If that's not a Corridor of the Future, what is?

It used to be that the future of transport was going to be atomic-powered jet packs strapped to our foreheads. Now it’s corridors.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has decided that as part of its Corridors of the Future project, to solve what it calls “national congestion relief,” it’s going to spend $17 billion in federal funds on six major highways. Big chunks of two of these roads run through Texas: I-69 (aka the infamous Trans-Texas corridor) and I-10 from California to Florida, running parallel to the Mexican border from El Paso to Orange. Texas is on-line to get $6 billion of the I-69 cash, plus potentially part of another $8.6 billion for easing up congestion on I-10.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, they’re expecting total travel on the whole length of I-69 to be 23 million vehicle miles per day by 2015. Just a thought, but any possibility of some of that de-congestion cash going on, say, investing in long-distance rail freight?

This article appears in September 7 • 2007.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.