Will I-27 merge with I-20 at Big Spring? (Lubbock, Laredo: hotels, population)

[pammybear]

We've noticed several motels going up in Big Spring and one in Stanton--is this an indicator that I-27 from Amarillo and Lubbock will meet up with I-20 at Big Spring?

Curious minds want to know!

Pam

[juggler]

According to Texas Highways Primer

Interstate 27 extension
TxDOT commissioned a study during the early '90s to investigate extending I-27 south from Lubbock. Three corridors were considered: US 87/SH 349 to Midland, a Sweetwater-San Angelo-Junction corridor connecting to I-10, and another corridor through Big Spring to I-10 at Ozona. The I-20 to I-10 segments of these corridors were studied separately. The study concluded that there was not enough traffic, present or projected, to warrant an extension of the Interstate for the foreseeable future. Instead, a package of upgrades to US 385, SH 349, US 87, and US 84 was recommended.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]With the passage of NAFTA, additional studies have been done on this "Ports-to-Plains" corridor. You can read more about it at Andy Field's AARoads website and at the Ports-to-Plains coalition website. Once again, projected traffic volumes were determined to not be sufficient for an Interstate in this corridor. Instead, various options including bypasses, intersection improvements, additional lanes on existing roads, and ITS measures were recommended.

Even if there were plans to extend I27 south, any new hotels and such would come AFTER the freeway is built, not before. Otherwise, the hotels would be sitting around for years waiting for the freeway to be completed. An extension of I27 was also mentioned in the Trans Texas Corridor plan, but that whole idea has been scrapped.

[case44]

Trans-Texas may have been scrapped, but Ports-To-Plains is still considering the I-27 idea for a corridor that would tie Laredo either into the nation's heartland or into the I-25 corridor in northern New Mexico. Talk of it happening hasn't gone away, but West Texas will need some more population and, of course, traffic, to bring such an idea to fruition. I, personally, would love to see it not just stop at I-20, but go down through San Angelo and on to, at least, I-10. Nothing new, however, has surfaced.


Here's the link with more: Ports To Plains - Home

[case44]

Originally Posted by pammybear

We've noticed several motels going up in Big Spring and one in Stanton--is this an indicator that I-27 from Amarillo and Lubbock will meet up with I-20 at Big Spring?

Curious minds want to know!

Pam

They can connect if built, but no, they won't merge.