The Texas Department of Transportation is proposing adding a connector between Interstate 69C/US 281 and Interstate 69E/US 77 in Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties.

The proposed I69 connector would help alleviate traffic along Interstate 2, TxDOT said.

“It would be built between I69C and I69 E in the general vicinity of Edinburg and comes, the Willacy County area,” TxDOT spokesman Ray Pedraza said.

The 25-mile long proposed project is estimated to cost $500 to $700 million.

TxDOT says because the project is in its preliminary phase, funding options and right of way acquirement is still on the drawing board.

TxDOT is holding two in person and a virtual meeting later this month to get the public's input on which of these four proposed routes the public prefer for the connector.

Residents can also voice their opinion if they don't think the connector is needed.

The project is expected to get environmental clearance in 2027, and if approved, construction could start as early as 2028.

The virtual public meeting will be available starting Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at www.txdot.gov, by entering the keyword “I-69C/US 281 and I-69E/US 77.”

There will be two in-person options:

Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025

J. Economedes High School cafeteria
1414 N. Alamo Rd. in Edinburg
5 to 7 p.m. CST

Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025

Santa Rosa High School Cafeteria/Fine Arts building
102 Jesus R. Cruz in Santa Rosa
5 to 7 p.m. CST

Written comments are requested and may be submitted in person at the meetings; by mail to the TxDOT Pharr District Office, Attn: Edward Paradise, 600 W. Interstate 2, Pharr, TX, 78577; online on the public meeting webpage; or via email to Francisco.Chapa@txdot.gov. 

All comments must be received on or before Friday, Feb. 7, 2024.

Watch the video above for the full story.