Sellanious Caesar Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 Local leaders in northwest Houston are asking the Texas Department of Transportation to seek U.S. 290's designation as a federal interstate highway not only to gain potential federal funds for its expansion but also to improve its visibility as a location for business and industry wanting to locate in Texas. Source: http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/cyfair-news/article/Officials-favoring-upgrade-by-TXDOT-2180292.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 It never occurred to me that the Interstate designation was a marketing tool. I suppose if that doesn't work they can try the usual strategy and rename 290 as a Parkway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 The political party that these two congressmen (mentioned in the article), belong to has been recently promoting less government spending, and removing the federal government out of our lives. "Let the free market work", they are often heard saying. It seems a little hypocritical for these two to be seeking federal funding for anything, much less more federal highway funds.Fat chance of this happening! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intencity77 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 I sorta figured this would eventually happen. U.S. 290 and U.S. 59 both. If U.S. 290 is designated an interstate spur, it would be an odd numbered first digit, such as I-110, I-310, I-510, I-710 or I-910. Los Angeles has alot of their freeways designated as interstate spurs. U.S. 59 will more than likely be designated I-69 in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 The political party that these two congressmen (mentioned in the article), belong to has been recently promoting less government spending, and removing the federal government out of our lives. "Let the free market work", they are often heard saying. It seems a little hypocritical for these two to be seeking federal funding for anything, much less more federal highway funds.Fat chance of this happening!What they are proposing would not change the budget, merely allocate it differently. Would you rather that the money go to some other city or some other state? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Say, if 290 was to become an Interstate, how far would it go? Anything west of Hempstead is at-grade intersections. If (for whatever reason) they wanted to expand the Interstate designation to Brazos County (which is full limited access since 2010), that would mean upgrading between Hempstead and Navasota.Either way, both 290 and 59 are older highways that are super-crowded, which runs kind of counter-intuitive to the original Interstate goals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Say, if 290 was to become an Interstate, how far would it go? Anything west of Hempstead is at-grade intersections. If (for whatever reason) they wanted to expand the Interstate designation to Brazos County (which is full limited access since 2010), that would mean upgrading between Hempstead and Navasota.Either way, both 290 and 59 are older highways that are super-crowded, which runs kind of counter-intuitive to the original Interstate goals.But then, I'm sure this would further sink any hopes for a passenger rail service to be implemented. Not like it ever has a real chance of succeeding anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 If it becomes an interstate, I would hope it would go all the way to Austin, but where after that? Would it stop there like 45 in Dallas? Probably. Any improvement to the 36 exchange would be welcomed in my book.If 59 becomes I 69, would it become that NAFTA super highway or was that scrapped? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister X Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 If 290 becomes an interstate it should be called I-12 or I-14 and it should go from Houston, through or around Austin and connect to 1-10 near Junction, Texas. This way it would make a great alternative route to bypass San Antonio on the way to El Paso, Tucson, Phoenix and L.A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigereye Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) If 290 becomes an interstate it should be called I-12 or I-14 and it should go from Houston, through or around Austin and connect to 1-10 near Junction, Texas. This way it would make a great alternative route to bypass San Antonio on the way to El Paso, Tucson, Phoenix and L.A.How about I-27. It would connect Lubbock, Austin & Houston. It could be even be extended all the way to Denver, connecting the Rockies with the Port of Houston & the Gulf, making it a major shipping route. Edited October 4, 2011 by tigereye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister X Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 How about I-27. It would connect Lubbock, Austin & Houston. It could be even be extended all the way to Denver, connecting the Rockies with the Port of Houston & the Gulf, making it a major shipping route.I'd be o.k. with that too. Houston got short changed back when the interstate system was developed. I-69 should have been built back in the 1960's and an interstate connecting Houston and Austin (what ever number they give it) should have been built decades ago. I sure hope that this is finally the beginning of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 If it becomes an interstate, I would hope it would go all the way to Austin, but where after that? Would it stop there like 45 in Dallas? Probably. Any improvement to the 36 exchange would be welcomed in my book.If 59 becomes I 69, would it become that NAFTA super highway or was that scrapped?IIRC, the whole super-highway idea was scrapped but 59 would get upgrades and bypasses to be Interstate quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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