The governing body for the Texas Department of Transportation approved $2.5 billion in funding Tuesday afternoon for 19 projects in the state’s five largest metropolitan areas that will aid congestion. As part of the Texas Clear Lanes initiative, about $807.8 million of the $2.5 billion would be allocated to projects in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, $415.6 million would go toward relieving congestion in Austin, $998 million would go to the Houston area and San Antonio would receive $316 million in improvements. Texas Transportation Commissioner Victor Vandergriff said the approved projects are ones that TxDOT local districts and metropolitan planning organizations will be able to move forward. “What’s not to like about that?” he said. “That’s terrific news for urban areas.” The funding comes from voter-approved Proposition 7, which dedicates more dollars to the State Highway Fund. The 19 projects will address 153 miles of existing congestion and 238 miles of future congestion, said Lauren Garduno, TxDOT director of project planning and development. The Texas Clear Lanes initiative funding is part of an update to the state’s 2017 Unified Transportation Program that guides the state’s transportation project development. Austin-area projects and letting dates for construction:
  • Fall 2017: Add three direct connectors between I-35 and US 183 and make other improvements on I-35 from Rundberg Lane to US 183 ($133.3 million)
  • 2018: Reconstruct the I-35 main lanes and frontage roads south of Holly Street to north of Oltorf Street, add bypass lanes at Riverside Drive, widen the bridges over Lady Bird Lake and reconfigure the intersection lanes at Riverside and Woodland Avenue ($162.3 million)
  • 2019: Construct one general-purpose lane in each direction on US 183 from MoPac to RM 620 ($120 million)
Houston-area projects and letting dates:
  • 2018: Constructing a Loop 610 South overpass at Cambridge Street/Almeda Road/Union Pacific railroad line ($75 million)
  • 2020: Reconstructing and widening I-69 South to 12 main lanes from I-45 South to Hwy. 288 and reconstructing the I-69/Hwy. 288 interchange ($173.5 million)
  • 2020: Reconstructing I-69 South to 10 main lanes from Hwy. 288 to Spur 527 ($192 million)
  • 2020: Constructing three I-69 gateway bridges at McGowen Street, Tuam Street and Elgin Street in Midtown ($55.8 million)
  • 2021: Reconstructing the interchange including I-45 and I-69 main lanes at I-69 South ($501.72 million)
Dallas/Fort Worth-area projects and letting dates:
  • 2019: Reconstruct interchanges on SH 121 at I-635 and FM 2499 ($370 million)
  • 2020: Improvements on I-635 from Miller Road to west of SH 78 ($262.7 million)
  • 2020: Improvements on I-635 from west of SH 78 to I-30 ($175 million)
San Antonio-area projects and letting dates:
  • 2018: Expand I-10 from four to six lanes from I-410 to Loop 1604 ($60 million)
  • 2018: Expand SL 1604 to a four-lane expressway ($40 million)
  • 2019: Expand US 281 to a six-lane expressway from Stone Oak to the Bexar/Comal County line ($91 million)
  • 2021: Expand I-410 to 10 lanes from FM 3487 to SH 151 ($50 million)
  • 2021: Expand I-410 to eight lanes from SH 151 to US 90 ($10 million)
  • 2021: Reconstruction the I-410 interchange at SH 151 ($40 million)
  • 2021: Build direct connections between I-410 and I-10 East ($25 million)