Which Will Happen First In San Angelo: I-27 Or I-14?

Okay, so this is not the chicken or the egg here....

As I've promised I'd bring you, there's a city in Texas which, at the moment, is not served by an interstate highway in its immediate area. That problem has since been remedied, not once, but twice, by Congress and the Senate this past winter. So, right now, San Angelo, Texas, is waiting for not just one interstate to show up in that fair burg, but two! Your writer already knows how the two roads will be threaded through the area, but we'll get to it shortly.

Mind you, San Angelo previously had not had an interstate highway. Ever. Now, new laws are providing change for the Concho Valley, so the citizenry must wait for it (eventually, them).

The big question right now is, which one of the two will actually be developed first? I've mentioned previously right here that both Interstate 27 and the north branch of Interstate 14 will meet in San Angelo and run through it. As it stands for the future, both highways will be planned to intersect on Angelo's southeast side, where State Loop 306 collides with U.S. Highway 87. It creates an interesting idea, but I doubt that the initial plans for the southern portion of I-27 are completely finalized for the area. What is sure is that a new segment of freeway will be built starting at U.S. 67 in the northeast part of the city and make a loop around the northern sector, eventually tying in with U.S. 87 in the northwest, where a four-lane, divided section of highway does exist.

Here's how I see it for now: Interstate 27 was the second highway to be approved for a corridor, but will likely become the first to get developed for the area. Book it, mark it, put a star by it. The reason is, with as much highway as can easily be converted to freeway as quickly as possible, and because Interstates 20 and 10 intersect with potential future segments of this corridor, any new construction can get signed faster (upon approval by the Federal Highway Administration) once the road is built near those highways. You have U.S. 277 at I-10 in the south (64 miles) and U.S. 87 connecting I-20 in the north (90 miles). When you look at the area between Lubbock and Angelo, 27 can be developed mostly on its existing footprint quicker than I-14 will be. The latter has to have new pavement built between Midland and Sterling City in order create a future multiplex with 27 eventually. Even before such happens, 14, for now, can be put together between Angelo's outskirts and Eden, since four lanes (two each direction, divided) exist at this time. It could have a temporary terminus at 27 in SE San Angelo while the other interstate can be signed upon conversion of East Loop 306 on the east side of town once new construction finally gets done and, thus, approved upon inspection.

So, here's the deal: I-27 is expected to run along East Loop 306, U.S. 277, U.S. 67, and the new northern arc freeway. It is quite possible that U.S. 87 could get a redesignation to go along East Loop 306 rather than follow Bryant Boulevard through the city as it had been doing. This move would be similar to the change in Laredo with U.S. 59 and State Loop 20 to accommodate a future I-69W in that area. It could happen with U.S. 87, so stay tuned if the highway gurus decide to do that for a significant part of the newly-developed corridor. My thing with the south is this: a new stretch of road needs to extend I-27 south of the current Loop 306/U.S. 87 meeting and create a new gateway as it connects better to U.S. 277 rather than force travelers to potentially use an exit and go a hard 90 degrees into the South Loop area, and do another 90-degree turn west of that. If you look at it on a map, then you'll see exactly what I mean.

Certainly, this would make the most sense. I-27 would have to be developed first, and then get I-14 into the mix, contingent mainly on establishing the State Highway 158 connection near Sterling City. So, folks in the Concho Valley area should expect to see I-27 signs popping up first. There's no timetable yet, but there are many meetings and a lot of design yet to be done. Locals need to get creative with their community once this undertaking finally becomes a reality.

I-27 is coming to San Angelo, y'all. Be excited.