US 69 Lumberton-Kountze relief route
TxDOT's Beaumont District is proposing a US 69 relief route that stretches approximately 20.2 miles from Cooks Lake Road (south of Lumberton) to FM 1003 (north of Kountze) in Hardin County. US 69 is a north-south highway that runs from Port Arthur to Denison, Texas and is designated as a hurricane evacuation route.
Project purpose and need
The purpose of the US 69 relief route is to provide a relief route to support safe and efficient north/south movement of people and goods between Beaumont and Woodville. The proposed project aims to do the following:
- Provide an alternate south-north evacuation route for the growing population of southeast Texas
- Improve safety by providing a relief route to reduce congestion on existing US 69
- Address increasing demand from development and freight traffic
- Provide an alternate/secondary route from Lumberton to Kountze
Proposed improvements
The proposed project would include a new location roadway that would require 325 feet of right-of-way width. The ultimate roadway will include two 12-foot lanes in each direction, a northbound 13-foot outside shoulder to be used as a hurricane evacuation lane, and a southbound 10-foot outside shoulder. The project will also include a two-lane frontage road in each direction. Bicycle and pedestrian accommodations will be considered.
Timeline/next steps*
- Finalize preliminary design and draft environmental assessment – fall 2024
- Conduct public hearing - winter 2024
- Finalize environmental assessment and targeted environmental clearance - spring 2025
- Begin right-of-way acquisition - upon approval
- Finalize design and begin phased construction** - 2035
*All timelines are estimated and subject to change.
**This project will be constructed in phases as funding is made available.
Get involved
- Virtual public meeting with in-person options
- In-person meetings:
Downloads
- Fact sheet
- Online engagement site (closed for comment)