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The State of Texas has earmarked $142 billion for transportation infrastructure, including more than $11.5 billion for DFW roadways.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced the record investment, which includes the unanimous adoption of the $100 billion, 10-year statewide roadway construction plan with the Texas Department of Transportation for transportation projects. The plan will have impacts on several Dallas-Fort Worth roadways in places including Collin County, Dallas County, Kaufman County and Denton County.
About $288 million will go toward additional projects along U.S. 380 in Collin County, complementing approximately $1 billion previously dedicated to US 380. About $524 million will fund the reconstruction of I-30 Canyon between I-35E and I-45 in Dallas County.
Another $220 million will be used to reconstruct U.S. 80 in Mesquite between Town East Boulevard and Belt Line Road, including the interchange with Interstate 635 in Dallas County. The state has earmarked $163 million for improvements along the I-35, I-35E and I-35W corridors in Denton County to include breakout interchanges, new frontage roads and capacity improvements.
$263 million will go toward various projects in Kaufman County, including $25 million to widen portions of Interstate 20 and $101 million to widen State Highway 205.
“Thanks to our booming economy, Texas has achieved a major milestone in our transportation infrastructure with this record $142 billion investment that will strengthen our roadways and build a next-generation transportation network,” Abbott said in a prepared statement. “Through this record transportation investment project, the State of Texas will further improve roadway congestion and safety to meet the growing needs of Texans in our large metros, rural communities and everywhere in between.
In February, Governor Abbott announced the Texas Department of Transportation’s proposed 2024 Unified Transportation Program, estimated to be $15 billion more than the 2023 UTP. With the state providing a majority of the funding, the 2024 UTP includes a total investment of over $142 billion for all development and delivery projects, right of way acquisition, engineering, routine maintenance contracts and UTP construction funding.
The over $10 billion of average annual investment programmed in the UTP over the next 10 years is expected to bring an estimated $18.8 billion per year in economic benefits, according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute's analysis. These benefits are a result of increased labor income and business output, as well as the addition of 70,500 direct and indirect jobs.
“This plan will help the lives of all Texans for years to come as we work to move people and goods safely and efficiently in our rural, urban, and metropolitan areas,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said in a prepared statement. “TxDOT is already putting these resources to work with a record number of projects aimed at improving safety and saving lives on our roadways."
