We may be three weeks from Texas getting another Interstate highway, one that in the future be in Bryan/College Station.
The new federal transportation bill contains language creating Interstate 14, which would follow U.S 190 across the state.
A Washington lobbyist hired by the twin cities and the Research Valley Partnership, Larry Meyer, says the hardest part of getting an Interstate is getting it started.
That follows unsuccessful attempts for Interstate 45 and more recently, Interstate 69.
Meyer says Senator John Cornyn inserted language designating the route as a “high priority corridor”. And Congressman Bruce Babin added language giving the I-14 name to the corridor.
Interstate 14 is being promoted as another route for the military to deploy to the Gulf coast, for hurricane evacuation, the possibility it will be added as part of the national freight corridor, and for other economic development purposes.
A House-Senate conference committee has been appointed to reach a final version of the legislation. Meyer doesn’t see any major policy differences between the House and Senate versions, and he says the president supports a new six year transportation bill.
Meyer says the legislation that is now in the conference committee would rename 35 miles of highway built to Interstate standards from Fort Hood headed east.
Meyer says three Texas House members are on the conference committee, Bruce Babin, Blake Farenthold, and Eddie Bernice Johnson.
Click below for comments from Larry Meyer, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver:
Click HERE to see and download the map that includes the proposed Interstate 14 shown below.
