The Texas Transportation Commission approved roughly $250 million in highway project contracts funded by Proposition 12 bond proceeds, which were authorized by the Texas Legislature in 2009.

The contract letting is the first for the $2 billion in highway projects approved for Proposition 12 funding late last year. Included in the contracts is a major corridor mobility project to widen IH-35 north of Waco from four to six lanes. The contract is for $165-million.

Nearly 39% of the state’s population lives along the IH-35 corridor, and this project brings the commission closer to fulfilling its promise to finish IH-35 by expanding it to six lanes between San Antonio and Hillsboro.

Rehabilitation projects that will improve roadways in 11 Texas counties account for 12 of the 16 approved projects, worth more than $84 million. Safety projects make up the remainder and account for more than $2 million.

Among the safety projects is one to install a wire cable barrier in the median of IH-10 in TxDOT’s San Antonio District.