By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the PRESS
South Padre Island and surrounding Laguna Madre communities are included in a major statewide transportation planning effort as the Texas Department of Transportation seeks public input on its proposed 2027 Unified Transportation Program.
Among the largest projects identified for TxDOT’s Pharr District is the proposed second access to South Padre Island along SH 104, with an estimated cost of $750 million.
The project is one of several planned transportation investments included in the district’s portion of the proposed plan. Known as the Unified Transportation Program, or UTP, the document guides TxDOT’s project planning and funding priorities over a 10-year period.
The proposed 2027 UTP includes more than $95 billion in transportation investments statewide. TxDOT said the plan is intended to continue progress on high-priority projects already in development while directing funding toward safety, roadway preservation, urban and rural connectivity, border infrastructure and other transportation needs.
For South Padre Island, Port Isabel, Laguna Vista and nearby communities, the proposed second access project is the most directly connected item among the major Pharr District projects identified by TxDOT.
Other planned projects in the district include SH 68, estimated at $230 million for fiscal year 2027, and the International Bridge Trade Corridor, currently in the environmental stage, estimated at $223 million. Additional investments are planned for highways and interstate upgrades in Hidalgo, Starr, Zapata, Kenedy and Brooks counties.
TxDOT is asking residents to provide input about which transportation projects they believe should be prioritized and when they should move forward.
“We’re really looking for comments about what projects they’d like to see and when, not really commenting on the particular projects themselves,” said Ray Pedraza, public information officer for TxDOT’s Pharr District.
The UTP includes more than highway construction. It also covers public transportation, aviation, maritime transportation, rail, freight, international trade, roadway maintenance and bicycle and pedestrian connections.
The public comment period opened July 3 and will close Aug. 3 at 4 p.m. CDT. Residents may submit comments by visiting TxDOT.gov and searching “UTP Public Involvement.” Meeting recordings, presentations and comment options are also available through the site.
Comment forms are available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Hindi, Mandarin and Vietnamese.
A virtual public hearing is scheduled for July 29 at 2 p.m. CDT. The Texas Transportation Commission is expected to consider the proposed UTP during its August meeting.
Residents may also review planned projects for the Pharr District and other parts of Texas through TxDOT’s online Project Tracker.