I-69 will run through Laredo

Posted By Ana on Feb 27, 2014

Special to the Laredo Sun
LAREDO, TX,- In an effort to enhance economic development and interstate trade in South Texas, the Texas Department of Transportation on Monday was joined by the Texas Transportation Commission, the Alliance for I-69 Texas and national, state and local leaders to commemorate the coming of I-69 in Laredo. Being developed on existing roadways as a critical artery for moving freight, I-69 will ultimately become a 1,600-mile-long highway stretching from Michigan to Texas. Monday’s event featured TxDOT crews unveiling new “Future I-69” signs along an 11-mile stretch of Loop 20

“Interstate 69 will be a critical link for boosting commerce and connectivity between rural and urban Texas,” said Commissioner Jeff Austin III, Texas Transportation Commission. “This link is especially significant to Laredo as it will allow the city to continue growing as a hub for business, commerce and economic prosperity.”

Designated by Congress as a High Priority Corridor and a Future Interstate Highway, I-69 today stretches nearly 140 miles in Texas.

“Texas’ roads are vital to economic activity and we should continue to foster their growth and safety,” said U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar. “The designation of I-69 will complement the existing Interstate 35 highway in Laredo as well as support some of the busiest freight routes in the nation. It also will connect cities and towns across the country to commercial opportunities once thought unheard of, lowering the cost of doing business and making travel safer for those lives who depend on trade. I thank Jeff Austin III and the Texas Department of Transportation for its support and dedication to expanding I-69 and remaining committed to ensuring that we continue our investment in transportation, bringing us even closer to a true 21st century economy.”

In Texas, the route for I-69 begins in Texarkana and extends to Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. The interstate is expected to be a critical artery for moving agricultural, energy and industrial exports through the nation and beyond. It also is expected to attract more businesses to the Lone Star State.

Following Monday’s event, the Texas Transportation Commission on Thursday will continue the formal process of designating Loop 20 as US 59 so it can become part of the I-69 system once it is improved to interstate standards.

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