across the following cost estimates (pages 13-14/271 of pdf):





Not an insignificant amount of money.

[texaskdog]

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

In this forum - and in this hobby - it's never too late

If we all start a letter writing campaign, they might get 100 letters!!!!

[codyg1985]

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

In this forum - and in this hobby - it's never too late

If we all start a letter writing campaign, they might get 100 letters!!!!

Think of the difference we can make!

[Speedway99]

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

I suppose it's too late to suggest that 69E become 37, and 37 into Corpus becomes x37.

In this forum - and in this hobby - it's never too late

If we all start a letter writing campaign, they might get 100 letters!!!!

Think of the difference we can make!

Problem is that gives Cameron county 2 primary interstates (One or two digits) and Hidalgo county only one. We've already gone over how it works in the valley (An example is the med school.) I really think they should build a new Edinburg-Raymondville highway, make that I-69W, US 77 south of Raymondville I-69E, Laredo-Freer-Corpus Christi can be I-4 or I-6, and Freer-Victoria, and US 281 from Three Rivers to Edinburgh don't get upgraded, avoiding redundancies. Just my 2 cents.

[Road Hog]

Grzrd,

1.  Well, Arkansas-side Texarkanans are always complaining that the Texas side gets everything first. 

2.  Thanks for the Kenedy County info.  I wonder what part the total of those items are going to cost out of the $1 billion between Harlingen and CC?  (EDIT: What's also interesting is that the Interstate is now going to currently be signed to above Raymondville, Kleberg's County seat.  I think the old King ranch was in Kenedy and Kleberg Counties (both are King Ranch names).  Don't know how many public roads cross between the Kenedy border and the new Interstate access point above Raymondville, but once the Sarita-Raymondville section is finished that will be nearly one 12th of the Texas section of I-69 right there!)

Kenedy Ranch is apparently an offshoot of the original King Ranch. Historic details on Wiki are unfortunately pretty spare.

The county seat, Sarita, was named for the matriarch of the Kenedy family.

[O Tamandua]

Grzrd,

1.  Well, Arkansas-side Texarkanans are always complaining that the Texas side gets everything first. 

2.  Thanks for the Kenedy County info.  I wonder what part the total of those items are going to cost out of the $1 billion between Harlingen and CC?  (EDIT: What's also interesting is that the Interstate is now going to currently be signed to above Raymondville, Kleberg's County seat.  I think the old King ranch was in Kenedy and Kleberg Counties (both are King Ranch names).  Don't know how many public roads cross between the Kenedy border and the new Interstate access point above Raymondville, but once the Sarita-Raymondville section is finished that will be nearly one 12th of the Texas section of I-69 right there!)

Kenedy Ranch is apparently an offshoot of the original King Ranch. Historic details on Wiki are unfortunately pretty spare.

The county seat, Sarita, was named for the matriarch of the Kenedy family.

Sarita Kenedy East (Texas State Historical Association biography)

Once in charge with her brother of a 400,000 acre ranch.  Attended Incarnate Word Academy in Corpus Christi, Sophie Newcomb College (Tulane) in New Orleans, was a debutante in that city.

Now her namesake county seat is the only town in a 1,900+ square mile county with less than 500 residents, and will be (I believe) the only place in Kenedy County where future I-69 has to cross public roads.

Sorry to get OT, but the stories of real people behind these little towns are fascinating.

Back TO topic...one thing that's interesting is that according to the map Grzrd furnished above, pretty much all Kenedy County (DANG, I'd hate to get caught on that road during a hurricane) and its I-69 section appears to be in one segment, not with the Willacy County stretch, but will still be a big chunk of I-69/Texas to open up.  It will be interesting to see how fast that section is built and opened.)

[NE2]

The county seat, Sarita, was named for the matriarch of the Kenedy family.

I keep reading this as Santa.

[thisdj78]

1.  Still mildly amusing that Texarkana's getting I-69 (sort of) before Shreveport does.

Even more amusing that Texarkana will have more limited-access highways leading to it then Austin and triple the Interstate designations 

[Grzrd]

The Alliance for I-69 Texas has posted an article about the recent designations, which includes a more straightforward map showing Interstates 2, 69C and 69E in the Lower Rio Grande Valley:

This TV video report, in addition to having footage of US 77 in Cameron County, reports that the shields "will be up" in thirty to sixty days:

Interstate 69 is here and it's a first for the Rio Grande Valley.
The 111 mile stretch of interstate highway is being touted as the gateway to economic growth in the region.
Once completed, the I-69 system will run from border to border... Canada to Mexico.
Designated parts of 77, 281 and 83 will be re-named to reflect the interstate ....
Officials tell NewsCenter 23 the interstate signs will be up in 30 to 60 days.

[bassoon1986]

List of applications:
....
TX I-2 (Mission to I-69E)
TX I-69E (Raymondville south)
TX I-69E (Robstown, renumbering I-69)

(above quote from AASHTO May 5, 2013 Route Numbering Actions and Applications thread) ....
Notable by its absence is an application for US 59 to be signed as I-69 "inside" I-610.

This article provides an update on the "inside I-610" section through Houston:

The 11-mile section of US 59 through downtown Houston is under engineering review by the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. It is anticipated it will be added to I-69 within the coming year.

It's nice to finally see a reference to the Texarkana section as 369 and not mainline 69 as many articles have previously said in error.

[Grzrd]

FHWA has approved designating US 77 as I-69E from Raymondville to Brownsville.
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_3baf5bf6-c8d4-11e2-bafc-0019bb30f31a.html

The title of the above-linked article is S.H. 550 Ribbon-Cutting Crowd Gets Big I-69 News.  As far as I can tell, the SH 550 ribbon-cutting is I-69 Corridor news in and of itself. First the FHWA High Priority Corridors page provides the relevant part of the statutory I-69 definition:

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.

The Alliance for I-69 Texas website describes ongoing SH 550 work from I-69E/US 77 to the Port of Brownsville as follows:

The Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA) has opened the first leg of the SH 550 Toll Road leading from US 77 to the Port of Brownsville. This connector is identified in federal law as part of the I-69 corridor.

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.

At any rate, the SH 550 article reports that the ribbon-cutting was for the completion of the second of three phases of SH 550 construction:

Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for State Highway 550 couldn't have been windier if it had taken place in a wind tunnel.
But organizers persevered and local luminaries took turns at the podium, buffeted by gale-force winds, praising the completion of the second phase of a project touted as creating a more efficient and safer link for commercial trucks between U.S. 77/83 and the Port of Brownsville.
The third phase, which will provide the connectors to U.S. 77/83, should be done in about a year, according to David Garcia, deputy county administrator and assistant coordinator for the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority.

I know there's the little county seat (Sarita) but what all needs to be done there again?

I took a look at the Environmental Assessment Volume 1 and ran across the following cost estimates (pages 13-14/271 of pdf): ....

The above-linked Alliance for I-69 Texas page also indicates that the Sarita overpass would allow Sarita School Road to pass under I-69E:

Engineering work is underway on a new overpass on US 77 at Sarita. It would allow Sarita School Road to pass under the freeway lanes. No funding has been identified for this safety project.