TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 2021-2022 EDUCATIONAL SERIES INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM DESIGNATIONS • Interstate Benefits and Challenges • Interstate Requirements • Funding and Project Selection • Timeline • Designation Methods • Connecting You With Texas TxDOT RESOURCE LINKS Scan the QR codes with your mobile device or click on the resource link buttons located here and at the bottom of every page of this document to direct you to additional resources and more details on the information provided in this document. Texas Department TxDOT 2021-2022 Visual of Transportation Educational Series Dictionary TxDOT’s public website for agency TxDOT’s complete 2021-2022 Educational TxDOT’s Visual Dictionary is designed information and resources focused on Series that focuses on a range of to provide better understanding of meeting the needs of drivers, businesses, transportation issues affecting TxDOT and transportation elements, words, and government officials, the state of Texas. concepts. and those who want to learn more about TxDOT. PUBLICATION DATE: JANUARY 2021 INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM DESIGNATIONS OVERVIEW INTERSTATE BENEFITS AND The United States Congress first created the Interstate CHALLENGES Highway System, now formally known as the Dwight D. Before pursuing an Interstate highway designation, Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense community leaders should consider the challenges and Highways, in 1958. While Congress has extended the length benefits that the facility may bring to the communities and definitions of the Interstate Highway System various along the corridor. An interstate highway corridor can times since then, interstate highways have remained critical attract new businesses, improve safety along the corridor, roadway infrastructure that connect the nation’s principal enhance freight mobility, reduce travel times, and connect metropolitan areas, cities, and industrial centers, serve rural and urban Texas. Conversely, communities along a the national defense, and provide important corridors to newly constructed interstate highway may experience new Canada and Mexico. The Interstate Highway System in Texas challenges with the designed roadway including loss of helps to facilitate the safe movement of people and goods access, changes to access, the potential for the state to use and connects Texans and visitors to Texas. According to eminent domain to acquire both residential and business the 2018 Texas Roadway Inventory, there are more than properties along the corridor, and travelers bypassing a 8,300 interstate centerline miles (or 26,000 interstate downtown area. An interstate highway also can change the lane miles) in Texas. Federal law prescribes a multi-step footprint of a community and challenge existing businesses process for interstate highway designation involving and local governments to adapt to different traffic patterns. many transportation partners, including Congress, the United States Department of Transportation, and state departments of transportation. 2 2021-2022 EDUCATIONAL SERIES: INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM DESIGNATIONS WWW.TxDOT.GOV • GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIVISION • (512) 463-6086 INTERSTATE REQUIREMENTS INTERSTATE DESIGN STANDARDS REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION Interstate highways are subject to a uniform set of Before the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) standards throughout the country. These high design can begin constructing any roadway, including an interstate standards set the Interstate Highway System above all highway, federal and state laws require that TxDOT and other components of the National Highway System and its planning partners take several steps in the project ensure consistent design, development, construction, and development process. TxDOT must ensure completion of preservation of this important national highway. State the following required components: departments of transportation, working through the American Association of State Highway and Transportation • Feasibility study; Officials (AASHTO), develop and maintain the Interstate Highway System design standards and the Federal Highway • Traffic and safety analyses; Administration finalizes and circulates them for application nationwide. • Public involvement, including the environmental, permitting, mitigation, and clearance; Interstate design standards include: • Inclusion of the project in multiple financially constrained • Full control of access; plans, including TxDOT’s Unified Transportation Program (UTP), the State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP,) • Design speeds; and the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP); • Minimum of two travel lanes in each direction; • Preliminary engineering and design; • 12-foot lane widths; • Interstate access justification with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); • 10-foot right paved shoulders; • Railroad agreements; and • 4-foot left paved shoulders; • Right-of-way acquisition and utility adjustments. • Limited access points; and • Ramp lengths to accommodate exit deceleration and access acceleration. For the designation of and existing highway section that does not currently meet interstate standards, the state department of transportation will need to re-design and re-construct the highway section to meet those standards before beginning the designation process. Constructing a highway section to meet interstate design standards typically take years to complete. 2021-2022 EDUCATIONAL SERIES: INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM DESIGNATIONS 3 WWW.TxDOT.GOV • GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIVISION • (512) 463-6086 FUNDING AND PROJECT TIMELINE SELECTION Constructing a completely new interstate highway or Currently, there is no specific federal funding program set upgrading existing roadways to interstate highway aside to build future interstate highway projects. As a result, standards can take multiple years or even decades. It these projects must compete with all other Texas highway requires coordination with partners, identifying funding, and improvement projects for funding in the state’s annual completing environmental clearance, public involvement, project selection process. and design before ultimately beginning construction. Upon construction completion, the interstate designation process TxDOT and the Texas Transportation Commission must can begin, which may take months or years to complete. continually balance competing interests throughout the state—new construction, and maintenance and preservation of current assets—while making the best use DESIGNATION METHODS of the funding TxDOT receives from federal, state, and local Federal law establishes three methods for the designation sources. TxDOT uses its annual project scoring system to of the Interstate Highway System. The following chart evaluate projects to construct interstate highways against below summarizes the allowed Interstate Highway System other construction and maintenance projects prior to designation methods. developing the Unified Transportation Program each year. Congressional designation for a future interstate does not promote the future interstate above other state projects. CONGRESSIONAL DESIGNATION Each project must compete for funding during the annual For a congressional designation, Interstate highway project selection process in the Unified Transportation designations must be in federal statute. Congress can Program cycle. designate interstate highways by including the designation either in a reauthorization bill for the federal-aid highway program or in an annual appropriations act for the United States Department of Transportation. Congress cannot designate a highway section as part of the Interstate Highway System unless the highway segment meets the interstate design standards established by the Federal Highway Administration and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. FEDERAL GUIDANCE ON INTERSTATE DESIGNATION METHODS 1 2 3 BY CONGRESSIONAL ACT IF THE CORRIDOR REQUESTING DESIGNATION Some of the High Priority CURRENTLY MEETS AS A FUTURE INTERSTATE Corridors have been INTERSTATE STANDARDS Some of the High Priority Corridors congressionally designated Some of the High Priority Corridors have been congressionally as future parts of the have been congressionally designated designated as future parts of the Interstate Highway System as future parts of the Interstate Interstate Highway System by the by the Intermodal Surface Highway System by the Intermodal Intermodal Surface Transportation Transportation Efficiency Act of Surface Transportation Efficiency Act Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) 1991 (ISTEA) and amendments. of 1991 (ISTEA) and amendments. and amendments. Once they Once they are constructed Once they are constructed to are constructed to interstate to interstate standards, and interstate standards, and once they standards, and once they connect once they connect to other connect to other interstates, then by to other interstates, then by law, interstates, then by law, they law, they will become interstates. they will become interstates. will become interstates. Intermodal Surface 23 USC 103(c)(4)(A) 23 USC 103(c)(4)(B) Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and amendments. 4 2021-2022 EDUCATIONAL SERIES: INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM DESIGNATIONS WWW.TxDOT.GOV • GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DIVISION • (512) 463-6086 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DESIGNATION PROCESS 1 Besides congressional designation, federal law also CONFIRM SECTION IS gives the United States Secretary of Transportation READY TO DESIGNATE the authority to designate