Interstate 69E

Interstate 69E (I-69E) is a north–south freeway 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-mile (90 km) segment from its southern terminus in Brownsville to the WillacyKenedy county line and a shorter eight-mile (13 km) segment south of Corpus Christi. The route has one auxiliary Interstate route, I-169 in Brownsville.

Interstate 69E marker

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
East 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

Route description

The interchange between I-37 and I-69E (along with US 77) in Corpus Christi

Interstate 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 intersect the eastern terminus of Interstate 2 (I-2) in Harlingen. After leaving the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan area, I-69E temporally ends. Traffic is forced onto US 77 which is a 4-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".[3] 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.[4] Officials held a ceremony on December 5, 2011, to unveil I-69 signs on the Robstown–Corpus Christi section.[5]

The FHWA approved the designation for the East Rio Grande Valley segment on May 24, 2013,[6] and the Texas Transportation Commission followed suit on May 30, 2013.[7] 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.[6] These approvals added over 100 miles (160 km) to the Interstate Highway System in the Rio Grande Valley.[8] The signage was installed in summer 2013.[9]

Currently, the cluster consisting of the recently designated portions of I-69E, I-69C, and I-2 in the 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;[10] funding for the various projects to effect the upgrades was slated to become available after 2015.[11] 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.[12] The entire project is set to be completed in December 2023.[13] An additional bypass is also expected to be constructed around Rivera as well.[14]

The section of I-69E north of Corpus Christi to Victoria is still in the early stages of development. Bypasses are expected to be constructed around both Odem and Refugio. TxDOT will hold open houses in Refugio in late October 2023 in order to receive public feedback on the project.[15]

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[2]kmExit[16]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)
HarlingenCombes 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
Kenedy0.0000.00056Thomas 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
144.643232.780County 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 Christi147.939238.085County 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.
149.253240.199Sharpsburg 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

See also

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. Texas Department of Transportation (2018). "Statewide Planning Map LRS Readout (ArcGIS)". Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  3. "What's Next for I-69 Texas?". Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  4. "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.
  5. 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.
  6. Staff (May 30, 2013). "Interstate 69 Comes to Texarkana and the Valley" (Press release). Alliance for I-69 Texas. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Janes, Jared (July 15, 2013). "Valley's I-69 signage the latest stop along superhighway dream". The Monitor. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  10. Staff (July 13, 2012). "Agency Gives US 77 Upgrades Final Environmental Clearance" (Press release). Alliance for I-69 Texas. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
  11. 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.
  12. "New US 77 mainlanes to open Wednesday around noon, TxDOT says". kiiitv.com. August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  13. "US 77 DRISCOLL BYPASS". Zachry Construction. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  14. Clark, Steve (January 6, 2019). "Expansion of US 77-I69E making progress". MyRGV.com. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  15. Balderrama, Victoria (October 20, 2023). "I-69 overpass project concerns those along US 77". KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  16. Texas Department of Transportation, plans of proposed highway maintenance contract (1.58 GB ZIP file), December 2014
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