The Texas Transportation Commission has approved additional funds of around $1.9bn for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to move ahead with transportation projects in the US state.

The approval for the funding follows the revision of the 2012 Unified Transportation Program.

TxDOT, along with metropolitan planning organisations, regional transportation organisations and districts, identified projects that concentrate on safety, traffic congestion, maintenance and state-wide connectivity.

Texas Transportation Commission chairman Ted Houghton said that with the funding becoming available the state is in a unique position.

"We want to make the best use of them by partnering with local communities to insure this funding is applied where they feel it is most needed," Houghton added.

The additional funding will benefit the I-35 expansion, the new design and construction of Loop 574, a connector to I-35 in Waco, the construction plan and an environmental review of I-69 in the Lufkin and Nacogdoches areas.

Texas Transportation Commission Fort Worth member Bill Meadows said that the state will be greatly impacted by the work added because of this funding.

"Continual work with our partners around the state brings solutions like this that provide needed improvements to the transportation infrastructure," Meadows added.

The additional funding sources originate from Texas Mobility Fund bond proceeds, anticipated federal funding and savings on under-construction projects.

TxDOT executive director Phil Wilson said that the state’s transportation challenges remain great.

"But state-wide efforts like this help us address them every time we make forward progress such as this," Wilson added.