Gov. Greg Abbott announced a $138 billion transportation plan Wednesday that will guide Texas highway construction, maintenance, congestion relief, and other infrastructure investments over the next decade.
The 2027 Unified Transportation Program includes $95 billion in projected state and federal funding for transportation projects, plus $43 billion for project development and routine maintenance. The plan covers work across Texas but does not guarantee that every project under consideration will be built.
Plan Guides Spending Through 2036
The Texas Transportation Commission approved the 10-year plan in August, according to the governor’s announcement.
“Texas’ booming economy and growing population demand a transportation system that keeps people and products moving safely and efficiently,” Abbott said.
The program includes highway construction and preservation, public transportation, maritime infrastructure, aviation, rail, freight movement, international trade routes, and bicycle and pedestrian projects.
Of the projected $138 billion investment, $95 billion is designated for transportation projects using existing state and federal revenue sources. The remaining $43 billion is associated with project development and routine maintenance.
The money will not be spent immediately. Planning, engineering, environmental reviews, land acquisition, bidding, construction, and maintenance will occur over multiple years.
Congestion Relief Remains a Priority
Many projects in the 2027 program involve road segments appearing on Texas’ list of 100 most congested roadways.
The plan increases support for Texas Clear Lanes, the state initiative focused on non-tolled congestion-relief projects in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.
The governor’s office said completed, active, and planned Clear Lanes projects represent a combined statewide investment of $90.6 billion since the initiative began in 2015.
TxDOT did not provide a new Dallas-Fort Worth funding total in Wednesday’s announcement. However, North Texas contains several of the largest projects in the existing Clear Lanes portfolio.
Current Dallas-area projects include:
- The $1.74 billion reconstruction of Interstate 635 between U.S. 75 and Interstate 30
- The $888 million Interstate 30 Canyon project between Interstate 35E and Interstate 45
- The $804 million Interstate 30 project between Bass Pro Drive and FM 2642
- The $709 million Interstate 35E project between Interstate 635 and the Denton County line
- The $545 million reconstruction of the U.S. 80 and Interstate 635 interchange
- The $159 million Spur 399 project in Collin County
The Fort Worth-area portfolio includes the $2.2 billion Southeast Connector and a $267 million Interstate 30 expansion between Linkcrest Drive and Interstate 820.
Those projects are in different stages of development or construction. The list provides context for the scale of existing state congestion-relief work in North Texas but should not be interpreted as a list of projects newly authorized Wednesday.
Plan Is Not a Construction Guarantee
The Unified Transportation Program (UTP) is updated annually and functions as TxDOT’s statewide project-development roadmap.
It authorizes TxDOT and local transportation agencies to advance projects based on anticipated funding, but it is not a binding budget or guarantee that each listed project will reach construction.
“Because funding levels may change in the future, the UTP does not serve as a budget or a guarantee that certain projects will be built,” TxDOT explains in its program overview.
Projects may be delayed, modified, or reprioritized as revenue forecasts, construction costs, environmental requirements, and local transportation needs change.
TxDOT also publishes only a subset of projects in the UTP’s primary highway listings. The agency’s online Project Tracker contains information about thousands of additional construction, bridge, maintenance, aviation, rail, and transportation projects.
Program Has Grown Alongside Texas
The new plan continues a series of expanding transportation programs as Texas adds residents, businesses, and commercial traffic.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Abbott announced a $100 billion Unified Transportation Program in 2023 aimed at reducing congestion, maintaining roads, and improving highway safety.
The latest program carries a larger overall projected value, although year-to-year comparisons can be affected by updated revenue forecasts, construction costs, project schedules, and changes in what is included in the statewide total.
TxDOT opened the draft 2027 plan for public comment from July 3 through August 3. The review included a virtual hearing and options to submit comments in English, Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Mandarin, and Vietnamese, according to the agency’s public-participation announcement.
Texas Transportation Commission Acting Chairman Alvin New said the program incorporates input from Texas residents and transportation partners.
Safety, Rural Roads, and Freight Included
The new plan is not limited to urban highway expansion.
The governor’s office said it includes additional investment in highway safety, rural corridors, roadway preservation, and transportation links supporting major economic centers and supply chains.
For North Texas drivers, the effects will emerge one project at a time. The $138 billion plan establishes the statewide framework, but the timing and local impact of individual projects will depend on funding availability, engineering, approvals, and contracting.
