Thursday, January 22, 2009

A drive on 175

Highway 175 between Athens and Eustace has become a more pleasant and safer drive as the widening project continues near its completion. Shouldn't be much longer until its completely finished, which will then leave only the stretch from Eustace to Mabank (currently under construction) as the only one not four-laned between Athens and Dallas. I'm sure those who make the drive to and from the metroplex each day can't wait for that part of the project to be completed. I'm guessing it will shorten the drive time by a few minutes.
-- Benny Rogers, Sports Editor

2 comments:

  1. I never thought I'd see that highway finished in my lifetime. I can remember driving down here from Dallas/Grapevine with my folks back in the 60s and 70s. Two lane most of the way, and the traffic jam in Mabank was a nightmare on weekends.

    It'll be nice to see it finished. Then, maybe someone will realize that we need stop lights at all of the intersections with the Loop. It's just a matter of time before someone gets killed trying to come off the Loop onto Hwy 31E, 19N and S, 175E and W, as well as 2495. The hill there coming from town is dangerous.

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  2. This can't come soon enough!! It's taken WAY too long. Since they've rearranged 175 to going around with the Loop instead of through town, there should be some kind of bridge-ramp connection where they intersect on each side of town (EB 175 to NB Loop on the west, SB Loop to EB 175 on the east) to keep from having to stop when turning, but maybe later... Too bad Eustace wanted the new/improved to go thru town instead of around, with all the truck traffic, there will be some future accident/issue that comes with that choice. The widening there thru town did turn out looking real good though. Nancy, thanx for reminding me of the lovely years pre-Mabank bypass...the slowest 30 mph in the world! :) I am VERY eagerly awaiting the Baxter-Frankston phase of widening--that farm-to-market width thru there now, with no shoulders, *ugh*!! Fortunately, I've not had any 'blowouts/car trouble/people passing and coming straight at me' type of issues over the years along there. A US 175 site is online at myspace dot com slash us175homepage, and hopefully my own site about 175 will return in the future.

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