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158-521: The Old Chinatown , an area within East Downtown bounded by Interstate 69 / U.S. Route 59 , Preston Street, St. Joseph Parkway, and Dowling Street (now Emancipation Avenue), is the older of the two Houston Chinatowns . The East Downtown Chinatown is not the same as the Chinatown in southwestern Houston . In the 1930s, Cantonese immigrants moved to the former Houston Chinatown, then a part of

316-541: A concurrency . Shortly thereafter, it meets I-64 at a cloverleaf interchange . From there, it runs north to SR 68 . Construction was completed on November 19, 2012, on a 67-mile (108 km) segment (SIU 3, Sections 1–3). This extension takes the route north-northeast from there to SR 64 near Oakland City , then north-northeast to US 50 / US 150 at Washington , and finally northeast to US 231 near Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane Division). Construction for

474-554: A toll road but quickly reverted to making it toll-free in 2006 with an announcement to that effect by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels after widespread opposition from I-69 opponents and supporters alike. Indiana had been using funds from the $ 3.8-billion Indiana Toll Road lease deal along with public–private partnerships to construct SIU 3 between Indianapolis and Evansville. The segment from Indianapolis to Evansville, Indiana , opened as of August 10, 2024. As of 2015 , SIU 1 (all of original I-69 north of Indianapolis, plus

632-537: A "superhighway" between the cities was first made in 1930, and Houston Mayor Oscar F. Holcombe began to work toward it later that decade. He announced an agreement with the Houston Electric Company on April 12, 1940, through which the company could convert its four remaining lines to busses in exchange for the right-of-way used by the Park Place line. This line was last used on June 9, 1940,

790-617: A November 28, 2002 Houston Press article John Nova Lomax described what is now known as East Downtown Houston as "a silent, godforsaken stretch of no-man's-land that's not really the Warehouse District, nor the Third Ward , nor the East End ." Lomax said that he used "that bulky definition" since that by 2000, the name "Chinatown," still used in the 1980s and 1990s, "was no longer apt." The area received its current name in

948-583: A backdrop, skyscrapers lurking in the background and angular new condos set against low-slung warehouses, some of them still in use for industrial storage." Historically many of the Hispanic residents lived in small houses. The opening of the BBVA Compass Park and Minute Maid Park encouraged development of EaDo, and by 2015 many of the older houses were being replaced by townhouses with wealthier occupants. The Kim Sơn headquarters and restaurant

1106-562: A bill that would authorize the re-tolling of three parkways slated to become part of I-69. The construction of the I-69 extension beyond Indianapolis has angered environmentalists. In particular, the southern portion of the route in Indiana would run through wetlands, existing farmland, and forested areas, and cut through geologically sensitive karst topography, which environmentalists argue threatens to pollute underground water systems and harm

1264-460: A combined $ 17 million (equivalent to $ 21.2 million in 2023 ) for an environmental and design study to determine how the two states will pay for it. The first study was commissioned in 2001, and a preliminary report in 2004 put the cost of a bridge at $ 1.4 billion (equivalent to $ 2.16 billion in 2023 ). In August 2023, officials in Kentucky and Indiana submitted a grant proposal to

1422-615: A diamond white line at grade separated HOV north to just before exit 84 Loop 336 on the south side of Conroe . This provides constant HOV access with one lane on the northbound side and one lane on the southbound side with periodic dotted lines for access at major exits. The stretch of I-45 along the Julius Schepps Freeway in Dallas, from the Trinity River to Downtown Dallas up to and including I-345 ,

1580-779: A junction with I-94 just outside Port Huron. At its eastern terminus, I-69 joins I-94 to the Blue Water Bridge across the St. Clair River , where traffic continues on Highway 402 in the Canadian province of Ontario to London, Ontario . The new section of I-69 in southern Indiana presently begins at the US ;41 interchange south of Evansville at the former southern terminus of I-164 . From there, it runs first east, then north, meeting SR 662 , SR 66 , and SR 62 . At exit 18, SR 57 joins I-69 on

1738-948: A lack of funding to build the highway outside of the Memphis metropolitan area. Arkansas has halted work on its mainline portion of I-69, aside from the Monticello Bypass, although it has applied for a federal grant to complete design and construction for the 25-mile (40 km) section between Monticello and McGehee . Phase 1 started construction in December 2022. As of 2023 , no portion of I-69 in Louisiana has been built nor has any construction started. Texas, Kentucky, and Indiana have been slowly advancing construction of I-69 within each state through traditional funding sources when available and innovative financing methods, such as public–private partnerships . In December 2018,

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1896-469: A lane drop; the roadway carried six lanes (three in each direction) between Houston and the interchange and four beyond to Galveston. After the new US 75 was completed, the old road between Downtown and South Houston was dropped from the state highway system, while the remainder became SH 3, connecting to the Gulf Freeway via Winkler Drive, effective August 20, 1952. The first major change

2054-765: A later meeting, HISD board member Harvin Moore called for a motion that "the item be tabled indefinitely" meaning the closure is finalized and the matter will not be brought up again; the board voted 5-3 for this matter, and the speakers who were scheduled to speak about the Dodson issue were turned away. Prior to its closure, Anson Jones Elementary School, outside of East Downtown, served sections of East Downtown. The school, opened in 1892 with its latest campus constructed in 1966, closed in Summer 2006. E. O. Smith Education Center , which formerly served EaDo for middle school, closed after

2212-592: A new interchange with NASA Road 1 , began in mid-2007. Widening of the freeway between Kurland Drive at Bay Area Boulevard began in July 2011. This construction will expand the number of freeway lanes from six to ten and increase the number of frontage lanes from four to six. The HOV lane will be extended to the southern end of the construction. It will also involve rebuilding the overpasses at Dixie Farm Road and Clear Lake City Boulevard. (Dixie Farm Road bridge demolition has already been completed.) According to TxDOT,

2370-541: A northeasterly direction, passing through the Lansing–East Lansing metropolitan area . Here, I-69 is cosigned with I-96 as an overlap west of Lansing , the only such palindromic pairing in the Interstate Highway System . Where it splits from I-96, I-69 turns east, both in compass direction and in signed direction, and heads north of Lansing and through Flint (where it crosses I-75 ) to

2528-462: A partial interchange with the current route of MS 304, then runs easterly to an interchange with I-55 in northern Hernando . It then continues north, overlapping I-55 to the Tennessee state line, and continues northward concurrently with I-55 to the south side of Memphis. It then follows I-240 northward through downtown before joining I-40. Presently, the northern end of this section of I-69

2686-469: A previous Chinatown in Downtown was replaced with commercial development by the 1970s. The EaDo Chinatown solidified as many Asian immigrants, including Viet Hoa , began moving to Houston in the 1970s. By the 1980s a theater, supermarkets, warehouses, a bank, and restaurants were located there. Lang Yee "Bo Bo" Woo, from Guangdong province, facilitated development in the 1970s, facilitated development in

2844-468: A project known as I-69 Finish Line, with completion anticipated by the end of 2024. SIU 2 will follow the southeastern quarter of I-465 around the city. The interchange between I-69 and I-465 on the southwest side of Indianapolis opened on August 6 and 9, 2024, making I-69 through Indiana continuous. A route from I-465 in Indianapolis northeast via Fort Wayne to I-80/I-90 near Angola

3002-531: A proposed crosscountry extension of I-69: Corridor 18 was extended southwest to Houston, where it connected to Corridor 20, by the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993; the new definition read "Corridor from Indianapolis, Indiana, through Evansville, Indiana, Memphis, Tennessee, Shreveport / Bossier, Louisiana , and to Houston, Texas." The National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 made further amendments to

3160-477: A proposed state highway. I-45 and I-345 were built and opened in the 1970s, with the final section, between Lamar Street (exit 283A) and the Central Expressway (exit 283B), opening on February 25, 1976. At the north end, before it merged into the Central Expressway (which continued to carry US 75), I-345 straddled the bridges over Bryan Street and Ross Avenue, the latter the location of

3318-472: A relatively large homeless population. Many of the homeless in the Houston area congregate in East Downtown because of the presence of nearby agencies that provide services (which predate the current redevelopment efforts) and several groups that independently provide food, clothing, toiletries, and other items on nearby vacant lots. Nearly all Houston non-profit and faith-based agencies which provide services to

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3476-512: A school for African-Americans . It closed circa 1943. Dodson Elementary School in EaDo formerly served portions of the community. In 2014 the Dodson school had about 445 students. That year, the HISD school board was to vote on whether to close Dodson Elementary. Terry Grier , the HISD superintendent, argued that Dodson needs to close so another school will be located there while its permanent facility

3634-560: A split in southern Texas ( I-69E , I-69C , I-69W ) to serve three border crossings at Brownsville, Pharr, and Laredo. In August 2007, I-69 was selected by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) as one of six Corridors of the Future, making it eligible for additional federal funding and streamlined planning and review. This funding has since been withheld, causing some states to suspend completion of

3792-516: A student mobility rate of almost 100% because it had a very large homeless population. Rusk had a science and technology magnet program for middle school students. Beginning in the 2016-2017 school year the elementary zoned grades at Rusk began to be phased out. Most of EaDo became zoned to Lantrip with a small portion zoned to Burnet Elementary School in the East End. PreKindergarten through grade were phased out immediately, with 3-5 being phased out in

3950-417: A thousand residents, including 919 units in 16 apartment complexes, 160 single-family homes, five places of worship, and two schools. An apartment complex was acquired and vacated by TxDOT, which plans to demolish it for the expansion. TxDOT was heavily criticized for this planned demolition, as the apartment complex slated for demolition had been described as an example of good urban planning. Parts of

4108-528: Is a major Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Texas . While most primary Interstate routes which have numbers ending in "5" are cross-country north–south routes, I-45 is comparatively short, with the entire route located within Texas. Additionally, it has the shortest length of all the primary Interstates that have numbers ending in a "5". It connects the cities of Dallas and Houston , continuing southeast from Houston to Galveston over

4266-632: Is an Interstate Highway in the United States currently consisting of eight unconnected segments. The longest segment runs from Evansville, Indiana , northeast to the Canadian border in Port Huron, Michigan , and includes the original continuous segment from Indianapolis, Indiana , to Port Huron of 355.8 miles (572.6 km). The remaining separated segments are variously completed and posted or not posted sections of an extension southwest to

4424-481: Is an extension of I-530 from Pine Bluff south along the US 425 corridor to I-69 west of Monticello ; a short piece at the south end opened in mid-2006 as Highway 530 (AR 530). Another segment of AR 530 opened in 2013 and another in 2015. The only section of Future I-69 that is currently open to traffic is the 8.5-mile (13.7 km) eastern leg of the Monticello Bypass. This section of

4582-556: Is at the I-40/I-69/SR ;300 interchange on the north side of Memphis. This portion of the route was the first SIU of the proposed extension to be signed as part of the national I-69 route, and the first portion designed as part of the extension. On June 6, 2008, President George W. Bush signed HR 1195, designating the Purchase Parkway as Future I-69. Kentucky officials planned to place I-69 signs on

4740-598: Is elevated above the surrounding areas for most of its length. As such, when ice storms hit the Dallas area (usually on average one to two times per year), the freeway is shut down, and traffic is diverted to SH 310 and US 175 , which parallel I-45. In the initial assignment of state highways in 1917, the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and Greater Houston were connected by a branch of SH 2 ( Meridian Highway ), which ran via Waco and Bryan and continued on to Galveston. The more direct route followed by I-45

4898-580: Is expected to take at least two decades to complete. In addition to the official control cities of Galveston , Houston , and Dallas , I-45 serves a number of other communities, including La Marque , League City , Spring , The Woodlands , Conroe , Willis , Huntsville , Madisonville , Centerville , Buffalo , Fairfield , Corsicana , and Ennis . US 190 joins I-45 for 26 miles (42 km) from Huntsville to Madisonville. US 287 joins I-45 for 18 miles (29 km) from Corsicana to Ennis. US 287 signs are only posted (with I-45) from

East Downtown Houston - Misplaced Pages Continue

5056-399: Is in EaDo. In 1887 St. Nicholas Elementary School at St. Nicholas Church opened, and the school moved with its church to its current location around 1920. A new school building opened on September 8, 1931, with the previous school building, later used by the church itself, razed the previous May 12. Charles W. Luckie Elementary School, located at 1104 Palmer in what is now East Downtown, was

5214-851: Is known to Houston residents as the Gulf Freeway . The short elevated section of I-45, which forms the southern boundary of Downtown, is known as the Pierce Elevated after the surface street next to which the freeway runs, while north of I-10 it is known as the North Freeway . I-45 and I-345 in the Dallas area, north of the interchanges with I-20 and SH 310 (old US 75), is the Julius Schepps Freeway . The Gulf Freeway and North Freeway both include reversible high-occupancy vehicle lane (HOV lanes) for busses and other HOVs to and from Downtown. The freeway

5372-432: Is located in East Downtown. What is now EaDo has the former U.S. headquarters of Schlumberger . It uses an Art Deco style. At one point the building became vacant. Circa 2013, Gaurav Khandelwal and Apurva Sanghavi, then the owners, planned to establish retail stores and offices there, but did not do so. In 2016 David Denenburg acquired the building; he announced plans to restore it and add retail. The Texas Guandi Temple

5530-462: Is located in East Downtown. The temple was established in 1999 by a Vietnamese couple, Charles Loi Ngo and Carolyn. They decided to build a temple to Guan Yu (Guandi) after surviving an aggravated robbery, which occurred at their store in the Fifth Ward . They believed that Guandi saved their lives during the incident. A Vietnamese refugee named Charles Lee coordinated the donations and funding so

5688-600: Is now East Downtown; the station relocated to its current location in what is now the new Chinatown and Greater Sharpstown in 1985. Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated the Ripley Health Center in the East End for the ZIP code 77003. In 2000 Ripley was replaced by the Gulfgate Health Center. The designated public hospital is Ben Taub General Hospital in

5846-607: Is proposed as well. After that, Tennessee–Missouri–Arkansas I-55 link to I-155 which crosses back across the Mississippi River to the newly completed I-69 will serve as the main freeway routes between Memphis and northwestern Tennessee, at least on an interim basis. In Kentucky, I-69 mostly follows existing freeways originally built as toll roads . SIU 6 follows the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway and I-24 from Fulton to Eddyville , while SIU 5 continues along

6004-605: Is the first soccer-specific stadium in MLS to be located in a Downtown area. The stadium seats 22,039 and besides hosting soccer and football events will hold other events such as concerts and boxing matches. It is located southwest of the Second Ward . Helen Anders of the Austin American-Statesman said that EaDo "looks like an art installation, with the steamshiplike George R. Brown Convention Center as

6162-557: Is the subject of ongoing controversy and federal investigation due to a proposed expansion project in Harris County , which would displace hundreds of people from their homes and worsen air quality. The local authorities have opposed the expansion project, while the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) supports expansion, and negotiations are pending. The project's estimated cost is at least $ 9.7 billion and

6320-423: Is unclear if the entire I-69 project in Tennessee will ever be completed. The state has suspended work indefinitely on the 65-mile (105 km) SIU 8 and the remaining nine-mile (14 km) unbuilt portion of SIU 9 between SR 300 and the northern end of I-269 near Millington due to a lack of federal funding. Work on SIU 7 was also suspended for a few years, but this project has now been revived by

6478-536: Is under construction. On Thursday March 13, 2014, the HISD board voted to close Dodson Elementary 5-4. The Montessori program was scheduled to move to Blackshear Elementary. As part of rezoning for the 2014-2015 school year, some areas in EaDo previously under the Dodson zone were to be moved to the Rusk zone and some were moved to the zone of Lantrip Elementary School . In April 2014 HISD trustee Juliet Stipeche declared that there will be another vote on Dodson's closing. At

East Downtown Houston - Misplaced Pages Continue

6636-704: Is within Trustee District VIII, represented by Diana Dávila as of 2009. Lantrip Elementary School , in Eastwood ; and Burnet Elementary School, outside of East Downtown, serve separate sections of East Downtown for elementary school. For grades 6 through 8 Yolanda Black Navarro Middle School of Excellence (formerly Jackson Middle School) serves East Downtown, Austin High School and Wheatley High School serve separate sections of East Downtown. The magnet high school High School for Law and Justice

6794-620: The Galveston Causeway to the Gulf of Mexico . I-45 replaced U.S. Highway 75 (US 75) over its entire length, although portions of US 75 remained parallel to I-45 until its elimination south of Downtown Dallas in 1987. At the south end of I-45, State Highway 87 (SH 87, formerly part of US 75) continues into downtown Galveston. The north end is at I-30 in Downtown Dallas, where US 75 used

6952-625: The Good-Latimer Expressway . A short continuation, known by traffic reporters as the I-45 overhead, signed as part of US 75 and also part of unsigned I-345 , continues north to the merge with the current end of US 75. Traffic can use Spur 366 (better known locally as the Woodall Rodgers Freeway) to connect to I-35E at the north end of I-345. The portion of I-45 between Downtown and Galveston

7110-553: The Gulf of Mexico that the highway would reach when completed. The freeway was extended to Griggs Road in February 1951 and Reveille Street (onto which SH 35 was realigned) in July 1951 and was completed to the Galveston Causeway on August 2, 1952, with a ceremony on the bridge over FM 517 near Dickinson . However, beyond Reveille Street, the road was not built to freeway standards, with 32 at-grade intersections , though no traffic signals . The highway curved away from

7268-552: The I-469 loop around Fort Wayne) and SIU 2 were open, as was SIU 5 in Kentucky, part of SIU 9 in the Memphis, Tennessee , area, and the short SIU 10 in northwestern Mississippi. SIU 6 in Kentucky was built as a freeway but was not yet up to Interstate standards in all areas. At around the same time, Texas was actively pursuing completing its portion of I-69 by upgrading existing U.S. Routes and state highways along

7426-589: The Lower Rio Grande Valley . The I-69/TTC project has been split into 15 SIUs, which match the original ones but do not share numbers. SIUs 1 to 8 (original 16 to 23) cover the mainline along the "Interstate 69 East" branch to the Mexican border at Brownsville. The "Interstate 69 Central" branch to Pharr is SIUs 9, 11, and 12 (original 24 to 26). The "Interstate 369" and "Interstate 69 West" branches to Texarkana and

7584-755: The Mexican border in Texas . Of this extension—nicknamed the NAFTA Superhighway because it would help trade with Canada and Mexico spurred by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)—seven pieces in Laredo, Texas ; Pharr, Texas ; Brownsville, Texas ; Corpus Christi, Texas ; Houston, Texas ; northwestern Mississippi ; and Memphis, Tennessee , have been built or upgraded and signposted as I-69. Indiana completed

7742-560: The Pennyrile Parkway , Western Kentucky Parkway , and Purchase Parkway in 2008, but the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) had not yet given Kentucky approval to do so for the entire route. Kentucky was making spot improvements to its parkways to bring them up to Interstate Highway standards in anticipation of the I-69 designation. Meanwhile, Indiana examined building most of SIU 3 as

7900-554: The Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8), meeting the north end of SH 3 in southeastern Houston . (This part of SH 3—on Winkler Drive and Monroe Road—is not part of old US 75.) A center reversible HOV lane begins just south of the Sam Houston Tollway. In Houston, I-45 meets I-610 and SH 35 at a complicated interchange . At the merge with Spur 5 , a short freeway spur to

8058-759: The Texas Medical Center . Since 2015, METRORail light rail has served the neighborhood at EaDo/Stadium station via the Green and Purple lines, and the Leeland/Third Ward station via the Purple Line. In addition to light rail, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) operates bus service through the area. The district is within the Houston Independent School District . East Downtown

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8216-637: The Texas Transportation Commission signed an agreement with Houston and Harris County , referred to the new bypass as a relocation of US 75. Drawings were released by the state on January 31, 1946, and included almost continuous frontage roads , broken only at railroad crossings. Although the freeway ended at Live Oak Street, a so-called "four-street distribution system" of four one-way streets , timed for 30 mph (48 km/h), carried traffic to Main Street. Initially,

8374-580: The Third Ward area, from Downtown Houston in an effort to find more inexpensive land. The Cantonese opened several businesses, including grocery stores and restaurants, and held Chinese New Year celebrations. Immigrants from other East Asian countries, including Vietnam, moved into the Chinatown. In the early 1950s, the Chinese Merchants' Association moved to the southeastern edge of Downtown Houston . Many Chinese businesses moved there, as

8532-634: The Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) studies. This part of the TTC, called I-69/TTC, includes I-69 and all of its spurs authorized by Congress. It will extend from three border crossings, at Laredo , Pharr , and Brownsville , along US 59 , US 281 , and US 77 toward Victoria . After the three branches join, I-69 will continue along the general US 59 corridor through Houston to Tenaha , where it will turn easterly to Louisiana along US 84 . In Greater Houston , I-69 will follow

8690-598: The University of Houston , elevated collector–distributor roads (also part of Spur 5) begin. The collector–distributor roads and the HOV lane end at Emancipation Avenue, the original end of the Gulf Freeway. Just past Emancipation Avenue is an interchange with I-69 / US 59 (Eastex and Southwest freeways) and SH 288 (South Freeway), after which I-45 technically becomes the North Freeway as it runs along

8848-432: The Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway and the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway from Eddyville to Henderson. While these parkways received the I-69 designation by federal legislation signed in 2008, upgrades have been necessary to bring the freeways to Interstate standards —but required less work compared to other states where entirely new highway must be built. A number of construction contracts have been let by

9006-811: The rare species that live there. Fiscal conservatives also oppose completion of I-69, arguing that federal legislation establishing the I-69 corridor amounts to an unfunded mandate imposed by the federal government upon the states through which the highway will travel, as the legislation requires states to pursue construction of their portions of I-69 but provides no funding mechanism to cover its estimated $ 25-billion cost, thereby leaving cash-strapped states to figure out how to finance its construction. Three states (Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee) have publicly stated they will not build their sections of I-69 until Congress appropriates funds to complete environmental studies, design, and construction in each state. Interstate 45 Interstate 45 ( I-45 )

9164-399: The 1955 freeway in the Allen Parkway interchange, passing east of Houston Avenue, and connected to an already-built portion at I-610 . The six-lane Pierce Elevated, which occupies half a block on the southwest side of Pierce Street, required the acquisition of a number of commercial properties; the cost prevented the full block from being used. This portion opened on August 18, 1967, connecting

9322-455: The 1959 segment in February 1963, and north to the 1960 segment in March 1963, completing the North Freeway except for the Pierce Elevated (1967). The freeway as initially built had eight lanes (four in each direction) between Downtown and I-610, six to FM 1960 , and four north of FM 1960. Like the Gulf Freeway, the North Freeway soon became congested . The oil boom of the 1970s resulted in large-scale residential development along

9480-424: The 2006 Major Moves deal), SIU 7 and SIU 9 in Tennessee; and a small part of SIU 13 in Arkansas ( Monticello Bypass ). Portions of these SIUs have been open to traffic since 2007. While federal legislation established a mandate to extend I-69 from Indiana to Texas, it did not provide funding for its construction. I-69 construction must compete against other projects for traditional funding. Despite

9638-401: The 2010-2011 school year; East Downtown was rezoned to Jackson. Energy Institute High School , a magnet school, was formerly in the former Dodson Elementary School in EaDo, where it moved in the summer of 2014. In 2018 it moved to its current Third Ward campus. Previously Rusk School, outside of East Downtown, was a zoned elementary school serving sections of East Downtown. In 1995 Rusk had

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9796-451: The Chicago–Detroit route would have replaced US 112 (now US 12 ), splitting from I-80/I-90 at South Bend . By 1947, the route had been shifted north to present I-94, along what was then US 12, but the connection to South Bend remained, splitting at Kalamazoo . The I-69 designation was assigned to the Indianapolis–Angola route in 1957, while the short South Bend–Kalamazoo route became proposed I-67 . The I-67 designation

9954-420: The Downtown section was extended north to meet it. As each section opened, US 75 was moved to it, temporarily using I-610 to Airline Drive for about a year. At the other end, US 75 was upgraded from Spring Creek at the north edge of Spring north to the San Jacinto River south of Conroe in 1960. In between, the upgrade was completed from FM 525 to near Richey Road in December 1961, south to

10112-505: The East Downtown district with commercial and residential projects, and the homeless (and homeless service providers). Some have called for the city of Houston to restrict public sleeping on sidewalks and to regulate charitable serving of food. It remains to be seen whether or not current services to the homeless can continue in East Downtown in the face of ongoing revitalization and redevelopment efforts. Houston City Council District I covers East Downtown. Station 10, opened in 1894 in what

10270-469: The FHWA authorized TDOT to erect I-69 signs on I-55, I-240, and I-40 from the Mississippi state line to the I-40/SR 300 interchange. The recently completed I-269 will bypass this part of I-69, beginning where I-69 joins I-55 in Mississippi and ending near Millington, and will include the northern part of SR 385 near Millington. SIU 8 is planned to continue beyond Millington, near US 51, to I-155 near Dyersburg . Despite these plans, it

10428-483: The FHWA in August 2011 and was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in October 2011; signage was posted at an official ceremony on December 5, 2011; it was resigned as I-69E on May 29, 2013. At the May 18, 2012, meeting of AASHTO, 35 miles (56 km) of US 59 from I-610 in Houston to Fostoria Road in Liberty County were also approved as ready for I-69 signage. On May 29, 2013,

10586-415: The FHWA initially only approved the route to I-475 in Flint. The continuation to Port Huron was eventually approved in February 1987. Michigan's 1,241-mile (1,997 km) portion of the Interstate Highway System was completed in 1992, when the last piece of I-69 opened southwest of Lansing between I-96 and Charlotte . ISTEA included two High Priority Corridors that would later become parts of

10744-412: The Gulf Freeway. It was the first freeway built in Texas —opened in stages beginning on October 1, 1948, up to a full completion to Galveston in 1952, as part of US 75 . At the north (Houston) end, it connects to the North Freeway via the short Pierce Elevated, completed in 1967. The section north of the curve near SH 3 /Monroe Road in southeastern Houston was built on the right-of-way of

10902-409: The Gulf and North Freeways and bypassing the "four-street distribution system", which remains in its original form to this day. The first piece of the North Freeway to be built outside I-610 was an upgrade of existing US 75 on Stuebner Airline Road, between Airline and Shepherd drives, opened in December 1959. In April 1961, this was completed to the interchange with I-610, and, on July 24, 1962,

11060-501: The I-610 loop that runs through Downtown Houston was approved by the FHWA for designation as I-69 on March 9, 2015, and approved for signage as such by the Texas Transportation Commission on March 24, 2015. The nearly 350-mile (560 km) portion of the I-69 extension from south of Clarksdale, Mississippi , to the Louisiana–Texas state line is planned to be built as a new-terrain route that parallels existing U.S. Routes and state highways in some locations. As well as covering

11218-488: The I-69 River Crossing project team for Kentucky and Indiana announced a preferred plan to build a new toll bridge across the Ohio River as part of I-69. In January 2023, contracts were awarded for work on the Kentucky approach to the new bridge (section 1). In March 2023, Kentucky and Indiana signed an initial memorandum of agreement to allow preliminary development and financial planning to move forward. The Indiana approach (section 3) began construction in summer of 2024 with

11376-458: The I-69 alignment is planned to consist of upgrades to existing U.S. Highways, Interstates and substandard freeways, although some sections are expected be built as bypasses around cities and towns along the route. I-69 SIU 9 overlaps I-55 into Memphis, Tennessee , switching there to I-240 and then I-40 before leaving onto the short SR 300 connection and then paralleling US 51 to near Millington . On January 18, 2008,

11534-449: The I-69 corridor to Interstate standards. Several portions of the 15  SIUs in Texas were being worked on, with active construction in progress on US 59 from SH 99 to Kendleton (SIU 20), and on US 77 between Robstown and Kingsville (SIU 22). As of 2016 , four mainline SIUs outside of Texas were under construction; SIU 3 in Indiana (using $ 700 million (equivalent to $ 871 million in 2023 ) from

11692-405: The I-69 extension took shape and remains today as those segments. In 2000, Corridors 18 and 20 were split into 32 SIUs as part of the I-69 (Corridor 18) Special Environmental Study. In Texas, it was originally envisioned that private firms will build, operate, then transfer portions of the highway to the state after a specified period of time. Lawmakers in Kentucky once considered

11850-580: The Kentucky state line to Dyersburg where it will connect with I-155 , a spur that crosses the Mississippi River and extends to I-55 in southeastern Missouri. From there, I-55 extends south running parallel to the Mississippi River on the Missouri–Arkansas side then crosses the river into Memphis. A bypass around Union City, Tennessee has been completed to open to traffic on February 21, 2024. In Texas , I-69 planning has become part of

12008-599: The Lower Rio Grande Valley was detailed as splitting into two routes just south of Victoria , one following US 77 and the other following US 59 and US 281 to the Rio Grande. This act also assigned the I-69 designation to Corridors 18 and 20, with the branches on US 77, US 281, and US 59 to the Rio Grande being "Interstate 69 East", "Interstate 69 Central", and "Interstate 69 West", respectively. With TEA-21,

12166-751: The Mexican border at Laredo, respectively, are SIUs 13 and 14 (original 29 and 30), and two connections to Brownsville and Pharr are SIUs 10 and 15 (original 31 and 32). The I-69/TTC study also includes SIU L-CC, a connection between Freer and Corpus Christi that was not in the 2000 study. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) originally considered building the I-69/TTC over new terrain paralleling US 59, US 77, and US 281. Responding to widespread opposition from environmental groups and property rights activists, TxDOT announced in June ;2008 that it will complete I-69 by upgrading

12324-401: The Monticello Bypass is currently two lanes and signed as US Highway 278 Bypass (US 278 Byp.). Another two-lane segment to McGehee started construction in late 2022. The Charles W. Dean Bridge , SIU 12, is planned to cross the Mississippi River between McGehee, Arkansas, and Benoit, Mississippi , while SIU 11 will parallel US 61 to Tunica Resorts . SIU 10,

12482-680: The North Freeway from Downtown to the Sam Houston Tollway began. The plan for the project is to widen the freeway by adding managed lanes and adding the North Shepherd on- and offramps also known as Spur 261 (which was already completed) prior to the I-45 widening project. This project has generated major controversy, with proponents claiming it would "enhance safety and mobility", while opponents point out that it would worsen air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, displace hundreds of people, and fail to meaningfully address congestion. Authorities in Harris County have sued TxDOT to stop

12640-738: The Texas Transportation Commission gave approval to naming completed Interstate-standard segments of US 77 and US 281 as I-69. US 77 through Cameron and Willacy counties will be signed as I-69E, including 52 miles (84 km) of existing freeway starting at the Rio Grande in Brownsville and running north past Raymondville . The 13 miles (21 km) of US 281 freeway in Pharr and Edinburg will be signed as I-69C. The section of US 59 inside

12798-485: The U.S. Department of Transportation requesting $ 630 million to build. Construction began on I-69 ORX Section 1 in Kentucky in 2023. It includes numerous roadway and bridge improvements. Nine new bridges are being built and seven bridges are being rehabilitated as part of the new I-69 in Henderson. [1] This section is scheduled for completion in 2025. Construction began on I-69 ORX Section 3 in Indiana in summer 2024 with

12956-472: The US ;59 freeway corridor through town. A branch ( I-369 ) continues north on US 59 from Tenaha to Texarkana , where it will eventually connect to I-30 and I-49 . Most of the proposed I-69 route in Texas already exists as four-lane highways, with a lengthy freeway section stretching north and south of Houston along US 59 and shorter freeway sections of US 77, US 83, and US 281 in

13114-407: The act designated Corridor 9 as I-99 , no number was assigned to Corridors 18 and 20 yet. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), enacted in 1998, greatly expanded the definition of Corridor 18 to include the existing I-69, as well as I-94 between Port Huron, Michigan, and Chicago, Illinois . A connection to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, was added, and the extension to

13272-493: The approval of several segments, work has been completed on only a few scattered segments due in part to increasing costs for construction materials and machinery. As a result, several states have indicated that construction of I-69 may not be possible without the use of tolls as the primary means to finance building the highway. Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi passed legislation authorizing toll roads within each state but have not applied tolling to their sections of I-69 due to

13430-538: The bypass around Corsicana , which was built c.  1964 . This freeway was mostly built along the existing US 75; one of the projects in Navarro County , near Corsicana, was the first Interstate project in Texas approved under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 . It was not until 1964 that I-345, extending I-45 north along the proposed Central Expressway bypass, was added as

13588-739: The combination of Corridors 18 and 20 of the National Highway System as designated in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), but the federally recognized corridor also includes connecting and existing infrastructure, including I-94 between Chicago, Illinois , and Port Huron, Michigan, and several spurs from I-69. Among these proposed spurs are an extension of I-530 from Pine Bluff, Arkansas ; an upgrade of U.S. Route 59 (US 59) from Texarkana, Texas being designated as Interstate 369 ; and

13746-484: The completion of the Gulf Freeway as an actual freeway. As the first freeway in Texas, the standards of the Gulf Freeway soon became inadequate, with poor sight lines and little room to merge when entering. It also attracted development, such as Gulfgate Center , the first mall in the Houston area, the Manned Spacecraft Center , and many residential developments . Heavy congestion began to affect

13904-851: The congregation served by the Assumption Cameroonian Catholic Community, so it has services each month tailored to that group. In 2013 the church had experienced multiple instances of copper theft. The archdiocese also maintains the Catholic Charismatic Center in EaDo. See also: List of companies in Houston See: List of colleges and universities in Houston [REDACTED] Category [REDACTED] Texas portal 29°45′00″N 95°21′00″W  /  29.750°N 95.350°W  / 29.750; -95.350 Interstate 69 Interstate 69 ( I-69 )

14062-480: The connecting ramps south of Allen Parkway would become a second downtown spur, which will result in the demise of a full freeway loop around Downtown. As of 2018 , there are no plans to place the Pierce Elevated in a tunnel similar to Spur 366 in Dallas since Greater Houston is prone to flooding, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey . The last alignment of US 75 before the North Freeway

14220-513: The description of Corridor 18, specifying that it would serve Mississippi and Arkansas , extending it south to the Mexican border in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and adding a short connection at Brownsville, Texas . This act also specified that Corridors 18 and 20 were "future parts of the Interstate System " to become actual Interstates when built to Interstate Highway standards and connected to other Interstates. Although

14378-622: The district to reflect its current name. By 2010 a community of artists began to form in EaDo. In 2022, there were not many Chinese businesses remaining, and there was a proposal to expand Interstate 45 that would remove several former Chinese businesses. Shell Energy Stadium is home for the Houston Dynamo and the Texas Southern University football team, which is on a tract of land bordered by Texas, Walker, Emancipation and Hutchins in East Downtown. BBVA Compass

14536-462: The end of construction on the Gulf Freeway. The highway beyond I-610 to FM 1959, which had just been upgraded in the 1950s and 1960s, saw an extension of the transitway to a temporary end near FM 1959, widening to eight lanes, and a large stack interchange at the Sam Houston Tollway . This reconstruction was completed between Almeda-Genoa Road and College Avenue in 1991, between College Avenue and Sims Bayou in 1994, and, finally in 1997, there

14694-415: The entire route until federal funding is restored. There is no estimated timeline for completion of the entire I-69 route. I-69 currently exists as a number of distinct segments, mostly corresponding to defined sections of independent utility (SIUs): The original portion of I-69 in Indiana (SIU 1 of the overall national plan) starts at an interchange with I-465 , the beltway around Indianapolis on

14852-636: The existing US 59, US 77, and US 281 roadways to Interstate standards through rural areas, with bypasses around urban centers along the route. Instead of building the Trans-Texas Corridor as originally planned, TxDOT now plans to finance upgrading the existing highways to I-69 through private sector investment. Under the proposed arrangement, I-69 would remain toll-free where it overlaps preexisting highways, while bypasses of cities may be tolled. The private firms awarded contracts for I-69 would also build and operate toll roads throughout

15010-430: The expansion, and the federal government has investigated the expansion project to determine whether it violates any civil rights or environmental laws. Among others, the expansion has been opposed by U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo . If completed, the highway's width will double to 480 feet (150 m), wider than a football field. The highway expansion would displace around

15168-460: The fifth segment that extends I-69 through that state in August 2024. A sixth segment of I-69 through Kentucky utilizing that state's existing parkway system and a section of I-24 was established by federal legislation in 2008 with several more parkway segments being upgraded since then. This brings the total length to approximately 880 miles (1,420 km). The proposed extension evolved from

15326-477: The final new terrain segment (SIU 3, Section 4), which takes I-69 from NSWC Crane Division northeast to SR 37 on the southwest side of Bloomington , was completed in December ;2015 and was extended north to Martinsville in late 2018 (Section 5). Section 6 (Martinsville to Indianapolis) of I-69's SIU 3 is currently being upgraded to full Interstate Highway standards all

15484-566: The first freeways in the state: the Gulf Freeway (Houston) and the Central Expressway (Dallas). The Galveston–Houston Electric Railway began operating an interurban between those cities on December 5, 1911, and last ran on October 31, 1936, though the Houston Electric Company , operator of Houston's city transit system, continued to run trains on the portion between Downtown and Park Place . A proposal for

15642-669: The first completed portion of the I-69 extension, runs east from Tunica Resorts to I-55 near Hernando and opened in late 2006. With the record of decision signed in 2007, the FHWA authorized the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) to add I-69 signs on I-55 from the I-55/I-69 interchange in Hernando to the Tennessee state line. From a point south of Clarksdale, Mississippi, to Henderson, Kentucky , most of

15800-480: The following five years; elementary grades for Rusk were to be phased out by fall 2019. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston maintains St. Nicholas Church in East Downtown. It is Houston's oldest black Catholic church. It is/was considered to be in the Third Ward. By 2012 the church held Swahili masses due to it gaining African immigrant parishioners. In particular it has a group of Cameroonians in

15958-461: The following roads: The I-45 North Freeway HOV begins in downtown Houston near the University of Houston–Downtown , with easy access inbound on Milam Street and outbound on Travis Street. Ramps and entrances are provided for access from the following roads. All are fully accessible. The HOV ends approximately one mile (1.6 km) north of the FM ;1960 (Cypress Creek Parkway) exit and becomes

16116-573: The former Galveston–Houston Electric Railway , which entered downtown on Pierce Street. After several interchanges , I-45 crosses the Galveston Causeway and passes Tiki Island . Old US 75 south of this junction was upgraded on the spot. The Gulf Freeway generally parallels SH 3 (old US 75) about one mile (1.6 km) to the west, bypassing La Marque , Dickinson , and South Houston . It includes interchanges with several other freeways: FM 1764 (Emmett F. Lowry Expressway), State Highway NASA Road 1 (NASA Road 1), and

16274-671: The freeway are paralleled by the METRORail Red Line . The first part of I-45 between Conroe and Richland was the bypass around Huntsville . The final piece of I-45 between the cities opened on October 13, 1971, for 12 miles (19 km) between Fairfield and Streetman . The Central Expressway was the first freeway in Dallas , built as a new alignment of US 75. It first opened between San Jacinto Street and Fitzhugh Avenue in 1949 and soon stretched south to Hutchins . The stretch through downtown, however, ran along

16432-477: The freeway by the early 1960s; two roughly parallel freeways—the Harrisburg and Alvin freeways—were proposed at that time to relieve the traffic but were not built. A short project to widen the road to six lanes between I-610 and Sims Bayou was completed in 1960, and ramp meters were installed in 1966. The I-610 interchange was rebuilt with direct connections for most movements in 1975. Plans to reconstruct

16590-542: The freeway near Downtown began in 1972, taking about 170 houses and 22 businesses from the southwest side for the room to expand the main lanes and add parallel lanes for the Alvin Freeway. Local opposition was unsuccessful at stopping the project, and construction on this segment, and others to the southeast, took place in the 1980s. The lanes were shifted outward to make room for the transitway, which opened to I-610 on May 16, 1988. These lanes were inspired by

16748-414: The highway, most notably The Woodlands . Since the corridor was strongly directional, with 65 percent of peak-hour traffic going in the peak direction, a 9.6-mile (15.4 km) contraflow lane for busses and other HOVs was implemented later that decade, opening on August 28, 1979, between Downtown and Shepherd Drive (exit 56B). The facility, operating during both rush-hour periods, occupied

16906-420: The homeless, including food and shelter, are located within Downtown and Midtown. A major shelter for women and children operated by Star of Hope, a faith-based agency, is located on Emancipation Avenue, between Texas & Franklin; the agency operates a men's facility nearby on the west side of US 59, north of Minute Maid Park. There has been some tension in recent years between developers who want to revitalize

17064-629: The last day of streetcar service in Houston; the replacement is still operated by the Houston Metro as the 40 along Telephone Road. Before the new highway was built, US 75 followed Galveston Road (now mostly SH 3 ), Broadway Street, and Harrisburg Boulevard into Downtown. SH 225 carried traffic from La Porte along La Porte Road to US 75 in Harrisburg , and SH 35 connected Alvin with Downtown along Telephone Road and Leeland Street. Plans made in October 1943, when

17222-428: The late 2000s. In 2008, the management district and its namethedistrict.com website asked for suggestions for a new name for the district. Suggestions included "the Warehouse District," referring to the abandoned warehouses, and "Saint E," after St. Emanuel Street, a key street and the location of several bars and clubs. The district selected "EaDo," short for "East Downtown," one of the three most popular suggestions for

17380-403: The leftmost lane of the other direction and was separated from the other lanes with a movable pylon every 40 feet (12 m). In 1980, the existing center breakdown lanes were restriped for HOV traffic for about two miles (3.2 km) from the north end of the contraflow lane. Off-peak traffic, however, was increasing, and construction began in 1983 on a more permanent reversible transitway in

17538-484: The main driving force behind Chinatown. By the late 1980s, increasing numbers of Chinese began living in suburbs in Southwest Houston and Fort Bend County . In addition, the Chinatown was geographically hemmed in, with surrounding low income African-American and Hispanic neighborhoods and the Downtown area preventing additional growth. Two Chinese religious temples opened about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of

17696-489: The median. Thus, the second transitway in Houston (a month after the one on the Katy Freeway ), opened on November 23, 1984, replacing the contraflow lane. Reconstruction of the mainlanes and frontage roads to handle increased traffic began in 1982 just north of Downtown. No lanes were added south of I-610, but the eight-lane cross-section, with room for a transitway, was continued north as construction progressed. Work

17854-487: The name of the district. During the same year Dan Nip, a developer and East Downtown Management District board member, encouraged people to invest in the Old Chinatown area in East Downtown; if a person invests $ 500,000 United States dollars in the Old Chinatown and subsequently creates two jobs for ten years, he or she would become eligible for a EB-5 visa. By late 2009 the East Downtown authority began re-branding

18012-571: The new North Freeway. A median barrier was added in 1956 to prevent crossover accidents . Southeast of Downtown, the at-grade intersections proved dangerous, and only two had been replaced with interchanges by 1959, when the Texas Highway Department began a program to upgrade the road to full freeway standards. Frontage roads would be required along the entire highway, since the state had not purchased access rights, and so abutting property owners were able to build driveways to

18170-796: The northeast side of that city. I-69 heads northeast to near Anderson , where it turns more easterly to provide indirect access to Muncie before turning more northerly toward Marion and Fort Wayne . In Fort Wayne, I-69 runs along the western edge of the city while I-69's first (and for many years only) signed auxiliary route, I-469 , loops east of the city. After crossing the Indiana East–West Toll Road ( I-80 / I-90 ) near Angola and Fremont , I-69 enters Michigan just south of Kinderhook . I-69 in Michigan runs north passing through Coldwater and Marshall . There, it crosses I-94 east of Battle Creek . Near Olivet , I-69 begins to turn in

18328-686: The northern end of Business I-45-F (Bus. I-45-F) in Corsicana to the Ellis County line. I-45 gained notoriety during Hurricane Rita in 2005. Thousands of Houston area evacuees jammed the roadway trying to leave. As a result, the freeway became a parking lot. Gas stations ran dry and hundreds of people's cars simply ran empty, their occupants having to spend the night along the shoulder. Four-hour drives suddenly became 24-hour drives. Even though TxDOT started contraflow lane reversal at Farm to Market Road 1488 (FM 1488), it did not alleviate

18486-418: The northwest half of the block between Pierce Street and Gray Street as the Pierce Elevated. The reversible HOV lane begins in Downtown at the intersection of St. Joseph Parkway and Emancipation Avenue, with easy access inbound to St. Joseph Parkway and outbound from Pierce Street. It runs down the median of the Gulf Freeway, mostly at the same level as the mainlanes. Ramps are provided for access to and from

18644-413: The old Chinatown in the 1990s. There were plans from private entities and the city government to promote and assist the development of the old Chinatown, but the economic recession harmed those efforts. Anthony Knapp and Igor Vojnovic, authors of "Ethnicity in an Immigrant Gateway City: The Asian Condition in Houston," wrote that "Into the early and mid-1990s, Old Chinatown had considerable promise and this

18802-557: The old Chinatown. Traffic increased to Chinatown after Houston Center in Downtown opened. Area newspapers wrote articles about Chinatown. When the George R. Brown Convention Center was proposed, the Houston Center Improvement Committee stated that it could stimulate Chinatown. After the center opened, the support did not materialize from the construction of George R. Brown. After Woo died, Dan Nip became

18960-408: The old interurban right-of-way near Monroe Road, about where the Park Place streetcar line had ended. In December 1952, a short spur, now part of I-610 , was opened to connect with SH 225. A three-way split in the northwest part of Park Place, near where Gulfgate Shopping Center opened in 1956, carried nonstop traffic to and from SH 35 and SH 225. This split was also the location of

19118-488: The opening ceremonies in 1949. Because of their location, these two bridges were not replaced in the 1990s reconstruction of the North Central Expressway and are the only surviving grade separations from the initial construction north from downtown. At the time the interchange with I-20 was built, the freeway that crossed I-45 was then a part of I-635 ; it would not be until later when, initially, I-20

19276-509: The overpass over Calhoun Road by the University of Houston . The roadway between Downtown and Telephone Road was opened to traffic after speeches but lacked an official name, being called the "Interurban Expressway", after the rail line that it replaced, by the press. Mayor Holcombe quickly started a contest to assign a name, and the city chose the winning entry on December 17, 1948. Sara Yancy of Houston Heights won $ 100 (equivalent to $ 1,268 in 2023 ) for her submission of "Gulf Freeway", named for

19434-625: The part in Texas northeast of Nacogdoches , SIU 16 also extends into Louisiana , ending at US 171 near Stonewall . SIU 15 continues around the south and east sides of the Shreveport area, crossing I-49 and ending at I-20 near Haughton . SIU 14 extends northeast from I-20 to US 82 near El Dorado, Arkansas , and SIU 13 continues northeast to US 65 near McGehee , mainly paralleling US 278 . Also included in Corridor ;18, as SIU 28,

19592-471: The project is approximately 15 miles (24 km) in length, starting at Kurland and ending approximately one mile (1.6 km) south of Bay Area Boulevard. The project has six phases. Phase one is the reconstruction of the mainlanes from the northern end of the project to just south of FM 1959. The end of this phase will include the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge at the FM 1959 intersection. Phase two, planned to begin in mid-2012, will be

19750-400: The reconstruction of the frontage roads from just south of FM 1959 to the southern end of the project. Phase three will be the reconstruction of the mainlanes on the southern half of the project and is planned to begin in mid-2013. Phase four, scheduled to start late 2014, will be the demolition and reconstruction of the overpass at Clear Lake City Boulevard. Phase five (which was completed)

19908-497: The right side, and long-range plans call for the demolition of the outdated Pierce Elevated, with the reroute of I-45 being along I-69 / US 59 and I-10 / US 90 to the North Freeway. The parts of the Gulf Freeway at I-10 and I-45 will be known as the Downtown Connector. If I-45 was rerouted and the Pierce Elevated demolished (and/or redeveloped into the proposed Pierce SkyPark as part of additional greenspace),

20066-515: The road. To accomplish this, traffic was shifted to the newly built frontage roads so that the central main lanes could be reconstructed. This grade separation was completed from Houston to Almeda-Genoa Road (exit 34) in June 1959, FM 1959 (exit 30) in October 1964, FM 518 (exit 23) in December 1970, and FM 1764 (exit 15) in 1976. As the section beyond FM 1764 into Galveston had already been rebuilt, this marked

20224-509: The section through The Woodlands to Research Forest Drive (exit 77) was completed in 2001, including a direct connection to Woodlands Parkway, and, in 2003, work was completed to FM 1488 (exit 81). Construction is now complete between FM 1488 to the Walker County line near milepost 100 just south of the northbound truck weigh station and New Waverly , near SH 75 (exit 98). As of 2015 , widening of

20382-695: The similar ones on the Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway in the Washington metropolitan area . That year also marked the end of the reconstruction inside I-610, along with the elevated distribution lanes alongside the mainlanes near Downtown; the first short piece of the Alvin Freeway was finally connected to these in 1999. This project gave I-45 its current configuration, mostly eight mainlanes wide, from Sims Bayou past I-610 to Griggs Road in 1981, to Telephone Road in 1982, to Lockwood Drive in 1985, and, finally, to Downtown in 1988. These projects, however, were not

20540-751: The state and the FHWA which allowed the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to erect I-69 signage along the new Interstate's 17-mile (27 km) overlap with I-24 and the 38-mile (61 km) stretch of the Western Kentucky Parkway between I-24 and the Pennyrile Parkway. Signage was placed in late 2011, with construction on necessary upgrades of the portion of the Western Kentucky Parkway expected to be bid in September. On October 25, 2011, I-69

20698-445: The state of Kentucky to reconfigure several interchanges along the parkways. Many of these interchanges were originally designed with opposing loop ramps to accommodate toll barriers at the interchanges; these "tollbooth" style interchanges were (or will be) reconfigured to standard diamond interchanges as part of the parkways' conversion to I-69. On August 31, 2011, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced an agreement between

20856-445: The state which has decided there's value in having a continuous chain of freeways running partly on other completed Interstates between Memphis and the Kentucky state line. SIU 7 follows the existing US 51 freeway with new bypasses to the state line at Fulton, Kentucky . Completion of this stretch of I-69 where it bypasses Union City opens to traffic temporarily signed as State Route 690 on February 21, 2024. A bypass for Troy

21014-406: The state; some of those revenues would then be applied to I-69 construction. A stated goal of TxDOT's I-69 initiative is that "existing suitable freeway sections of the proposed system be designated as I-69 as soon as possible". In response to TxDOT's request, a six-mile (9.7 km) segment of US 77 between I-37 and SH 44 near Corpus Christi was approved for the "I-69" designation by

21172-488: The surface, as did the part south of the bridge over the Trinity River , due to diversion of funds to the north portion. By the late 1950s, a bypass to the east of the downtown section was planned. By the time construction reached Hutchins, in about 1955, the state decided to build further segments to full freeway standards. By 1961, the freeway was complete between Hutchins and the SH ;14 split at Richland , except for

21330-464: The temple could be built; Lee stated his motivation was to thank the United States for welcoming him and saving his life when he arrived in 1978. The temple is open to followers of all religions, and it has perfumed halls. The Chinese Cultural Center was in the old Chinatown. Dolph Briscoe , Governor of Texas , attended the opening of the facility. The district has long been known for having

21488-405: The traffic jam deep into the city, as that starting point was even north of The Woodlands, which is close to Conroe, the northern terminus of Greater Houston . At just 284.91 miles (458.52 km), I-45 is the shortest of the primary Interstates (ending in 0 or 5) and the only primary Interstate to be entirely inside of one state. The stretch of I-45 connecting Galveston with Houston is known as

21646-441: The two southwestern streets—Pierce Street and Calhoun Avenue (now St. Joseph Parkway)—carried traffic toward the freeway, and the other two—Jefferson and Pease streets—carried exiting traffic; once the freeway was completed far enough to allow US 75 to be marked along it, Pease and Pierce streets carried that highway to Fannin Street. The first freeway dedication in the state took place at 7:00 pm on September 30, 1948, at

21804-694: The way north-northeast to I-465 on the southwest side of Indianapolis. The project is referred to as I-69 Finish Line Project. I-69 became a continuous segment in Indiana with the opening of the I-69/I-465 interchange on the south side of Indianapolis in August 2024. The new I-69 in Mississippi and Tennessee starts at an at-grade intersection with the former route of Mississippi Highway 304 (MS 304) in Banks , Tunica County, Mississippi. It continues roughly north-northeast, crossing into DeSoto County to

21962-481: The west side of the Mississippi River. This will provide an interim direct freeway link to Memphis that will bypass the suspended segment 8 pending its eventual completion to take I-69 even more directly into Memphis. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) halted the Interstate work about four years earlier because they lacked federal funding for the project. The revived portion of I-69 will run from

22120-546: The widening and increasing of support for the inside shoulders to serve as temporary travel lanes on the final 1.5 mile stretch of I-69 eastward from its temporary end at the US 41 interchange. Construction of the bridge (section 2) is currently scheduled to begin in 2027 and be completed in 2031, although efforts to speed up the timeframe are being explored. In 2021, Tennessee announced it was reviving construction of segment 7 of I-69 in northwestern Tennessee to link it to I-55 on

22278-597: The widening and strengthening of shoulders along I-69 east of its current end at US 41 to hold traffic during construction. [2] ORX Section 2 is the actual construction of the bridge and it will be supported by toll revenue supplemented by traditional federal and state dollars. A financial plan was developed in 2021 and will be updated annually until construction is complete in 2029. [3] At the October ;18, 2013, AASHTO meeting, an Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) request to redesignate I-164 as part of I-69

22436-628: The widespread unpopularity of toll roads in these states. A bridge over the Ohio River , which was to have been built along I-69 to connect Indiana with Kentucky, stalled in 2004 because each state did not have enough funding for it. In 2016, both states reached an agreement to restart environmental studies and develop a funding strategy for the Ohio River crossing; more funding has allowed for design and construction work to begin since that time. Tennessee has suspended work on I-69 indefinitely due to

22594-451: Was added to I-635 as a multiplex, then later still, I-635 would be truncated away from the I-45 interchange (back around to just north of what is now I-20's interchange with US 175). Reconstruction and widening to six lanes, from the Ellis – Navarro county line (between exits 243 and 244) north to SH 310 (exit 275), began in 1991. The last section, near the north end,

22752-419: Was added to the proposed "Interregional Highway System" by the early 1940s. Unlike most of the routes, it was not drawn along an existing U.S. Route corridor, except north of Fort Wayne (where it used US 27 ); most of it ran roughly parallel to SR 9 and SR 37 . The extension beyond Angola to I-94 near Marshall, Michigan , actually started out as part of what evolved into I-94. On early plans,

22910-576: Was adopted in 1956; an unsuccessful proposal in 1965 would have renamed it the Dallas Freeway. The first short piece of the freeway to open crossed Buffalo Bayou , connecting the two one-way pairs from the north end of the Gulf Freeway with the south end of Houston Avenue. This section was opened on December 12, 1955, and allowed US 75 to bypass its run on Main Street; it included interchanges with Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive . The next piece near downtown opened on July 24, 1962, leaving

23068-439: Was approved, pending concurrence from the FHWA. I-69 was officially designated on this corridor in late 2014. SIU 3, connecting I-69 to I-465 in southern Indianapolis , will roughly parallel SR 57 and SR 45 and will use an upgraded version of the existing SR 37 from just south of Bloomington to a point just south of Indianapolis. A 67-mile (108 km) stretch from Evansville to NSWC Crane Division

23226-439: Was built left Downtown to the northwest on Main Street, turning north at Airline Drive, and then northwest along the present alignment of I-45, then known as Stuebner Airline Road, Shepherd Drive, and East Montgomery Road. The freeway replacement was authorized in stages between May 1945 and June 1952, when the Texas Transportation Commission adopted plans for a freeway all the way between Houston and Dallas. The North Freeway name

23384-405: Was completed on November 19, 2012, and the remaining 27-mile (43 km) portion to Bloomington opened to traffic on December 9, 2015. Construction on upgrading a 21-mile (34 km) section of SR 37 from Bloomington to just south of Martinsville to Interstate standards was completed in late 2018. Construction began in 2019 on the final segment from Martinsville to Indianapolis,

23542-488: Was completed on a short piece of I-45 from the toll road into The Woodlands. Reconstruction continued from FM 525, reaching Airtex Boulevard (exit 63) in 1997, including part of the Sam Houston Tollway interchange (completed in 2003) and a transitway extension, Cypresswood Drive (exit 68) in 1998, extending the transit way to its present terminus, and the Hardy Toll Road (exit 72) in 2003. Work on

23700-404: Was completed south of Airline Drive (exit 53) in about 1985, to Shepherd Drive (exit 56B) in 1987, and to FM 525 (exit 60A) in 1990; this last opening allowed the transitway to extend to just south of FM 525. The Hardy Toll Road , completed on June 28, 1988, between I-610 and I-45 near The Woodlands, added capacity to that part of the corridor, and, in 1990, reconstruction

23858-530: Was designated and resigned on November 16, 2015. The Purchase Parkway between Mayfield and Calvert City was signed in July ;2018. The next phase of upgrading Purchase Parkway from Mayfield to the Tennessee state line began in December 2022 and is expected to be done by December 15, 2024. A bridge spanning the Ohio River is the last remaining piece to connect the two states. The Indiana and Kentucky governors agreed on June 30, 2016, to spend

24016-563: Was evident in just its role in promoting tourism." The general development plans never materialized. The sewer system was not extensive enough to handle the proposed development. One major street connecting the old Chinatown with Downtown was closed when the Brown Convention Center was expanded. By the 1990s, many of the East Asian businesses left and had relocated to the new current Chinatown in southwest Houston. In

24174-405: Was made in preparation for the North Freeway connection, when the directions of Calhoun Avenue and Jefferson Street were swapped so that they would alternate. A bridge, dated 1954, was built to carry traffic from Jefferson Street over traffic to Jefferson Street, and US 75 was moved to Calhoun Avenue northbound, soon crossing downtown on the one-way pair of Calhoun Avenue and Pierce Street to

24332-413: Was no construction anywhere on the entire length of the freeway when the tollway interchange was opened, along with the widening between Almeda-Genoa Road and FM 1959. A 1999 study recommended widening the entire stretch from the Sam Houston Tollway to Galveston to at least eight lanes. Construction to replace the Galveston Causeway began in mid-2003, and work on a section through Webster , including

24490-444: Was not initially part of the system between Richland and Huntsville ; this cutoff was added by 1919 as SH 32 , and US 75 was assigned to the alignment in 1926. Prior to the coming of the Interstate Highway System in the late 1950s, the only improvements to US 75 in Texas beyond building a two-lane paved roadway were in the Houston and Dallas areas. The highways in and near these cities, however, included some of

24648-452: Was officially designated by Beshear along a 55-mile (89 km) stretch of I-24 and the Western Kentucky Parkway between Calvert City and Nortonville . Signage and milemarkers were replaced on the 38-mile (61 km) stretch of the Western Kentucky Parkway in mid-December 2012. An additional 43.6 miles (70.2 km) along the Pennyrile Parkway from the Western Kentucky Parkway to Kentucky Route 425 (KY 425), south of Henderson,

24806-471: Was shifted east to the US 27 corridor by early 1958, eventually being absorbed into the extension of I-69 to I-94 near Marshall which was built in 1967. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968 authorized an additional 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of Interstates to be chosen by the FHWA; among Michigan's proposals was a 156-mile (251 km) extension of I-69 northeast and east via US 27 to Lansing , M-78 to Flint , and M-21 to Port Huron . However,

24964-615: Was the demolition and reconstruction of El Dorado and Bay Area boulevards. The demolition and reconstruction was finished in 2016. As a result, the 1960s-era cloverleaf interchanges (with the exception of Fuqua Street and Scarsdale Boulevard) have been eliminated with overpasses. Phase six will be making the new lanes of the freeway. It will have five lanes each direction along with the new overpasses for those two underpasses. This will be completed 2017. In 2015, reconstruction and widening of I-45 began in Downtown due to heavy traffic. The southbound onramp from Allen Parkway will be moved to enter on

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