I-69E passes through Bishop, Driscoll, and Robstown before terminating at a freeway-to-freeway style interchange with I-37 west of Corpus Christi.

A stated goal of the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) I-69 initiative is that "existing suitable freeway sections of the proposed system be designated as I-69 as soon as possible".

[6] The FHWA approved the designation for the eastern Lower Rio Grande Valley segment on May 24, 2013,[7] and the Texas Transportation Commission followed suit on May 30, 2013.

[10] Currently, the cluster consisting of the recently designated portions of I-69E, I-69C, and I-2 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley is not connected to the national Interstate network.

This situation is slated to be remedied by scheduled projects to complete I-69E along US 77 between Raymondville and Robstown the southern end of the previously signed portion of the I-69 corridor connecting with I-37 west of Corpus Christi.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approval for the upgrade of the US 77 alignment to Interstate standards, including bypasses of the towns along the 91-mile (146 km) routing, was obtained through a finding of no significant impact statement issued on July 13, 2012.

[16] TxDOT held open houses in Refugio in late October 2023 in order to receive public feedback on the project.