Nearly $30 million in funds set to grow Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska road projects

Alana Edgin, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
·2 min read
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Proposed map of Ports-o-Plains Corridor
Proposed map of Ports-o-Plains Corridor

Nearly $30 million in funding for the Ports-to-Plains Alliance Corridor projects in Texas, New Mexico and Nebraska has officially been signed into law by President Joseph Biden, according to a Tuesday news release from the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 (H.R. 4366) cleared the U.S. Senate and U.S. House late last week, and was signed by President Biden on Saturday, March 9. One of the highlights from the bipartisan bill allocates $29.165 million for projects that will benefit the Ports-to-Plains Alliance corridor.

“I am thrilled by the approved funding, which marks another landmark step toward the prosperous future along the Ports-to-Plains corridor,” said John Osborne, Chairman of the Ports-to-Plains Alliance. “The bipartisan effort to bring this legislation to pass unite both the nation's and Texas' strategic economic engines of agriculture production, energy, and international trade, while supporting the rural Texas communities in South and West Texas.”

The projects, and their funding, include:

  • $2 million for the US 287 Interstate Design from Amarillo to Dumas.

  • $2.2 million for the State Loop 335 Widen Non-Freeway in Amarillo.

  • $8 million for the Interstate Planning: U.S. 87 from Lubbock to Tahoka.

  • $2.5 million for US 277 — Operational Improvements in San Angelo.

  • $1.6 million for the Ports-to-Plains Corridor Interstate Planning (New Mexico).

  • $12.865 million for the Heartland Expressway Improvements (Nebraska).

This, combined with the Financial Year 2023 appropriations of $11.85 million, will provide state Departments of Transportation more resources to further infrastructure projects.

New Mexico Senator Ray Luján stated that the project would "deliver critical investments to every corner in New Mexico."

The Heartland Expressway project will help with the construction phase of the expressway between Minatare, Nebraska and the U.S. Highway 385 junction east of Scottsbluff.

“This critical piece of funding will assure the creation of another 18 miles of 4-lane divided highway in western Nebraska,” said Deb Cottier, Heartland Expressway Association Board Chair from Chadron, Nebraska. “(Senator Deb Fischer) has made good on her promise to help and kept the funding alive until Congress could act on the transportation portion of the budget."

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska receive $30 million for infrastructure