Welcome To Case's Column
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.
In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
Let me say a big welcome to all of you for joining me here. I'm going to call these blog meetings Case's Column. I wanted to use "Corner", but that was already taken.
Since 2008, it's been a real privilege to come on here and share some of my life with you, and it's a big world where we live.In these blogs, I'll just speak whatever is on my mind, but we will be playing within the rules here. I may pick a particular topic, point out an event, or shoot the breeze. I'm a little bit of an essayist at times, so I'll just speak what's on my mind, and I might tell a story or two. Or, I might spew out an opinion or three. There will be some serious moments, some tender, some poignant, but there will also be those moments that you'll just bust out laughing. But, hopefully, everything will be in good fun here. And, of course, there's a place below for your comments and thoughts as we go along here. So feel free to join me for the ride -- I sure as heck hope I'm doing this right and not making any mistakes.
Thanks for taking your time in reading Case's Column. Hopefully, you'll enjoy being entertained by it as much as I've enjoyed putting these writings together. And thanks for the time you spend in City-Data.com, where it's great to be alive!
Regards,
case44
I-69 Update: The Push For The Corpus Connector
It was announced yesterday that a bill is being initiated to get Texas' State Highway 44 to become part of the Interstate 69 network in Texas. Even after the bill passes, Highway 44's conversion to interstate standards would have to be put on the back-burner for the time being, as other projects have to take a little more priority. When it does become complete, it's going to provide a fast, efficient route to move goods (and, perhaps, tourists) from Laredo to Corpus Christi and vice versa.
There's still some unfinished business on the part of the FHWA. We are still waiting for official designation of U.S. Highway 59 inside of the Houston I-610 Loop to I-69. We're also still waiting for a decision on the Laredo-to-Victoria segment to officially be called I-69W. Not sure what's really taking so long, and you'd have thought that the Houston decision should have already happened by now, given that it's been a year or more since two other segments had gotten their designations. I'm also anxiously (impatiently?) awaiting news on some new segments to finally get some upgrading and new construction commencing. When I hear something, as you know, I'll bring that news to you.
As for State Highway 44 in South Texas, it will be interesting to see what its eventual number would be as an interstate spur from Freer (at the possible future I-69W) into Corpus Christi at State Highway 358. Being that it's an east-to-west route, I would not expect the road to be given a designation with I-X69. More than likely, I would suggest a play off of Interstate 2 in the Rio Grande Valley, the east-west corridor some 120 miles to the south. They can't really use I-6 (which would be the only non-spur number between 2 and 10 that's available), but what they could use is a number like 302, 502, 702, or 902 (102 could also work, but drivers might confuse it with I-10, just 140 miles to the north). Maybe the powers that be would read this blog. I predicted 369 for Northeast Texas and ended up right. We'll know something in the year to come. Should be interesting.
) from Laredo to Corpus Christi and vice versa.There's still some unfinished business on the part of the FHWA. We are still waiting for official designation of U.S. Highway 59 inside of the Houston I-610 Loop to I-69. We're also still waiting for a decision on the Laredo-to-Victoria segment to officially be called I-69W. Not sure what's really taking so long, and you'd have thought that the Houston decision should have already happened by now, given that it's been a year or more since two other segments had gotten their designations. I'm also anxiously (impatiently?
) awaiting news on some new segments to finally get some upgrading and new construction commencing. When I hear something, as you know, I'll bring that news to you.As for State Highway 44 in South Texas, it will be interesting to see what its eventual number would be as an interstate spur from Freer (at the possible future I-69W) into Corpus Christi at State Highway 358. Being that it's an east-to-west route, I would not expect the road to be given a designation with I-X69. More than likely, I would suggest a play off of Interstate 2 in the Rio Grande Valley, the east-west corridor some 120 miles to the south. They can't really use I-6 (which would be the only non-spur number between 2 and 10 that's available), but what they could use is a number like 302, 502, 702, or 902 (102 could also work, but drivers might confuse it with I-10
, just 140 miles to the north). Maybe the powers that be would read this blog. I predicted 369 for Northeast Texas and ended up right. We'll know something in the year to come. Should be interesting.Total Comments 3
Comments
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In other I-69 news, the new interchange on I-69E at Sarita in Kenedy County should be nearing completion. Construction was going on when I took my trip to Padre last fall, so a lot of progress had to have been made up to now. Still, however, much upgrading needs to be a go on both sides of it.
And hopefully by now, most of the roadside assurance markers for Interstates 69E, 69C, and 2 should be erected by now. They were not up during my Padre trip, so they ought to be by this point.Posted 05-03-2014 at 07:08 AM by case44
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The number I would give the Corpus connector? I'd give it I-502.
Just stay tuned, okay?Posted 05-03-2014 at 07:21 AM by case44
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Boy, you've sure kept up on your roadways, Case. Do keep us posted. The Texas landscape is changing so much that we can't even keep up.Posted 05-03-2014 at 11:02 AM by malfunction
