HEARNE — A highway that could one day change travel through Robertson County will be the focus of an upcoming public meeting in Hearne. The Texas Department of Transportation will bring its latest plans for the future Interstate 14 corridor to Hearne High School on Tuesday, August 11. The open house will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 1201 West Brown Street. For Hearne residents, landowners and business owners, the meeting will be an opportunity to see where the highway could possibly be built and how close those routes may come to the community. There will not be a formal presentation, so residents may stop by at any time during the two-hour meeting. Maps and other project information will be available, and members of the study team will be there to answer questions and collect comments. No final route has been chosen. The maps being shared in Hearne will show what TxDOT calls conceptual alternative routes. While the lines are still preliminary, they will give residents a clearer look at the areas being considered for the future interstate. The meeting is part of TxDOT’s study of a roughly 125-mile section of I-14 stretching from Rogers in Bell County to Huntsville in Walker County. The highway would generally follow the United States Highway 190 corridor, placing Hearne and Robertson County along an important part of the proposed route. That makes local participation especially important. Decisions made during the planning process could eventually affect traffic, businesses, development and property throughout the area. TxDOT is studying I-14 as a new east-west interstate connection intended to make travel safer, improve the movement of freight and connect military installations with ports. The full interstate is planned to eventually stretch across several Southern states. However, construction is not expected anytime soon. The project remains in the study and planning stage, and no construction money or schedule has been established for the Central Texas portion. The Hearne meeting will be the first of six open houses planned across the region. The same maps and information will also be presented in Cameron, Bryan, Navasota, Huntsville and Madisonville later in August. Residents who cannot attend the Hearne meeting may view the materials through a virtual open house beginning at 4:30 p.m. August 11. The information will remain available online through September 10. Comments may be submitted during the Hearne meeting, through the virtual open house, by emailing BRY_Interstate14Central@txdot.gov or by calling or texting 979-484-7358. Written comments may be mailed to I-14 Central Texas Corridor Study, care of LJA, P.O. Box 5459, Austin, Texas 78763. Comments must be received or postmarked by Thursday, September 10, to become part of the official public meeting record.