Statewide initiative focuses on busiest roads in Texas

By Madison Schein

ROCKWALL — The Texas Department of Transportation and the City of Rockwall recently marked the start of construction on the second segment of the Interstate 30 expansion project.

The $334 million project, which will also rebuild the Horizon Road interchange, is a priority for TxDOT’s Texas Clear Lanes program, which focuses on the most congested roadways in Texas.

Texas Clear Lanes is a statewide strategic plan to provide congestion relief through non-tolled roads and is focused on five major metro areas: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

Current Texas Transportation Commission Chair Bruce Bugg, Jr. lead this congestion relief initiative following a September 2015 charge from Governor Greg Abbott.

The governor’s challenge was to, "… create a focused initiative to identify and address the state's most congested chokepoints and work with transportation planners to get new roads built swiftly and effectively …"

The I-30 widening project is one of the critical projects to address congestion. All Texas Clear Lanes projects have been approved and included in the state's Unified Transportation Program (UTP), the 10-year project development plan.

"All too often, major crashes on the I-30 bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard have resulted in major congestion," said Texas Transportation Commissioner Robert Vaughn. "Paired with a booming population and increased roadway usage, this important stretch of I-30 needed a smart solution to help get folks to where they’re going safely."

Segment two of the I-30 expansion project extends across the lake from Dalrock Road to State Highway 205, and will widen the roadway from six lanes to eight. It will also build continuous frontage roads from SH 205 across Lake Ray Hubbard, additions that will dramatically improve reliability during major incidents.