The Unified Transportation Program, developed by the Texas Department of Transportation, will take place over the next 10 years after being approved on Thursday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
A new $146 billion transportation plan could potentially provide traffic relief to Houstonians.
The Unified Transportation Program, developed by the Texas Department of Transportation, will take place over the next 10 years after being approved on Thursday.
“ What it means for the Houston area is addressing growth,” TxDOT PIO Danny Perez told COURIER HTX. “Houston continues to see growth each and every day. We look at ways to improve mobility and of course, enhance safety on our roads. We’re not looking just to address the growth of today, but the growth of well into the future.”
An example of a project in the Houston District area in the 2026 UTP includes the proposed expansion to a four-lane (two lanes each) controlled access toll road on SH99 from FM 2403 to I-45, according to a TxDOT press release.
According to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s list of the “100 Most Congested Roadways in Texas,” two areas in Houston appear in the top five of the state: West Loop Freeway (I-610) between I-10 and U.S. 59/I-69, and Eastex Freeway (I-69/U.S. 59) between SH 288 and I-10 come in at number one and number five, respectively.
Based on the rankings done by TTI, many roadways that appear on the list will be targeted by the plan to help commuters save time and money on the road. According to KHOU 11, “In 2023 alone, Texans lost over 505 million hours to traffic delays, costing an estimated $13.4 billion statewide.”
“This more than $146 billion investment in our roadways will help Texas meet the critical needs of our growing state,” Gov. Greg Abbott said.
TxDOT was unable to comment on how the adoption of the plan will affect taxpayers.
