The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved an amendment to the pending Bipartisan Infrastructure Package expanding the congressional designation of Interstate 14 on a corridor across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
The amendment was offered jointly by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia the Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition announced in a news release. The full I-14 congressional designation was supported by all 10 senators along the corridor which runs from Midland-Odessa, Texas to Augusta, Georgia. The designation was approved earlier in the U.S. House and has the support of every House member whose district is on the I-14 route.
“We expect that the Senate infrastructure package will be voted on soon and sent to the House for consideration. It appears the momentum is in place to get this passed and signed by the President,” said John Thompson, chairman of the I-14/Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition which has been building grassroots support for I-14 over the past decade.
In Texas the I-14 corridor runs from Midland-Odessa to San Angelo, Killeen-Fort Hood, Bryan-College Station, Livingston, Woodville and Jasper. Moving east the designated I-14 corridor connects Fort Polk-Leesville, Alexandria-Pineville, Louisiana; Natchez and Laurel, Mississippi; Selma and Montgomery, Alabama; and Columbus, Macon and Augusta, Georgia. Four spur interstate routes connect future I-14 to I-10 in Texas and Mississippi. The designation includes an interstate loop at Bryan-College Station.
“I applaud my Senate colleagues for supporting this bipartisan amendment to designate future Interstate-14 across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, so we can begin the necessary work to upgrade this road system and connect strategic military installations across our states,” said Senator Cruz. “I am grateful to Sen. Warnock for joining me in leading this effort to ensure Texans and Georgians have the crucial infrastructure they deserve and reap the benefits of the economic development and growth that come along with it.”
Senator Warnock said that he is proud to have worked together with Senator Cruz to win Senate approval.
“This planned route would connect military installations across Georgia and drive economic opportunities to our rural communities,” he said. “The I-14 corridor will cover more than 1,300 miles. Congressional authority for new interstate highways of this length are very rare,” said Thompson. “The leadership provided by Senators Cruz and Warnock and our other senators was essential to this major step in advancing Interstate 14 as a future corridor for handling freight movement, military facility connectivity, coastal evacuation and sparking economic development.”
Thompson offered his special thanks to Congressman Brian Babin of Texas who has been the lead sponsor in the House of I-14 designation legislation over a period of several years.
