Alliance for I-69 gives update

During the latest update for I-69, the Alliance gave no news directly affecting Cass County. In the publication sent out, they noted that there is momentum in 2024 for Unified Transportation Program.

TxDOT’s annual draft Unified Transportation Program (UTP) list of future projects that have been allocated funding is out for public comment. It includes 61 projects on the I-69 System with an estimated combined total cost of $8.6 billion. The Alliance has identified at least 8 new I-69 projects in the 10-year program including freeway upgrades in Livingston, Wharton County, Laredo and Kenedy County. US 77 in Kenedy County now has five projects covering 23 miles that are fully funded and scheduled for contract award in the next couple of years.

These projects will extend existing I-69E northward from the current terminus near the Willacy County line. The statewide UTP includes more than $100 billion in projects and when you add in development costs and excluded routine maintenance projects it comes to $142 billion. The public comment period on the draft UTP runs until August 7th and the Commission vote to adopt is on August 16.

The Alliance Board of Directors will hold its quarterly board meeting via Zoom at 9 a.m. on August 7th.

This year’s Alliance annual meeting will be in Houston on Thursday, Nov. 30th. Transportation Commissioner Alex Meade has accepted their invitation to be the keynote speaker.

The furthest north that was mentioned in the update includes information regarding Nacogdoches.

First, “House and Senate committees are working on federal appropriations bills for the coming year. A House committee has included funding for two future I-69 projects - $3.6 million for the upgrade of US 59 in El Campo and $3 million toward reconstruction of the US 59/US 259 interchange on the north side of Nacogdoches. The first request was made by Congressman Troy Nehls on behalf of the City Development Corp. of El Campo and the second was made by Congressman Pete Sessions on behalf of the City of Nacogdoches. The Alliance assisted local communities in identifying potential projects to put forward for congressional earmarks. More action is needed before this funding is confirmed but the Alliance thanks Congressman Nehls and Congressman Sessions for their willingness to make the requests.

Secondly, in regard to north Nacogdoches, the TxDOT Lufkin District will hold a public meeting on August 3, to inform the public and seek comments on the upcoming project to upgrade a portion of US 59 and rebuild the US 59/US 259 interchange to interstate standards on the north side of Nacogdoches.

Locally, I-69 continues to be a hot topic in Cass County and greater Northeast Texas because of the potential of how it will, directly and indirectly, affect the area. Judge Travis Ransom noted in an article in this week’s paper that images of the Cars Movie come to mind regarding the impact of what happens when a major interstate changes the route. Much in the same way as what happened to Route 66.

Ransom also noted that “Cass County is now ‘at the table’ with three different groups focused on transportation infrastructure. We are a member of the Alliance for I-69, the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NETRMA), and most recently joined as a voting member of TEX-21.” The goal is to have a voice in what happens in the future regarding the route I-69 will take.

“Interstate 69 is an Interstate Highway that is in the process of being built in the US state of Texas. It is part of a longer I-69 extension known as the NAFTA superhighway, that, when completed, will connect Canada to Mexico. In Texas, it will connect Tenaha and the Louisiana segment of the route through the eastern part of the state and along the Texas Gulf Coast to Victoria, where it will split into three branches: I-69E to Brownsville, I-69C to Pharr, and I-69W to Laredo.” – Wikipedia The Route through our area at this point is unknown. Reinforcing the need to be directly part of the process.