USDOT Awards BUILD Grant to fund I-20 Energy Sector Project

The United States Department of Transportation will be awarding $25 million towards an Interstate-20 “Energy Sector Safety Project” for the Midland-Odessa area.  The funding is awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program.

The project is for an overpass at the intersection of Cotton Flat Road and Interstate-20 in Midland County. Of the hundreds of projects submitted by state departments of transportation across the United States, this project was been chosen as a recipient of highly sought-after grant funds.

Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance (MOTRAN) President James Beauchamp said, “We are thrilled to hear that we will be, again, receiving BUILD grant funds for an important Permian Basin project. Interstate 20 plays a tremendous role in freight movement in the region for the energy sector and is a critical connection between Midland and Odessa. These funds will help leverage hundreds of millions in existing state and local investment for the rebuild of I-20.”

Beauchamp was quick to give credit to the regional community leaders and entities in coming together as the reason for these successes with Build Grants in the Permian Basin. “The awarding of these funds is no accident. It is a direct result of the local outpouring of support showing how important these projects are to our region and our state and national economies.”

MOTRAN submitted support letters for the BUILD Grant projects from elected officials throughout the Permian Basin including:

• State Representative Tom Craddick of HD 82

• State Representative Brooks Landgraf of HD 81

• Midland Mayor Patrick Payton

• Odessa Mayor David Turner

• Midland Councilwoman Lori Blong

• Midland Councilman Jack Ladd

• Odessa Councilman Tom Sprawls

• Ector County Judge Debi Hays

• Pecos Mayor David Flores

• Midland County Commissioner Robin Donnelly

• Economic Development Corporation of the City of Pecos

• Odessa Chamber of Commerce

• Odessa Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee

• Midland Chamber of Commerce

• Permian Basin Petroleum Association President Ben Shepperd

This is the third project in three years in the Permian Basin that has been awarded such funding with the first two being an overpass project in Winkler County at the intersection of State Highway 302 and State Highway 115 and an overpass project in Glasscock County at the intersection of State Highway 137 and State Highway 158.