{{short description|Texas state government agency}} {{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}} {{Infobox government agency | agency_name = Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) | logo = Texas DOT Logo 2024.png | logo_width = 180px | logo_caption = | image = Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building - Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) (54987419893).jpg | seal = | seal_width = | seal_caption = | image_caption = Headquarters at the [[Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building]] | formed = 1991 | preceding1 = Texas Highway Department | preceding2 = Texas Department of Highways and Public Transportation | jurisdiction = [[Texas]] | headquarters = [[Austin, Texas]] | employees = | budget = | chief1_name = Marc D. Willams | chief1_position = Executive Director | chief2_name = | chief2_position = | chief3_name = | chief3_position = | parent_agency = | website = [https://www.txdot.gov/ txdot.gov] | footnotes = }}
The '''Texas Department of Transportation''' ('''TxDOT''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|ɛ|k|s|.|d|ɒ|t}}) is a [[Texas]] state [[government agency]] responsible for construction and maintenance of the state's immense [[Texas state highway system|state highway]] system and the support of the state's [[maritime transport|maritime]], [[aviation]], [[rail transport|rail]], and [[public transport]]ation systems. TxDOT previously administered [[vehicle registration]] prior to the creation of the [[Texas Department of Motor Vehicles]] in November 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2009-06-19 |title=81st Texas Legislature, Regular Session, House Bill 3097, Chapter 933 |url=https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/81R/billtext/html/hb03097f.Htm |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=Texas Legislature Online}}</ref>
The agency has been headquartered in the [[Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building|Dewitt C. Greer Building]] in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] since 1933.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.txdot.gov/contact_us/ |publisher = Texas Department of Transportation |title = Contact Us }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==History==
The Texas Legislature created the Texas Highway Department in 1916 to administer federal highway construction and maintenance. In 1975, its responsibilities increased when the agency merged with the Texas Mass Transportation Commission,<ref name="THSA MDTPM">{{Handbook of Texas|name=Texas Mass Transportation Commission|id=MDTPM|retrieved=October 28, 2022}}</ref> resulting in the formation of the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation.<ref>{{cite web |website=Texas Archival Resources Online |author=Texas Highway Department |title=An Inventory of Highway Department Records at the Texas State Archives, 1920s–1930s, 1962–1975 |url=http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/tslac/20021/tsl-20021.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329144707/https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/taro/tslac/20021/tsl-20021.html |archive-date= Mar 29, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="Hidalgo1987">{{cite web | last=Snyder |first=J. F. | publisher = State Department of Highways and Public Transportation | year = 1987 |title = History of the Texas Highway Department in Hidalgo County, 1922 to 1968 |url = http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/digitized/texasarchive/thdresearch/dht-1.pdf | access-date=October 28, 2022}}</ref><ref name="statesman1975">{{cite news|title=Roads, transport agency set up|work=Austin American Statesman|date=August 24, 1975|id={{ProQuest|1500155218}}}} {{subscription required}}</ref>
In 1986, the department started using "[[Don't Mess with Texas]]" as its slogan to reduce littering on Texas roadways, as part of a statewide advertising campaign. The phrase was prominently shown on road signs on major highways, as well as in television, radio, and print advertisements. The slogan is still in use and remains very popular.<ref>{{cite web |title = Don't Mess with Texas: The Campaign |url = http://www.dontmesswithtexas.org/about/the-campaign.php }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In 1991, the Legislature combined the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation, the Department of Aviation, and the Texas Motor Vehicle Commission to create the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).<ref>{{cite web |last = Huddelston |first = John D. |title = Texas Department of Transportation |url = http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/mctgn |work = Handbook of Texas Online |publisher = Texas State Historical Association |access-date = October 10, 2012 |date = 2010-06-15 }}</ref>
In 1997, the pre-existing Texas Turnpike Authority (TTA) was divided into two successor agencies: the [[North Texas Tollway Authority]] took responsibility for TTA assets in four North Texas counties, while the Turnpike Authority Division of Texas DOT was given jurisdiction over toll facilities in the rest of the state.<ref>{{cite book |first1 = Linda M. |last1 = Spock |first2 = Sally Diane |last2 = Liff |name-list-style = amp |title = Tolling Practices for Highway Facilities |publisher = [[Transportation Research Board]] |year = 1998 |isbn = 978-0-309-06816-1 |page = 12 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=8n1ckeqh5qUC&pg=PA12 |via = [[Google Books]] }}</ref>
In 2005, as a result of House Bill 2702 the rail oversight functions of the [[Texas Railroad Commission]] were transferred to TxDOT.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.txdot.gov/about/divisions/rail-division.html|title=Rail Division|access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref>
In 2009, the [[Texas Department of Motor Vehicles]] was created by the state legislature,<ref>{{cite web |title = About Us |url = http://www.txdmv.gov/about-us |publisher = Texas Department of Motor Vehicles |access-date = July 13, 2016 }}</ref> taking over some functions from TxDOT.
In 2016, the [[Texas A&M University Press]] published ''MILES and MILES of TEXAS; 100 Years of the Texas Highway Department''.<ref>{{cite book |first1 = Carol |last1 =Dawson |first2 = Roger Allen |last2 = Polson |name-list-style = amp |title = Miles and Miles of Texas |publisher = [[Texas A&M University Press]] |year = 2016 |isbn = 9781623494568 |page = 497 |url = https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781623494568/miles-and-miles-of-texas/}}</ref>
==Administration== TxDOT has approximately 12,000 employees. Marc Williams has served as its executive director since 2021.<ref name="TxDOT Williams named exec">{{cite web|title=Texas Transportation Commission Names Marc Williams As New TxDOT Executive Director|url=https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/statewide-news/008-2021.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601183819/https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/statewide-news/008-2021.html|publisher=Texas Department of Transportation|date=May 26, 2021|archive-date=June 1, 2021}}</ref> Williams had served as deputy executive director since 2015. He is assisted by two deputy directors, Brian Barth and Brandye Hendrickson.<ref>{{cite web|title=TxDOT Administration |url=https://www.txdot.gov/about/leadership/administration.html}}</ref> The department is organized into 25 geographical districts and 34 divisions.
===Districts=== [[File:TxDot districts.png|thumb|250px|TxDOT districts map]]
TxDOT is one of the state's largest departments in terms of the number of subordinate offices – it maintains 25 geographical districts throughout the state. The large number of departments is needed due to the large size of the state, the widely varying climate and soil conditions affecting public roads, and the differing needs of the local populace (urban vs. suburban vs. rural).
In 2010, TxDOT was reorganized into four regions, North, South, East, and West. The regions are designated as Regional Support Centers. The number of districts remained the same. Each district, managed by a district engineer, is responsible for the design, location, construction, and maintenance of its area transportation systems. Local field offices within districts are known as area offices, and many districts also have separate maintenance offices, usually on a county-by-county basis. Functional divisions and offices headquartered in Austin provide administrative and technical support to the districts.
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! District<ref name="txdot.gov">{{cite web |url = http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division.html |publisher = Texas Department of Transportation |access-date = October 14, 2014 |title = Divisions }}</ref> !! Counties<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.txdot.gov/data-maps/reference-maps/district-county-maps.html | title=District and county maps }}</ref> |- | [[Abilene, Texas|Abilene]] || [[Borden County, Texas|Borden]], [[Callahan County, Texas|Callahan]], [[Fisher County, Texas|Fisher]], [[Haskell County, Texas|Haskell]], [[Howard County, Texas|Howard]], [[Jones County, Texas|Jones]],<br/> [[Kent County, Texas|Kent]], [[Mitchell County, Texas|Mitchell]], [[Nolan County, Texas|Nolan]], [[Scurry County, Texas|Scurry]], [[Shackelford County, Texas|Shackelford]], [[Taylor County, Texas|Taylor]] |- | [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]] || [[Armstrong County, Texas|Armstrong]], [[Carson County, Texas|Carson]], [[Dallam County, Texas|Dallam]], [[Deaf Smith County, Texas|Deaf Smith]], [[Gray County, Texas|Gray]], [[Hansford County, Texas|Hansford]],<br/> [[Hartley County, Texas|Hartley]], [[Hemphill County, Texas|Hemphill]], [[Hutchinson County, Texas|Hutchinson]], [[Lipscomb County, Texas|Lipscomb]], [[Moore County, Texas|Moore]],<br/> [[Ochiltree County, Texas|Ochiltree]], [[Oldham County, Texas|Oldham]], [[Potter County, Texas|Potter]], [[Randall County, Texas|Randall]], [[Roberts County, Texas|Roberts]], [[Sherman County, Texas|Sherman]] |- | [[Atlanta, Texas|Atlanta]] || [[Bowie County, Texas|Bowie]], [[Camp County, Texas|Camp]], [[Cass County, Texas|Cass]], [[Harrison County, Texas|Harrison]], [[Marion County, Texas|Marion]], [[Morris County, Texas|Morris]], [[Panola County, Texas|Panola]], [[Titus County, Texas|Titus]], [[Upshur County, Texas|Upshur]] |- | [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] || [[Bastrop County, Texas|Bastrop]], [[Blanco County, Texas|Blanco]], [[Burnet County, Texas|Burnet]], [[Caldwell County, Texas|Caldwell]], [[Gillespie County, Texas|Gillespie]],<br/> [[Hays County, Texas|Hays]], [[Lee County, Texas|Lee]], [[Llano County, Texas|Llano]], [[Mason County, Texas|Mason]], [[Travis County, Texas|Travis]], [[Williamson County, Texas|Williamson]] |- | [[Beaumont, Texas|Beaumont]] || [[Chambers County, Texas|Chambers]], [[Hardin County, Texas|Hardin]], [[Jasper County, Texas|Jasper]], [[Jefferson County, Texas|Jefferson]], [[Liberty County, Texas|Liberty]], [[Newton County, Texas|Newton]], [[Orange County, Texas|Orange]], [[Tyler County, Texas|Tyler]] |- | [[Brownwood, Texas|Brownwood]] || [[Brown County, Texas|Brown]], [[Coleman County, Texas|Coleman]], [[Comanche County, Texas|Comanche]], [[Eastland County, Texas|Eastland]],<br/> [[Lampasas County, Texas|Lampasas]], [[McCulloch County, Texas|McCulloch]], [[Mills County, Texas|Mills]], [[San Saba County, Texas|San Saba]], [[Stephens County, Texas|Stephens]] |- | [[Bryan, Texas|Bryan]] || [[Brazos County, Texas|Brazos]], [[Burleson County, Texas|Burleson]], [[Freestone County, Texas|Freestone]], [[Grimes County, Texas|Grimes]], [[Leon County, Texas|Leon]],<br/> [[Madison County, Texas|Madison]], [[Milam County, Texas|Milam]], [[Robertson County, Texas|Robertson]], [[Walker County, Texas|Walker]], [[Washington County, Texas|Washington]] |- | [[Childress, Texas|Childress]] || [[Briscoe County, Texas|Briscoe]], [[Childress County, Texas|Childress]], [[Collingsworth County, Texas|Collingsworth]], [[Cottle County, Texas|Cottle]], [[Dickens County, Texas|Dickens]], [[Donley County, Texas|Donley]],<br/> [[Foard County, Texas|Foard]], [[Hall County, Texas|Hall]], [[Hardeman County, Texas|Hardeman]], [[King County, Texas|King]], [[Knox County, Texas|Knox]], [[Motley County, Texas|Motley]], [[Wheeler County, Texas|Wheeler]] |- | [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]] || [[Aransas County, Texas|Aransas]], [[Bee County, Texas|Bee]], [[Goliad County, Texas|Goliad]], [[Jim Wells County, Texas|Jim Wells]], [[Karnes County, Texas|Karnes]],<br/> [[Kleberg County, Texas|Kleberg]], [[Live Oak County, Texas|Live Oak]], [[Nueces County, Texas|Nueces]], [[Refugio County, Texas|Refugio]], [[San Patricio County, Texas|San Patricio]] |- | [[Dallas]] || [[Collin County, Texas|Collin]], [[Dallas County, Texas|Dallas]], [[Denton County, Texas|Denton]], [[Ellis County, Texas|Ellis]], [[Kaufman County, Texas|Kaufman]], [[Navarro County, Texas|Navarro]], [[Rockwall County, Texas|Rockwall]] |- | [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]] || [[Brewster County, Texas|Brewster]], [[Culberson County, Texas|Culberson]], [[El Paso County, Texas|El Paso]], [[Hudspeth County, Texas|Hudspeth]], [[Jeff Davis County, Texas|Jeff Davis]], [[Presidio County, Texas|Presidio]] |- | [[Fort Worth, Texas|Fort Worth]] || [[Erath County, Texas|Erath]], [[Hood County, Texas|Hood]], [[Jack County, Texas|Jack]], [[Johnson County, Texas|Johnson]], [[Palo Pinto County, Texas|Palo Pinto]], [[Parker County, Texas|Parker]], [[Somervell County, Texas|Somervell]], [[Tarrant County, Texas|Tarrant]], [[Wise County, Texas|Wise]] |- | [[Houston]] || [[Brazoria County, Texas|Brazoria]], [[Fort Bend County, Texas|Fort Bend]], [[Galveston County, Texas|Galveston]], [[Harris County, Texas|Harris]], [[Montgomery County, Texas|Montgomery]], [[Waller County, Texas|Waller]] |- | [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]] || [[Dimmit County, Texas|Dimmit]], [[Duval County, Texas|Duval]], [[Kinney County, Texas|Kinney]], [[La Salle County, Texas|La Salle]], [[Maverick County, Texas|Maverick]], [[Val Verde County, Texas|Val Verde]], [[Webb County, Texas|Webb]], [[Zavala County, Texas|Zavala]] |- | [[Lubbock, Texas|Lubbock]] || [[Bailey County, Texas|Bailey]], [[Castro County, Texas|Castro]], [[Cochran County, Texas|Cochran]], [[Crosby County, Texas|Crosby]], [[Dawson County, Texas|Dawson]], [[Floyd County, Texas|Floyd]], [[Gaines County, Texas|Gaines]], [[Garza County, Texas|Garza]],<br/> [[Hale County, Texas|Hale]], [[Hockley County, Texas|Hockley]], [[Lamb County, Texas|Lamb]], [[Lubbock County, Texas|Lubbock]], [[Lynn County, Texas|Lynn]], [[Parmer County, Texas|Parmer]], [[Swisher County, Texas|Swisher]], [[Terry County, Texas|Terry]], [[Yoakum County, Texas|Yoakum]] |- | [[Lufkin, Texas|Lufkin]] || [[Angelina County, Texas|Angelina]], [[Houston County, Texas|Houston]], [[Nacogdoches County, Texas|Nacogdoches]], [[Polk County, Texas|Polk]], [[Sabine County, Texas|Sabine]],<br/> [[San Augustine County, Texas|San Augustine]], [[San Jacinto County, Texas|San Jacinto]], [[Shelby County, Texas|Shelby]], [[Trinity County, Texas|Trinity]] |- | [[Odessa, Texas|Odessa]] || [[Andrews County, Texas|Andrews]], [[Crane County, Texas|Crane]], [[Ector County, Texas|Ector]], [[Loving County, Texas|Loving]], [[Martin County, Texas|Martin]], [[Midland County, Texas|Midland]],<br/> [[Pecos County, Texas|Pecos]], [[Reeves County, Texas|Reeves]], [[Terrell County, Texas|Terrell]], [[Upton County, Texas|Upton]], [[Ward County, Texas|Ward]], [[Winkler County, Texas|Winkler]] |- | [[Paris, Texas|Paris]] || [[Delta County, Texas|Delta]], [[Fannin County, Texas|Fannin]], [[Franklin County, Texas|Franklin]], [[Grayson County, Texas|Grayson]], [[Hopkins County, Texas|Hopkins]], [[Hunt County, Texas|Hunt]], [[Lamar County, Texas|Lamar]], [[Rains County, Texas|Rains]], [[Red River County, Texas|Red River]] |- | [[Pharr, Texas|Pharr]] || [[Brooks County, Texas|Brooks]], [[Cameron County, Texas|Cameron]], [[Hidalgo County, Texas|Hidalgo]], [[Jim Hogg County, Texas|Jim Hogg]], [[Kenedy County, Texas|Kenedy]], [[Starr County, Texas|Starr]], [[Willacy County, Texas|Willacy]], [[Zapata County, Texas|Zapata]] |- | [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]] || [[Coke County, Texas|Coke]], [[Concho County, Texas|Concho]], [[Crockett County, Texas|Crockett]], [[Edwards County, Texas|Edwards]], [[Glasscock County, Texas|Glasscock]], [[Irion County, Texas|Irion]], [[Kimble County, Texas|Kimble]], [[Menard County, Texas|Menard]],<br/> [[Reagan County, Texas|Reagan]], [[Real County, Texas|Real]], [[Runnels County, Texas|Runnels]], [[Schleicher County, Texas|Schleicher]], [[Sterling County, Texas|Sterling]], [[Sutton County, Texas|Sutton]], [[Tom Green County, Texas|Tom Green]] |- | [[San Antonio]] || [[Atascosa County, Texas|Atascosa]], [[Bandera County, Texas|Bandera]], [[Bexar County, Texas|Bexar]], [[Comal County, Texas|Comal]], [[Frio County, Texas|Frio]], [[Guadalupe County, Texas|Guadalupe]],<br/> [[Kendall County, Texas|Kendall]], [[Kerr County, Texas|Kerr]], [[McMullen County, Texas|McMullen]], [[Medina County, Texas|Medina]], [[Uvalde County, Texas|Uvalde]], [[Wilson County, Texas|Wilson]] |- | [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]] || [[Anderson County, Texas|Anderson]], [[Cherokee County, Texas|Cherokee]], [[Gregg County, Texas|Gregg]], [[Henderson County, Texas|Henderson]], [[Rusk County, Texas|Rusk]], [[Smith County, Texas|Smith]], [[Van Zandt County, Texas|Van Zandt]], [[Wood County, Texas|Wood]] |- | [[Waco, Texas|Waco]] || [[Bell County, Texas|Bell]], [[Bosque County, Texas|Bosque]], [[Coryell County, Texas|Coryell]], [[Falls County, Texas|Falls]], [[Hamilton County, Texas|Hamilton]], [[Hill County, Texas|Hill]], [[Limestone County, Texas|Limestone]], [[McLennan County, Texas|McLennan]] |- | [[Wichita Falls, Texas|Wichita Falls]] || [[Archer County, Texas|Archer]], [[Baylor County, Texas|Baylor]], [[Clay County, Texas|Clay]], [[Cooke County, Texas|Cooke]], [[Montague County, Texas|Montague]],<br/> [[Throckmorton County, Texas|Throckmorton]], [[Wichita County, Texas|Wichita]], [[Wilbarger County, Texas|Wilbarger]], [[Young County, Texas|Young]] |- | [[Yoakum, Texas|Yoakum]] || [[Austin County, Texas|Austin]], [[Calhoun County, Texas|Calhoun]], [[Colorado County, Texas|Colorado]], [[DeWitt County, Texas|DeWitt]], [[Fayette County, Texas|Fayette]], [[Gonzales County, Texas|Gonzales]],<br/> [[Lavaca County, Texas|Lavaca]], [[Matagorda County, Texas|Matagorda]], [[Stonewall County, Texas|Stonewall]], [[Victoria County, Texas|Victoria]], [[Wharton County, Texas|Wharton]] |}
===Divisions=== {{columns-list|colwidth=35em| * Aviation<ref name="txdot.gov"/> * Bridge * Civil Rights * Communications * Compliance * Construction * Contracts and Purchasing * Design * Environmental Affairs * Financial Management * Fleet Operations * General Counsel * General Services * Government Affairs * Human Resources * Information Technology * Internal Audit * Maintenance * Maritime * Materials and Tests * Occupational Safety * Professional Engineering Procurement Services * Project Finance and Debt Management * Public Transportation * Rail * Real Estate Management and Development * Research and Technology Implementation * Right of Way * Strategic Contract Management * Strategic Planning * Support Services * Toll Operations * Traffic Operations * Transportation Planning and Programming * Travel Information }}
==Publications== [[File:1956 Official Texas Highway Map small.png|thumb|right|The 1956 edition of the Texas ''Official Travel Map'': The Transportation Department has been publishing an official state road map since 1917.]] Every month, TxDOT publishes ''[[Texas Highways]]'', a magazine aimed at showcasing various aspects of the state, often by providing interesting travel information on a specific stretch of highway (or highways) in the state. TxDOT also publishes the annual ''Texas Travel Guide'', which offers points of interests for all regions of Texas.
''Horizon'' is a quarterly journal focusing on transportation policy issues and financing in particular.
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Texas DOT Austin District Office.jpg|TxDOT Austin District office File:TXDOTHouston0.JPG|One building of the headquarters of TxDOT's [[Houston]] district File:TXDOTHouston1.JPG|One building of the headquarters of TxDOT's Houston district </gallery>
==See also== *{{Portal-inline|Texas}} *{{Portal-inline|Transportation}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Texas Department of Transportation}} * [https://www.txdot.gov/ Official website]
{{State agencies of Texas}} {{U.S. State Departments of Transportation}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:State agencies of Texas|Department of Transportation, Texas]] [[Category:State departments of transportation of the United States]] [[Category:United States railroad regulation]] [[Category:Motor vehicle registration agencies]] [[Category:Government agencies established in 1991]] [[Category:1991 establishments in Texas]]