In November, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reported progress on several transportation projects throughout the state. These efforts focused on improving mobility for drivers and pedestrians and advancing long-term infrastructure upgrades in growing communities.
In the Lake Houston area, three intersections along FM 1960 reopened after nearly four years of construction. The intersections at Atascocita Road, West Lake Houston Parkway, and Farmingham Road now have updated signals and improved traffic flow as part of TxDOT’s two-segment widening project. The $128 million project will expand FM 1960 from four to six lanes, add sidewalks, raised medians, turn lanes, and drainage improvements. Segment B is expected to be completed by Christmas, with Segment A finishing in February. TxDOT advised motorists to stay cautious as work continues into early 2026.
Central Texas will see new pedestrian infrastructure in Mart and Waco. In Mart, a $1 million project beginning December 1 will build sidewalks, ramps, and marked crosswalks along S. Carpenter Street between SH 164 and Lumpkin Street. Work is set to finish in early 2026. In Waco, a $2.7 million project on Valley Mills Drive will add sidewalks, upgraded curb ramps, and improved pedestrian signals from Bagby Avenue to US 84; construction is scheduled through summer 2026 with periodic sidewalk and shoulder closures.
Both projects are part of TxDOT’s ongoing commitment to support pedestrian mobility as population and traffic increase in these areas.
In San Antonio, two new flyover ramps opened at the Loop 1604 North Expansion project at the I-10 interchange. This brings the total number of completed flyovers to seven out of eight planned for completion by the end of 2026. When finished, the five-level interchange will include eight high-speed flyover ramps, new roundabouts at ground level, added turnarounds and sidewalks, expanded main lanes including a future HOV lane on both I-10 and Loop 1604, as well as collector-distributor roads aimed at reducing congestion.
On November 20th, TxDOT was awarded $36 million in grants from the Federal Transit Administration for transit improvements. The funding will be used to purchase replacement buses for 26 rural transit agencies across Texas and build a new facility in El Paso. These rural districts serve over seventy percent of Texas’s land area—about 197,000 square miles—and cover 193 counties.
Recent federal actions related to transportation include nearly $20 million awarded through the Small Shipyard Grant Program by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration to help modernize shipyards across multiple states (https://www.maritime.dot.gov/newsroom/maritime-administration-awards-nearly-20-million-funding-strengthen-us-shipyard-economic). Additionally, new guidance was issued alongside $7.3 billion in formula funding by the Federal Highway Administration under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help states prepare for extreme weather events such as wildfires or flooding (https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/biden-administration-announces-new-protect-formula-program-73-billion-bipartisan).
Efforts also continue nationwide toward making transportation more accessible: winners were announced for a competition that encouraged inclusive design solutions enhancing mobility options for people with disabilities (https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/anniversary-ada-usdot-announces-winners-its-first-ever-inclusive-design-challenge). The U.S. Department of Transportation has been working with partners through initiatives like FLOW—Freight Logistics Optimization Works—to improve supply chain efficiency by encouraging secure data sharing among participants (https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/dot-supply-chain-companies-collaborate-speed-movement-goods-cut-costs-consumers).
TxDOT stated its continued focus on delivering infrastructure that meets both current needs and future growth across Texas communities.
