ODESSA, Texas — Big changes are coming to West Texas roads. The I-20 Widening Project broke ground on Monday in Odessa.
The goal of the $450 million TxDOT project is to widen Interstate 20 going through Midland and Odessa.
"It's a recognition of really what we're doing out here in the Permian Basin as far as developing oil and gas and the amount of truck traffic that activity necessitates," said State Senator Kevin Sparks.
According to several officials, in the past, I-20 has been known as one of the deadliest roadways in West Texas. The expansion hopes to provide safety and security to both locals and people traveling through the Permian Basin.
"Interstate 20 is going to be expanded from two lanes in to three lanes in each direction," said State Representative Brooks Landgraf. "Another big change coming is the frontage roads are going to be reconfigured to be one way in each direction. And one of the best features from my perspective is the overpasses Interstate 20 main lines are now going to go over the intersecting roads."
This road project also shows dedication to economic growth.
"We know that the Permian Basin and the oil and gas production of the Permian Basin is fueling the state and we have to be thankful for the efforts that they're putting back into our communities for safety and for road expansion," said Midland Mayor Lori Blong. "We're still playing catch up on some under investment from previous decades and so we're excited about this investment."
However, with road work comes road closures and that may impact your daily commute.
"It's frustrating," Landgraf said. "If you go through these construction phases, it affects my commute. I live and work here in the Permian Basin, so it it has an impact. I would much rather have complaints about the construction than the complaint. We've had for years about having highways that are unnecessarily deadly."
For I-20 to be the best it can be, it will take the entire community.
"We're separated by about 18 miles, that's all, but we have learned through the years that working together we're much stronger than you know, pitting those little self interests against each other," Sparks said.
It helps to see the people who make the big decisions truly care about the Permian Basin.
"My fight for West Texas, my desire to get highway funding so that we can build projects like this Interstate 20 is because I mean, it all starts with love that I have for my hometown and for my home region," Landgraf said. "We've been neglected here in this part of the state for too long, and I'm glad that we are finally having success in our fight to bring state resources here to the Permian Basin to save lives, to improve our roads. But it starts with love."
Click here to keep up with travel times throughout the I-20 construction projects.