Sen. Cornyn proposes renaming US-287 as Trump Interstate

MONTANA — U.S. Sen. John Cornyn announced legislation that would label US-287 as future Interstate 47, or Trump Interstate, along a route stretching from Port Arthur, Texas, to Choteau, Montana.

Cornyn said the proposed I-47 Future Interstate Act would treat US-287 as a future interstate and that the change could help freight movement, reduce congestion and improve safety in both rural and urban areas. He also said the designation could boost federal matching for Interstate System projects.

“This bill cements that legacy by designating nearly 1,800 miles of open-road from Texas’ Gulf Coast to the edge of the U.S.-Canadian border as I-47 to forever be remembered as Trump Interstate,” Cornyn said. “By upgrading one of our nation’s longest highways to a future interstate, this legislation will increase economic growth and improve safety, all while honoring the most consequential president of our lifetime.”

Cornyn noted that US-287 is the second-longest three-digit highway in the country and a key trucking corridor.

He also pointed to a July 2025 feasibility study from the Texas Department of Transportation. It found an interstate upgrade could bring $5.4 billion in travel cost savings, add 46,885 jobs and raise annual GDP by $11.6 billion by 2050.

The same study found the upgrade could cut crash rates by 28% by 2050. Cornyn’s office also said 8.8 million Texans live within the study area and that figure could grow to 12 million by 2050.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming signed the I-47 Future Interstate Act as a cosponsor, according to Cornyn’s office.