The Texas Department of Transportation is investing $1.3 billion in roadway upgrades and safety improvements in the Permian Basin; a major oil- and natural gas-producing region of the state.

That funding – outlined in 2025 Unified Transportation Plan adopted by the agency last year – is also occurring alongside a $1.5 billion modernization of I-20; an effort that includes building additional lanes, new interchanges, reconfiguring ramps, and converting frontage roads from two-way traffic to one-way lanes.

Those I-20 improvements kicked off in 2024, with work on a 5-mile stretch east of JBS Parkway to east of CR 1300 the first project to break ground. The next segment extends into Midland towards CR 1250 and construction will begin later this summer, the agency said.

“TxDOT has invested heavily in the Permian Basin, and that investment will benefit the entire state,” noted Eric Lykins, TxDOT’s Odessa district engineer, in a blog post. “It is our job to make sure we deliver a world class transportation system that is safe and efficient and meets the growing needs of the Permian Basin.”

The Permian Basin is a top five producer in the world in oil and natural gas, representing 39 percent of US oil production, he explained.

More importantly, the Permian Basin is vital for the Texas economy, supporting more than 200,000 jobs while generating over 10.8 percent of the state’s gross domestic product.

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