Deadline for input on U.S. 69 relief route approaches

It doesn’t matter if you’re for it, against it or ambivalent to it – Texas Department of Transportation wants to know Jacksonville residents’ opinions on the proposed U.S. Highway 69 relief route.

Deadline to get opinions about the project in the official record is Friday, Dec. 13. Comments may be made online by visiting the project’s website, us69jacksonvillereliefroute.com; by calling (903) 510-9100; or via mail, postmarked by Dec. 13, to TxDOT Tyler District, Attn: US 69 Jacksonville Relief Route, 2709 W. Front St., Tyler, TX 75702.

“The three potential actions by TxDOT are no-build, the gold route, or the blue route,” Shannon Smyrl, a member of the citizens’ committee formed in opposition of the project, stated in an email to the Cherokeean Herald. “If you have not had a chance to study the two proposed routes, please view the interactive map found online.

“The map can be blown up large enough for you to have an overview of your property and see any buildings located on it.

“A summary of information regarding he relief route can be found on the project’s website.”

The citizens’ committee continues to collect signatures on a petition opposing the relief route.

“If you have not already done so, please sign the petition against the relief route at Ruffles, 114 E Commerce St., in Jacksonville,” Smyrl stated.

Through public involvement and engineering analysis, a recent feasibility study – which began in 2018 -- recommended a western corridor and two potential tie-in points north of Jacksonville, while only endorsing one southern connection, south of Jacksonville, at the existing Loop 456.

“All the studies that have been done show this is the best route,” TxDOT-Tyler Public Information Officer Kathi White said during a town hall meeting held in November. “These two alternate routes were determined to be most feasible.

“There’s nothing written in stone as of now. All public comments are being taken into account – tweaks can and will be made. As always, a no-build alternative will be considered and available for comments.

“We urge citizens to take advantage of this opportunity to tell TxDOT what they want.”

TxDOT plans to hold a second public meeting on the project, but that meeting has not been scheduled at this time.

State officials began studying the most propitious routes to take the highway around the city of Jacksonville in May 2017.

As part of the Texas Trunk System and the National Highway System, U.S. 69 services intrastate and interstate traffic moving people and goods.

The highway is also a designated hurricane evacuation route, which provides safe passage for the Gulf Coast region during an evacuation event.