AUSTIN, TX — At a recent meeting, the Texas Transportation Commission discussed and approved the following:

The commission honored retired Lubbock District Engineer Steve Warren with a resolution recognizing his 45 years of service to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the state of Texas.

Warren began his career with the department as a summer employee before joining full-time in 1981 and eventually leading transportation operations across 17 counties in West Texas.

During his career, he helped deliver major transportation projects, mentored generations of engineers and transportation professionals, and received numerous industry honors.

Commissioners awarded low-bid value amounts of nearly $607 million for 73 highway improvement projects and $55 million for 15 routine maintenance contracts. The projects include investments in congestion relief, pavement preservation, safety improvements, bridge preservation, and enhanced connectivity across Texas.

TxDOT officials reported the department has let $6.5 billion in projects so far this fiscal year and remains on pace to exceed the number of projects originally planned, partly because of favorable construction costs and competitive bidding.

Commissioner Steven Alvis highlighted the upcoming construction of a pedestrian skybridge near Milby High School in Houston, Texas.

The project was initiated following the death of 15-year-old Sergio Ivan Rodriguez, who was struck and killed by a train while walking to school in December 2024.

The bridge is being designed and constructed by TxDOT in partnership with the City of Houston, Harris County, and Union Pacific Railroad. Construction is expected to be completed in January 2027.

The commission approved a contract for a new ferry boat that will serve the Galveston-Port Bolivar route and replace an aging vessel currently in operation. Commissioners also voted to name the vessel the J. Bruce Bugg Jr. in honor of the late former Texas Transportation Commission Chairman.

TxDOT provided an update on development of the 2027 Unified Transportation Program (UTP), the department’s 10-year transportation planning document.

The draft UTP now includes $95 billion in planned transportation investments through 2036, an increase of $500 million from projections presented earlier this year due to stronger-than-expected Proposition 1 revenue forecasts.

The draft program proposes approximately $5 billion in new funding over the next decade and includes continued investment in the Texas Clear Lanes initiative and the Statewide and Rural Connectivity Initiative.