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U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (TX-36), a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, today introduced the I-14 Expansion and Improvement Act of 2018, legislation to extend the future I-14 interstate highway to additional areas in Texas and across the southern United States.  The legislation also further connects key military installations in these states to strategic seaports, enhancing their readiness and efficiency as envisioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower when he first commissioned America’s interstate highway system in 1956.  

This legislation builds upon the original designation, written by Rep. Babin as part of the 2015 FAST Act highway bill, of the Central Texas Corridor as the future I-14, and does not eliminate any currently authorized routes.  It also authorizes the new interstate route using the general pattern of existing roads and highways, but leaves the final determination about the exact path of the route with state and local officials who know their communities best. 

“One of President Dwight Eisenhower’s top priorities and greatest accomplishments was the construction of an interstate highway system that connects America’s military assets, businesses, and communities from coast to coast.  The legislation we introduced today is a complement to that legacy.” said Rep. Babin.  “I-14 is already known as the ‘Forts to Ports’ highway, and we are building on that success with further improvements, including a nonstop interstate connection from Goodfellow Air Force base in West Texas to the strategic seaport in Beaumont. And of course, it will finally give countless communities access to the benefits of an interstate highway, with a design and implementation process run by state and local transportation authorities, not Washington bureaucrats.”

The legislation has been referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) has recently announced plans for legislation to carry out President Trump’s call to action on a comprehensive national infrastructure bill. Joining Rep. Babin as original cosponsors of the bill were Reps. Mike Conaway (TX-11), John Carter (TX-31), Roger Williams (TX-25), Kevin Brady (TX-8), Mike Johnson (LA-4), Ralph Abraham (LA-5), and Gregg Harper (MS-3).

Click here to view the bill text.

Click here to view a map of the current and proposed I-14 routes.