Three months after Texas voters approved Proposition 1, adding $1.74 billion to the state highway fund, the Texas Transportation Commission approved the construction of 201 road projects. Starting in March, the Texas Department of Transportation will begin awarding projects to contractors with construction kicking off soon after.
Among the projects slated to begin work are more than 800 miles of rehabilitated highways; nearly 500 miles of new highway lanes; 64 bridge replacements; and 18 lane-widening enhancements that will add 159 miles of passing lanes to rural highways. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and TxDOT Districts worked together to formulate the list of projects and then gathered public comments.
Many TxDOT districts plan to use money dedicated for maintenance to repair or rehabilitate highways affected by production in the energy sector. These funds, along with Proposition 1 funds specifically allocated for energy sector needs, means that projects in areas affected by energy sector development are receiving nearly 30 percent of total 2015 Proposition 1 funding.