Interstate 12 from Houston to Austin

[RV Vagabond]

There is no direct interstate highway from Houston to Austin nor from Austin to west Texas. Highway 290 is already 4 lanes as shown on the link below and there is an I-12 proposal in the works to convert it, but some local towns are fighting against it as they do not want 290 turned into a limited access interstate. Should it be built anyway, or let the small towns stop progress?
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hous...=en&authuser=0

[Rob_M]

Originally Posted by RV Vagabond

There is no direct interstate highway from Houston to Austin nor from Austin to west Texas. Highway 290 is already 4 lanes as shown on the link below and there is an I-12 proposal in the works to convert it, but some local towns are fighting against it as they do not want 290 turned into a limited access interstate. Should it be built anyway, or let the small towns stop progress?
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hous...=en&authuser=0

Depends on who you ask. I understand both sides. Even if it’s put off it will eventually happen anyway. As it is, it’s fairly dangerous at 70+ mph with intermittent stop lights and cross traffic, and keeping on top of speed limit changes is a challenge if I remember correctly (been a few years). Brenham was bypassed many years ago already.

Same conundrum in my neck of the woods about turning 281 into an interstate. I’m on the fence with that also. We already prefer 281 to 35 for heading north to DFW.

[F4Gary]

Speed limit changes prior to getting to a town on our Texas highways are well marked. You don't blow through towns unless it is a limited access highway.

[Country Road]

Originally Posted by Rob_M

Depends on who you ask. I understand both sides. Even if it’s put off it will eventually happen anyway. As it is, it’s fairly dangerous at 70+ mph with intermittent stop lights and cross traffic, and keeping on top of speed limit changes is a challenge if I remember correctly (been a few years). Brenham was bypassed many years ago already.

Same conundrum in my neck of the woods about turning 281 into an interstate. I’m on the fence with that also. We already prefer 281 to 35 for heading north to DFW.

I agree that it eventually will happen. For now your small town civic leaders, who for the most part have relatives that originally settled the towns, will pass on and their families won’t be as determined to keep their towns as they were.

So to those who want progress, just hang there. It’s coming but Texas DOT wheels move slow and about every 10 years, it is revisited.