Mayor: I-69 likely to skirt around Lufkin and Diboll, but be plenty close enough for economic development

June 11, 2008

By ASHLEY COOK, The Lufkin Daily News

The proposed Interstate 69/Trans-Texas Corridor will likely skirt Lufkin, Diboll and Corrigan, leaving U.S. 59 and going northeast toward Nacogdoches, local city officials said Wednesday afternoon after a Texas Department of Transportation press conference.

There is no set plan in place for how I-69 will go through the immediate area, although the route will generally follow the existing U.S. 59 path statewide, TxDOT announced late Tuesday.

The idea for the Angelina County area goes back to a "Super S" route plan developed in the 1990s, said Lufkin City Manager Paul Parker.

The route — which Parker emphasized is still a proposal — would locally bypass Diboll and Lufkin, exiting 59 south of Diboll, then wind in an S-shaped path up toward south Nacogdoches. That section would also likely be a toll road, with free access on nearby roads for local residents, according to TxDOT.

"We've kind of come full circle to where the city's efforts have been in the past. This is a positive move," said Parker, the outgoing chairman of the infrastructure portion of Angelina County Vision 2020, a comprehensive civic development planning group of local businesses and governments, including The Lufkin Daily News.

The city must think toward the future, Parker said. The I-69 project would not be completed for years — likely decades — and by then the city could be right on its doorstep, he said. The city would probably work on annexing its way in that direction over the years, he said.

Trey Henderson of Angelina Hardwood, chairman of the economic development portion of Vision 2020, said he was glad to see TxDOT listened to constituents and reverted to the pre-proposed plan.

"From an economic development standpoint the more we can direct traffic in and around Lufkin and Diboll, the better chance we have to get them stop to spend time and money in Angelina County," he said.

One benefit to routing around Lufkin would be lowered truck and heavy traffic through town, making local roads safer, Parker said. It will also be an economic benefit for all of East Texas, in turn helping Lufkin, he said.

TxDOT already owns areas south of Diboll that could take the route in a couple of directions, so it is not clear at this early stage specifically where it would turn around that city, said Diboll City Manager Kenneth Williams.

"That is a worry to go around Diboll," said Diboll Mayor Bill Brown of the possible negative economic impact on his city.

U.S. 59 from Diboll, through Burke and up into Lufkin at Loop 287 would likely remain as it is, including the ongoing upgrades to handle expanding traffic in that area, according to Parker.

"If I had my wish, it would be an elevated highway through town like I-35 in Austin," said Lufkin Mayor Jack Gorden.

Across the state, upgrades to reach the I-69 plan will likely happen in patchwork pieces, as some areas are upgraded due to contractors approaching the state with attractive proposals, according to Parker.

The upgrades to 59 south of Loop 287 are not expected to be a part of I-69, but they will see the city through the foreseeable future's needs, he said.

"I think (59 to Loop 287) will still be very heavily used," Parker said.

Henderson said the upgrade would not have a negative impact on efforts to recruit retirees to the area, or to drawing new businesses.

"I feel confident that we are positioned very well to see some business relocations and expansions in the near future," Henderson said.

The I-69 corridor will add to the area campaign in becoming a Metropolitan Statistical Area, he said.

"I've never been a big believer in the 'If you build it, they will come' theory, but in the case of the TTC 69 corridor I think that concept will be true," Henderson said.

Gorden said he did not see a negative impact economically to Lufkin with the route skirting town. Interstate 20 in Tyler didn't go through its town, but still made a big difference in helping its economy, Gorden said.

"We're not going to quibble over two, three or four miles," he said.

The important thing is the improvement of commerce transportation through the state and East Texas will help economically, he said.

"There's a silent majority here," he said. "A bunch of poor, broke people who need the chance to raise the standard of living."

Gorden is an executive board member of an I-69 group representing cities along the TTC route from South Texas to Texarkana. He is also on a TxDOT local advisory committee that will study and take input on the best way to lay the route through this area. The committee begins work next week with a Wednesday, June 18, meeting in Austin.