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State transportation officials have added another major project to the list of upgrades coming to Texas 71 in Bastrop County, part of a newly adopted $146 billion statewide plan to ease congestion and improve safety across Texas.
The 2026 Unified Transportation Program, approved Aug. 21 by the Texas Transportation Commission, includes $164.5 million to build overpasses at Pope Bend Road and FM 1209. The project will allow traffic on Texas 71 to move through the corridor without stopping, TxDOT officials said.
“This more than $146 billion investment in our roadways will help Texas meet the critical needs of our growing state as more people and businesses move here for the freedom and opportunity they can’t find anywhere else,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a release.
The new overpasses come in addition to a $183 million project planned for Tucker Hill Lane west of Bastrop. Construction is expected to begin later this year, replacing traffic lights with a grade-separated overpass and adding one-way frontage roads, bicycle lanes and pedestrian paths. Jordan Foster Construction, awarded the contract earlier this summer, expects to complete the work in phases through fall 2029.
Acting Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Alvin New said the investment reflects the state’s commitment to both urban and rural communities. For Bastrop County, officials said the Texas 71 upgrades are critical for one of Central Texas’ fastest-growing travel corridors.
The improvements are expected to reshape Bastrop- to-Austin travel patterns while supporting the county’s long-term mobility needs.
