Trans-Texas Corridor moves to U.S. 59

06/11/2008

By ASHLEY RICHARDS, LAREDO MORNING TIMES

The study scope for the Trans-Texas Corridor/Interstate 69 route thatonce encompassed nearly all of Laredo has been narrowed to include only existing highways, primarily U.S. 59, the Texas Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.

"Any corridor or any alternate that was not following an existing highway will in essence be set aside and will not move forward," said TxDOT Executive Director Amadeo Saenz in an advanced announcement made Tuesday during a phone conference with reporters. "We've shrunk the study area to the existing facilities."

The announcement applies only to the corridor associated with the nation's I-69 superhighway plan, not any expansion of Interstate 35,

which will be addressed in a separate environmental impact study, Saenz said.

Once the EIS is complete for existing highways that will make up the corridor, which Saenz said will be by the end of 2008 or early 2009,

further environmental studies will be conducted for expanding the highways, which is expected to take an additional two to three years.

Existing lanes on U.S. 59 and other highways included in the route will remain non-tolled lanes, Saenz said, whereas newly built vehicular lanes will be tolled.

The superhighway could fork off of U.S. 59 to connect with the Valley and Corpus Christi by way of U.S. 281 and U.S. 77.

In Laredo, Saenz said Loop 20 and the outer loop project will likely be developed to connect I-69 with international bridges.

Specifics regarding what areas of U.S. 59 will be expanded, how many lanes will be added and whether rail will be part of the corridor will be determined during the second tier of study.

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