1991 Congress begat the ISTEA which then morphed into NAFTA I-69 and I-35 Corridor act.

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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Since it was “legislatively birthed” in 1991 and kicked fruther down the road legislatively, in 1995,1998, aqain in 2005, and 2012; as we are reminded time and time again, by media sources, these legislative enactments, seem to gain lives of their own, and with further 'infusions of federal monies and political interests". Ultimately, will go on forever.

In the interveaning thirty or so years, scattered links have been constructed along its proposed route. Originally. envisioned to be an all inclusive transportation route from Michigan, to the Mexican border. multi-lane roadways and railways, as well as pathways for various communicatons cables. It has not gone away, and has not died.

From the original plan to link Michigan, via Indiana, into Tennessee, vai Arkansas, to Texas and ultimately the Border in Texas with Mexico. It has become a 'Network of highways,m encompassing a more ‘middle of the country’ approach to a virtual network of highways; still tying Canada, The US, and finally, Mexico.

Here is a more recent mapped representation:

Since one of the conversations on this FORUM has been the Merger of the Canadian Pacific RR, and the Kansas City Southern; I was struck by the combination of those areas of oprations.

Map is linked from this web site @ https://www.peaktraffic.org/nafta.html

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I see I-35 in the corridor - but not I-69 as it ends in Southern Indiana.

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Balt: You are correct on the Southern part of Indiana.

I-69 runs South towards the Indy area (roughly, at a SWestely direction(?).

From the Indianapolis area, it [NAFTA Hwy] was routed via the Bloomington area; and continued South towards the Evansville,In. area. Then into Henderson,Ky I-69[NAFTA Hwy] was,then more or less routed towards the South Fulton,Ky (possibly Union City,Tn). area. From there it was to follow us Hwy 51(I-155?) to the South. Around the Millington,Tn area to Memphis,Tn. Going around Memphis to the North, and then South towards a Mississippi route South of Memphis, to the West and a Mississippi River crossing (the location of that bridge was not made known, then). Into Arkansas there was to be a connection with the Arkansas Interstate roads to the West and then south into Texas. Originally, it was planned to connect in East Texas, with US Rte 59; down towards the Houston area, and then over to I-35 to Laredo.

Bear in mind. The route I laid out was about 25/30 years back. That route, at that time, was sort of an engineering ‘Guess timate’: It was to utilize then existing Interstate Roads, as much as possible. Turnpikes in Kentucky. ‘planned’ roads in Tennessee, and more ‘planned’ roads in Arkansas. In Texas, US Hy 59 was to be 4 laned, and whatever else they could connect with, as ‘cheaply’ as possible… In the interveaning years, it was cobbled together to eventually, make the NAFTA Hwy become more or less, a ‘reality’.

I have not traveled any of that route in many years; I guess it is being built(?), with some Federal/State monies, but my expectations for its compleation leave room for doubts when the whole route will be open to traffic. [sigh] [banghead]

At the time of originally being planned; The “NAFTA highway” was thought to be tagged with the Federal HWY ‘Designator’ of the I-69 ; but even that number system had &#

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I-69 is built thru Indiana except for anout 30 miles south of indianapolis.