Future Interstates...maybe? (Houston, Dallas, Lubbock: buying, maintenance, zoning)

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by JJG

Yep. That's what I like about it.

When I'm done with a project I'm working on right now, I'll get on this, myself.

You might want to read about the fact that Grand Parkway is gonna be a toll road.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by Dopo

You might want to read about the fact that Grand Parkway is gonna be a toll road.

... oh yeah, that's right.

Still, I'm thinkin' of my own.

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by Dopo

You might want to read about the fact that Grand Parkway is gonna be a toll road.

And it wouldnt be if the Feds put an interstate on its northern arc. The part of the GP paid with fed money is free and will remain free.

[MikeyAusmus]

Originally Posted by JJG

Ok, I found this off the net.....



..... few things.

- As we all know, I-69 is already in progress, but incomplete here.
- "I-47" would be I-45 extended. Pretty sure we could all agree on that one.
- That little triangle that forms with "I-31" and "I-44" seems wrong. I'd push 31 through Abilene up to Amarillo.
- I think that 37 extention should go straight to Lubbock.
- Not really feelin' the I-27 idea. I think it should extend, but not all the way down the Rio Grande.
- I'd love the "231" just on a personal level. (It would make that drive from Waco to Prairie View just a little easier...)


Any other thoughts?

Having so many western Texas interstates would be a very hard sell considering 80% of Texas' population and economy resides within the Texaplex (the triangular area that encompasses Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth).

Extending an interstate from Dallas to Tulsa along US-75 is something already being considered, but as an extention of IH-45.

There really should be an interstate between Houston and Austin along your proposed "IH-31", but your IH-31 shouldn't be extended to Lubbock. The Houston to Austin would be a good IH-12 or IH-14. Traffic demands between Austin and Lubbock are not significant, neither is the freight volume.

Now, extending IH-27 south of Lubbock to connect to IH-20 is a great idea. Whoever thought of creating IH-27 to just randomly end (kind of like IH-44 in Wichita Falls, TX) wasn't thinking with a full deck of cards. Extending IH-27 to Midland, TX would be good. I am don't think IH-44 should be extended as IH-32 from Amarillo, TX to Fort Worth, TX is being looked at so this would give IH-44 an end connection.

One interstate I would highly recommend would be a bypass around the Houston metro area for IH-69. Houston is considering a massive bypass that would start south of Wharton, TX bypassing Houston metro to the east and reconnecting north of Cleveland, TX which would be 125+ mile long bypass that I would call IH-269.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by MikeyAusmus

Extending an interstate from Dallas to Tulsa along US-75 is something already being considered, but as an extention of IH-45.

I know, and mentioned that.

There really should be an interstate between Houston and Austin along your proposed "IH-31", but your IH-31 shouldn't be extended to Lubbock. The Houston to Austin would be a good IH-12 or IH-14. Traffic demands between Austin and Lubbock are not significant, neither is the freight volume.

One interstate I would highly recommend would be a bypass around the Houston metro area for IH-69. Houston is considering a massive bypass that would start south of Wharton, TX bypassing Houston metro to the east and reconnecting north of Cleveland, TX which would be 125+ mile long bypass that I would call IH-269.

Keep in mind that I didn't make this. But I do believe there WILL be some sort of I-69 loop around Houston as 59 will become 69 thorugh Houston.

[txstate]

That smart to have defense loop going thru Fort Hood I could see that...Would these be toll roads or managed lanes how is this getting paid for if it happens?

[JJG]

Now THIS is MY proposal.

[thisguysa]

I just don't understand why each city has to have an interstate connecting it to every other city. There's no need for that density of interstates in sparsely populated areas (mostly in West Texas and eastern NM).

[1badgmc]

We're a big state. This country will likely never embrace a high speed rail network and for day or weekend trips to other cities in the state, if it's not a business trip, it's not worth trying to fly. Having some good, 4-lane, divided, limited access highways to connect more cities in the state is never a bad thing.

[Austinite101]

I like it because Austin has the least amount of interstates. As if I want more ugly 7+ lanes near DT.