The U.S. Highway 59, a significant evacuation route from Houston, has been a concern for East Texas due to flooding for many years. In April, massive flooding closed parts of the highway, cutting off a key evacuation route for those fleeing floods. Plans to upgrade the highway to interstate standards have been in place for decades, but there are concerns that the billions being invested may not fix the flooding issue. The highway runs over 600 miles through Texas, with only the Houston portion currently meeting interstate standards. Upgrades are planned for other sections, including areas that experienced significant flooding in April, but it is unclear if these changes will prevent future flooding events.
Texas has been investing millions of dollars over the past three decades in upgrading parts of U.S. Highway 59 to meet interstate standards as part of the I-69 project. This initiative aims to ease traffic congestion, support economic development, enhance safety for travelers, and improve a primary evacuation route from Houston. Upgrades have focused on larger population centers like Houston, Lufkin, and Nacogdoches, with plans for further improvements in vulnerable areas. The state plans to invest nearly $6 billion into the highway in the next decade to address safety concerns, basic maintenance, and upgrade to interstate standards.
Portions of U.S. Highway 59 between Cleveland and Shepherd, as well as Shepherd and Livingston, have faced significant flooding, leading to closures in April and May. The state has allocated $1.5 billion for current and upcoming projects on the highway, with an additional $4.3 billion earmarked for future upgrades. However, it remains uncertain whether these enhancements will prevent future flooding events, especially as extreme weather patterns become more common. While the upgraded highway is designed to withstand a 100-year flood event, climate change has increased the frequency and severity of flooding in recent years.
Texas climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon has warned of increasing extreme rainfall in East Texas due to climate change. Recent events, such as Hurricane Harvey, Memorial Day floods, and other severe weather, have highlighted the vulnerability of the region to flooding. Despite these warnings, it is unclear if current improvement plans on U.S. Highway 59 consider the potential impact of climate change on future flooding events. TxDOT is developing a Statewide Resiliency Plan to address critical routes and enhance resilience to extreme weather.
The I-69 project, covering over 2,600 miles across multiple states, was not part of the original interstate highway plans from the 1950s. Federal designation for the project was received in the early 2000s, with each state along the proposed interstate responsible for funding its section. With no dedicated federal funding for the entire conversion of U.S. Highway 59 to I-69 in Texas, the burden falls on the State Department of Transportation to move the project forward. While the federal government played a significant role in funding the original interstate system, states now bear the responsibility for funding interstate highway projects like the I-69 conversion of U.S. Highway 59.
