What If New Towns Were Rooted To Support A Lonely Interstate?

I mentioned in a previous computer chickenscratch about West Texas town planting and how to revive that section of the state. Well, the push is on for Interstate 14 to get expanded and extended in Texas. So far, twenty-six miles of it exist in Texas and in America. In case you haven't heard, it's being proposed to connect key military bases from West Texas to Augusta, Georgia.

Now, it seems lawmakers can't seem to settle on the mainline route west of a proposed split of the route, said to be in Brady, Texas. The original mainline plan was for I-14 to run along U.S. Highway 190 all through Texas, terminating at I-10. With a split west of Brady, that piece of road would constitute as the southern routing of I-14. Many folks think that that alignment is just too desolate, prompting them to consider the northern route west of the split. It's expected to run along U.S. 87 to San Angelo and then break off along Texas State Highway 358 out to Midland, where it connects with I-20 and State Loop 250. With that arrangement is the potential to multi-plex that highway with a possible I-27 southern extension which could tie Lubbock with San Angelo and Laredo. All you have for now lies some 140 miles to the east in Killeen.

Considering that there's more action on U.S. 87 than there currently is on U.S. 190, I thought I'd cook up an idea that could provide even a small boost for the supposed southern alignment in the Forts-to-Ports. How about three new towns as prescribed by my aforementioned town planting objective?

Here are at least three ideas for towns along U.S. 190 to help kick-start I-14 for its westernmost initiative. The names are very tentative, although stranger things have happened and can happen.

Western Colony - This plan, if executed properly, might become the largest of the collection. It would be located just east of Texas 163 on U.S. 190 and could have its town core right up against I-14. I'd like to see something like that again, because most towns are not typically planned that way. A comprehensive town square with a city hall and a fairly decent-sized church, old-style with a steeple, all visible from the interstate. I envision about 10,000 potential residents at this outpost. It's at a point some sixteen miles north of Ozona, Texas, and would provide some of the more important services for several miles in either direction. I also envision potential tourism and several mentions in AAA Texas' bi-monthly magazine. Ranching, agriculture, and some energy.

Chernoff - Not sure who it will be named for, but it just sounded good. This community could be planted about twelve miles west of Western Colony, and it will converge Texas 137 at U.S. 190. There's a chance that I-14 might run south of it. Possible 5,000-to-6,000 in population. Farming, ranching, and energy.

Evansville - A former name in Texas town lore, this is one that can be brought back, revived in a small community which could exist just east of Western Colony. Eldorado, Texas, would be located some forty miles to the east. Potential 1 to 2,000 residents. Farming and ranching, some energy. Incidentally, the old Evansville disappeared from Texas' maps in the 1930s. It once was a railroad community near Centerville, but not now. So case44 and any other daring Texan could bring it back!

And to make the merge with I-10 more palatable, I propose that I-14 makes its interchange with 10 approximately five miles east of the I-10/U.S. 190 interchange. And how about another town? Gladly.

Bramlett - Right there at the aforementioned I-10 exchange with U.S. 190. A state highway or a farm-to-market road might extend southward from there, and the town would be mainly farming and ranching. It would have a small core in the center of town, but not necessarily a definitive town square. Plus, I dream about a potential burger place in town, locally-owned, crowed about constantly in Texas Monthly magazine. Possible 3 to 5,000 residents. When you think about one of the loneliest stretches of I-10 between Ozona and Fort Stockton, heck, you'd want to get involved and make it happen.

Thoughts aside, let's just see what Texas wants to do with I-14 in the meantime. Alabama and Georgia are divided on how they want to prioritize the project, but Louisiana and Mississippi are showing that they want to get it going. Texas was first with the actual signing from Copperas Cove, through Killeen, and on to Belton. More connections will eventually come. Whether officials and others can take me up on these ideas above, well, maybe there will one day be some takers.