TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Gov. Abbott, TxDOT propose $100B road construction plan
COMPILED BY DANICA LLOYD & HANNAH NORTON
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Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Transportation pro- posed on Feb. 23 a $100 billion plan to fund transportation projects across Program is TxDOT’s 10-year plan, which is updated annually. Texas’ highest-priority transportation projects are selected for the UTP in collaboration with elected officials, local planning organizations and the public, according to TxDOT. The program aims to maintain roadways as well as improve safety and congestion across Texas. It also includes investments in public transportation, maritime, aviation, rail, freight and international trade. According to a news release, the 2024 UTP will provide a record the state for the next 10 years. The Unified Transportation amount of funding for construction across Texas. The 2023 plan, which was approved in August, made $85 million available for projects. The proposed plan would result in more funding for “vital areas,” such
as safety, energy, border infrastruc- ture, and connectivity between rural and urban areas, the release said. Funding is available in 12 cate- gories, including metro and urban corridor funding, statewide connec- tivity, congestion mitigation and air quality improvements, bridges, and safety, among others. “Safety is a top priority for TxDOT, and these funding levels reflect that,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said in the release. Projects included in the UTP will help “drastically reduce” roadway deaths, Williams said. According to the release, over 7,000 TxDOT projects are active or expected to begin in 2023. “As the state of Texas continues to see exponential population and eco- nomic growth, this funding will help meet the needs of all Texans,” Texas Transportation Commission Chair J. Bruce Bugg Jr. said in the release. The five-member Texas Trans- portation Commission approves
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The Texas Department of Transportation is preparing its next Unified Transportation Program for 2024. The UTP is TxDOT’s
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF MARCH 16. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT CYFNEWS@COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. Funding sources: Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 500, Harris County Precinct 3, Texas Department of Transportation Greenhouse Road extension Harris County plans to construct a six- lane underpass extending Greenhouse Road from Mound Road to Skinner Road across Hwy. 290. This project is in the design phase and is expected to also include hike and bike lanes. Prelimi- nary engineering work began in 2019, Community Impact previously reported. The project received funding through the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Transportation Improvement Program. Cost: $43 million Timeline: construction contract to be awarded in August 2024
10-year plan of projects. $100B in future road projects are proposed. Over 7,000 projects
are expected to be underway in 2023.
SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
updates to the UTP each summer, as required by state law. TxDOT and the commission will evaluate projects for inclusion in the 2024 UTP through May, and a draft plan will be pre- sented in June. Texans will have the opportunity to provide input on the UTP in July before the final plan is approved in August, officials said.
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CYPRESS EDITION • APRIL 2023
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