TxDOT funding includes upgrades to Texas 80 in Gonzales

The Texas Department of Transportation has earmarked more than $78 million in funding to revamp Texas 80 in Gonzales County to a “Super 2” highway in the 2024 Unified Transportation Plan (UTP),which was announced Aug. 18.

The money is part of a record $142 billion in total investment into Texas transportation infrastructure, of which $1.064 billion was designated for the Yoakum District, which is comprised of Austin, Calhoun, Colorado, DeWitt, Fayette, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca, Matagorda and Wharton counties.

Other money for the Yoakum district includes $524 million for reconstruction of US 59 to I-69 standards from Wharton to El Campo in Wharton County; $396 million for reconstruction of IH 10 in Colorado County and $42 million for US 77 in Fayette County.

The UTP calls for $26,769,745 to upgrade Texas 80 from the Guadalupe County line to US 90A in Belmont; $20,419,889 to upgrade Texas 80 from US 90A to 1.23 miles north of Farm-to-Market Road 1682; and $31,229,156 to upgrade Texas 80 from 1.23 miles north of FM 1682 to the intersection with FM 1681. All three segments will be turned into a Super 2 Highway.

A Super 2 Highway is a two-lane rural highway in which a periodic passing lane has been added to allow faster vehicles to pass. The passing lane typically alternates from one direction of travel to the other within a section of roadway, which allows periodic passing opportunities in both directions in a safe manner. The transitions at the beginning and end of the passing lane allow sufficient room for the diverging and merging traffic.

Funding for Texas 80 was included in the plan due to its connectivity to Interstate 10, a vital corridor which connects San Antonio to Houston. The southern part of the highway also sees a great deal of energy sector traffic because of natural gas extraction in the Eagle Ford Shale, one of the largest natural gas fields in the country.

The 2024 UTP represents a $25 billion increase in total investment from the previous year.

“Thanks to our booming economy, Texas has achieved a major milestone in our transportation infrastructure with this record $142 billion investment that will strengthen our roadways and build a next-generation transportation network,” said Gov. Greg Abbott. “Through this record transportation investment project, the State of Texas will further improve roadway congestion and safety to meet the growing needs of Texans in our large metros, rural communities, and everywhere in between. This plan will not only connect Texans from every corner of our state, it will also bolster our economic growth and ensure Texans and businesses continue to thrive for generations to come.”

“This historic investment in our transportation system is critically important to help meet the needs of our fast-growing state,” said Texas Transportation Commission Chairman J. Bruce Bugg, Jr. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Abbott and our Texas Legislature, Texas continues to see growth in the transportation investments needed to support a world-class transportation system focused on safety and congestion relief.” 

“This plan will help the lives of all Texans for years to come as we work to move people and goods safely and efficiently in our rural, urban, and metropolitan areas,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “TxDOT is already putting these resources to work with a record number of projects aimed at improving safety and saving lives on our roadways."