HARLINGEN, Texas — Transportation planners are studying a highway of more than 20 miles that would connect Interstate 69E north of Harlingen with the South Padre Island area, a project carrying a preliminary cost estimate of about $350 million.
The proposed Outer Parkway would create a new east-west route intended to improve access between the Harlingen area and the coast. The Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority is evaluating possible alignments as part of an environmental review expected to take about two years.
The preliminary estimate includes planning, right-of-way acquisition and construction. Because the route would cross private land, some parcels would likely need to be purchased once an alignment is selected.
CCRMA Executive Director Pete Sepulveda said potential effects will vary by property and that planners are reviewing alternatives. A public meeting was scheduled Aug. 27 in Rio Hondo to present information and gather comments.
The study does not represent a final construction decision. A route, funding package, environmental clearance and right-of-way plan would have to be completed before work could begin.
The proposal could affect regional travel, freight movement, evacuation planning and development patterns across eastern Cameron County, making public review of the possible route a central part of the process.
