Why no cities on I-45 like there are on I-35? (Houston: safety, required)

[walker1962]

Originally Posted by ym2m11

You notice that on I-35 there is much more activity-Austin/San Antonio, but also Waco, Temple, San Marcos.

On other hand, I-45 doesn't seem to have anything! After Woodlands, it's a desert! I am not living in TX now but just was thinking about it, why? Why didn't other cities spring up on I-45? Why do people go live in Tyler for example and not along I-45? Seems strange

I think having the Colorado and Brazos rivers course through much of central Texas were factors in having more towns created along I -35. Then you have towns with colleges like Baylor (again by the Brazos), TSU in San Marcos, close to several rivers and the state capital. Last, the US Government chose to put a big military installation in Killeen and also in likely due to its central location and not tearing up a bunch of timberland if it was farther east. New Braunfels grew I believe from its 30 mile proximity to San Antonio, sort of like Conroe is to Houston.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by Frustratedintelligence

It's interesting though that the Sabine never gave birth to any major population centers, despite once being an important waterway. Marshall used to be one of the largest, most advanced cities in Texas, bigger than Dallas and Austin at one point. Today it's just a small town frozen in time.

Either side of the Sabine was only fit for outlaws. It's a nasty river that will swell & obliterate anything developed next to it.

[Frustratedintelligence]

Originally Posted by tstone

Either side of the Sabine was only fit for outlaws. It's a nasty river that will swell & obliterate anything developed next to it.

Like the Trinity does in Dallas?

[R1070]

Dallas was settled where it is as a crossing rather than navigable reasons.

[Redah]

Allow me to point out the Elephant. Commerce with Mexico?

[LonghornHotspur]

Originally Posted by walker1962

I think having the Colorado and Brazos rivers course through much of central Texas were factors in having more towns created along I -35. Then you have towns with colleges like Baylor (again by the Brazos), TSU in San Marcos, close to several rivers and the state capital. Last, the US Government chose to put a big military installation in Killeen and also in likely due to its central location and not tearing up a bunch of timberland if it was farther east. New Braunfels grew I believe from its 30 mile proximity to San Antonio, sort of like Conroe is to Houston.

New Braunfels was founded as a milling town for German immigrants, thus the name, due to its proximity to the Guadalupe. Recent growth driven by tourism of the river/tubing, Schlitterbahn (pre-scandal) and a gateway to Canyon lake

[atadytic19]

Keep in mind there are National Forests, parks, and private logging lands between Houston and Dallas.


If you are a farmer using the land to grow trees, or if there is a National park/ forest, cities don't just pop up in them.

Also, trade with Mexico may also be a factor. I 35 is sometimes referred to as the NAFTA super highway.

And central Texas is more dry so I would imagine that it makes more sense to maintain large parks and forests along 45, while protections along 35 would be weaker.

Also, I would imagine that it would be easier for central and North Texas to grow toward each other as San Antonio, Austin, Waco and DFW are sizeable cities regularly spaced on 35. I guess if 45 had a major city every 100 miles, the spaces in between would be filled in too, but since there are parks and private logging lands in between that wasn't allowed to happen. With Sam Houston National Forest between Conroe and Huntsville Houston's sprawl is at least contained on the north end. To jump the park and sprawl past Huntsville doesn't really make economic sense

[Thoreau424]

League City, Webster, Conroe, Huntsville, etc. Whatcha talkin' Willis?!?

[Dopo]

Here’s your answer

[malcorub16]

This graphic is claiming that there is more freight coming up 281 from McAllen up to San Antonio and beyond than up IH 35 from Laredo to San Antonio and beyond. I find that hard to believe. If this were true, 281 would've been made a actual interstate many years ago.