The Texas Transportation Commission recently awarded a $150 million contract to Austin-Angel, JV (Austin Bridge & Road and Angel Brothers) for much-needed road work resulting from the state’s oil and gas boom. The funding, part of the $225 million provided by the Legislature through House Bill 1025 for energy sector road improvements, will allow the Texas Department of Transportation to begin repairing and rehabilitating roadways damaged by heavy trucks and increased traffic in these regions.

"While increased energy exploration and production activities are yielding tremendous economic benefits for Texas, the unprecedented volumes of heavy traffic are contributing to crashes and fatalities," said Phil Wilson, TxDOT executive director. "We are pleased that our commission agreed to fund some of these safety-focused rehabilitation and repair projects."

Overall, the $150 million project, set to begin in spring of 2014, will improve mobility and address safety concerns by widening damaged roadways to better accommodate the increased volume of heavy vehicles. Focused on the Corpus Christi, Laredo, San Antonio and Yoakum districts, Austin-Angel, JV will reconstruct or resurface 27 roadways and bridges in most need of restoration.

The $150 million award follows September’s $75 million dollar allocation that allowed repairs to begin in the Amarillo, Corpus Christi, Lubbock, Odessa and San Angelo districts. With this action, all $225 million provided by House Bill 1025 has been awarded to construction projects.