Progress Continues on US 385 Development

TXDOT recently completed the initial round of public hearings for the expansion of US 385 to four lane divided construction. The results of the initial planning were submitted to the Federal Highway Administration for review.

The project is part of the La Entrada al Pacifico corridor, but is also part of the route studied and recommended for upgrade as part of the Lubbock to I-10 Study in 1997.

The US 385 segment is also part of the Texas Trunk System planned for upgrade to four lane divided status. “This project has always been part of TXDOT’s long-term plans as part of the trunk system,” said MOTRAN President James Beauchamp. “With the recent upswing in activity in the oil industry, this is a really important project. Traffic continues to grow between Crane and McCamey, and the growth in the Ft. Stockton area has been phenomenal.”

Beauchamp noted while there was some federal money available for the project, the bulk of the funding was still not in place. “It is important that we go ahead and plan these projects and try to get them to the point that they will be ready to go. If we don’t do the initial planning, environmental, and right-of way work now, when funding does come available for these projects we will likely lose out to projects that are planned and ready to proceed with funding.”