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Interstate 69E

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Interstate 69E marker
Interstate 69E
Map
Open segments of I-69E highlighted in red; proposed segments highlighted in pink
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-69
Maintained by TxDOT
ExistedDecember 5, 2011 (2011-12-05) (as I-69)–present
NHSEntire route
Eastern Lower Rio Grande Valley segment
Length56.894 mi[1][2] (91.562 km)
South end US 77 / US 83 in Brownsville
Major intersections I-169 / SH 550 Toll in Olmito
I-2 / US 83 in Harlingen
North end US 77 near Raymondville
Corpus Christi area segment
Length24.106 mi (38.795 km)
South end US 77 / FM 1356 in Kingsville
North end I-37 / US 77 in Corpus Christi
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesCameron, Willacy;Kleberg,Nueces
Highway system
I-69C I-69W

Interstate 69E (I-69E[a]) is a north–south Interstate Highway running through South Texas. Once complete, the freeway will begin in Brownsville and head northward before terminating near Victoria as both I-69W and I-69E merge into I-69 toward Houston. For its entire length, I-69E runs concurrently with U.S. Highway 77 (US 77). The route currently exists in two segments: a 56.894-mile (91.562 km) segment from its southern terminus in Brownsville to the WillacyKenedy county line and a shorter 24.106-mile (38.795 km) segment south of Corpus Christi. The route has one auxiliary Interstate route, I-169 in Brownsville.

Route description

[edit]
The interchange between I-37 and US 77 (Future I-69E corridor) in Corpus Christi in 2005

I-69E begins at an at-grade intersection just north of the Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates in Brownsville. I-69E has a concurrency with US 77. I-69E intersects the eastern terminus of I-2 in Harlingen. After leaving Brownsville–Matamoros, I-69E temporarily ends and becomes US 77, a four-lane expressway. Another piece of I-69E picks up in Kingsville. I-69E passes through Bishop, Driscoll, and Robstown before terminating at a freeway-to-freeway style interchange with I-37 west of Corpus Christi.

History

[edit]

A stated goal of the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) I-69 initiative is that "existing suitable freeway sections of the proposed system be designated as I-69 as soon as possible".[4] A bill was introduced and passed by the House of Representatives that allows Interstate quality sections of US 59, US 77, and US 281 to be signed as I-69 regardless of whether or not they connected to other Interstate Highways.

TxDOT submitted an application to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to designate 75 miles (121 km) of US 59 in Greater Houston and eight miles (13 km) of US 77 near Corpus Christi as I-69, as these sections are already built to Interstate Highway standards and connect to other Interstate Highways. In August 2011, TxDOT received approval from the FHWA for a six-mile (9.7 km) segment of US 77 between I-37 and State Highway 44 (SH 44) near Corpus Christi and was approved by AASHTO in October 2011.[5] Officials held a ceremony on December 5, 2011, to unveil I-69 signs on the Robstown–Corpus Christi section.[6]

The FHWA approved the designation for the eastern Lower Rio Grande Valley segment on May 24, 2013,[7] and the Texas Transportation Commission followed suit on May 30, 2013.[8] This action finalized the designations of not only I-69E but also of the sections of I-69C from Pharr north to the end of the US 281 freeway facility near Edinburg, and also I-2, which is a 46.8-mile (75.3 km) freeway that runs from Peñitas to Harlingen and connects with I-69C and I-69E.[7] These approvals added over 100 miles (160 km) to the Interstate Highway System in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.[9] The signage was installed in mid-2013.[10]

Currently, the cluster consisting of the recently designated portions of I-69E, I-69C, and I-2 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley is not connected to the national Interstate network. This situation is slated to be remedied by scheduled projects to complete I-69E along US 77 between Raymondville and Robstown the southern end of the previously signed portion of the I-69 corridor connecting with I-37 west of Corpus Christi. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval for the upgrade of the US 77 alignment to Interstate standards, including bypasses of the towns along the 91-mile (146 km) routing, was obtained through a finding of no significant impact statement issued on July 13, 2012.[11]

During its 2019 Annual Meeting in October 2019, AASHTO approved an extension of the I-69E designation along US 77 from Farm to Market Road 892 (FM 892) to FM 2826 in Nueces County. The 3.3-mile (5.3 km) extension completes I-69E from I-37 in Calallen to the north end of the Driscoll Bypass. The northbound lanes of the Driscoll Bypass opened in 2021 while the southbound lanes opened on August 16, 2023.[12] The entire project is set to be completed in December 2023.[13][needs update] An additional bypass is also expected to be constructed around Rivera as well.[14] This project received $177.7 million in funding in August 2023 and construction will begin 2027.[15] Most of the projects between Raymondville and Rivera are not funded but still planned.[16] A project to make upgrades near Norias had an official groundbreaking on July 31, 2024; this project is expected to be completed in three to four years.[17]

The section of I-69E north of Corpus Christi to Victoria is still in the early stages of development. Currently, plans have been released for I-69E to be built through Odem and then bypass Sinton; further north, it will be built through Woodsboro and then bypass Refugio. The Odem project has received partial funding while the others have received full funding.[15] No other upgrade plans have been released.[16] TxDOT held open houses in Refugio in late October 2023 in order to receive public feedback on the project.[18]

Exit list

[edit]
CountyLocationmi[2]kmExit[19]DestinationsNotes
CameronBrownsville0.0000.000To Veterans International BridgeBridge over the Rio Grande to Mexico; south end of US 77/US 83 concurrency
Brownsville Veterans Port of Entry
0.2100.338University Boulevard / East AvenueTraffic controlled level intersection
Southern end of the freeway
0.3210.5170Polk StreetSouthbound exit only
0.607–
1.491
0.977–
2.400
1A SH 4 (International Boulevard) – International Airport, Gateway International Bridge
1.727–
1.780
2.779–
2.865
1B12th Street / 14th StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
2.3223.7371C6th StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
1.989–
3.328
3.201–
5.356
2 SH 48 (Boca Chica Boulevard) – Airport
2.594–
4.440
4.175–
7.145
3Price Road / Old Alice Road
3.597–
5.702
5.789–
9.176
4

Bus. US 77 south / FM 802 (Ruben M. Torres Sr. Boulevard)
To Brownsville Baptist Medical Center
4.450–
6.472
7.162–
10.416
5Pablo Kisel Boulevard / Morrison Road
5.854–
7.022
9.421–
11.301
6 FM 3248 (Alton Gloor Boulevard)To Valley Regional Medical Center
7.193–
7.913
11.576–
12.735
7Stillman Road / Old Alice Road
8.233–
8.988
13.250–
14.465
8Merryman Road
9.083–
9.843
14.618–
15.841
9 FM 1732 – Olmito
9.962–
11.032
16.032–
17.754
10A
SH 550 to FM 511 – Port of Brownsville
10.725–
10.857
17.260–
17.473
10B

I-169 south / SH 550 Toll east – Port of Brownsville
Southbound exit and northbound entrance; signed as exit 10 southbound
11.177–
12.304
17.988–
19.801
11 FM 803 – Rancho Viejo
12.502–
13.356
20.120–
21.494
12Carmen Avenue
13.525–
14.273
21.766–
22.970
13Roberta Road
14.629–
15.395
23.543–
24.776
14 SH 100 / FM 1421 – South Padre Island
15.761–
17.254
25.365–
27.768
16Frontage Road
16.400–
17.254
26.393–
27.768
Parking Area
16.400–
17.151
26.393–
27.602
17

Bus. US 77 north / FM 732 – San Benito
Northbound exit and southbound entrance
San Benito17.953–
18.748
28.893–
30.172
18 FM 510 / FM 732 – San Benito
18.964–
20.708
30.520–
33.326
19AMcCulloch StreetNo direct southbound exit (signed at exit 19B)
19.532–
20.512
31.434–
33.011
19B SH 345 (Sam Houston Boulevard north) / FM 2520 (Sam Houston Boulevard south) / Ratliff StreetRatliff Street signed at exit 21 southbound
20.512–
21.844
33.011–
35.155
21 Spur 486 (Williams Road) / Ratliff Street
21.973–
22.724
35.362–
36.571
22 FM 509 (Paso Real Highway)
Harlingen22.887–
23.903
36.833–
38.468
23A

Loop 499 east (Ed Carey Drive) / FM 801 west – Airport
To Valley Baptist Medical Center; signed as exit 23 northbound
24.194–
24.805
38.936–
39.920
23BNew Hampshire StreetNo direct northbound exit (signed at exit 23A)
24.191–
25.732
38.932–
41.412
24 FM 1479 (Rangerville Road) / F Street
25.20240.55925M StreetNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
25.756–
25.791
41.450–
41.507
26ALincoln AvenueNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
26.178–
27.277
42.129–
43.898
26B

I-2 west / US 83 west – McAllen


Bus. US 83 begins
Eastern terminus of westbound Bus. US 83; north end of US 83 overlap; south end of northbound Bus. US 83 overlap; I-2 exit 176; eastern terminus of I-2
26.348–
26.975
42.403–
43.412
26C

Bus. US 83 west (Harrison Avenue) / Tyler Avenue (Spur 206 east) – Downtown
Eastern terminus of eastbound Bus. US 83; north end of northbound Bus. US 83 concurrency; Bus. US 83 not signed southbound
27.441–
27.636
44.162–
44.476
27
Spur 54 west / Fairpark Boulevard east


Bus. US 83 ends
No direct northbound exit (signed at exit 26C)
27.754–
28.709
44.666–
46.203
28 FM 2994 (Wilson Road)
HarlingenCombes line28.981–
29.826
46.640–
48.000
29A
Bus. US 77 / Loop 499 (Primera Road)
Signed as exit 29 southbound
29.56247.57529B

Bus. US 77 north
Northbound exit only
Combes30.392–
31.187
48.911–
50.191
30 SH 107 / FM 508 – Santa Rosa, Rio Hondo
32.337–
33.165
52.041–
53.374
32

Bus. US 77 south
34.447–
35.224
55.437–
56.688
34Orphanage Road / V Road
36.732–
37.689
59.114–
60.655
36

Bus. US 77 north – Sebastian
WillacySebastian38.033–
38.785
61.208–
62.418
38

Spur 413 west / FM 2629 east
39.007–
39.853
62.776–
64.137
39 FM 1018
41.86467.37442A FM 498 (Parker Road)No direct southbound exit (signed at exit 42B)
Lyford42.556–
43.589
68.487–
70.150
42B Spur 112 (Broadway Street)
44.150–
45.251
71.053–
72.824
44 Spur 56
45.617–
46.385
73.413–
74.649
45 FM 490
Raymondville46.729–
47.584
75.203–
76.579
47 FM 3168
47.793–
48.654
76.915–
78.301
48 SH 186 – Raymondville, Port Mansfield
49.32479.37949 FM 1762 / Conley RoadNo direct northbound exit (signed at exit 51)
51.011
51.711
82.094
83.221
51

Bus. US 77 south – Raymondville
Mileposts at northern end of the exit reflect US 77
52.669–
53.157
84.763–
85.548
52Frontage RoadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
0.0000.00054Yturria County Road, H Yturria, La Chata North Gate
WillacyKenedy
county line
0.0000.00056Thomas Ranch Road, H Yturria, Punta Del Monte
Gap in route, connection made via US 77
Kenedy99SaritaProposed
KlebergRiviera102

Bus. US 77 north
Proposed
105
FM 771 east – Riviera Beach
Proposed
107A

Bus. US 77 south
Proposed
Riviera107B
SH 285 west – Falfurrias
Proposed; Not in Riviera Bypass
108
RM 628 east – Loyola Beach
Proposed
112 FM 772Proposed
Ricardo114
FM 1118 east
Proposed
Kingsville116

Bus. US 77 north
Interchange under construction
118
FM 1717 east
Interchange under construction
119 FM 1356 (General Cavazos Boulevard)No northbound entrance; access to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital
120A FM 425 (Senator Carlos Truan Boulevard) / Caesar Avenue
120B SH 141 (King Avenue) / Kenedy Avenue / Caesar Avenue
122 FM 1898 (Corral Avenue) / FM 2045 (Santa Gertudis Avenue)
123Sage RoadSouthbound exit only
124Embarque
Nueces125County Road 4Northbound exit and southbound entrance
Bishop126 FM 257 – BishopOpened 2023
127 FM 70 – Chapman Ranch, Agua DulceOpened 2023
129
Bus. US 77 / County Road 10
Opened 2018
130 FM 3354 / County Road 12 – Bishop AirportOpened 2021
132
Bus. US 77 – Driscoll
Northbound exit and southbound entrance; opened 2023
Driscoll134 FM 665Opened 2023
136
Bus. US 77 – Driscoll
Southbound exit and northbound entrance; opened 2023
La Paloma-Lost Creek429.902–
431.957
691.860–
695.167
138 FM 2826
Robstown428.606
141.578
689.774
227.848
140County Road 36Southbound exit and northbound entrance; mileposts at the southern end of the exit reflect US 77
142.693229.642141 FM 892No direct northbound exit (signed at exit 140)
142.097–
143.986
228.683–
231.723
142 (EB) 143 (WB) SH 44 – Robstown, Corpus Christi, AliceSplit into east and west exits northbound
144.643232.780144County Road 44Northbound exit and southbound entrance
146.729–
147.360
236.137–
237.153
147



Bus. US 77 south to SH 44 west / County Road 48 – Robstown, Alice
Corpus Christi147.939238.085148ACounty Road 52No direct northbound exit (signed at exit 148B)
148.429–
148.532
238.873–
239.039
148B FM 624 (Northwest Boulevard) / Leopard StreetTo Corpus Christi Medical Center-Northwest; southbound exit and northbound entrance only
148.663–
148.811
239.250–
239.488
149A
I-37 south – Corpus Christi
Exit 14A on I-37 northbound.
149.253240.199149BSharpsburg RoadNorthbound exit only
149.387240.415149C

I-37 north / US 77 north – San Antonio, Victoria
Continues north as I-37/US 77; exit 14 on I-37 southbound.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

[edit]


Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Some sources use "IH-69E", as "IH" is an abbreviation used by TxDOT for Interstate Highways.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Interstate Highway No. 69-E". Highway Designation Files. Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Texas Department of Transportation (2018). "Statewide Planning Map LRS Readout (ArcGIS)". Archived from the original on September 7, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  3. ^ Transportation Planning and Programming Division (n.d.). "Highway Designations Glossary". Texas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "What's Next for I-69 Texas?". Texas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on August 21, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  5. ^ "Portion of US 77 Approved as Part of U.S. Interstate System" (Press release). Texas Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on November 2, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  6. ^ Clark, Steve (October 30, 2011). "First I-69 signs going up on U.S. 77 in December". Brownsville Herald. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  7. ^ a b Staff (May 30, 2013). "Interstate 69 Comes to Texarkana and the Valley" (Press release). Alliance for I-69 Texas. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  8. ^ Nino, Mark (May 31, 2013). "Texas Transportation Commission Approves Interstate 69 System". Brownsville, TX: KVEO-TV. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  9. ^ Taylor, Steve (May 30, 2013). "Over 100 Miles of Valley Highways To Be Designated Interstate". Rio Grande Guardian. McAllen, TX. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  10. ^ Janes, Jared (July 15, 2013). "Valley's I-69 signage the latest stop along superhighway dream". The Monitor. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  11. ^ Staff (July 13, 2012). "Agency Gives US 77 Upgrades Final Environmental Clearance" (Press release). Alliance for I-69 Texas. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  12. ^ "New US 77 mainlanes to open Wednesday around noon, TxDOT says". kiiitv.com. August 16, 2023. Archived from the original on August 26, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "US 77 DRISCOLL BYPASS". Zachry Construction. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  14. ^ Clark, Steve (January 6, 2019). "Expansion of US 77-I69E making progress". MyRGV.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  15. ^ a b "TxDOT's Refugio Relief Route receives $463.7 million from state". STexasNews.com. August 17, 2023. Archived from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "I-69 System Status Tabloids" (PDF). txdot.com. TXDOT. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  17. ^ Reyes, Erika De Los (July 27, 2024). "TxDOT to break ground on $300M US 77 construction". MyRGV.com. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  18. ^ Balderrama, Victoria (October 20, 2023). "I-69 overpass project concerns those along US 77". KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi. Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  19. ^ Texas Department of Transportation, plans of proposed highway maintenance contract[permanent dead link] (1.58 GB ZIP file), December 2014
[edit]
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