Project: Interstate 27

While I-40 is the corridor that gives Amarillo national visibility, I-27 is considered a tremendous local asset. The most notable impact of I-27 has been the significant amount of residential development between Amarillo and Canyon that has occurred over the last decade. Between 1990 and 2000, Canyon's population grew by 13%, and along with that growth, population-serving retail sprung up all along I-27. Today there is a Wal-Mart Supercenter at each end of that segment of the corridor.

The southwest quadrant of Loop 335 between I-27 and I-40 has experienced significant retail growth including a new hotel, movie theater complex, and a farm supply store. The eastern portion of the loop, particularly the northeastern quadrant near the airport, has experienced notable industrial development including major food distributors, a cheese packaging plant, and a wind energy components manufacturer. According to local economic developers, I-27 accounts for about 15 percent of retail and industrial jobs citywide, mostly concentrated along the I-27 corridor.

In Lubbock, there has been less retail and office development along I-27. Instead, the highway has facilitated industrial development, particularly near the airport. Since the completion of I-27, the Lubbock Economic Development Authority (LEDA) has experienced significant interest from firms wishing to locate or expand in Lubbock. However, a lack of suitable industrial sites and buildings hindered development for decades.

In the early 2000's, LEDA began planning for a new industrial park. In 2004, LEDA secured a 550-acre site on I-27 just south of the airport. Within two years, the Lubbock Business Park was completed and a recent study measured the total economic impact of the project at $1.2 billion in investment and 5,500 direct jobs.

Tenants include an O'Reilly Auto Parts distribution facility ($26 million capital investment and 395 jobs) and WesTx Packaging Company ($7 million capital investment and 100 jobs). Next year the Texas Department of Public Safety will open a $37 million forensics facility in the park, creating approximately 50 jobs.

Concurrently, LEDA has been planning a second industrial park called the Lubbock RailPort. The RailPort is being developed on a 301 acre parcel north of the airport with direct rail access. MACSA, a major flower mill and laboratory, has located a $4 million facility that employs 60 at the RailPort.

The mechanization of agriculture that took place starting in the 1950s resulted in a significant decline of farm and agricultural services jobs in the central part of the corridor. Most rural communities in the Texas Panhandle have lost both jobs and population as workers moved to more urban areas in search of employment. In contrast, Plainview has experienced a net gain in jobs and its population has held relatively steady.

Hale County, and the city of Plainview in particular, has been transformed by the completion of I-27. A Wal-Mart distribution center located there in the 1980's as a direct result of access to I-27. This gave the area the visibility necessary to attract several other major employers in the grain and meat processing industries. Between 1969 and 2000, manufacturing employment in Hale County increased by 246%, a period during which manufacturing was declining nation-wide. It is widely believed that the continued success of manufacturing in the region is tied to the access afforded by I-27.

I-27 through Plainview is now described as a vibrant retail corridor. To some extent, the project did shift retail activity away from the downtown area. While many downtown businesses simply relocated and continued operations, some did close. Nonetheless, the county experienced a gain in retail jobs that significantly exceeded retail growth state- and region-wide. Furthermore, as the county seat, Plainview's downtown remains alive with civic institutions including the courthouse and post office, as well as some specialty retail such as antique stores. The mid-corridor towns of Tulia and Happy are located away from I-27. The highway has had less impact on those communities.