In 2007, in a small Texas town, an interchange project was underway because the needs of the community, coupled with tourism, had made the present interchange dangerous and insufficient. The new project had been several years in the planning stage and was complete by the time the first belly dump of asphalt was dropped. A planning committee had foreseen the possibility and made provisions for the expansion. This allowed them to avoid right-of-way issues and protect the land needed for the interchange.
What can or may be a small problem in a little town is multiplied when future plans are not properly laid for expansion of interstate highways in cities such Dallas, Los Angeles, or Seattle. Areas with larger populations have much larger needs for land and development. Were the land not set aside before the project was needed, the whole highway system could be compromised by lawsuits and expensive deals to purchase land.
Interchange planning must address the care and protection of land development, and the management of traffic flow. It must take into consideration the balance and safety for all types of transportation and increased capacity, as well as, environmental issues and protection. The ideal plan will ease traffic flow, provide for expansion, while creating and protecting the balance between natural existence and future development.
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