Record breaking $4.3 billion in funding approved for TXDOT’s Odessa District

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - The Texas Transportation Commission voted unanimously to approve $4.3 billion dollars in funding for TXDOT’s Odessa district over the next 10 years.

“4.3 billion dollars is as big as it sounds but I think what’s also important is this is a long term investment, this is a decade long investment that the state is making right here in the Permian basin,” said Representative Brooks Landgraf.

The Permian Strategic Partnership and Representative Brooks Landgraf along with a number of others have been advocating for funding to help solve the infrastructure needs in the Permian Basin.

“We took safety records combined with volume and the condition of the roadway and made a priority list so that when we got money our projects were as close to shovel ready as possible and I also think that helped,” said Permian Strategic Partnership President and CEO Tracee Bentley.

The funding included in the 2024 Unified Transportation Plan broke a record. Bentley says it’s an example of what happens when people understand the importance of our region.

“Others who have received funding numbers like this are Austin and Houston and Dallas and San Antonio. We are the only rural district but it makes perfect sense because we are the largest economic driver in the state,” said Bentley.

The PSP prioritized US 285 North. TXDOT has also been focused on the I-20 corridor, but with the amount of funding many projects will be accomplished.

“We just need to look at the end goal, the end goal is to have better roadways and while it is an inconvenience to have our roadways worked on it is a challenging road to get there but the end result will be a far better and improved roadway for everyone,” said TXDOT PIO Maryann Cedillo.

Bentley says safety was a top priority, as here in the Permian Basin we have dangerous roads with high traffic fatalities so these investments will help improve that need as well.

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