On Wednesday, June 30, the Texas Transportation Commission approved $27 million to fully fund the remaining balance necessary to complete SH 365 in Hidalgo County.

SH 365 is a unique project, spanning east-to-west along the Texas-Mexico border and just miles away from three international border ports-of-entry. The project is an important component of the long-term infrastructure plan in the Rio Grande Valley, and it will serve a critical role in diverting commercial truck traffic from local neighborhoods onto the state highway system.

"Fully funding State Highway 365 has been a priority for me for many years, and I am proud that our countless meetings and correspondence with the Governor’s office, Texas Transportation Commission, and the Texas Department of Transportation has led to this funding approval," Chairman Canales said. "It's a challenge to overstate just how important SH 365 is to the RGV. Our region has over one million commercial motor vehicles driving on our roads every year, and an enormous percentage are trucks funneled from our ports of entry delivering goods to the U.S.," Canales continued. "Right now, many of these trucks have to drive many miles on local, city roads to get onto our state highway system, causing serious safety issues for our residents and discouraging some businesses from using our ports of entry," said Canales. “Once SH 365 is finally constructed, it will better streamline international traffic in our region, incentivize businesses to invest more in our region, and provide solutions to some of our current safety issues,” Canales stated.

SH 365 is an estimated $260 million transportation infrastructure project, and construction will be overseen by the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority and the Texas Department of Transportation. To learn more about what projects are being planned in the Rio Grande Valley, please visit the TxDOT Pharr District website.

Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, is the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and a member of the Sunset Advisory Commission. Rep. Canales represents House District 40 in Hidalgo County, which includes portions or all of Edinburg, Elsa, Faysville, La Blanca, Linn, Lópezville, McAllen, Pharr and Weslaco. He may be reached at his House District Office in Edinburg at (956) 383-0860 or at the Capitol at (512) 463-0426.