Interstate 27 - Future

Future

A study of a southern extension of I-27 to I-10 found that a full freeway extension would not be not economically feasible, instead recommending limited upgrades to the three corridors studied: SH 349 via Midland-Odessa to east of Fort Stockton, US 87 via Big Spring to Sonora or Junction, and US 84 via Sweetwater to Sonora or Junction. Of the three corridors, the Sweetwater route came the closest to warranting a freeway. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, passed in 1998, designated I-27 as part of the Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor, a High Priority Corridor from Mexico at Laredo to Denver. This corridor, planned for upgrading but not as a freeway, crosses I-20 at Big Spring and Midland (via a split), and I-10 at Sonora. It also forms part of the Great Plains International Trade Corridor, continuing north to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The part of the Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor within Texas is a proposed Trans-Texas Corridor.