Federal funds made available through the 2015 FAST Act (Fixing America's Surface Transportation) are going to support new road construction in three counties in the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) Laredo district. This announcement of two U.S. 277 construction projects will greatly benefit the traveling public.
Improvements will include the U.S. 277 five-lane upgrade project between state Loop 480 and U.S. 57 in eastern Eagle Pass/Maverick County at an estimated construction cost of $12.9 million.
Also, the U.S. 277 Intermittent (Super 2) passing lanes project between Eagle Pass and Del Rio is to be built at an estimated cost of $8.8 million. Both projects are tentatively scheduled for construction bid letting in the summer of 2017.
“TxDOT is glad to utilize funds made possible through FAST [2015 Fixing America's Surface Transportation] to continue infrastructure improvements along U.S. 277 within Maverick, Kinney and Val Verde counties,” said Bill Hale, TxDOT chief engineer. “We are pleased that these federal funds not only serve to upgrade transportation corridors for citizens in the area but also serve to upgrade the economic corridor known as Port to Plains reaching from Mexico to Canada,”
“Families and businesses in towns like Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Presidio and El Paso know just how vital border trade and commerce is for our economy and community,” said Congressman William Hurd, U.S. Rep. of Texas's 23rd congressional district.
Hurd's bipartisan Coordinated Border Infrastructure bill, HR 3181, was included in the FAST Act, the first long term highway bill in more than a decade, making these funds possible.
“We must continue to invest in border infrastructure, so that trade is facilitated, benefiting every part of our state,” said Hurd. “It's been a pleasure to work with local and state officials to ensure that we are building bridges with Mexico, our state's largest trading partner.”
“TxDOT is doing a great job prioritizing projects in our district and this is going to be awesome for the region. Proud to play a small part,” said State Rep. Alfonso “Poncho” Nevarez (District 74).
For more information, visit TxDOT.gov.
