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[texaskdog]

[NE2]

[texaskdog]

Alex is almost as awesome as the nWo

[Grzrd]

AHTD has posted the Final Findings and the Executive Summary.

Texas and Kentucky (except for the Ohio River Bridge) were excluded from the analysis:

No tolled traffic and toll revenue forecasts were developed for Texas SIUs as TxDOT is not considering the use of tolling as a funding mechanism for any currently planned portion of the I‐69 route in Texas.

(above two quotes from the Multi-State I-69 Innovative Financing Study thread)

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.

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.

SH 550 is (mostly) toll lanes in the middle of FM 511.

I think Cameron County RMA runs SH 550.  I have not found and read the agreement between them and TxDOT so as to see how that works ... I have not only an interest in roads, but also in law, so these arrangements are of double interest to me.

(above quote from US route on a toll road? thread)

wxfree - If you can find the SH 550 tolling agreement, then it would be interesting to look at it with an eye as to whether it is consistent with the MAP-21 Tolling Provisons for interstates.  If it is, then I have a strong suspicion that local officials might see appeal in having an I-2 dual designation with SH 550 (along with an I-69E overlap) that would give the Port of Brownsville an I-2 E-W designation to serve as a complement to the I-69E N-S designation.  Since SH 550 is already tolled, and only road enthusiasts would care/notice that it is part of the Texas I-69 "system", then I don't think doing so would trigger alarms that the Trans-Texas Corridor is returning. Good luck in finding it!

[wxfree]

wxfree - If you can find the SH 550 tolling agreement, then it would be interesting to look at it with an eye as to whether it is consistent with the MAP-21 Tolling Provisons for interstates.  If it is, then I have a strong suspicion that local officials might see appeal in having an I-2 dual designation with SH 550 (along with an I-69E overlap) that would give the Port of Brownsville an I-2 E-W designation to serve as a complement to the I-69E N-S designation.  Since SH 550 is already tolled, and only road enthusiasts would care/notice that it is part of the Texas I-69 "system", then I don't think doing so would trigger alarms that the Trans-Texas Corridor is returning. Good luck in finding it!

I a bit stumped at the moment, but I'd love to see it.  Another point of interest is why they chose 550.  State highway numbers are generally assigned sequentially, except in special cases.  The consecutive (or nearly so) numbers go as high as 365, so that's a big jump.  I don't think that this is related to anything current, but the original SH 550 appears to have been designated along the current path of I-30 from US 80 west of Fort Worth to US 67/80 in Dallas.  An interesting note is included.

This is the minute order that designates the Interstate Highway System, of which SH 550 is a part.

Source: http://www.dot.state.tx.us/tpp/hwy/sh/sh0550.htm

Is this a quiet message about future plans for toll roads and Interstate designations?  Or maybe it's unrelated and they chose 550 for some other reason.  And why were they designating an Interstate Highway System in 1945?  I've seen old maps on which US routes are called "US Interstate Highways," but that system already existed and wouldn't be designated then.

[NE2]

And why were they designating an Interstate Highway System in 1945?

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/archstories/late_roads/interstate_system.asp

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 included three important steps leading to the development of an interstate highway network.

In 1945 the Wisconsin State Highway Engineer submitted tentative route designations for approval and inclusion in the interstate system.

[wxfree]

And why were they designating an Interstate Highway System in 1945?

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/archstories/late_roads/interstate_system.asp

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 included three important steps leading to the development of an interstate highway network.

In 1945 the Wisconsin State Highway Engineer submitted tentative route designations for approval and inclusion in the interstate system.

Thanks for that information.  I didn't know they were called interstate highways that far back.

[J N Winkler]

The source NE2 cites is less than lucid on the specific origin of the phrase "Interstate highway."  However, an article by D.W. Loutzenheiser in the 1945 edition of Proceedings of the Highway Research Board includes the following two paragraphs (p. 106):

Thus, it was proposed that steps be taken to plan and develop a system of highways so constituted as to be national in scope, but so located as to render the maximum local service possible.  The whole would be built as a modern express highway system, including portions to and through urban areas, embodying features of design and construction to provide, insofar as feasible, facilities capable of serving safely and efficiently a mixed traffic of automobiles, buses and trucks in the volumes, weights and speeds to be expected 20 years from the date of construction.

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 includes provisions for the designation of "A National System of Interstate Highways" and for the expansion of the Federal-aid highway system to include the whole of such a system.  (The character and extent of the system to be designated agree identically with the recommendations of the Report on Interregional Highways; so that change in description from "Interregional" to "Interstate" is without significance.)  With the passage of this Act in December 1944 the way has been cleared for the designation and beginning of work on the system.  Other sections of the Act authorize substantial amounts for planning and post-war construction of highway projects on the Federal-aid system, in both rural and urban areas, as found necessary in the several States.

The title of Loutzenheiser's article?  "Proposed design standards for interregional highways."

[icemandrake]

Here is a news article from the Wharton Journal-Spectator on 116 miles being added to I-69 in Texas, its designations in South Texas and the US-83 Freeway being designated as Interstate 2.
http://www.journal-spectator.com/news/article_c095c54c-cd54-11e2-996b-001a4bcf887a.html

[O Tamandua]

...and an article on I-69 in Fort Bend County, right above Wharton (and right next to Harris):  http://www.fortbendstar.com/2013/06/19/signs-of-i-69-in-fort-bend-county-more-than-placards/

[Grzrd]

TxDOT is in the process of conducting an interstate development plan for US 281 (and a small piece of US 59), with a final report anticipated to be completed in late 2013:

The purpose of this study is to develop a plan to bring US 281 (from US 83 to I-37) and US 59 (from US 281 to I-37) up to Interstate design standards, with the eventual goal of designating and signing these highways as part of the I-69 system .... A draft of the plan will be completed in the summer of 2013 with the final report complete in late 2013.

The Alliance for I-69 Texas is reporting on current US 281/I-69C construction projects and that Open Houses will be held on July 16, 17 and 24 about the corridor study:

The Texas Department of Transportation is conducting a study to determine what upgrade improvements will be necessary to bring US 281 up to interstate highway standards along the Interstate 69 Central route.
The study area begins at the intersection of US 59 and Interstate 37 in Live Oak County. It extends west on US 59 to George West and then south on US 281 to the intersection with Interstate 2/US 83 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley as shown on the adjacent illustration.
A draft Interstate Development Plan will be compiled in the coming months and a final Feasibility Study Report is scheduled for completion by the end of the year.
Projects to upgrade sections of US 281 to freeway standard are currently underway at Alice, Rachal and at the north edge of Edinburg. The Alice project includes an overpass at FM 1554, now approximately 50% complete. Work on an overpass at FM 755 in Rachal began earlier this year. The $20 million Edinburg project will deliver 2.4 miles of new freeway near the Edinburg Airport.

The adjacent illustration:

[thefro]

http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=919619

Signs are officially going up on the 15th on the new I-69E & I-69C segments, according to this link.

[Grzrd]

http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=919619
Signs are officially going up on the 15th on the new I-69E & I-69C segments, according to this link.

I received an email from TxDOT this morning that provides a broad timetable for the signage installation and confirms that I-2 signage installation will also begin on Monday [July 15] (the timing for the Corpus "switch" is a little unclear):

The I-69C and E and I-2 signs will be installed beginning Monday in the Rio Grande Valley.  The major overhead signs at intersections will be the first to be installed and those major directional signs will be installed by the fall.  The route marker signs along the road are anticipated to be completely installed by the end of the year.  There are a big number of those signs, along a long stretch of road, so it will take a few months to complete that installation.  The I-369 signs near Texarkana will probably beginning being installed in the fall.  I'm checking in with our local office in Corpus to see when they plan to make the transition from I-69 to I-69E and will send you that information once I receive it.

[Henry]

At least I-69C will be completed sooner than the other branches, thanks to the US 281 projects going on.

[Grzrd]

http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=919619
Signs are officially going up on the 15th on the new I-69E & I-69C segments, according to this link.

Here's the invitation for the two "historic unveiling" ceremonies/photo ops.

[thisdj78]

Are they planning to bypass it around Premont or take the existing ROW through the town?

[Grzrd]

Are they planning to bypass it around Premont or take the existing ROW through the town?

The TxDOT I-69 Funding Program as of January 24, 2013 map lists a $41 million relief route project from North of FM 716 to South of FM 1538.

edit

This presentation indicates that they hope to have an environmental decision by Spring 2014.  Here is a depiction of the proposed interchange for the project:

[CentralCAroadgeek]

According to TxDOT's Facebook page, I-69E and I-2 shields have been officially unveiled in Harlingen. The post:

New I-69 signs unveiled today in Harlingen symbolize more than just the first interstate in south Texas - they mean enhanced connectivity, better commerce and more economic development for our great state!!

[txstateends]

Dedication press conference with the 3 different shields displayed. amid much hand-shaking and back-patting.

http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=921608#.UeRIpKy4WSo

So strange to actually see a C-suffixed I-shield, much less a single-digit TX I-shield.

==EDIT==

From McAllen's Twitter page, the Pharr unveiling at the I-2/US 83 - I-69C/US 281 interchange:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BPObC4eCMAMG2Hp.jpg:large

==EDIT 2==

Short video showing some BGSes in preparation before installation (one up close shows I-69E included):
http://www.krgv.com/news/state-unveiling-new-interstate-signs-in-the-rgv

[texaskdog]

Okay, taking bets on how long before those US highways are decommissioned.  Will 281 end in San Antonio or Pleasanton?

[NE2]

Why not George West?

[ethanhopkin14]

Here are my pictures from the signing this morning.:

https://plus.google.com/photos/108314424034130737389/albums/5900933620817858929

It was some fun

[ethanhopkin14]

I think that Interstate 69 will have to be completed in Texas before decomissioning will happen. First you will have to have the "getting used to" period in which residents will start associating the new route numbers with the old route numbers. So it may take a while, but those US highways will be decommissioned. I think US 281 will be truncated in George West, US 77 in Victoria and US 59 in Texarkana.

[agentsteel53]

I take it there isn't enough old alignment to justify a relocation instead of a truncation?

[ethanhopkin14]

I take it there isn't enough old alignment to justify a relocation instead of a truncation?

Unfortunately not. TxDOT stated a few years back that in order to keep costs down on both construction and ROW acquisitions, that they would do an on site upgrade to the existing uS highways. In South Texas there are not a lot of towns or other roads so that means these Us highways will be redundant.