TX: Future I-69, and soon reroute of US 59, in Laredo

 
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oscar_voss



Joined: 27 Jul 2008
Posts: 622
Location: Arlington VA

PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 9:58 am    Post subject: TX: Future I-69, and soon reroute of US 59, in Laredo Reply with quote

Note: Edited since this was first posted.

A sign was unveiled several days ago, announcing part of Texas Loop 20 as I-69 Future Interstate Corridor. This has been discussed at AARoads, and as it happened I was in Laredo yesterday to take a few photos (timing is everything, huh?).

My photos and notes are at http://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=3624.msg282555#msg282555 (some other recent posts on the topic provide additional information on the new designation).

I'd add that today I saw a similar I-69 Future Interstate Corridor sign on US 281 between Falfurrias and Edinburg. That part of US 281 is far from Interstate-ready, and when it is, it's destined to become part of I-69C. So the sign on Loop 20 might not mean that much, as either saying the road qualifies as a future Interstate, or what its route number will be when it graduates to full Interstate status.

My take on this is that at least the part of Loop 20 between I-35 and the Mexican border is almost Interstate-ready, and might be added to CHM as a future Interstate (either I-69 or I-69W, depending on how the Laredo branch will be numbered). Or we could wait until that part of Loop 20 is or isn't designated as a regular Interstate (a subsequent AARoads post indicates that pursuing full Interstate designation is being considered by TxDOT and FHWA). One hedge is that the border crossing is limited to commercial vehicles only and has limited hours (indeed, it wasn't open on Sunday afternoon after 2pm), plus there is a minor at-grade intersection just before the border, so maybe the ultimate Interstate designation will end at the exit for FM 1472 (only exit west of I-35, and last exit before the border).

The redesignation plans also include rerouting US 59 over Loop 20. No indication that's happened yet, but something to watch for.
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yakra



Joined: 30 Jul 2008
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Location: Area Code 207

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 2:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What are the rules for Future Interstates? Do we only include them if FHWA/AASHTO sign off on them?
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si404



Joined: 07 Oct 2009
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2014 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I-69 is written into law, making it a harder kettle of fish - AASHTO and FHWA can't block future stuff easily.
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oscar_voss



Joined: 27 Jul 2008
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PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2014 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AASHTO just resolved the open questions above:

-- Loop 20 west of I-35 is conditionally approved (subject to FHWA approval) as Interstate I-69W.

-- That part of Loop 20, and a second part east from I-35 to the current intersection with US 59, is conditionally approved as a relocation of US 59.

-- No mention of a Future Interstate designation for that second part of Loop 20.

-- The bypassed part of US 59, between Loop 20 and downtown Laredo, is unconditionally approved as Business US 59.

It looks like I-69W and US 59 will stop short of the Mexican border, instead ending at the eastern entrance to the World Trade Bridge, at the unnamed at-grade crossing at the bridge entrance (OSM coordinates lat=27.600518&lon=-99.526659, confirmed by satellite imagery), where I had to turn around when I was there in March.


Last edited by oscar_voss on Fri May 30, 2014 5:49 pm; edited 3 times in total
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yakra



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PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2014 3:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks. Added to the Texas queue.
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oscar_voss



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PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

An I-69W shield was just unveiled in Laredo. Nothing in the linked article about related signage changes for US 59 and Business US 59 in Laredo.

http://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=3624.msg2002730#msg2002730
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yakra



Joined: 30 Jul 2008
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 5:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's US59Bus signage in GMSV now. Giving it a thorough look over.
Edit: Still not as much signage as I'd like to see. Nothing definitive.
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yakra



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PostPosted: Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Been thinking about finally adding these changes to the DB.

Looks like the US59 reroute is pretty clear:
oscar_voss wrote:
It looks like I-69W and US 59 will stop short of the Mexican border, instead ending at the eastern entrance to the World Trade Bridge, at the unnamed at-grade crossing at the bridge entrance (OSM coordinates lat=27.600518&lon=-99.526659, confirmed by satellite imagery), where I had to turn around when I was there in March.
So I'll end US59 concurrent with I-69W and TXLp20.

The open question then, for me, is whether US59Bus is simply "The bypassed part of US 59, between Loop 20 and downtown Laredo", or whether it goes north on I-35 to meet its parent route. I'm thinking, simply the former, with a hanging end, but I don't really have any info to go on for this, and am not 100% sure.

Thinking that what I could do here is add US59Bus as just the bypassed segment for now. People who've been down there to clinch the route will probably also have I-35 or US83 marked in their .list files; if US59Bus needs to be extended later on, multiplex detection will take care of marking off the rest for them. They can let us know about the actual extent of US59Bus if need be, and I can still be on the lookout for info on AARoads & wherever else.

What do you think?
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oscar_voss



Joined: 27 Jul 2008
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Location: Arlington VA

PostPosted: Fri Mar 25, 2016 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yakra wrote:

The open question then, for me, is whether US59Bus is simply "The bypassed part of US 59, between Loop 20 and downtown Laredo", or whether it goes north on I-35 to meet its parent route. I'm thinking, simply the former, with a hanging end, but I don't really have any info to go on for this, and am not 100% sure.

Thinking that what I could do here is add US59Bus as just the bypassed segment for now. People who've been down there to clinch the route will probably also have I-35 or US83 marked in their .list files; if US59Bus needs to be extended later on, multiplex detection will take care of marking off the rest for them. They can let us know about the actual extent of US59Bus if need be, and I can still be on the lookout for info on AARoads & wherever else.

What do you think?

IIRC, TxDOT sought approval of US 59 Bus only for the former segment of US 59 between I-35 and Loop 20, without any connection from the west end of the business route back to the new US 59 mainline, via I-35 or otherwise. (I'm trying to dredge up that application.) Nor is there any need to imply a connection, as there is no requirement that business US routes be loops. So I would include only the bypassed old US 59 segment in the new business route.
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yakra



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PostPosted: Fri Mar 25, 2016 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Found the application:
http://ballot.transportation.org/FileDownload.aspx?attachmentType=Item&ID=1183
Looks like you need to register with the site to download the ballot PDFs now. No problems with that; it was simple to do.

The verbal description is poorly worded, but the image pretty clearly shows US59Bus ending at I-35.

I'll make these changes after the TX99 Grand Parkway segment G opens (some time before the end of the month) -- I have some edits to US59 pending, and don't want to cause any conflicts.
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yakra



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PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 12:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://github.com/TravelMapping/HighwayData/pull/496
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