Texas State Highway 130

Infobox TX State Highway
type=State
route=130
shields=
length_mi=37.4
length_ref=cite map|publisher=Google Maps|title=Overview map of SH 130|accessdate=2008-03-11|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=9554562850414917573,30.687435,-97.657663%3B10458577810267885269,30.194810,-97.624590&saddr=Unknown+road+%4030.687435,+-97.657663&daddr=TX-130-TOLL+S%2FTX-45-TOLL+S+%4030.194810,+-97.624590&doflg=ptm&sll=30.44112,-97.613585&sspn=0.56594,0.925598&ie=UTF8&z=10]
length_round=1
formed=1985
dir1=South
dir2=North
from=jct|state=TX|SH|71
junction=jct|state=TX|US|290 jct|state=TX|US|79
to=jct|state=TX|I|35
previous_type=State
previous_route=128
next_type=State
next_route=131

State Highway 130, also known as SH 130 and Pickle Parkway, is a new tollway under construction in a 89-mile corridor east of Austin, Texas. It parallels Interstate 35 (I-35) and is intended to relieve the Interstate's traffic volume through the Austin-San Antonio corridor by serving as an alternate route. The northern terminus of State Highway 130 is I-35 north of Georgetown. Its southern terminus is Interstate 10 near Seguin.

The highway was developed in response to the tremendous surge in truck traffic on the I-35 corridor brought on by the North American Free Trade Agreement during the late 1990s, especially truck traffic originating from Laredo, where the Texas Department of Transportation reported 150 trucks entering the United States every hour. A proponent of the highway's development, Capital Area Transportation Coalition, said that congestion along the I-35 corridor is costing businesses more than $194 million a year in higher operating costs and lost productivity.

State Highway 130 will initially be a four-lane highway, quickly expandable to six lanes.

History

In June 2002, Lone Star Infrastructure, a consortium of major highway construction contractors and civil engineering firms, was awarded a Comprehensive Development Agreement by the Texas Department of Transportation to design and build the section from I-35 in Georgetown to US 183 southeast of Austin. [ [http://www.acppubs.com/article/CA6449549.html Adapting To A Mega Project] Associated Construction Publications June 18, 2007] The cost of this section was expected to be $1.5 billion, a figure which includes utility relocation, right of way, design and construction. Right-of-way costs alone were estimated at $389 million.

Groundbreaking for SH 130 took place on October 3, 2003. The first segment of SH 130 to open to the public was from US 290 northward to US 79 on November 1, 2006. About a month later on December 13, the highway was extended northward to a junction with Interstate 35. On September 6, 2007, the route was extended southward from US 290 to State Highway 71. Segment 4 opened on April 30, 2008. This 8.7 mile segment runs from SH 71 to US 183. [Harris, Tom. [http://www.txcn.com/sharedcontent/dws/txcn/austin/stories/043008kvueSH130-cb.b5538c43.html "Final leg of SH 130 opens".] "Texas Cable News".]

On June 28, 2006, Cintra-Zachry, the Trans-Texas Corridor developer, reached a $1.3 billion agreement with the state to build segments 5 and 6 from US 183 to I-10 in Seguin. In exchange for their investment, Cintra-Zachry will receive the right to collect tolls for 50 years in a revenue sharing agreement with the state. The state will own the road while the developer will be responsible for financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance over the life of the agreement. [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4010281.html State reaches $1.3 billion deal to finish toll road] Associated Press June 28, 2006.]

The 2007 session of the Texas Legislature passed HB 2296, designating SH 130 in Williamson, Travis, Caldwell and Guadalupe Counties as the "Pickle Parkway" in honor of former United States Congressman J.J. "Jake" Pickle. [ [http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=80R&Bill=HB2296 TLO - 80(R) History for HB 2296 ] ]

Route description

SH 130 begins at I-35 north of Georgetown in Williamson County. The freeway heads south from the interchange with I-35 and bypasses to the east of the Georgetown city limits. It continues to the southeast to a junction with SH 29 and begins to take a more southerly course at the interchange with US 79. The freeway continues to the south and curves to the southwest as it approaches the interchange with SH 45. The highway continues heading south, passing to the east of the Austin city limits. It reaches an interchange with US 290 west of Manor before heading curving to the southeast to pass around Walter E. Long Municipal Park. It turns back to the southwest once it has passed the park. It reaches its current southern terminus at US 183 in Mustang Ridge. [ [http://www.sh130.com/ Lone Star Infrastucture ] ]

Exit list

External links

* [http://www.sh130.com/ State Highway 130 project - official page]
* [http://www.centraltexasturnpike.org/ Central Texas Turnpike - official page]
* [http://www.mysh130.com/ State Highway 130 Concession Company, LLC] , developers of SH 130 segments 5 and 6.
* [http://bicycleaustin.info/roadways/sh130/index.html Anti-130 page] (BicycleAustin.info)

References