howeenterprise.com
Monday, July 25, 2016
Page #12
Proposed future changes to Howe's US Highway 75
South to North on US 75
South to North on US 75 At last week's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for the ShermanDenison Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), they reviewed plans that were submitted for each city for upgrades to US Highway 75 for the long-range plan. Representing Howe was City Administrator Joe Shephard, who is a TAC committee member, and Economic Development Director Monte Walker. The two submitted plans several weeks back for an interchange (bridge) to connect Hall Cemetary Road to L.B. Kirby Avenue. One other plan was submitted for the reversal of the southbound on-off
ramps between FM 902 and Haning Street. The off ramp dumps out near the youth ballfields where drivers try to make a sharp right turn from the ramp into the field area which is a safety concern. The reversal also allows for increased opportunities for commercial development along US 75 between those two major roads.
standards.
In discussions of Prop 1 funding projects pre-determined from a project list in October of 2015 (excluding the US 75 corridor), Howe had no prior projects submitted. However, due to the federal government declaring that it requires approval from the Texas Legislature, that delayed the Prop 1 At the meeting on Wednesday, funding until July of 2017 at the Shephard and Walker made an very earliest. That also gives Howe addition to Howe's plan by a chance to move a project from the upgrading the FM 902 overpass and most current Prop 7 funding into lifting it to freight corridor the first phase. Howe's project is to standards which is 18' 15". The connect FM 902 from the east to bridge currently does not meet west by way of Ponderosa Road. A TxDOT's freight corridor study will have to take place to
determine the exact route and most plausible way to have the bypass from within the city. Currently, trucks traveling from east to west have to make a sharp left turn on Hughes Street - then take another sharp right turn on Kosse Street to get them to Highway 5. Some trucks avoid the "No Trucks" sign and continue on Young Street to meet Highway 5. This FM 902 connector would eliminate 90 percent of all of the inner-city truck traffic while also improving access to Howe High School.
