The KTMPO regional roadway system features 3,700 miles of roadway with 71 miles interstate, 107 miles of US highway and 135 miles of state highway. On average there are approximately 4,500,000 daily vehicle miles traveled. These roadways are vital to business, farmers, military deployment, manufacturers, health care, recreation, and throughput. Interstate 35 and US Highway 190 are the region’s two most significant facilities.
Interstate 35 is essential to the movement of goods and services within the state of Texas, as well as from Canada to Mexico. The 36-mile stretch through the Killeen-Temple region has an average of 85,000 vehicles pass through daily. IH 35 is currently undergoing facility upgrades from the Bell County line to the south to the northern extent of Bell County. Facility upgrades will include: expansion from 4 lanes to 6 or 8 lanes of traffic, one way service roads, bridge turnarounds, direct-connect bridges and others. Expected completion of these upgrades is the Spring of 2019.
US 190 serves Fort Cavazos, one of the nation’s largest military bases. With approximately 45,000 to 55,000 troops present in Fort Cavazos, there are approximately 278,000 members of military families and support personnel in the region. The 50-mile stretch through the Killeen-Temple region has an average of 36,500 vehicles pass through daily. Current upgrades include expanding the highway from 4 to 6 lanes in the Harker Heights and Killeen area.
The significance of US 190 has been acknowledged by the Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition. The multi-state coalition, which includes Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, was formed to pursue the transportation needs of the U.S. Army and National Guard. The results of the “Forts to Ports” study show a corridor from El Paso, Texas to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. US 190 was selected as the corridor of choice for point-to-point delivery of troops and military goods.
On January 26, 2017, the Texas Transportation Commission voted to approve the designation of a part of US 190 in Bell County as Interstate 14. The 25 mile section of US 190 from the east side of Copperas Cove to I-35 in Belton will now be I-14. The Fixing America Surface Transportation Act, signed in 2015, designated the Us 190 corridor from Brady to SH 63 in Jasper as a high priority corridor which would be designated as I-14 in the future.
