The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently awarded a $25 million grant for an overpass at the intersection of Cotton Flat Road and Interstate-20 in Midland County, according to a press release from the Midland Chamber of Commerce.
““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," James Beauchamp, Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance (MOTRAN) president, was quoted as saying in the release. "These funds will help leverage hundreds of millions in existing state and local investment for the rebuild of I-20.”
The grant is similar to two others awarded over the last three years in the Permian Basin, according to the release. The others were 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.
“The awarding of these funds is no accident,” Beauchamp was quoted as saying in the release. “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.”
In seeking the USDOT grant, MOTRAN gathered and submitted a collection of letters of support from elected officials and organizations from around the area, according to the release. Those who added their written endorsement for the project included state representatives Tom Craddick (R-Midland) and Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa); Midland Mayor Patrick Payton; Odessa Mayor David Turner; Midland Council members Lori Blong, Jack Ladd and Tom Sprawls; Ector County Judge Debi Hays; Pecos Mayor David Flores; Midland County Commissioner Robin Donnelly; the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Pecos; the Odessa Chamber of Commerce and its Commerce Transportation Committee; the Midland Chamber of Commerce; and the Permian Basin Petroleum Association President Ben Shepperd.