Texas approves nearly $148B to improve road safety, statewide connectivity

Texas approves nearly $148B to improve road safety, statewide connectivity Main Photo

29 Aug 2024


By: Hannah Norton - Community Impact

Over the next 10 years, Texas will invest nearly $148 billion in transportation projects aimed at improving safety, reducing congestion and strengthening connectivity across the state.

The overview

The Texas Department of Transportation’s 10-year plan, known as the Unified Transportation Program, is updated annually. The Texas Transportation Commission unanimously approved the $104.2 billion plan for 2025 during its Aug. 22 meeting.

Additionally, the state will use over $43 billion for development and routine maintenance, according to a news release.

“People come to Texas because we provide the freedom and opportunity they can’t find anywhere else, and that’s why we’re investing in the future of Texas roads,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in the release. “Projects like this will ensure our products and people can move quickly to keep the Texas economy booming. Together, we are building a bigger, better Texas for years to come.”

By the numbers

The 2025 UTP contains thousands of projects, according to TxDOT, but there is no guarantee that they will all be completed.

Officials expect to distribute about $8.6 billion for transportation projects in the Austin area, about $17.9 billion for projects around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, around $14.5 billion for Houston-area projects and around $5.7 billion for the San Antonio area, according to planning documents.

This includes $1.9 billion in new funding to address congestion on Texas’ most crowded roadways and $1.7 billion to increase connectivity between rural and urban areas.

“TxDOT has a record amount of active construction projects this year, and this [investment] will help continue that work of moving people and goods safely and efficiently in our rural, urban and metropolitan areas,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said in the release. 

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