Interstate 69 System in Texas
As part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, the I-69 System is being developed through a series of incremental upgrades and relief route projects to bring highways up to interstate standards. The process to update highways to interstate standards will be a decades-long process. When completed, the I-69 system will extend through Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan providing a new continuous interstate corridor connecting Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Project description
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is developing the I-69 System in Texas through a series of small, local-level projects. The project development activities including: planning, roadway design, environmental clearance, right of way acquisition, utility adjustments and construction are occurring at various locations throughout the system.
In Texas, the I-69 system will extend along the following highways:
- U.S. Highway (US) 59 from I-30 in Texarkana to Laredo
- US 84 from the Louisiana border to US 59 in Timpson
- US 77 from US 59 in Victoria to Brownsville
- US 281 from US 59 in George West to I-2 in Pharr
- State Highway (SH) 550 (formerly Farm to Market Road [FM] 511) from I-69E to SH 48 at the Port of Brownsville
- SH 44 from US 59 in Freer to SH 358 in Corpus Christi
Currently, over 172 miles of the I-69 system have been designated and signed as an interstate highway. Once the highway sections have been upgraded to interstate standards, TxDOT will request interstate highway designation from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
At this time, there is no dedicated funding to construct the I-69 system in its entirety.