AASHTO Journal - Texas Clear Lanes Initiative Reaches 10-Year Mark

The Texas Department of Transportation recently marked the 10-year anniversary of the Texas Clear Lanes initiative, which has helped significantly reduce traffic delays in both urban and rural areas across the Lone Star state.

[Above photo by TxDOT]

The Texas Clear Lanes initiative – launched by Governor Greg Abbott (R) in 2015 – broadly reduced total hours of traffic delays for a given commuter by 15 percent over the last decade. That’s despite a 17 percent increase in vehicle miles traveled or VMT statewide, according to data tracked by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI).

“We took the charge from Gov. Greg Abbott 10 years ago and turned it into a major program that provides congestion relief where it’s needed most,” said J. Bruce Bugg Jr., chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission, in a statement. “Not only are we easing commutes in larger cities, but we’re also helping rural areas – improving Texans’ quality of life no matter where you live.”

[Editor’s note: The TxDOT workers tasked with maintaining Clear Lanes and other state highways often get called upon to perform other tasks, such as saving lives – as these three workers did during a recent flash flooding event on the I-30 frontage road.]

Via the Texas Clear Lanes effort and with input from metropolitan planning organizations, TxDOT said it prioritizes non-tolled projects that will bring congestion relief.

The program now encompasses $80 billion including projects that are complete, under construction, or planned for construction since its started 10 years ago, the agency said.

The benefits of Texas Clear Lanes extend far beyond metro areas, the agency pointed out. As it works to ease congestion across the Texas, TxDOT said the state’s entire transportation system sees benefits – helping drivers statewide save more than $2.2 billion in commuter costs over the past decade.

Additionally, in December 2024, a report issued by TTI outlined how, over the last five years, TxDOT projects more broadly improved roadway safety while saving commuters nearly $1 billion worth of time and fuel costs; all despite a big uptick in VMT.

According to a TTI analysis of the Top 100 Congested Roadways in Texas, even though the number of miles traveled on the road increased by 7 percent over the last five years, traffic delays in Texas are down 7 percent in that same time period – with commuters saving an estimated $915 million in time and fuel costs due to key TxDOT surface transportation infrastructure improvements.

“We can see that our projects are having a significant impact on our roadways, helping improve efficiency and connectivity across the state,” noted Marc Williams, TxDOT’s executive director, at the time. “As our population and economy continue to grow, there’s a considerable need for more projects – and this report helps guide our work to areas that need it most.”