Freeway News

Dallas to get billions of dollars for roadway projects in new TxDOT plan

Dallas Mixmaster.

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The state of Texas is investing $142 billion in transportation infrastructure, including $11.5 billion for roadway projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

That $142 billion also includes a $100 billion 10-year statewide roadway construction plan with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

The Dallas District projects will include:

Projects along US 380 in Collin County, $288 million, complementing approximately $1 billion previously dedicated to US 380
Reconstruct I-30 Canyon between I-35E and I-45 in Dallas County, $524 million
Reconstruct US 80 in Mesquite between Town East Boulevard and Belt Line Road, including the interchange with I-635 in Dallas County, $220 million
Improvements along the I-35, I-35E, and I-35W corridors in Denton County to include breakout interchanges, new frontage roads, and capacity improvements, $163 million
Projects in Kaufman County, total $263 million, including $25 million to widen portions of Interstate 20 and $101 million to widen SH 205

It's part of the 2024 Unified Transportation Program (UTP) proposed by TxDOT, estimated to be $15 billion more than the 2023 UTP, with the State of Texas providing a majority of the funding.

The UTP is a planning document that guides the development of transportation projects across the state.

The $142 billion designated for 2024 will cover development & delivery projects, right of way acquisition, engineering, routine maintenance contracts, and UTP construction funding. We're totally getting a LOT for our money.

And don't think we won't see some ROI: An analysis by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute says the $10 billion-plus average annual investment programmed in the UTP over the next 10 years is expected to bring an estimated $18.8 billion per year in economic benefits which include increased labor income and business output, as well as the addition of 70,500 direct and indirect jobs.

Gotta spend some to make some.

Many of the projects in this plan are roadway segments identified on Texas' 100 Most Congested Roadways list.

Texas Clear Lanes congestion-relief projects will see an increase in funding, supporting $66.7 billion total investment for completed, under-construction, and planned non-tolled projects since 2015.

Funding for rural projects also increased to $19.2 billion, up from $2.2 billion in the 2016 UTP.

Projects are selected by TxDOT and local transportation leaders based on effectiveness in addressing criteria such as safety, pavement condition, capacity, and rural connectivity, with opportunities for public input at the both the state and local levels.

Sobering statistic

Texas ranks No. 9 among deadliest states for New Year’s crashes

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At more than 314,000 miles, Texas boasts the largest system of public roads among the 50 states. It also holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of the deadliest states for New Year’s car accidents.

An analysis of 2014-2023 traffic data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows Texas is the ninth worst state for traffic deaths on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

During the 10-year period covered by the analysis, commissioned by AutoAccident.com, Texas tallied 280 traffic deaths on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day — the highest total of any state. The 280-person toll in Texas works out to 9.61 deaths per one million residents, a rate that’s 37 percent above the national average of 6.99 deaths per one million residents.

The analysis reveals that nearly three-fourths (64 percent) of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day traffic deaths in Texas were drivers, nearly one-fifth (19 percent) were pedestrians, and 16 percent were passengers.

“New Year’s Eve is one of the most dangerous nights on American roads,” says Edward Smith, managing attorney at AutoAccident.com, a personal injury law firm.

“With impaired driving incidents spiking during holiday celebrations, every driver has a responsibility to make smart choices that protect themselves and others sharing the road,” Smith adds. “Even in states with strong safety records, one preventable death is too many.”

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), more than 2,000 drunk driving-related crashes happened during the 2024 holiday season. Last year, December ranked as the No. 1 month in Texas for wrecks caused by drunk drivers.

“The holidays are a wonderful time to be with family, and yet they can also be a painful reminder for those who have lost loved ones to preventable crashes,” says Marc Williams, executive director of TxDOT. “Let’s make a new holiday tradition to drive like a Texan: kind, courteous, and safe. That means always getting a sober ride.”

TxDOT offers these four tips for staying safe on the roads as the calendar switches from 2025 to 2026:

Designate a sober driver before the celebrations start.
Ask a sober relative or friend to pick you up if you’re too tipsy to drive.
Use public transit or rideshare services.
Stay off the roads until you’ve sobered up.

Several organizations in Dallas-Fort Worth are offering ways to get home safely around New Year’s if you’re too drunk to drive:

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has teamed up with Coors Light to provide free rides on New Year’s Eve. To get a free ride, enter the promo code COORSNYE25 in the GoPass app. The offer is available to the first 10,500 riders who enter the code in the GoPass app.
Trinity Metro will offer free Trinity Railway Express rides in Tarrant County from 6 pm-midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Various bars and entertainment venues in Dallas County are supplying QR codes for one free Lyft ride worth up to $35. The EpicCentral entertainment district in Grand Prairie is among the participants.
In collaboration with TxDOT and the Frisco Police Department, Uber is offering $30-per-ride vouchers for people in Frisco who aren’t sober enough to drive. Frisco ranks first on Allstate’s 2025 list of the Texas cities with the best drivers.
Fort Worth Limousines provides designated-driver services in Dallas-Fort Worth via limo, luxury sedan, SUV, and bus.
Pro-Tow Wrecker Service is offering free tows to tipsy motorists in Denton County who need a ride on New Year’s Eve.

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