Well, it looks like the Highway 190 exit off of Interstate 35 is finally open. It was only under construction for what, 7 years?

I am constantly Amazed by what some of the posters on this forum know. So, anybody got any information on when the rest of this stuff is going to be done? I-35 in Temple? I-35 around the Lampasas River? How about Salado?

And I have heard various theories of why everything is taking so much longer than it should have. Does anybody know why this construction is taking so long?

My35.org

Click on the projects in Bell County.

According to the different projects happening in Bell County along 35, all should be complete by this Summer.

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My35.org

Click on the projects in Bell County.

According to the different projects happening in Bell County along 35, all should be complete by this Summer.

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Really? Wow. That would be awesome, but I am very skeptical. There are long stretches of I-35 that are still trashed

Okay, I just looked at some of those completion dates, and they look out of date. Some of them are saying early 2016, and spring 2016, and they are nowhere near completion

Temple is just ramping up. When it is done. They will have continuous feeder on both sides instead of those annoying turnarounds. What I saw said it won't be done until 2018 though.

I saw that was open the other day.

Kinda a milestone as they started that right as I moved here.

Sadly I have never once needed to turn left off of 35 to go down 190 one time in 7+ years of living here, but it's good to know A project can get done here.

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I saw that was open the other day.

Kinda a milestone as they started that right as I moved here.

Sadly I have never once needed to turn left off of 35 to go down 190 one time in 7+ years of living here, but it's good to know A project can get done here.

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Funny you mention that, because I've passed by it probably 15 times, all times of day, and NOBODY is on it

I wondered why and then thought "who is going to use it"?

Not belton people, and certainly not south bound 35 people...

That leaves NB people coming from the south... if you're coming from anywhere south of georgetown, you're coming up 195

Salado? Probably the back way through Youngsport

So, that exit doesn't leave a very big customer base

I don't think its gonna be used much at all.. it's not needed because there are better routes from all directions

Those folks that live off 121 or in west Belton may find it helpful. Think it is probably more important given the future of 190 being Interstate 14. Also, give growth that has popped up around the north side of Stillhouse Lake, traffic will surely be increasing.

Having moved to Belton two years ago, I can see a massive increase in traffic, guess that means our economy is good.

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Those folks that live off 121 or in west Belton may find it helpful. Think it is probably more important given the future of 190 being Interstate 14. Also, give growth that has popped up around the north side of Stillhouse Lake, traffic will surely be increasing.

Having moved to Belton two years ago, I can see a massive increase in traffic, guess that means our economy is good.

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Not really.. the entrance ramp hits 190 after the 121 exit... it's useless for getting onto 121

I could see your point if the entrance ramp was before the 121 exit

As for west belton people, there's not that many out there... I guess a handful coming from Austin or where ever going to dawson ranch MIGHT exit Wheat road and go that way

But if you're coming from the south to Killeen, you use 195

To heights, you could use it if you live on the north side, but 2484 at Salado is shorter if you're on the south side

As for Stillhouse, it MIGHT be beneficial, although I think 2484 is still much shorter IF you're coming from the south

Maybe I'll grab a sack lunch one day and count cars!


But I can tell you, I have driven that route several times the last few days, even at busy times, and nobody is using it... they don't need to

I've used it and it's wonderful. We travel south for soccer 3x a week and this overpass saves a tremendous amount of time for me. Now if I had a similar overpass to go from 190 to 35 south!
One reason it was erected so long ago and just sat is because The supplier delivered the materials to James way ahead of schedule and they had no choice but to start it way ahead of schedule.

With all the Salado construction, 1670 to 2484 is a time eater. Since they reopened the on ramp to 35 before the expo, I'll never go 1670 again. It's just not worth it.

As I recall where you live, or about where you live, yes, you are someone that would benefit from that overpass. But that is a very small population out there. It may grow, but I don't see it growing to a point where there will be a mass of people using it.

Right now, it benefits neighborhoods, not entire cities. People traveling from Austin to Killeen are not going to use it. Especially after the Salado construction is done.

I marked it this afternoon. I-35 at 2484 to Stillhouse Dam using the new overpass is 12.5 miles. Going the back way to the dam via 2484 and 1870 is 5 miles. It is much shorter using 2484 To get to Stillhouse, and took far less time.

Finally, I drove by there 6 times today. I saw two cars on it, including Rush Hour. I don't think it gets used much at all

Well there was actually another car up there with me tonight. And I used my stopwatch starting at the NB 2484 exit in salado to the WB 1670 exit in Belton and it would take 8 minutes and 46 seconds using the new overpass. I'm not sure about miles and I don't care. There's no tractors, hay haulers, looky loos out for a Sunday drive that only speed up on 1670 when I can't pass them, or stop signs, construction cranes that need to cross etc...
Folks will use it and probably a lot more if Belton would finish the dam-to-dam road.

Otherwise it's completely funny the state bypassed Belton.

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Not really.. the entrance ramp hits 190 after the 121 exit... it's useless for getting onto 121

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i drove by it yesterday 2x and didn't see a car on it. if it bypasses the 121 exit, then i can't even see it being that beneficial for most north belton peeps.

obviously it is for you mazzag and that's great.

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Not really.. the entrance ramp hits 190 after the 121 exit... it's useless for getting onto 121

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i drove by it yesterday 2x and didn't see a car on it. if it bypasses the 121 exit, then i can't even see it being that beneficial for most north belton peeps.

obviously it is for you mazzag and that's great.

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Yeah, and you won't see many cars on it either because it is useless for most people. Wheat Road area, Highway 93, Nolanville, and maybe a few other places will benefit, but overall it benefits a small number of people

As mazzag said, it completely bypasses Belton -- no main street access, no 121 access

Not needed for stillhouse, killeen, or most parts of Harker heights, and useless for access to belton

It's useless for wheat road as well. 1st exit is 1670.

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It's useless for wheat road as well. 1st exit is 1670.

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Heh.. there you have it

So today I was up there with 3 other cars. This was around 4:30? And I found out tonight that my sister in law, who lives in Jarrell and works in Killeen, is ecstatic it's finally open. I gasped and asked why she'd ever drive 35 to 190 to Killeen. She has a masters, surely 2484 to the long bridge makes more sense? Hell, there's a back way from Jarrell to 195. But she's commuted to Killeen for several years now. I'm sure she's taken all the routes.

According to google maps, if you are coming from anywhere north of Georgetown, or if you are ending anywhere east of Killeen, 35 to 190 flyover is faster than 195.

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According to google maps, if you are coming from anywhere north of Georgetown, or if you are ending anywhere east of Killeen, 35 to 190 flyover is faster than 195.

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Of course that's faster

There isn't that many people coming from Jarrell and Salado going to Nolanville

There are, however, a lot of people going from Austin and Georgetown to Killeen, and they take 195

But I disagree about all points east of Killeen -- that flyover is useless if you need to go to Belton

I'm going to guess the state knows what they are doing. The future growth to that area is projected to be huge, thank goodness because it helps our local economy. If they did nothing to accommodate faster access to I14, 195 would become miserable very soon. I like 195 but once you hit Killeen it's Killeen. If Stan Schluter was a true loop, maybe not so bad.

Edit to add, I don't think Belton was ever considered for this. If you need to go to 121, you have your very own 121 exit. But if the dam-to-dam road would get built, it gives folks an alternate route to Belton, temple and on to Mcgregor & Waco.

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According to google maps, if you are coming from anywhere north of Georgetown, or if you are ending anywhere east of Killeen, 35 to 190 flyover is faster than 195.

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Of course that's faster

There isn't that many people coming from Jarrell and Salado going to Nolanville

There are, however, a lot of people going from Austin and Georgetown to Killeen, and they take 195

But I disagree about all points east of Killeen -- that flyover is useless if you need to go to Belton

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I guess that wasn't worded right. Unless you are going to the western part of Killeen, it is faster to take 35-190, whether you are coming from Jarrell or Laredo. And even if you are going to western killeen, if you are leaving from north of Georgetown, 35-190 is faster than 195.

I don't understand the Belton comment. If you want to go to Belton, exit 121, 436/main, central, or 6th. The flyover was not intended to get people into Belton.

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According to google maps, if you are coming from anywhere north of Georgetown, or if you are ending anywhere east of Killeen, 35 to 190 flyover is faster than 195.

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Of course that's faster

There isn't that many people coming from Jarrell and Salado going to Nolanville

There are, however, a lot of people going from Austin and Georgetown to Killeen, and they take 195

But I disagree about all points east of Killeen -- that flyover is useless if you need to go to Belton

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I guess that wasn't worded right. Unless you are going to the western part of Killeen, it is faster to take 35-190, whether you are coming from Jarrell or Laredo. And even if you are going to western killeen, if you are leaving from north of Georgetown, 35-190 is faster than 195.

I don't understand the Belton comment. If you want to go to Belton, exit 121, 436/main, central, or 6th. The flyover was not intended to get people into Belton.

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I do not agree at all about going to Killeen from Georgetown

I-35 at 195 to 190 at fort hood street in Killeen is 14 miles further going 35 to 190 than going 195... so yes, the further east you go on 190, the smaller the difference, but most points in the city of Killeen are going to be more quickly accessed using 195 from georgetown than 190, to varying degrees...

As far as Belton, of course you use those routes you described... that's my point... I'm not so much lamenting the lack of access to belton from the flyover, just saying that it is a fact that you can't use it to get to belton, which of course is part of the bigger point that the flyover is pretty much useless for the purpose of getting most places west of I-35, particularly if you are coming from south of the 195&I-35 intersection

Which explains why hardly anyone uses it... my wife made the same remark this weekend --- that she never sees cars on it, even when traffic is otherwise heavy

It just isn't used much

And of course you aren't going to use 195 From Jarrell... you would have drive several miles south, just to catch a northbound 195. You would use the flyover. My point was there isn't that many people going from Jarrell to Killeen. Hence, the light traffic

My maps app on my iPhone doesn't even show the flyover. It still has me taking the old exit to the 4 way stop and turning left to get back on 190.

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According to google maps, if you are coming from anywhere north of Georgetown, or if you are ending anywhere east of Killeen, 35 to 190 flyover is faster than 195.

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Of course that's faster

There isn't that many people coming from Jarrell and Salado going to Nolanville

There are, however, a lot of people going from Austin and Georgetown to Killeen, and they take 195

But I disagree about all points east of Killeen -- that flyover is useless if you need to go to Belton

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I guess that wasn't worded right. Unless you are going to the western part of Killeen, it is faster to take 35-190, whether you are coming from Jarrell or Laredo. And even if you are going to western killeen, if you are leaving from north of Georgetown, 35-190 is faster than 195.

I don't understand the Belton comment. If you want to go to Belton, exit 121, 436/main, central, or 6th. The flyover was not intended to get people into Belton.

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I do not agree at all about going to Killeen from Georgetown

I-35 at 195 to 190 at fort hood street in Killeen is 14 miles further going 35 to 190 than going 195... so yes, the further east you go on 190, the smaller the difference, but most points in the city of Killeen are going to be more quickly accessed using 195 from georgetown than 190, to varying degrees...

As far as Belton, of course you use those routes you described... that's my point... I'm not so much lamenting the lack of access to belton from the flyover, just saying that it is a fact that you can't use it to get to belton, which of course is part of the bigger point that the flyover is pretty much useless for the purpose of getting most places west of I-35, particularly if you are coming from south of the 195&I-35 intersection

Which explains why hardly anyone uses it... my wife made the same remark this weekend --- that she never sees cars on it, even when traffic is otherwise heavy

It just isn't used much

And of course you aren't going to use 195 From Jarrell... you would have drive several miles south, just to catch a northbound 195. You would use the flyover. My point was there isn't that many people going from Jarrell to Killeen. Hence, the light traffic

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The Killeen mall is your break even point. So if you are coming from the south and ending anywhere east of Killeen mall, 35-190 is faster. There are a number of business and shopping destinations and tens of thousands of residences between the Killeen Mall and 1670. That is who the flyover was built for, not those trying to access Belton.

I really hope they get the east to south flyover scheduled soon.

These are the routes to the Killeen mall. Again, my maps doesn't have the flyover option, just the old exit and the zig zag in Belton to access 190.

This is to Ft hood



I'm taking the hwy with the flyover every time.

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These are the routes to the Killeen mall. Again, my maps doesn't have the flyover option, just the old exit and the zig zag in Belton to access 190.

This is to Ft hood



I'm taking the hwy with the flyover every time.

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The Fort Hood route it gave you is to North Fort Hood... so basically Gatesville. Coming from Georgetown the way to get to Fort Hood is absolutely 195

Absolutely --- and Copperas Cove

Wait! Is that dirt being moved at the 190 and 121 intersection? Are they doing what they should have done in the first place? Are they building another 121 exit for those coming off of the westbound flyover?

Update on that flyover -- it is still as useless as it was the day they finished it. Nobody uses it

I know of at least 8 cars that used it Sunday just to see me!

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I know of at least 8 cars that used it Sunday just to see me!

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That's 6 more cars TOTAL than I saw using it when I passed the flyover 6 times yesterday

One pass I saw 2 cars

Then other 5 passes I saw zero vehicles

Hundreds of cars in all other directions, WB flyover deserted

I may take Rufus the boxer for a ride down to Salado, and back over the flyover just check the view

I don't do flyovers. They scare me to drive over. Serious issues with driving on high things that curve, so even in big cities I go to the next regular exit, cross over and come back on the access road. I can barely stay in the car if someone else is driving. The fear of high places runs in both sides of my family so I come by it naturally.

That said, 195 has the reputation of being a very dangerous highway with way too many accidents. For one minute difference in driving time I would take the Belton option. Plus I think the flyover was built with the new interstate in mind when it is finally a full highway.