Poteet-Jourdanton "Freeway" (Austin, Laredo: houses, neighborhood, camp)

[ChrisSA_wxatUIW]

Originally Posted by SanAntoQT

The lights are on the main road because, when you're trying to cross the highway, it's next to impossible. Hwy 16 traffic is heaviest in the morning and late afternoon from people coming and going to work. If you don't have lights and try to cross the highway, you'll never make it.

Well duh i'm not saying remove the lights- the lights will obviously stay there, but moved over to the access road so that they could build bridges/overpasses over the intersections to improve traffic flow and congestion- you know, convert it into a freeway like they had planed to back in the day

[ChrisSA_wxatUIW]

Originally Posted by jules07

Ah, duh! <slaps self upside head!> I was thinking "Poteet to Jourdanton", not Poteet-Jourdanton as the name of it. duh.

that's just silly

[TexHwyMan]

Traffic problems are relatively new to that area, so there hasn't been a need for a freeway there, and traffic volumes and congestion in that area are still not bad enough to warrant one, especially compared to other parts of town. Even if there was a need, it would take several years to do anything because of all the environmental clearances that would needed for a project of that size, not to mention funding issues.

BTW, TxDOT is in the process of converting the interchange at I-35 to a standard access road interchange, so there are obviously no plans to upgrade Spur 422 to a freeway anytime in the foreseeable future.

[ChrisSA_wxatUIW]

But it's such a short strip of roadway, they cant build 2 or 3 overpasses? because that would be the bulk of the project, it just doesn't seem like it would be that big of a project- everything is already set in place except for those 2 or 3 overpasses...

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by ChrisSA_wxatUIW

But it's such a short strip of roadway, they cant build 2 or 3 overpasses? because that would be the bulk of the project, it just doesn't seem like it would be that big of a project- everything is already set in place except for those 2 or 3 overpasses...

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Building those overpasses would require utility relocations, extensive drainage work, and lots of heavy grading, plus, to do it right, would also need interchanges at both I-35 and Loop 410. Sure, it's fairly short and would be easier than building a whole new freeway from scratch, but it would still be a sizable project.

[SanAntoQT]

Originally Posted by ChrisSA_wxatUIW

Well duh i'm not saying remove the lights- the lights will obviously stay there, but moved over to the access road so that they could build bridges/overpasses over the intersections to improve traffic flow and congestion- you know, convert it into a freeway like they had planed to back in the day

Uh, duh...do you know that what was intended back in the day?

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by SanAntoQT

Uh, duh...do you know that what was intended back in the day?

Yes, that was the intent. It was discussed in a planning document I came across a while back while doing research for my website. And it's pretty obvious that was the intent given the configuration of the road: frontage roads, an interchange at I-35, and the road was even named Poteet-Jourdanton Freeway. Back then, it was projected that the city would grow south, and that route was primed to be upgraded to a freeway to support that growth. Of course, that never happened (at least, not yet.)

BTW, this completely slipped my mind last night, but another reason that road will never be upgraded to a freeway is because the proposed route for the Kelly Parkway is just a mile or so west of there, and will merge into Highway 16 a mile or so south of Loop 410.

[SnappyBob]

Once the traffic gets to the point where thousands of people are up in arms and demanding that something be done it will be determined that the only way to fix the problem is to make it a toll road.

[SanAntoQT]

They should have upgraded the minute they knew Toyota was coming to the southside, instead of waiting until it got to this point. However, as I said, I'm not hearing any complaints from home, so I presume it's not that bad.

[ChrisSA_wxatUIW]

Originally Posted by TexHwyMan

Yes, that was the intent. It was discussed in a planning document I came across a while back while doing research for my website. And it's pretty obvious that was the intent given the configuration of the road: frontage roads, an interchange at I-35, and the road was even named Poteet-Jourdanton Freeway. Back then, it was projected that the city would grow south, and that route was primed to be upgraded to a freeway to support that growth. Of course, that never happened (at least, not yet.)

BTW, this completely slipped my mind last night, but another reason that road will never be upgraded to a freeway is because the proposed route for the Kelly Parkway is just a mile or so west of there, and will merge into Highway 16 a mile or so south of Loop 410.

Oh yeah, Kelly Parkway I forgot about that too! But then, what are they going to do with spur 422?? It just seems like a waste. Are they at least going to sync the lights or expand it or so something with the usless access roads or SOMETHING??????