They opened a big chunk of the new highways yesterday. I got to do my first driving on it today (I rode with Henry on short stretches of it yesterday.) A new highway is a nice thing - wide, low traffic, smooth, and surprisingly pretty.
This was a hard fought road. Lots of politics about whose backyard it should go in - with lots of NIMBY (not in MY backyard). And it certainly changes the dynamics along its route. There were even some last minute route changes that really made me mad as it took some land where my friends had just finished adding on to their house (they've moved now.) At the time it did not seem fair (and it wasn't.) And lots of people who had rural, quiet land now have a big highway running behind their homes.
But we needed this road, with NAFTA, traffic along I-35 has gotten crazy, especially in the Austin area. And for us, this new road when finished gives us a straight shot to the airport, a straight shot to Georgetown to visit our daughter, and a much quicker route to Round Rock. And for two months, it will be free. Just long enough to get some of us hooked.
There are several amazing things about this road. Once the final decisions were made and construction started, it went in FAST. They have constructed many segments simultaneously. And whoever did the design work made it estheticallly pleasing. The concrete pillars were put in with molds that make it look like limestone. And they were painted the color of limestone. The metal supports on the overpasses have been painted a pretty crimson color. At some long overpasses they have put in very nice landscaping. And driving it for the first time - wow! The road is smooth, clean, and not congested with cars . . . . yet.
I fear that it will be expensive to use all the time and that it is going to be so convenient that it will be tempting. And while there may be some more efficient use of gas because you don't waste it sitting at traffic lights, I don't think the gas saving will pay the toll. But I drove it to and from church tonight. The good news . . . . Texas 45 does not connect to I-35 in the directions we would travel to and from church. My original, free route is quicker.
But I have to take my hat off and salute the people who have been in charge of this project. They've done a good job.
1 comment:
Yes, living in the Dallas area, we are bombarded with toll roads. It is very tempting to use them all the time, but it does hit the pocketbook. I just try not to use them when I'm not in a hurry to get somewhere, or when they have more traffic on them than the free streets.
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