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
Why Austin Needs Loop 45 Completely Around The City
Posted 08-01-2014 at 05:06 AM by case44
The freeway system in and around Austin, Texas, is, for the most part, a good system. There's just one problem: They get so much usage in key areas where a lot of area growth has taken place. East of town, State Highway 130 isn't getting too much traffic, as it is a toll road, but it's also a bypass around Austin's east side. The problem is mainly the west side of Austin.
How are people going from South Austin to Northwest Austin? There are limited choices, and the only two which can be fast are MoPac Expressway (Loop 1) and the Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 360). Now, during rush hours, they're both nightmares. But when there's less traffic, they aren't too bad. Mobility in the far western reaches of the metro area, however, is still an issue, with lots of hills in the area but no freeway coverage. Expansion of U.S. Highway 290 and State Highway 71 to freeway (actually, tollway) standards is in the offing, but Austin does have a loop system circling the northern and eastern circumference. Slight problem, however. In Northwest Austin, that's where a lot of people live, and in a suburb such as Lakeway, which is just west of the Northwest Austin area, those residents have only one way of access. That road would be RM 620. Not good enough.
So, what about State Loop 45? Austin's loop system is of the outer loop variety, consisting of Loop 45 and State Highway 130.
Once upon a time, there were plans to extend Loop 45 past its current western terminus at U.S. Highway 183. Well, a bunch of environmentalist wackos decided to kill the plan, saying it would hurt the Edwards Aquifer, which is an underground water supply for a large part of Central and South Texas. Even without the wackos, there are a few other folks in Austin that are just simply anti-freeway. As a consequence of the segment being shot down, some developers have already built commercial development where Loop 45 would have gone in.
Loop 45 is badly needed, folks. It needs to go all the way around Austin, and people in the western suburbs need additional mobility. Although any plans and routings for the stretch between U.S. 183 and MoPac Expressway down south will be challenging with all those hills, you've got to have a plan in place to carry people between those areas. And having traveled in Lakeway and Northwest Austin, they needed this loop ten years ago. And this loop isn't going to hurt anything; besides, there are other roads that exist there, too. Nonetheless, it is time to consider finishing Loop 45 around the western circumference of Austin, Texas. It is way past time.
Road proponents, please take heart. Write to TXDOT. Write to your congressman. Tell him (Heck, tell 'em all) that we need this road to go in. If it isn't built, the consequence will be more congestion on area roads. Capital of Texas Highway cannot be expanded any further and it will be difficult to transform it into a full freeway. And all they're doing with MoPac is adding a transit lane in each direction. Just a band-aid, in my book.
Let's finish Loop 45, Austin. ... Right now. ... You need this.
How are people going from South Austin to Northwest Austin? There are limited choices, and the only two which can be fast are MoPac Expressway (Loop 1) and the Capital of Texas Highway (Loop 360). Now, during rush hours, they're both nightmares. But when there's less traffic, they aren't too bad. Mobility in the far western reaches of the metro area, however, is still an issue, with lots of hills in the area but no freeway coverage. Expansion of U.S. Highway 290 and State Highway 71 to freeway (actually, tollway) standards is in the offing, but Austin does have a loop system circling the northern and eastern circumference. Slight problem, however. In Northwest Austin, that's where a lot of people live, and in a suburb such as Lakeway, which is just west of the Northwest Austin area, those residents have only one way of access. That road would be RM 620. Not good enough.
So, what about State Loop 45? Austin's loop system is of the outer loop variety, consisting of Loop 45 and State Highway 130.
Once upon a time, there were plans to extend Loop 45 past its current western terminus at U.S. Highway 183. Well, a bunch of environmentalist wackos decided to kill the plan, saying it would hurt the Edwards Aquifer, which is an underground water supply for a large part of Central and South Texas. Even without the wackos, there are a few other folks in Austin that are just simply anti-freeway. As a consequence of the segment being shot down, some developers have already built commercial development where Loop 45 would have gone in.
Loop 45 is badly needed, folks. It needs to go all the way around Austin, and people in the western suburbs need additional mobility. Although any plans and routings for the stretch between U.S. 183 and MoPac Expressway down south will be challenging with all those hills, you've got to have a plan in place to carry people between those areas. And having traveled in Lakeway and Northwest Austin, they needed this loop ten years ago. And this loop isn't going to hurt anything; besides, there are other roads that exist there, too. Nonetheless, it is time to consider finishing Loop 45 around the western circumference of Austin, Texas. It is way past time.
Road proponents, please take heart. Write to TXDOT. Write to your congressman. Tell him (Heck, tell 'em all) that we need this road to go in. If it isn't built, the consequence will be more congestion on area roads. Capital of Texas Highway cannot be expanded any further and it will be difficult to transform it into a full freeway. And all they're doing with MoPac is adding a transit lane in each direction. Just a band-aid, in my book.
Let's finish Loop 45, Austin. ... Right now. ... You need this.
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