CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Transportation announced in a release they plan on putting $1.3 billion into 17 projects in the Coastal Bend over the next 10 years.
The release states Abbott announced the adoption of the TxDOT 2023 Unified Transportation Program, an $85 billion, 10-year statewide construction plan for roadways.
"The State of Texas is working to ensure the transportation needs of our fast-growing state are met and that the safety of Texans on the roadways is protected," Abbott said in the release. "TxDOT's 2023 Unified Transportation Program is a critical step toward addressing the diverse needs of Texans in rural, urban, and metropolitan communities."
A total of $1.3 billion will be put into the Corpus Christi District, which is made up of 10 Coastal Bend counties.
That also includes $601.5 million in new funding, for four projects designed to enhance connectivity, mobility and safety in Live Oak, Jim Wells and Refugio counties.
The newly funded projects include:
$67.2 million, which will be used to upgrade U.S. Hwy 281 in Jim Wells County.
The project will upgrade the existing highway to interstate standards from south of the Premont Relief Route to the Brooks County line, the release states.
An estimated $70.6 million is to upgrade the U.S. 59 Trunk Systems in Live Oak County. The project will upgrade the existing highway to a four-lane divided highway to meet Texas Trunk System standards.
About $358.4 million will go toward the U.S. 77 Refugio Relief Route in Refugio County, which will construct a relief route around Refugio at a new location.
An amount of $105.3 million will be used for U.S. 77 at Woodsboro, also in Refugio County.
The project will upgrade the existing highway to interstate standards, the release states.
“Texas’ rapid growth reinforces the importance of investing in transportation to efficiently move both people and freight across our diverse state," TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. "TxDOT is working hard to not only build the new roads and transportation capacity Texas needs, but to maintain the more than 80,000 miles of roads and other transportation infrastructure under our care.“
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