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
And I'm Kicking Myself Now Because....
....I did not write several congressmen in Central and Southeast Texas early enough to initiate a plan for an interstate corridor through East and North Austin. My original idea was for Interstate 14 to go from Lubbock to Abilene to Austin to Houston. Such an undertaking would have easily given Austin a legit east-to-west interstate to move goods from the Gulf Coast to the Permian Basin and the Texas Panhandle.
Well, that hasn't happened, but I-14 will come about after all............about 60 miles north of Austin.
As I've discussed previously in Case's Column, I-14 will be the latest new entry in Texas' growing interstate network, with an alignment along U.S. Highway 190 from Belton through Killeen and temporarily terminating at Copperas Cove. The Bryan-College Station area, San Angelo, and possibly Midland will likely face some inclusion on the route in association with the new FAST Act, with the planned route that would eventually connect military installations from El Paso clear through to Jaaaw-juh. Meanwhile, Austin proper still has only one interstate.
Sorry, folks, but I blew it. I wished I'd had the I-14 plan in place before those Georgia and Alabama folks did. The good news is, new towns and cities will be added to what is already the largest number of interstate highway mileage of any state in the Union. Guess I'll have to still come up with a new plan.
What are the scenarios? Well, if I-14 utilizes U.S. 190 for the entire journey through Texas, then a spur route could be used to San Angelo. But then what? What about Midland-Odessa? What about connecting Abilene, which has a good north-south freeway on that city's west side that could easily be upgraded to interstate grade? There is also talk of using a spur southwestward from near Brady and running I-14 along U.S. 87 through San Angelo, eventually concurrent with a possible future I-27 to a point near Sterling City, where I-27 would continue to Big Spring and Lubbock and I-14 on a new route to about Midland, where it would connect with I-20.
Now, what does that leave Austin and Houston, still Texas' largest two cities not connected with a single interstate??
You've got expressway miles now in North and East Austin. U.S. 290 and U.S. 183 can become designated after new freeway miles can be added between Leander and possibly Lampasas, where it could meet I-14, and eastward in new alignments through Manor and Elgin all the way to Brenham, and then 290 could easily be upgraded from the current Texas 36 curve eastward to Hempstead on its present footprint. Some modifications might have to be done at the 290/183 interchange in Austin, where ramps affecting traffic on the two roads would need an additional lane for continuous traffic.
And to think what should have happened in North Austin had I taken initiative earlier? Perhaps I could still write to those congressmen, as, sooner or later, a corridor will be needed to connect West Texans with the Hill Country and the Gulf Coast. It really doesn't have to be too late, but it's certainly long overdue.
Well, that hasn't happened, but I-14 will come about after all............about 60 miles north of Austin.
As I've discussed previously in Case's Column, I-14 will be the latest new entry in Texas' growing interstate network, with an alignment along U.S. Highway 190 from Belton through Killeen and temporarily terminating at Copperas Cove. The Bryan-College Station area, San Angelo, and possibly Midland will likely face some inclusion on the route in association with the new FAST Act, with the planned route that would eventually connect military installations from El Paso clear through to Jaaaw-juh. Meanwhile, Austin proper still has only one interstate. Sorry, folks, but I blew it. I wished I'd had the I-14 plan in place before those Georgia and Alabama folks did. The good news is, new towns and cities will be added to what is already the largest number of interstate highway mileage of any state in the Union. Guess I'll have to still come up with a new plan.
What are the scenarios? Well, if I-14 utilizes U.S. 190 for the entire journey through Texas, then a spur route could be used to San Angelo. But then what? What about Midland-Odessa? What about connecting Abilene, which has a good north-south freeway on that city's west side that could easily be upgraded to interstate grade? There is also talk of using a spur southwestward from near Brady and running I-14 along U.S. 87 through San Angelo, eventually concurrent with a possible future I-27 to a point near Sterling City, where I-27 would continue to Big Spring and Lubbock and I-14 on a new route to about Midland, where it would connect with I-20.
Now, what does that leave Austin and Houston, still Texas' largest two cities not connected with a single interstate??
You've got expressway miles now in North and East Austin. U.S. 290 and U.S. 183 can become designated after new freeway miles can be added between Leander and possibly Lampasas, where it could meet I-14, and eastward in new alignments through Manor and Elgin all the way to Brenham, and then 290 could easily be upgraded from the current Texas 36 curve eastward to Hempstead on its present footprint. Some modifications might have to be done at the 290/183 interchange in Austin, where ramps affecting traffic on the two roads would need an additional lane for continuous traffic. And to think what should have happened in North Austin had I taken initiative earlier? Perhaps I could still write to those congressmen, as, sooner or later, a corridor will be needed to connect West Texans with the Hill Country and the Gulf Coast. It really doesn't have to be too late, but it's certainly long overdue.
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