I've learned not to return to Houston on I-10 west at the end of holiday and long weekends due to the long backups.
Realistically, we're not going to see a six-lane I-10 for the entire distance between Houston and San Antonio for a very long time, maybe never. However, I think we'll get six lanes between Houston and Columbus in 10 to 15 years, and that will solve most of the problem.
In June TxDOT awarded a $142 million contract for reconstruction and expansion to 6 lanes for 6 miles west of Houston where the existing freeway is reduced to 4 lanes, from Brookshire to the Brazos River.
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/insdtdot/orgchart/cmd/cserve/bidtab/06073201.htmEstimate $142,378,747.21 % Over/Under Company
Bidder 1 $141,496,478.10 -0.62% WILLIAMS BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION CO., INC.
Bidder 2 $142,921,883.90 +0.38% JAMES CONSTRUCTION GROUP, L.L.C.
Bidder 3 $146,660,739.22 +3.01% BALFOUR BEATTY INFRASTRUCTURE, INC.
Bidder 4 $149,830,396.24 +5.23% PULICE CONSTRUCTION, INC.
Bidder 5 $152,474,810.66 +7.09% WEBBER, LLC
The next section section going west is slated for bidding in August 2018, 9.7 miles estimated at $233 million.
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/insdtdot/orgchart/cmd/cserve/let/2018/austin.htm#027102055At $25 million per mile, the 38 miles from Brookshire to Coluimbus is going to cost around $1 billion.