TXDOT's Proposed New Lubbock Outer Loop Project (Slaton, West: hotels, buying)

[guba33]

Originally Posted by Prairieparson

IMHO, totally unnecessary.

1. The present loop is in no way crowded. I bet there isn't another town in the entire USA that is less crowded than Lubbock. Traffic jams are very rare. A waste of money.

2.Lubbock growth will stagnate before too long. In the first place, many people have moved from the rural areas into Lubbock. There is a limit to this. We don't get many from outside Texas moving here. There's lots better places to move in Texas or Oklahoma than Lubbock.

3.Even if Tech hits 40,000 students in this decade, expansion will not go beyond that.

4. The amount of available water in this area is limited. The only way Lubbock has enough water now is because they acquired the T. Boone Pickens water rights. That's enough to last 100 years. Lack of water will limit potential growth in the long run. The 289 loop is plenty for Lubbock's needs.

1) Yes traffic isnt a problem on the loop but that is due to the Marsha Sharp Freeway and the Gridsystem. With the southwest and west side growing as fast as it is, it is neccessary to build a half loop at least to accomdate all the new residents.

2) Saying Lubbock will Stagnate is terribly wrong. How can you say that when for the past 30 years it has continually increased and with a future oil boom on the horizon for Lubbock population will increase very quickly. Look at midland*

3) "Even if Tech makes 40,000". Just like lubbocks population the enrollment has steadily increased. No doubt we will reach 40,000.

4) The water issue you do have a good point, but hate to break it to ya but the whole state of Texas is running out. DFW growing 5% 6% every year willl run out long before we will. The LAHP will be online this summer which will increase water capacity in Lubbock.

I really hope your not from Lubbock cause your bashing it and Tech and thats a no no in Lubbock lol. If your not from Lubbock its even worse cause people always talk crap about it and most of the time have never been here.

[nategdh]

I couldnt agree more....

A half loop that covers goes from the north west (I would say Clovis Road) down and around to I 27. If Lubbock does get hit by the boom this place will be set with all the smart growth. I just think its amazing on how far southwest we have built. Wolforth is pretty much almost city limits. If they continue to build northwest Shallowater will be connected in no time. So yes, a second loop should be talked about.

[case44]

The important thing for the foreseeable future is for area officials to get the right-of-way dedicated for a belt around the city, at least from I-27 near New Deal around the west and south to about FM 1585 and U.S. 84. They need to get it done as quickly as possible to avoid demolishing houses that could be developed before any roads get planned. They just need the right-of-way, even if no new expressway lanes get built anytime soon.

[augiedogie]

guba: Is it against principle to have a different point of view????

I'm not bashing Tech. Tech is a fine school in many ways. However, major universiities tend to plateu at about 40,000. Its not bashing. Its just a fact of life.

Anyone who thinks Lubbock needs more roads and another highway project hasn't lived anywhere else. This town is incredibly easy and pleasant to get around. I'm just trying to point out, there are limitations on the horizon to Lubbock's growth. If they do find a large oil pocket in the area, that certainly changes things, but I don't know that that has been proven yet. Overbuilding unneeded public facilities is just a huge waste of taxpayer bucks. And Lubbock has a tendency to do this. Like the Airport!!!

[case44]

These following articles have been written in the last six months, but the project is picking up more steam now. I like the idea of possibly stretching the northern arc over to near New Deal.

Leaders vetting routes for proposed outer loop, even as project looms years out | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Lubbock city leaders request full outer loop | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

[case44]

Here is an article about some plans for the Outer Loop, and you may be surprised at the speed of which some of this might get done.

2020 vision: TxDOT aims to move up start to Lubbock area Outer Route | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

[case44]

Some of the first places TXDOT will look at are going to be along FM 1585. They're actually going to try to build some of that expressway along that highway, specifically between University and Slide. Probably feeder roads first, and then the mainlanes later.

[darthredskin]

I like your initial idea about the outer loop and/or expressway reach out towards New Deal. I feel it would promote growth in that area and make it easier for northern Lubbock country to access other parts of the city without having to hit I-27, then Loop 289..ect. With downtown getting its much-needed facelift and possible growth there and the obvious growth in the southwest part of the city, I'm glad TX-DOT is being proactive.

[rr2005]

Has anyone been down FM 1585 lately? Businesses and shopping centers are springing up along each side. So my question is.....what's going to happen to all that new construction? And since TxDot knows where they want to build, shouldn't they be out acquiring rights-of-way now so that they don't have to pay to buy up all those new businesses and demolish the buildings?

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by rr2005

Has anyone been down FM 1585 lately? Businesses and shopping centers are springing up along each side. So my question is.....what's going to happen to all that new construction? And since TxDot knows where they want to build, shouldn't they be out acquiring rights-of-way now so that they don't have to pay to buy up all those new businesses and demolish the buildings?

TxDOT doesn't have the budget for being proactive anymore. It can barely maintain current roads. Watch this turn into a toll project. Between inflation and much-improved fuel efficiency in cars, that $0.20 per gallon (set in 1993) doesn't go nearly as far as it used to.