TxDOT awarded $24 million BUILD grant for I-20 interchange improvements

MIDLAND - The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded a $24 million federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to advance the Fueling Economic Growth: I-20 Energy Sector Interchange project in Midland County, a critical infrastructure investment that will enhance safety, improve mobility, and strengthen the nation's energy supply chain.

The project will reconstruct the interchange at I-20 and South Lamesa Road in Midland, one of the most heavily traveled freight corridors in the Permian Basin.

"This investment represents a major step forward for safety and economic vitality in West Texas," said TxDOT Odessa District Engineer Saul Romero. "By modernizing this critical interchange, we are improving travel for Texans, supporting the energy industry, and ensuring this corridor can meet the demands of a growing economy."

Texas received approximately $105 million in BUILD funding, representing the largest total amount awarded to any state in this funding round. The awards will support improvements to highway, freight, rail, transit, port, and border infrastructure in communities across the state.

The I-20 corridor serves as a key artery for transporting oil, gas, and other energy-related materials across the Permian Basin, one of the most productive energy regions in the world. The existing interchange at Lamesa Road experiences frequent congestion, extended travel times, and recurring bridge strikes caused by oversized freight vehicles, creating safety risks for drivers and costly delays for industry.

The project will address these challenges through a comprehensive redesign that includes:

• Replacing the existing Lamesa Road bridge with a new design that carries I-20 over the roadway
• Eliminating vertical clearance issues that lead to bridge strikes
• Reconfiguring frontage roads from two-way to one-way traffic
• Adding new travel lanes, turn lanes, and traffic signals
• Improving drainage, lighting, and infrastructure to support heavy truck traffic

Once complete, the project is expected to significantly improve roadway safety for both passenger vehicles and commercial trucks while enhancing freight reliability across the region. By reducing congestion and improving travel times, the upgraded interchange will lower transportation costs and strengthen supply chains critical to the energy sector.

"The Permian Strategic Partnership (PSP), our 29 member organizations, and our regional partners have been laser focused on improving road safety outcomes in the Permian Basin for several years," said PSP Executive Director Tracee Bentley. "The acceleration of this critical project will further leverage those efforts and help make the Permian Basin a safer place to live and work while our region continues to deliver the world's largest supply of secure energy."

Construction is anticipated to begin in October 2027 and complete in late 2029.