City's transportation would transform Business 77, extend I-35 timeline

2,312 Views | 14 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by PartyBear
UBBY
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https://www.wacotrib.com/news/government/city-s-transportation-would-transform-business-extend-i--timeline/article_cd21cb53-d063-5a5c-ae67-c60a4743ac9c.html

The plan recommends traffic signals, streetlights and refuge islands on Loop 340 near La Vega High School.

The draft also proposes a pedestrian overpass over Interstate 35 near the Bellmead Walmart. To meet ADA requirements, the project may include elevators at the intersection, because space won't allow for ramps.

The plan includes significant changes to the schedule for roadwork on Interstate 35. Reconstructing the I-35 section that runs from south of 12th Street to Highway 6 has been marked lower priority by TxDOT and won't start until 2030. Evilia said prolonging the project will likely cost more in the end.

"It's still probably the most important mobility priority on our region, although we're identifying the mall-to-mall project as number one now," Evilia said, referring to the reconstruction of Loop 340 between Highway 84 and Interstate 35.

Instead, the plan broke out smaller projects along that stretch of I-35.

Based on TxDOT recommendations, the plan proposes to replace bridges at New Road, realign ramps and add auxillary lanes between Valley Mills Drive and New Road to move some of the congestion off the main lanes. Altogether, the project will cost about $40 million. TxDOT also recommended reconstructing the Valley Mills Drive interchange at I-35.

Freight rail lines are reaching capacity, which will likely mean more freight passing through Waco as a result.

The plan would add shoulders to bridges along those highways or raise them to accommodate the new 18-foot TxDOT standard for vertical clearance.

A $12 million project would convert Business 77, an underutilized corridor with structural problems, into a boulevard with wider lanes, slower speeds and bike and pedestrian paths. Evilia said one of the bridges at Potts Interchange, a much-despised intersection of Business 77 and Highway 84, is now considered structurally deficient. The plan calls for replacing the interchange with an at-grade intersection.

Evilia said the MPO also flagged safety concerns along Highway 6 near Sanger Avenue, where pedestrians attempt to cross the main lanes to reach Ascension Providence Hospital. Evilia said planners are considering a walkway across the Sanger Avenue overpass.


Edmond Bear
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So, does this mean they would pause the major construction after the current I-35 construction and restart in 2030?

Edmond Bear
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So, does this mean they would pause the major construction after the current I-35 construction and restart in 2030?

Edmond Bear
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What a mess

I-35 Timeline
2019- Start construction from N Loop 340 to 12th street
2024 - Current construction completed
202? - New pedestrian overpass in Bellmead
202? - Bridge construction over 77
202? - Change ramps at New Road and Valley Mills
202? - Reconstruct the Valley Mills interchange
2030 - Restart construction south of 12th

My worst fear here is that we are in year 1 of 12 to 15 years of red level traffic through Waco. My sophomore at Baylor will be in her 30's.
Self Made Bear
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I will not see an end to construction on I-35 in my lifetime.
Coke Bear
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Self Made Bear said:

I will not see an end to construction on I-35 in my lifetime.
My mom once made the comment that she's never seen 1-35 from Dallas to San Antonio NOT under construction. That was 20 years ago, she is now 75 and still correct.
BaylorHistory
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Self Made Bear said:

I will not see an end to construction on I-35 in my lifetime.
Nope we sure won't

"In 2014, almost 40 percent of Texans and over 40 percent of Texas jobs were located in the
21 counties along I-35. The population in the counties along the I-35 corridor is expected to
increase from 9.7 million in 2010 to 17.7 million by 2040, an increase of approximately 82
percent."

UBBY
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Edmond Bear said:


What a mess

I-35 Timeline
2019- Start construction from N Loop 340 to 12th street
2024 - Current construction completed
202? - New pedestrian overpass in Bellmead
202? - Bridge construction over 77
202? - Change ramps at New Road and Valley Mills
202? - Reconstruct the Valley Mills interchange
2030 - Restart construction south of 12th

My worst fear here is that we are in year 1 of 12 to 15 years of red level traffic through Waco. My sophomore at Baylor will be in her 30's.
It's going to suck no matter what.

I-35 wont be "finished" until 2035.

Other projects won't be done for awhile either. Expansion of highway 6 between the 2 malls to 6 lanes. Changing Franklin Ave. to a 2 way street all the way downtown. Expanding loop 340 from highway 6 to Bellmead to 4 lanes.
Expanding Hewitt Drive to I-35 to 6 lanes

There is a proposed project for a road that would be adjacent to Lorena off of I-35 that would lead through Robinson to get to Riesel to get back to the highway to give a faster option to get back and forth to the Houston area. This project hasn;t been approved yet and would be years down the road. I live on the road in Riesel where this project would run through. The biggest issue to me is would a 1 lane road be enough to sustain the traffic. Also, there are frequent trains that run through Riesel on that side of town literally 30 yards before you reach the highway. That would back up traffic on both sides of the road. I've also heard a rumor to expect even more trains to come through in the future. The 1 lane traffic and the trains could make that project be a disaster in my opinion.
BUgolfbear
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My parents from Arizona came for May graduation. They spend a lot of driving in Cali, Oregon and Washington visiting my family. Their comment on I35 construction? "At least you have $$ for road improvements- the roads on the west coast are abysmal- no improvements or changes on I5 and Hwy 99 in decades". Traffic in Bay Area is unbelievable and no changes in sight
Yogi
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You think that sucks?

I-35 in Austin is set to be scheduled also. (Though the city is fighting it because they want to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips under the Green New Deal)

But this Cluster includes demolition of the existing elevated freeway and to have 12 to 14 lanes at the same grade. Construction would mean reducing 35 to 4 lanes through downtown Austin while construction is taking place.





"Smarter than the Average Bear."
Edmond Bear
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So Yogi wait, you want to prove that you can suck the most?

You win.



PartyBear
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This is all necessary. I appreciate the need infrastructure improvements. However one completely neglected piece of infrastructure that has been ignored for decades is that Waco needs a new larger airport at another location easily accessible to 35 or 340. The current airport and location may have been just fine for 1950s Waco but it is sorely outdated. Its the highway equivalent of still having one two lane two way highway going from DFW to Austin through Waco. I know the counter arguments, Waco is just a short drive from both Austin and DFW (with one of the world's largest airports). But still.....
Edmond Bear
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Waco needs ALOT more flights before it needs a new airport.
GoldenBear03
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Waco as a force in commerce (big local jobs) will never move to the next level until it has more competitive air travel options.

UBBY
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GoldenBear03 said:

Waco as a force in commerce (big local jobs) will never move to the next level until it has more competitive air travel options.
Where would they put a larger Waco airport? How much would the project cost especially if it's a national airport? How would they pay for it?

One idea rumored was to put a national airport in the temple/belton/killeen area. Those areas, plus Waco are growing. Not as fast as the major cities obviously but I wondered if an airport there would also be an attractive option for the bryan college station area also instead of them having to drive all the way to Austin. Plus they only have a regional airport like Waco.

I've calculated the closest current population of Waco, Belton, Temple, Killeen, Bryan and College Station.

The population of those cities combined is 587,427. That would be big enough to support a national airport don't you think?
PartyBear
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I believe the combine metro population of the combined Waco/Temple/ Killeen areas currently stands at about 735K believe it or not. Bell and McLennan counties have a combined population of about 600k.
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