Interstate 69E

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Interstate 69E

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
Length7.672 mi (12.347 km)
South end US 77 / FM 2826 in La Paloma-Lost Creek
North end I-37 / US 77 in Corpus Christi
Location
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesCameron, Willacy; 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 Willacy–Kenedy county line and a shorter 7.672-mile (12.347 km) segment south of Corpus Christi. The route has one auxiliary Interstate route, I-169 in Brownsville.

Route description

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 just north of Driscoll. I-69E passes through Robstown before terminating at a freeway-to-freeway style interchange with I-37 east of Corpus Christi.

History

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] funding for the various projects to effect the upgrades was slated to become available after 2015.[12] 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.[13] The entire project is set to be completed in December 2023.[14][needs update] An additional bypass is also expected to be constructed around Rivera as well.[15] This project received $177.7 million in funding in August 2023 and construction will begin 2027.[16] Most of the projects between Raymondville and Rivera are not funded but still planned.[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.[16] No other upgrade plans have been released.[17] TxDOT held open houses in Refugio in late October 2023 in order to receive public feedback on the project.[18]

Exit list

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
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
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		No direct northbound exit (signed at exit 26C)
27.754–
28.709		44.666–
46.203		28 FM 2994 (Wilson Road)
Harlingen–Combes 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
Kenedy​0.0000.00056Thomas Ranch Road, H Yturria, Punta Del MonteOn the Kenedy-Willacy county line
Gap in route, connection made via US 77
​SaritaProposed
KlebergRiviera

 Bus. US 77 north		Proposed

 FM 771 east – Riviera Beach		Proposed


 Bus. US 77 south		Proposed
​
 SH 285 west – Falfurrias		Proposed
​
 RM 628 east – Loyola Beach		Proposed
​ FM 772Proposed
Ricardo
 FM 1118 east		Proposed
Kingsville

 Bus. US 77 north		Interchange under construction

 FM 1717 east		Interchange under construction
FM 1356 (General Cavazos Boulevard)Future interchange; no northbound entrance; access to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital
FM 425 (Senator Carlos Truan Boulevard) / Caesar AvenueFuture interchange
SH 141 (King Avenue) / Kenedy Avenue / Caesar AvenueFuture interchange
FM 1898 (Corral Avenue) / FM 2045 (Santa Gertudis Avenue)Future interchange
​Sage RoadFuture interchange; southbound exit only
​EmbarqueFuture interchange
NuecesBishop FM 257 / FM 70 – Bishop, Chapman Ranch, Agua DulceFuture interchange
​
 Bus. US 77 / County Road 10		Future interchange
​ FM 3354 / County Road 12 – Bishop AirportFuture interchange
​
 Bus. US 77 – Driscoll		northbound exit and southbound entrance; opened 2023
Driscoll FM 665opened 2023
​
 Bus. US 77 – Driscoll		southbound exit and northbound entrance; opened 2023
La Paloma-Lost Creek430.8693.3— FM 2826
Robstown428.606
141.578		689.774
227.848		—County Road 36Southbound exit and northbound entrance; mileposts at the southern end of the exit reflect US 77
142.693229.642— FM 892No direct northbound exit (signed at County Road 36)
142.097–
143.986		228.683–
231.723		— SH 44 – Robstown, Corpus Christi, AliceSplit into east and west exits northbound
144.643232.780—County Road 44Northbound exit and southbound entrance
​146.729–
147.360		236.137–
237.153		—



 Bus. US 77 south to SH 44 west / County Road 48 – Robstown, Alice
Corpus Christi147.939238.085—County Road 52No direct northbound exit (signed at FM 624)
148.429–
148.532		238.873–
239.039		— 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		—
 I-37 south – Corpus Christi		Exit 14A on I-37 northbound.
149.253240.199—Sharpsburg RoadNorthbound exit only
149.387240.415

 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

Notes

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

References

  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. ^ Clark, Steve (August 8, 2011). "Interstate Link to Valley Moves Closer to Reality, Official Says". Brownsville Herald. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  13. ^ "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 2023-08-26.
  14. ^ "US 77 DRISCOLL BYPASS". Zachry Construction. Archived from the original on July 7, 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  15. ^ Clark, Steve (6 January 2019). "Expansion of US 77-I69E making progress". MyRGV.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  16. ^ a b "TxDOT's Refugio Relief Route receives $463.7 million from state". STexasNews.com. 17 August 2023. Archived from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  17. ^ a b "I-69 System Status Tabloids" (PDF). txdot.com. TXDOT. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  18. ^ Balderrama, Victoria (20 October 2023). "I-69 overpass project concerns those along US 77". KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi. Archived from the original on October 22, 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  19. ^ Texas Department of Transportation, plans of proposed highway maintenance contract[permanent dead link] (1.58 GB ZIP file), December 2014

External links

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