Roadways University Boulevard is TAMIU’s main roadway, circling around the campus grounds in a loop and connecting to US-59 and Casa Verde Road. Most of University Boulevard has two general purpose travel lanes per direction. The main arterial portion of University Boulevard at the north of campus is divided by a median and has a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour (mph). The accessway on the campus’ western edge has a posted speed limit of 30 mph. The rest of University Boulevard loop has a posted speed limit of 20 mph. As an area that sees higher traffic volumes, the western sections of University Boulevard prohibit street parking with extensive red curbs, while the southern and eastern sections of the “campus loop” have on-street parking with marked spaces. Neighborhoods surrounding the TAMIU campus include many cul-de-sacs, gateways, and street segments that funnel vehicles onto the same few arterials. As a result, the street network around TAMIU has very poor connectivity and poses a significant barrier to anyone hoping to access the campus by active transportation or non-driving means. Congestions at the bottleneck gateways and arterials are also an obstacle to expanding mobility options. The Bob Bullock Loop, also known as US-59 or Loop 20, is the major arterial/highway that connects downtown Laredo to University Boulevard and the TAMIU campus. Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) data reports 44,654 daily vehicles travelling along the Loop north of University Boulevard, and an estimated 2,000 vehicles turn in or out of campus on the average day. The higher traffic volumes and speeds correlate with the limited alternative options to travel to campus. Bob Bullock Loop will be expanded and upgraded to Interstate standards with additional general-purpose lanes, grade-separated interchanges, and a separate shared-use sidewalk and bikeway. The completion of the shared-use path connecting the TAMIU campus to Laredo will be a benefit, but the new interchange presents potential issues ! ! ! 44,654 42,858 44,752 Data Sources: TXDOT, ESRI 0 0.1 0.2 Miles Entrance 1 (left) is the primary entrance to the University Boulevard loop (right), which provides on-street parking but does not include sidewalks. Figure 8 Average Daily Traffic (2021) to mitigate, including higher speed turning movements at on- and off-ramps, additional conflicts points and longer connection to Casa Verde Road for pedestrians and bicyclists, and noise and air quality impacts to existing student housing. 66 Texas A&M International University A/ APPENDIX
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