Initiative Relieving Congestion Through Texas Starts Soon
Oct. 22, 2024 – By Adam Hammons – AUSTIN – A statewide initiative to address highway chokepoints in Texas is making major progress this fall with multiple projects breaking ground.
TxDOT is making huge strides to help address congestion in major cities through its Texas Clear Lanes initiative. Three major projects getting under construction include:
- North Houston Highway Improvement project in Houston
- Capital Express Central in Austin
- I-30 in Fort Worth
All of these projects received funding through Texas Clear Lanes, a statewide strategic initiative to provide congestion relief through non-tolled roads focusing on five metropolitan areas: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.
Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Bruce Bugg Jr. started the initiative after direction from Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015.
“We are proud to be here, opening this huge benefit for the people of Houston today and for future generations,” Bugg said during the NHHIP groundbreaking, emphasizing the project’s role in addressing the city’s transportation needs. “We’re making big plays. Getting Texans moving and out of traffic faster and safer is our goal.”
Since 2015, TxDOT has dedicated more than $35 billion of funding toward nearly $80 billion worth of projects on Texas’ 100 Most Congested Roadways list. The 2025 Unified Transportation Program (UTP) also features an additional $1.9 billion of funding for these Texas Clear Lanes projects.
That funding has made a significant impact. TxDOT projects helped Texas drivers save around $3 billion in commuter time in 2022. That’s while the Texas population is growing by 1,300 people every day with motorists driving more miles compared to years before. TxDOT’s roadway construction and expansion projects like those in Texas Clear Lanes are helping make travel smoother and more efficient.
This recent spike in shovels meeting dirt isn’t new. In 2024 there have been 31 Texas Clear Lanes projects under construction with 21 completed. Next year, it’s set to grow even more with an expected 27 projects under construction and 29 projects completed.
Traffic congestion creates a ripple effect that impacts nearly every aspect of our lives, whether we drive or not. Where we live, where we work, where we shop and where we play are all affected by traffic congestion.
That’s why Texas leadership, the Transportation Commission, and TxDOT are committed to addressing this serious issue.
Want to learn more about projects near you? Check out the Texas Clear Lanes page on txdot.gov.
