NASCO Maintains an Aggressive Focus on I-35 in 2006

North America's SuperCorridor Coalition, Inc. ^ | January 9, 2006 | NASCO

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

NASCO Maintains an Aggressive Focus on I-35 in 2006
Endorses Trans-Texas Corridor Concept

Dallas, TX -- Interstate 35 received much attention in 2005 with Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announcing the development of the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC). The focus on transportation will increase substantially in 2006, as the ultimate alignment of TTC-35 becomes better defined and TxDOT continues to deliver on its commitment to finish projects planned on I-35.

Today, nearly 9.5 million people, or about 45 percent of all Texans, live within 50 miles of I-35. This chronically congested interstate requires immediate and continuous attention.

Realizing that funding at the local, state and federal levels is simply not sufficient to meet the demands facing the Texas transportation system, North America’s SuperCorridor Coalition, Inc. (NASCO) endorses the visionary TTC-35 “SuperCorridor.”

NASCO has explained in depth to TxDOT that TTC-35 and existing I-35 would perform best as parallel work engines in a larger transportation corridor. NASCO firmly believes that if positioned correctly, TTC-35 will be the logical companion to I-35 in Texas, creating the premier trade corridor in North America.

The solution for mobility along the I-35 corridor will require a long-range vision, private capital, and a variety of transportation choices; the Trans-Texas Corridor fits that bill. The Coalition looks forward to continuing its working relationship with TxDOT to ensure that the development of TTC-35 is beneficial to the existing I-35 corridor and the communities it serves.

“In our discussions with TxDOT officials,” said NASCO Executive Director Tiffany Melvin, “they have been receptive to NASCO’s Trans-Texas Corridor ideas. We’re anxiously awaiting the next decisions to be announced by the department. We believe that TTC-35 has the potential of opening up new business and industrial centers in Texas, and it’s important to plan accordingly.”

Both I-35 and TTC-35 are vital to the future of Texas. I-35 is the backbone of the broader, international NASCO Corridor, and the Coalition will remain aggressively focused on funding for I-35’s improvement and maintenance while working to have TTC-35 developed as a logical parallel corridor.

Founded in 1994, NASCO has worked more than 11 years at the local, state and federal levels to see that I-35 receives the funding it needs to be improved and maintained so that the corridor is safe and efficient for the transportation of people and goods. The Coalition works to promote the concepts of intermodalism (multiple modes of transportation) the use of technology to improve safety and security, and infrastructure to meet the ever-increasing needs of trade and transportation.

NASCO, formerly the I-35 Corridor Coalition, is a non-profit organization based in Dallas, Texas, dedicated to developing the world’s first international, integrated and secure, multi-modal transportation system along the International Mid-Continent Trade Corridor (NASCO Corridor) to improve both the trade competitiveness and quality of life in North America.

The NASCO Corridor encompasses Interstate Highways 35, 29 and 94, and the significant connectors to those highways in the United States, Canada and Mexico. This includes the largest border crossing in North America (The Ambassador Bridge in Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Canada), the second largest border crossing of Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The backbone of the NASCO Corridor is I-35, and the most dynamic section of this corridor is in the State of Texas.

To find out more about NASCO, please visit www.nascocorridor.com .

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

General and Trans-Texas Corridor PING!

[SwinneySwitch]

Austin, Texas is the worst! They need a loop around that demolition derby.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I-35 is bad because it is the only Interstate that runs from mexico to Canada. Thank you, NAFTA, for making my rush hour miserable.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

As far as I can tell, I-5 also runs from Mexico to Canada along the West Coast.

[Lunatic Fringe]

You are correct, sir. So much for that little Texas legend.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Heartofsong83]

I-35 does not reach Canada; it stops in Duluth (if it continued northward, it would reach Thunder Bay - and would be a big boon for the economies of northern Minnesota and northwestern Ontario).

The flawed plan: replacing I-35 and other Texas Interstates with the Trans-Texas Corridor. Complete waste of money. What's wrong with making I-35 itself 6 or 8 lanes, or improving existing rail service if the demand is there?

[supercat]

When I saw the headline, I was confused because I didn't think the NASCO I knew about was near I-35.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

You're welcome. :-)

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

As far as I know, I-35 was built on a narrow right-of-way in Texas, so it could only be widened to 6 lanes, unless one wanted to engage in the expensive eminent-domain process of widening the ROW.

[Heartofsong83]

That's a lot cheaper than the TTC though, as only small parts of rural ranch and farm properties need to be taken away (and urban areas can and should be bypassed + improved mass transit).