Interstate 2

Interstate 2

Interstate 2, often called I-2, is a highway that runs through the Lower Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. It starts at the meeting point of US Highway 83 and Business US 83, just east of the town of La Joya, and goes east until it ends at I-69E, US 77, and US 83 in Harlingen. In 2024, a new part of the highway was finished, extending it west from Peñitas around La Joya. For almost its whole length, I-2 shares the same path as US 83.

I-2 also runs close to Mexican Federal Highway 2, which is an important road on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, tracing the border between Mexico and the United States. This highway was only recently given its Interstate status in 2013, making it one of the newest additions to the Interstate Highway System.

There have been plans to possibly extend I-2 further west to end in Laredo. This would connect it to I-69W. The building of I-2 is part of a bigger plan to expand the Interstate System in southern Texas, which also includes three branches of I-69. Right now, I-2 meets I-69E and I-69C, and if it reaches Laredo, it would also meet I-69W. However, this group of highways does not link up with the rest of the Interstate System.

Route description

Interstate 2 (I-2) begins where it meets Bus. US 83 in Peñitas. It follows US 83 east of La Joya. The road becomes a six-lane freeway and heads east through the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

The highway curves around Mission and McAllen, going near the McAllen Miller International Airport. It then turns around Pharr and connects with I-69C and US 281. Finally, I-2 ends where it joins I-69E, US 77, and US 83 in Harlingen.

History

In April 2013, the Texas Department of Transportation asked to name a road Interstate 2. This road runs from Palmview to Harlingen and is 47 miles long. It was already built well and connects to other big roads in Harlingen and Pharr. The plan was approved in May 2013, and signs went up by mid-2013.

Because traffic was getting busy, work started on a new nine-mile road near La Joya. The first parts opened in July 2023, and the last part finished in early 2024. This new road helps cars move more easily.

Future

Plans to extend Interstate 2 west from La Joya to Laredo are still being looked at. If built, the highway would follow US 83 and then use the Loop 20 corridor in Laredo, ending at US 59, which might become I-69W someday. The study began in April 2022 and ended in August 2023. It included collecting information, looking at data, and asking for ideas from the public. One part of the study also examined making another road to help with traffic in Starr County.

Exit list

The exit numbers for Interstate 2 are planned for when the road might be extended further west to a place called Laredo.