New interstate connecting the Texas coast to the panhandle being considered by TxDOT

The Texas Department of Transportation is looking into the idea of upgrading State Highway 287 into a full-blown interstate.

State Highway 287 runs from Port Arthur all the way to Amarillo and is 671 miles long.

Right now, TxDOT says only about 40 miles of it overlap with other interstates, so the department is looking into the cost of turning the whole road into an interstate, which they say would cost more than $24 billion.

Why are they considering this?

In a feasibility study, they say currently, no interstate connects these areas and that 287 as an interstate would alleviate traffic on other roads, improve safety, and create jobs.

Specifically, TxDOT says the study shows more than 3,000 daily vehicles would be diverted off I-45, and another 3,000 would be diverted off I-10 if 287 became an interstate.

TxDOT says the upgrade to an interstate would encourage economic opportunity and, by 2050, bring about 46,000 more jobs to Texas.

Of course, there are also big challenges that come with an idea like this, one of them being that TxDOT would need approval from Congress to make this change.

Also, as of now, many of the bridges and overpasses on Highway 287 would have to be replaced to comply with interstate standards.

If this plan ever comes to fruition, TxDOT says construction would take about 10 years, with an estimated completion date in 2050.

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