ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — West Texas roads and infrastructure may be getting an influx of money from the state.
The Texas Department of Transportation unveiled their 2024 Unified Transportation Program earlier this month. Their plan would see up to $4.3 billion allocated to the Odessa District regarding their road and infrastructure programs.
The UTP is a 10-year plan that guides the state's development on various transportation projects.
It also plans out how much money would be allocated toward which districts within Texas.
“The UTP is basically a plan on how things are going to move transportation-wise throughout the state," said Maryann Cedillo, a public information officer with TxDOT. "So it’s not necessarily budgeted money, it’s just a plan on how to move forward.”
The Odessa District is made up of eleven districts, including Ector and Midland counties. A majority of the planned projects come within these two counties.
Most projects focus on widening or adding passing lanes.
Nearly $686 million would go toward the I-20 corridor in Ector County, while almost $285 million would be directed toward the North Permian Promise Project.
“I think that it makes a lot of strides in developing projects throughout the state... so, we have our I-20 corridor," said Cedillo. "There are funds being allocated toward the I-20 corridor that goes through our Odessa District, that's going to improve those roadways."
As far as I-20 goes, TxDOT is looking to help move along the traffic that many drivers are dealing with.
“The ones [projects] that we are currently working on are the Midkiff and Cottonflat, moving that interstate traffic over the top of the roadway versus going underneath,” said Cedillo.
The Odessa District is also one of over a dozen state districts, but they would be receiving a larger chunk of change then most of the others.
“We are the sixth-largest being funded," said Cedillo. "So we are classified a rural district, but we’re right up there with those metro districts.”
Meanwhile, TxDOT must present the full program to the Texas Transportation Commission. They must approve and adopt the program by Aug. 31.