E Central Texas Expressway
The Central Texas Expressway, aka the 286 (the highway numbers used to designate roads in Austin), is now open. Construction on the $375 million project began in July 2017, and the road’s 20.4-mile stretch will run from the Pflugerville Toll Road (Loop 1) to US 290 (Interstate 35). This means drivers no longer have to navigate several miles on Route 71 to get to downtown Killeen, and it also means drivers don’t have to detour through Austin or deal with busy traffic.
The Central Texas Expressway is a vital transportation corridor in the Austin metro area. Its construction began in 2009 and is slated to be completed in 2020. This new and improved road will reduce commute times, provide better access to the rest of the state, enhance education, increase economic development, provide more open space, and improve health outcomes.
Since 1999, Central Texas Expressway has been a reliable service for people trying to get to Johnson City and Greeneville. This transportation system is a tollway that runs from Interstate 75 outside of Knoxville, Tennessee to Interstate 26 just north of Johnson City. The entire system spans 288 miles, making it the 5th largest tollway in the United States.
The Central Texas Expressway (CTE), officially known as I-35E, is Central Texas’ answer to gridlock and the daily commute. This 3,173-mile highway stretches from San Antonio, where it connects to the I-35 and State Highway 16, to El Paso, Texas, where it connects to the U.S. 77.
This highway has become more than just a commute home for Texans; it has become a tourist draw as well. The Central Texas Expressway Association (CTEA) maintains plenty of signage along the highway, making it easy for travelers to get easy access to various points of interest.
Drivers in Central Texas are about to get a serious upgrade. On December 1, 2018, the $1.7 billion Central Texas Expressway will open to traffic from San Antonio to Austin. The 50-mile freeway will stretch from Interstate 35 near Austin to about 20 miles north of San Antonio’s downtown.
The Central Texas Expressway is a proposed 80-mile toll road between Austin and San Antonio. The planned toll road would connect I35 and SH130, then connect to the San Antonio/Austin Expressway. Tolls would be collected in both directions, meaning it would be both an express toll and a local toll. The Central Texas Expressway has been talked about for years and has been targeted for funding many times. The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, or TIFIA, is a federal program that allocates funding to highways. This funding could help get the project started and make it more viable.