May 2022 Vol 20 Issue 5 - Ports to Plains

May 2022 Volume 20 Issue 5

We are a voice for our small town, grassroots members who may otherwise not have access to the right audiences, as well as a conduit for industry to come together in support and promotion of transportation improvements.

We are committed to working as an Alliance to improve transportation infrastructure and business networks opportunities, by advocating for appropriate funding levels, so business and industry can thrive.

We are focused on the economic and business interests that are the lifeblood of the region.

2022 Ports-to-Plains Conference

The Ports-to-Plains Alliance will be holding an in-person Annual Conference in Big Spring, TX at Hotel Settles on September 14-16, 2022. Mark your calendar now. Look forward to meeting live once again! The theme of the conference will be “The Future Is NOW”.

The conference website is available by Clicking Here.

Interested in Sponsoring the Conference? Click Here to download Sponsorship Opportunities.

The Registration Page is coming soon. Lodging Reservation is currently open under a Ports-to-Plains Block Code.

Conference Sponsors and Sponsorship Opportunities, draft Conference Agenda, Big Spring Attractions,

and Lodging Information are available on the conference website.

FY 2023 Appropriations

The Ports-to-Plains Alliance is very pleased that Congressmen Jodey Arrington (TX-19th) and August Pfluger (TX-11th) have submitted projects benefiting the Ports-to-Plains Corridor to the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee for Fiscal Year 2023 Community Project Funding.

Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19th)

Project Name: Phase I Ports-to-Plains Corridor Interstate Planning

Purpose of Project: Following the designation of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor as a Future Interstate in the FY2022 Appropriations legislation, the project would initiate planning as recommended by the Ports-to-Plains Corridor Interstate Feasibility Study Final Report published in October 2020 by Texas Department of Transportation. These planning funds would be used within the District for Project Feasibility, Preliminary Design, Environmental, and Final Design.

Location of Project: City of Lubbock; City of Tahoka; City of Big Spring; Lubbock County; Lynn County; Howard County; TX-19

Intended Recipient: Texas Department of Transportation Recipient's Address: 135 E Slaton Hwy, Lubbock, TX 79404

Requested FY'23 Funding Amount: $1,600,000

Project Name: SL 88 - Lubbock Outer Loop I From: CR 2240 (AVE U) To: 0.5 mi East of US 87 (TxDOT Project Id: 1502-01-031)

Purpose of Project: The project would convert 1.5 miles of FM 1585 to an interstate standard. Loop 88 connects to U.S. Highway 87, a segment of the Ports-to-Plains High Priority Corridor. The route objectives are defined as follows: Increase access to portions of the metropolitan area that are expected to grow over the next 40 years; Address growing transportation needs through the provision of additional capacity; Improve the safety and efficiency of travel; and Foster economic development in areas by providing increased accessibility. The project will be ready to let in FY 2024 but the estimated let date is FY 2027 because of the funding gap.

Location of Project: City of Lubbock; Lubbock County; Texas; TX-19

Intended Recipient: Texas Department of Transportation Recipient's Address: 135 E Slaton Hwy, Lubbock, TX 79404

Requested FY'23 Funding Amount: $2,000,000

Project Name: SL 88/US 87 Interchange - Lubbock Outer Loop I From: 114th Street (CR 8052) To: 146th Street (CR 7500) (TxDOT Project Id: 0068-01-073)

Purpose of Project: The project is constructing the interchange between Loop 88 and U.S. Highway 87, a segment of the Ports-to-Plains High Priority Corridor. The project would convert 2 miles of US 87 to an interstate standard. The route objectives are defined as follows: Increase access to portions of the metropolitan area that are expected to grow over the next 40 years; Address growing transportation needs through the provision of additional capacity; Improve the safety and efficiency of travel; and Foster economic development in areas by providing increased accessibility. The project will be ready to let in FY 2024 but the estimated let date is FY 2027 because of the funding gap.

Location of Project: City of Lubbock; Lubbock County; Texas; TX-19

Intended Recipient: Texas Department of Transportation Recipient's Address: 135 E Slaton Hwy, Lubbock, TX 79404

Requested FY'23 Funding Amount: $2,000,000

Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11th)

Proposed Project: Ports-to-Plains – Interstate Planning

Proposed Recipient: Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT)

Project Location: 3901 E. Highway 80, Odessa, TX 79761

Requested Amount: $2,000,000

Explanation of Request: Following the designation of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor as a Future Interstate in the FY2022 Appropriations, legislation, $2,000,000 is requested would initiate interstate planning. These planning funds would be used within the 11th Congressional District for Project Feasibility, Preliminary Design, Environmental, and Final Design. The major benefits of completed project in the first twenty-years of operation were described in the Ports-to-Plains Corridor Interstate Feasibility Study Final Report, this includes a $55.6 billion increase in Texas GDP, a 21% reduction in the crash rate, $4.1 Billion of Total Annual Travel Cost Savings and an increase of in employment of 22,110 jobs.

I-27 Expansion to be Game-Changer for Texas Trade
(From Texas Economic Development Corporation by Robert Allen)

In Texas, a state that encompasses 268,597 square miles — more territory than the country of France — a network of more than 80.7 million miles of highway helps stitch together an impressive economic network.

The millions of miles of highway in Texas represent billions of dollars in economic impact. Without our robust highway system, commerce in Texas would crawl along like rush-hour traffic.

Fortunately, with the planned north-south Interstate 27, the state’s highway system is growing, which means even more economic opportunities.

In March, sections of the future I-27 in Texas were designated part of the interstate highway system. This represents a major step in securing money for the project.

Promoters of the project point out that it’ll drive up Texas’s GDP by an estimated $17.2 billion and create 178,000 construction jobs, as well as add 17,000 long-term job opportunities along the new I-27 corridor.

“Establishing a four-lane federal highway for I-27 is a game-changer for our economy and quality of life in West Texas for decades to come,” U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington of Lubbock said, “and will strengthen our food security and energy independence for the entire country.”

Arrington joined U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of San Antonio in sponsoring the Ports-to-Plains Highway Act of 2021, which paved the way for federal designation of the new I-27. Original co-sponsors of the legislation are U.S. Reps. Ronny Jackson, Tony Gonzales and Kay Granger, all of Texas, and U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota.

A key component of the long-envisioned Ports-to-Plains Corridor, the project will expand the existing Lubbock-to-Amarillo route of I-27; that route measures nearly 125 miles. The I-27 extension will stretch from Laredo through the Texas Panhandle, and eventually to the Canadian border, according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Aside from pumping up the Texas economy, the new four-lane I-27 should help relieve congestion on other vital arteries in the state, including I-35. In all, 16 interstate highways crisscross Texas.

The Ports-to-Plains Corridor has been in the works for more than two decades, but it has gained considerable momentum since 2019. That year, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a measure directing the Texas Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of expanding I-27. A bill signed last year by Gov. Abbott established an I-27 advisory committee.

The new federal designation for I-27 enables “enhancement of infrastructure for domestic and international markets, creates safer roads for leisure and business travels, and connects underrepresented communities throughout the [corridor] with outside markets,” said John Osborne, chairman of the Ports-to-Plains Alliance as well as president and CEO of the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance and Market Lubbock.

The 2,300-mile Ports-to-Plains Corridor runs from Mexico to Canada, crossing through Texas and seven other states. The corridor’s economic strengths include energy, agriculture and international trade.

Simply put, the I-27 and the entire Ports-to-Plains Corridor will be a boon for Texas. Texas stands to reap billions of dollars in economic gains from this venture for decades to come. This is the kind of forward-thinking project that will help ensure Texas remains the best state in which to live, work and play.

Robert Allen is President and CEO of the Texas Economic Development Corporation (TxEDC). TxEDC’s mission is to promote Texas as the premier state to locate or expand the business and to offer insight and key resources to advisers and decision-makers. Follow Robert and TxEDC on Twitter at @GoBiginTexas.

Link to Original Article: https://businessintexas.com/blog/i-27-expansion-to-be-game-changer-for-texas-trade/.