Construction is nearly complete on a new bridge to connect westbound traffic from Interstate 820 to Interstate 30.
The $267 million mobility project, which includes multiple bridges at the intersection of the two highways, will improve traffic flow for travelers headed west from Fort Worth to Aledo, officials said.
But contractors are worried that road improvements could stop — and potentially hamper growth in Texas — if Congress does not pass the Surface Transportation Bill to expand funding before the current funding expires at the end of September.
The Associated General Contractors of America launched a $2 million nationwide campaign called America’s Moving Forward to educate the public about transportation funding.
“Improving highways and transportation systems makes it easier for companies to thrive and expand by lowering shipping costs, accelerating deliveries and connecting firms to clients and investors,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the contractors organization.
Without a long-term transportation bill in place, Simonson said, “it is hard to see how the DFW area will be able to sustain its meteoric job growth.”
A new bridge will connect westbound motorists from Interstate 820 to Interstate 30. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
Between December 2020 and December 2025, 47,100 construction jobs — a 22% increase — were added to the North Texas economy.
Construction has allowed North Texas to grow faster than 14 other metro areas in the country over the past five years, according to data from the contractors organization.
In June 2025, a long-range regional transportation plan outlining $217.3 billion in needs for North Texas road, rail and air quality improvements through 2050 was approved by the Regional Transportation Council, an independent policy group of the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
Fort Worth city officials are also developing a Moving a Million comprehensive mobility plan to prioritize road projects and align them with state and regional 2050 plans.
Clint Henson, director of special projects for Zachry Construction Corp. and president of the Associated General Contractors of Texas, said highway projects like the one at I-30 and I-820 “represent growth for workers, businesses and the communities that surround projects like this.”
The funding bill is needed later this year as contractors and transportation officials begin planning road projects years in advance, Henson said.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
The Report’s news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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