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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The interstate highway system in the Lone Star State |
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is essential to the safe and efficient movement of freight and |
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passenger vehicles and to the competitive advantage of the state in |
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the global economy; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 1991, the U.S. Congress has passed a series of |
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bills designating U.S. Highways 59, 77, and 281 in Texas as part of |
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Interstate 69; in furtherance of that goal, the Texas |
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Transportation Commission is committed to upgrading existing |
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highways to interstate standard wherever possible in order to |
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minimize the need for additional land; and |
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WHEREAS, More than 100 local officials and individuals from |
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the private sector have served on the transportation commission's |
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I-69 Advisory Committee as well as on five segment committees, |
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identifying individual projects needed to upgrade these designated |
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highways; for more than two years, these committees solicited input |
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from thousands of citizens in communities along the route and have |
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received more than 500 comments from the public; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Department of Transportation has recently |
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funded interstate upgrade projects for a total of over $637 million |
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along the route of I-69 and, with authorization from the Federal |
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Highway Administration, has added more than 40 miles to I-69 in |
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Texas; meanwhile, the FHWA is evaluating additional miles of the |
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route to be officially designated as part of the interstate system |
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in 2013; and |
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WHEREAS, The expansion of I-69 will play a tremendously |
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important part in the continuing growth of the Texas economy for |
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many years to come, and the efforts in support of this project by |
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the Texas Transportation Commission, the Texas Department of |
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Transportation, the Alliance for I-69 Texas, and numerous elected |
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officials and private citizens are indeed worthy of special |
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recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize February 6, 2013, as I-69 Day at the |
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State Capitol and extend to all parties concerned sincere |
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appreciation for their work. |