» Alliance Focused on I-69 Funding Needs in DC

In March the Alliance for I-69 Texas led a Washington DC Fly-In delegation that included community leaders from the eight states along the national I-69 Corridor. Events included face-to-face discussions with Members of Congress, congressional and key committee staff and Administration officials. There was also be a dinner with officials from the Embassies of Mexico and Canada. The annual event is an important opportunity to highlight the strategic importance of I-69. The Alliance delegation stressed the need to speed up the I-69 development process in Texas. Continued funding from state and federal sources is essential to provide the safe and efficient inter-regional connectivity that is necessary to meet the travel and freight movement needs of a fast growing Texas.

One of the messages delivered was that progress is being made in other states including celebrations in 2024 marking the completion of the final 26 miles of Interstate 69 across Indiana. The interstate from Indianapolis to the Michigan State Line has been complete for decades but work has been underway over the past few years to extend I-69 south all the way to the Kentucky border at the Ohio River.

» A Productive I-69 Austin Day

I-69 supporters had a busy day Feb. 27 -- I-69 Day at the State Capitol. The delegation met with legislators and state leadership staffers. They started the day making comments and renewing friendships at the Texas Transportation Commission's monthly meeting. This was a chance for the Alliance to thank the commissioners and TxDOT staff for the commitment the department has shown in moving I-69 projects forward. It was also an opportunity to stress the importance of I-69 as a vital part of the state's efforts to deal with rapidly expanding freight traffic, port-related shipping over our highways, and projected population growth.

The delegation also met with staffers for Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Borrows. There were also meetings in the offices of Sen. Robert Nichols, long-time Transportation Committee chair, Rep. Tom Craddick, new chair of House Transportation, and Rep. Terry Canales, chair of the new Subcommittee on Transportation Funding.

DOWNLOAD FILES

You can download the 4-page I-69 Austin Day leave-behind folder with these links:

11x17 Folder Print File PDF
8.5x11 Letter-Size Print File PDF

» Texas Targeting Economic Growth

Texas Transportation Commission member Steven Alvis pointed to a growing highway funding gap facing Texas in remarks during the 2024 Annual Meeting of the I-69 Alliance held at the offices of the Greater Houston Partnership. [See More Here].

 

» Contracts Let for Major I-69 Projects in Houston

The Texas Transportation Commission has awarded two contracts for expansion of I-69 near Downtown Houston. The total cost of the two is $816 million. The first involves a major drainage system needed to adequately drain new freeway segments to be built in the future. The second involves complete reconstruction of a key 1.5-mile section south of the I-69/I-45 interchange. Three more nearby large I-69 projects will be added over the coming decade.

[See more on Houston projects HERE]

» Laredo Direct Connects Open to Traffic

Supporters of I-69 turned out in August for a ribbon-cutting celebrating the completion of two more interstate direct connection fly-overs at I-69 West and I-35 in Laredo.
[See more HERE.]

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I-69E Kenedy County groundbreaking ceremony

Two Kenedy County Projects Underway

Two I-69 East project covering 19.8 miles of US 77 in southern Kenedy County are now under contract. Local officials and I-69 Alliance members celebrated with groundbreaking event at the current north terminus of the interstate just north of the Willacy County line.
[Full Report with Map and Photos]

» I-69 Project List Grows in UTP

The Texas Transportation Commission has approved TxDOT’s annual Unified Transportation Program document allocating anticipated project funding over the coming decade. It includes more I-69 projects than ever. The Alliance has assembled a list of I-69 System projects from the UTP document and from the department’s Project Tracker. It includes about 80 projects of all sizes that are spread over almost all of the 34 counties on the I-69 corridor. Their total estimated construction cost is about $13 billion with 70% of that outside the Houston District and 30% allocated to projects that will reconstruct I-69 near Downtown Houston. Significant new projects on the list are located in Nacogdoches, Polk, Goliad, Live Oak, Refugio, San Patricio, Kenedy and Brooks Counties. About 30 projects are anticipated to be let for construction in the next four years. Our list includes 29 projects that were not on last year’s list.

» Wharton Relief Route Work Underway

A ceremonial groundbreaking for the I-69 Wharton Relief Route brought out local leaders and friends of I-69 on May 22nd. The $343 million project will convert the existing 4-lane relief route into a full interstate highway standard freeway. It includes 7.8 miles of roadway and full replacement of the bridges over the Colorado River on the south side of Wharton. Construction started with right-of-way clearing and is expected to be complete and open to traffic in 2029. Ceremony speakers included County Judge Phil Spenrath, State Rep. Stan Kitzman, Mayor Pro Tem Russell Machann, TxDOT Yoakum District Engineer Martin Horst and Area Engineer Ryan Simper.

Nearby bridge construction and pouring of concrete main lanes is progressing on a 6.2 mile section of I-69 between Kendleton and the north edge of Wharton. This $169 million project was started in 2020 and is scheduled to be fully open to traffic in mid-2025.

» Ceremony Kicks Off Laredo Project

Laredo area community leaders celebrated the start of a $360 million project to upgrade 4.7 miles of US 59 in the city to an urban freeway as part of the Interstate 69 System in Texas. The February 12 ceremony marked the start of the largest freeway project ever in Webb County.
[Full Report With Map]

» Connectivity and Economic Development

The Texas Department of Transportation is the state’s most important economic development entity. That was a key message delivered by Alex Meade, a member of the Texas Transportation Commission since April, speaking to those attending the Alliance for I-69 Texas 2023 Annual Meeting on Nov. 30 in Houston. He stressed the importance of local communities and TxDOT working together to speed up development of connectivity projects. [Full Report]

» I-69 About Preparing for the Future

I-69 development across Texas is in not just about building a new interstate. TxDOT Deputy Executive Director Brandye Hendrickson told those attending an Alliance Annual Meeting that I-69 is really about preparing for the state's future and the demands for mobility that come from an expanding population and expanding commerce and trade. [Full Report]

» Celebrating More Miles of I-69

A 5.6-mile section of US 77 in South Texas has been added to the national Interstate Highway System. In 2022 state and local leaders gathered to celebrate the addition to I-69E and to celebrate the signing of 2.5 miles of I-169 in Cameron County, an event delayed for two years by Covid concerns. [Photos]

 

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[ACEC HIGHWAY FUNDING GAP REPORT]

[VIDEO OF NACOGDOCHES SOUTH PROJECT]\