Officials favoring upgrade by TXDOT

Local leaders in northwest Houston are asking the Texas Department of Transportation to seek U.S. 290's designation as a federal interstate highway not only to gain potential federal funds for its expansion but also to improve its visibility as a location for business and industry wanting to locate in Texas. Based on precedent for a re-designation of a U.S. highway, along with the increased traffic flow and growth rate of the Houston region, I ask that TxDOT consider submitting a request to the Federal Highway Administration for the possibility of re-designating U.S. 290 to an interstate highway. After the chamber's Sept. 1 governmental affairs committee meeting, Sappington said he is drumming up additional support from state and county officials to ask TxDOT to seek designation of U.S. 290 as an interstate spur to Interstate 10. According to TxDOT's US290.com website, construction is under way on Project K, the inbound interchange with I-10 and Loop 610 funded with a $314.5 million allocation from Proposition 12 bond funds.