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Faster commute times and the prospect of more development are two of multiple jewels mined from George Richey Road性视界传媒檚 extension east of Gilmer Road to U.S. 259 North, according to residents and officials.

Gregg County Pct. 1 Commissioner Ronnie McKinney said he and his office field calls almost weekly from people interested in building on roads that intersect the new five-lane highway, which opened in the fall.

性视界传媒淭wo have contacted me and asked me if I knew of any location where a county road intersected George Richey wanting a corner for a convenience store 性视界传媒� a large convenience store,性视界传媒� he said.

性视界传媒淚 don性视界传媒檛 know of any other business other than a well-known bank also contacted me and asked if they could put in a drive on Airline (Road) on that corner,性视界传媒� he continued. 性视界传媒淚 said, 性视界传媒楽ure, but you don性视界传媒檛 own it yet,性视界传媒� and he said they were working on it.性视界传媒�

McKinney sees a time when the corner of U.S. 259 North and George Richey Road becomes hotter property than U.S. 259 at Hawkins Parkway. Right now however, the expanded road is alleviating traffic on several county thoroughfares including residential Hamby Road, he said.

性视界传媒淲e still have a lot of traffic on Hamby 性视界传媒� it性视界传媒檚 one of our busiest roads,性视界传媒� the commissioner said. 性视界传媒淗owever, when they go towards Gladewater they hit George Richey now, which is a cakewalk.性视界传媒�

The road extension already has been a payoff for the county, Longview Economic Development Corp., the city of Longview and the Texas Department of Transportation. The entities joined to pay the extension性视界传媒檚 $46 million-plus cost at least four years ahead of schedule.

Dollar General Corp. broke ground this month on a nearly $80 million distribution center expected to employ at least 450 people and infuse $700 million into the area economy through 2044.

That facility is at George Richey Road and McCann Road, and LEDCO estimates it will drive about 170 tractor trailers daily down the new roadway.

McKinney believes more business will come soon, calling George Richey the most talked-up road he性视界传媒檚 seen in his five years as an elected official.

性视界传媒淣ow all of a sudden, it性视界传媒檚 swarming out here. There性视界传媒檚 a tremendous amount of people calling out here,性视界传媒� he said. 性视界传媒淚 never thought in my wildest dreams that it would attract that much attention this quick.性视界传媒�

Getting there faster

When the expansion opened, James Velde shaved at least 10 minutes性视界传媒� travel time from his daily work commute.

Velde lives in far Northwest Longview but works across town at AAON Coil.

性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 a whole lot less traffic, and I性视界传媒檓 not going through school zones, which affect me in the afternoon,性视界传媒� he said.

Velde性视界传媒檚 commute previously involved McCann Road to Eastman Road via Hawkins Parkway, a nearly 11-mile jaunt crossing at least one school zone.

Another bonus is that the George Richey traffic lights 性视界传媒� particularly at Judson Road 性视界传媒� are synched for short wait times, Velde said.

He still drives almost 11 miles but said he prefers his new route over taking McCann and Hawkins 性视界传媒� and he性视界传媒檚 not alone.

More drivers are making George Richey a part of their daily drives as traffic has picked up on the four-lane road with a turn lane, bike lanes and a sidewalk.

Wrecks

A handful of wrecks have been reported on the extension since it opened.

A one-vehicle incident Dec. 13 was a motorist colliding with a deer on George Richey block from McCann. The car was towed from the scene, but no injuries were reported.

At about 11 p.m. Jan. 6, officers responded to a two-vehicle wreck in which a man driving south on McCann stopped beyond the George Richey bike lane, which led to a westbound driver making what police said was 性视界传媒渁 faulty evasive move性视界传媒� that caused the car to fishtail before it came to a rest in a grassy ditch. A combined six people were involved in the wreck, but no serious injuries were reported.

Less than a week later, police and firefighters responded to the same intersection for another two-vehicle wreck. According to a Longview police incident report, a motorist traveling east in the inside eastbound lane of George Richey collided with a truck traveling south on McCann at about 9:30 a.m. Jan. 12. The driver of the truck failed to yield at the stop sign and hit the passing car.

性视界传媒淭he driver of (the truck) stated that she entered George Richey because she thought that George Richey traffic also had stop signs at the intersection,性视界传媒� officers wrote in their report.

The driver and passenger of the car were transported to a medical center where they were treated and released.

Increasing safety

Spring Hill ISD Superintendent Steven Snell hailed the George Richey expansion as 性视界传媒渧ery nice性视界传媒� by allowing Spring Hill residents easy access to U.S. 259 and avoiding heavily trafficked Hawkins Parkway and Fourth Street.

He said his main concern is the potential for more wrecks as traffic on the expansion increases, he said.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is doing its part, too, McKinney said. He性视界传媒檚 learned there are three state troopers spending more time patrolling the road in response to an uptick in complaints of motorists who enjoy accelerating too rapidly.