Interstate 2

**Interstate 2** (**I-2**), also known as **Expressway 83** for the locals, is a partially completed intrastate Interstate Highway running through the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. It begins at the intersection of U.S. Highway 83 (US 83) and Business U.S. Highway 83 (Bus. US 83) in Penitas and heads eastward before terminating at I-69E/US 77/US 83 in Harlingen. For its entire length, I-2 runs concurrently with US 83. I-2 also parallels Mexico Federal Highway 2 (MX 2), another major east–west route that traces the Mexico-U.S. border along the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. When completed, the western terminus will be the city of Laredo probably connecting I-35.

The route is one of the more recently designated interstate highways; it was signed as an interstate in 2013. Its construction is part of an expansion of the Interstate system into southern Texas that includes the three branches of Interstate 69 in Texas. It currently intersects I-69E and I-69C, and will, when complete to Laredo, intersect I-69W as well. As of 2019, this complex of Interstate highways does not yet connect to the rest of the system.

## Route description

I-2 begins at an at-grade intersection with US 83 and Bus. US 83 in Penitas. The Interstate heads eastward as a four-lane freeway through the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The route curves southeastward around Mission and McAllen to the south, running near McAllen International Airport. The route curves northeastward around Pharr, where it intersects with I-69C/US 281 north of the city center. Continuing eastward, the route passes by many small cities, roughly paralleling Bus. US 83. The route ends at an interchange with I-69E/US 77/US 83 in Harlingen.

## History

On April 1, 2013, the Texas Transportation Commission applied to use the I-2 designation on US 83 from Palmview to Harlingen. Approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) at their May month meeting, this 47-mile-long (76 km) freeway was already constructed as an Interstate-grade limited-access facility. It connects with I-69E at Harlingen; and likewise with I-69C in the town of Pharr. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the designation on May 24, 2013, and the Texas Transportation Commission followed suit on May 30, 2013. This action finalized the designations of not only I-2, but also of the sections of I-69E from Brownsville to Raymondville, I-69C from Pharr north to the end of the US 281 freeway facility near Edinburg, and also I-369 along a short segment of the US 59 freeway west of Texarkana, which will be part of the proposed 115-mile (185 km) connector between the main I-69 trunk in Tenaha and Texarkana. These approvals added over 100 miles (160 km) to the Interstate Highway System in the Rio Grande Valley. The signage was installed in summer 2013.

As of June 2013, the cluster consisting of the recently designated portions of I-2, I-69C, and I-69E in the Rio Grande Valley is not connected to the national Interstate network. This situation is slated to be remedied by scheduled projects to complete I-69E along US 77 between Raymondville and Robstown, and to complete the southern end of the previously signed portion of the I-69 corridor connecting with I-37 west of Corpus Christi. Environmental Protection Agency approval for the upgrade of the US 77 alignment to Interstate standards, including bypasses of the towns along the 91-mile (146 km) routing, was obtained through a Finding of No Significant Impact statement issued on July 13, 2012; funding for the various projects to effect the upgrades is slated to become available after 2015.

## Exit list

The exit numbers are set up to reflect the likely future western terminus of I-2, which would be in Laredo.

## See also

* Interstate 69C
* Interstate 69E
* Interstate 69W
* U.S. Route 77 in Texas
* U.S. Route 83 in Texas
* U.S. Route 281 in Texas
* Mexico Federal Highway 2