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Joint committee approves four statewide priority programs, DOTD cites $1.2 billion investment
Summary
The Joint Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works approved four separate priority lists — statewide flood control, airport construction, port construction and the State Highway Priority Program — and DOTD staff said the overall Highway Priority Program reflects about $1.2 billion in total investment, with roughly $913 million slated for construction.
The Joint Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works voted to approve four separate statewide priority programs during its March 9, 2026 meeting, endorsing lists for flood control, airport construction and development, port construction and development, and the State Highway Priority Program.
Chairman Connick opened the meeting by listing the four items and took motions to approve each program individually. Senator Price moved to approve the minutes and later moved to approve the statewide flood control program; motions to approve the airport and port programs were moved by Senator Barrack and President MacMaths, respectively, and the committee approved each item "without objection," the chair said.
The department staff presenting the highway package described a multi-part packet and guidebook produced after the department’s roadshow of local hearings. "You'll see our new guidebook to the highway priority program," the department representative told members, and said the packet shows a "total investment this year of approximately $1,200,000,000 and ... that's $913,000,000" for construction in the coming fiscal year. The presenter also said the packet includes a compendium of public comments collected during the roadshow, the DOTD district where comments occurred, and how the department plans to address them going forward.
Chairman Connick and staff stressed the statutory requirement for transparency about excluded projects. Connick said the department provided written justification for projects discussed at the roadshow but not included in the priority program, and that he counted "approximately 192 projects" that were discussed and not included; the committee placed that justification in the packet.
Committee members heard that there were no changes to the airport or port project lists from the prior week's presentation; Andrew Kelshaw, Commissioner of the Office of Multimodal Commerce, told the committee the airport projects remain as previously presented. Edward Knight of the department’s Public Works and Water Resources division likewise reported no changes for the flood control packet.
Chairman Connick said witness cards in support and for comment were received and would be entered into the record but not read aloud. After the approvals and brief remaining business, Vice Chair Carter moved to adjourn and the committee ended the meeting.
The committee’s approvals put the approved priority lists into the legislative record; members and staff said the department will provide more detailed responses to roadshow comments at the subsequent touchpoint during next year’s roadshow cycle.
