Texarkana, Tyler or Longview?

[bigboyz05]

All of these cities are doing it big but which do you like better?

[dimebag1980]

I don't know. I really don't like Longview and I'm pretty fond of Texarkana, but I've always liked Tyler. This is a tough one for me, but I think I have to say Tyler in this case. Between Texarkana and Longview, it'd certainly be Texarkana.

[FromCityToRural]

I live in Tyler...it's a nice enough place, but there's some stuff here that annoys me too, like this dry county BS. So in that sense I like Longview better, but it doesn't seem as "happening" as Tyler...in the end, though I suppose it's 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.

Now Texarkana, I haven't seen enough to really make up my mind, but it seems like a nice place.

[skirby]

Having lived in all three I would have to say Tyler with Texarkana next.

[dimebag1980]

I live in Tyler...it's a nice enough place, but there's some stuff here that annoys me too, like this dry county BS. So in that sense I like Longview better, but it doesn't seem as "happening" as Tyler...in the end, though I suppose it's 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.

Now Texarkana, I haven't seen enough to really make up my mind, but it seems like a nice place.

Is Tyler "dry??" I hate dry counties and parishes... what a waste when people are just going to cross county lines to buy their alcohol and then come back and drink it in your county anyway. Your county just lost tax revenue and you didn't keep anyone from drinking. That is so backward, but it's all over the south, unfortunately.

Longview certainly isn't dry, and it has one of the best... uhh... gentlemen's clubs around. Although the owner of this particular establishment isn't allowed to hold a liquor license in the state of Texas, so it's BYOB... but there are liquor stores right next door.

[bigboyz05]

I live in Tyler...it's a nice enough place, but there's some stuff here that annoys me too, like this dry county BS. So in that sense I like Longview better, but it doesn't seem as "happening" as Tyler...in the end, though I suppose it's 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.

Now Texarkana, I haven't seen enough to really make up my mind, but it seems like a nice place.

Half of Texarkana is dry. The Texas side which lies in Bowie County is dry. The Arkansas side however is wet. Except on Sunday when the liquor stores are closed. You can still buy beer in the supermarket though. At least I think. Anyway, I'm proud of the growth my city has achieved over the last few years with no end in sight. Tyler is growing faster than Longview right?

[FromCityToRural]

IIRC, Longview has been growing faster than Tyler, although Tyler's growin pretty well too. Too bad, within a few years the development will probably reach out to where we are and I'll have to get vehicles smogged

[bigboyz05]

Does anyone think Longview and Tyler will ever grow into each other one day.

[dimebag1980]

Does anyone think Longview and Tyler will ever grow into each other one day.

To answer your question, no... I don't think so. Tyler is growing at a slower pace than it was 5+ years ago. Not to mention, it's a little ways south of I-20 and Longview is centered north of I-20. I think those cities are too far away to grow together given their current growth rates, but I wouldn't be surprised to see more communities in between those two cities gain a bit of population as time goes on.

[FromCityToRural]

Not to mention that Tyler's growth is currently concentrated towards the south, away from Longview...

[dimebag1980]

Not to mention that Tyler's growth is currently concentrated towards the south, away from Longview...

I haven't been to Tyler in a couple of years, so I wasn't aware that the growth was mostly to the south. Thanks for clarifying.

[RestedTraveler]

This Toll Road 49 / Outer Loop that is being built around Tyler to the East, West, and South, would lead one to think that new development will definitely continue in those directions...out toward Bullard, Whitehouse, and the Lakes. I don't see Tyler and Longview growing into each other, myself, either.

[FromCityToRural]

Yuck, loop 49. They just decided to make it a toll road with the nearest access about 7 miles away. It'll pass about 3/4 of a mile from our house, and we get all the crap (like the noise pollution) without any of the potential benefits. And, on this side of Tyler, it's about as fast to take Hwy 64 out to I-20 on the way to Dallas as it would be to hop on 49.

Not to mention that this project is nothing at all like the project that was first outlined. It was originally supposed to be a free road which passed through at grade level. It has become a large, ungainly toll road which has controlled access, and is almost diametrically opposed to the original concept.

49 is a case in point where politicians are completely out of step with their constituents.

[dimebag1980]

Man have I been away too long. I had no idea they were building another loop in Tyler, let alone a toll freeway.

[bigboyz05]

I didn't know Tyler was building a loop freeway. Do you think the loop will cause more growth or do you think this road is a waste of money?

[RestedTraveler]

It's more of a "U" than an "O," extending down from east of Tyler on I-20, looping around Bullard, etc. and then back up to west of Tyler on I-20. I don't think it'll spawn immediate sprawl/growth. I'm not sure it's really even needed for transportation purposes as the roads here are in great shape and you can get almost anywhere very fast (especially considering the high speed limits posted on rual roads in Texas). However, if and when there is growth, it will most definitely move towards this loop 49, I'm certain. I've seen it before in many different places.

[FromCityToRural]

Yeah, it's been under development for a little while now. They have the land cleared to about halfway, right up to my county road that we go in and out of Tyler on. I'm not sure if the actual construction has started, but I believe it has.

Myself, I think it's mostly a waste of money. It caters to the growth on the south side of the city, but I'm not so sure that it'll spur it any more. I think a free road as in the original design could be a boon, and the toll road is a mistake. I hope nobody uses it. Still, I could be wrong. It could be a boon. But, I don't want Tyler to get too big...then we get big city taxes and will have to smog our vehicles on top of the inspection (yuck).

[RestedTraveler]

Construction is nearly complete on part of it - you can see it off to the east of 155 South of Tyler.

[dimebag1980]

I've always liked Loop 323 and thought it made getting around Tyler very easy. I believe it was 6 or 7 lanes last time I was over there, and honestly I thought they were planning on widening it.

[FromCityToRural]

I've always liked Loop 323 and thought it made getting around Tyler very easy. I believe it was 6 or 7 lanes last time I was over there, and honestly I thought they were planning on widening it.

That would probably be a better investment, I think. Although, by my own California standards the traffic on it isn't that bad.

[bigboyz05]

Now, is 323 a freeway or is it just a very wide street?

[FromCityToRural]

It's a big street, 3 or 4 lanes in each direction. Goes around the whole city and makes getting around very easy.

[bigboyz05]

I bet it's a magnet for growth.

[dimebag1980]

That would probably be a better investment, I think. Although, by my own California standards the traffic on it isn't that bad.

No doubt! Hell, by California standards, $200,000 for a 1,100 sq. ft. house is probably cheap as well. I bet you miss the city and California, but I can imagine living somewhere with an average cost of living and average traffic issues is a breath of fresh air for a change.

[FromCityToRural]

For sure...Texas' cost of living is why we moved away from CA in the first place! But it's funny when I hear somebody complaining about traffic here...I get a big smile on my face and say, "buddy, if you only knew..."