The Texas Transportation Commission recently approved a 10-year, $77 billion Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plan for highway construction projects throughout the state.

The 2020 Unified Transportation Program earmarks a lot of money for projects in North Texas, all of which are scheduled to get underway before 2023.

The most expensive local project is a $1 billion expansion of east loop 820 in Fort Worth, between the interchange with Interstate 20 on the south and Brentwood Stair Road on the north. The project will widen the highway, adding additional lanes as well as continuous frontage roads throughout the entire stretch.

Another massive highway expansion is planned for Interstate 35 in Denton County. TxDOT will widen I-35 and add frontage lanes from the I-35W/I-35E split north to the Cooke County line, including the construction of a brand new interchange with Highway 380, for $838,983,983.

To the south, more than half a billion dollars has been set aside to add lanes to Interstate 35E, between I-635 on the south up to the Denton County line. TxDOT plans to widen I-35E, and add managed toll lanes in both directions, for $596,000,000.

In Dallas, a $325,000,000 expansion of Interstate 30 in the Canyon near Downtown is planned. The project would add additional lanes and frontage roads between I-35E and 635.

Farther east, two more major projects are planned for I-30:

- Four related projects for I-30 at or near Dalrock Road for a combined price tag of approximately $220,000,000. Among the goals in that area are the creation of a new bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard between Garland, Rowlett and Rockwall.

- Two more connected expansion projects on I-30 east of SH 205, on the immediate east side of Lake Ray Hubbard, all the way to the Hunt County line for a combined cost of approximately $471,000,000.