Stimulus plan could put I-69 on fast track

By Mike Leonard, Herald-Times

mleonard@heraldt.com

Supporters of the national transportation plan to build out I-69 from Canada to Mexico are taking encouragement from two recent events.

One is the economic stimulus plan being put together in Congress, intended to give incoming President Barack Obama a large chunk of money to jump-start the nation's slumping economy. With I-69 already listed as a national transportation priority, highway proponents are hoping that some of the $30 billion earmarked for transportation infrastructure could find its way to the interstate project.

The second event was the recent announcement by Texas transportation authorities that they were retooling the massive and controversial Trans-Texas Corridor. The $180 billion project envisioned a 1,200-foot-wide swath through the state, incorporating toll roads for passenger vehicles, dedicated lanes for trucks, light rail and freight lines and new utility infrastructure.