The projects, which will cost a combined $164 million, were made possible when the Grand Parkway Segment E was withdrawn from stimulus consideration.
The chair of the House Transportation Committee says that the spending would not only upgrade crucial infrastructure, but could act as a second stimulus plan.
So far, the stimulus has provided $1.5 billion for green projects, which is significant but pales in comparison to other spending.
The commissioners discussed Segment E of the Grand Parkway and formed a task force to address fine particulate matter at a specific monitoring station.
The grant comes from a $45 million pot of money designed to study maglev. It is separate from the $8 billion in stimulus funds allotted to high-speed rail.
The plan is a big step up for the Regional Transit Authority, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina but has recently stabilized its finances.
The Commissioners Court approved local primacy for the Grand Parkway, meaning that construction must start within two years or the project reverts to TxDOT.
The public comment deadline for the permit, which would allow for the destruction of wetlands to build Segment E, is September 18.
Seven Grand Parkway counties must act by September 25 to keep the project out of TxDOT's hands, and they must begin construction within two years.
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