US 96 - from RE 255 to Loop 149
The TxDOT Beaumont District is proposing to reconstruct and widen US 96 from Recreational Road (RE) 255 to Loop 149 in Jasper and Sabine counties, Texas. The proposed project would reconstruct and widen US 96 from a two-lane undivided roadway to a four-lane divided highway with a grassy median and add sidewalks and pedestrian facilities where necessary.
The proposed project will enhance a critical hurricane evacuation route, upgrade roadway safety features, improve access to and from Southeast Texas ports, and accommodate a projected 52.78% increase in freight traffic by 2053.
(*traffic projections source: TxDOT Statewide Planning Map January 2026)
Proposed improvements
The approximately 7 mile proposed project would:
- Convert the existing roadway to a four-lane rural divided highway
- Include sidewalks and pedestrian facilities where necessary
- Improve a critical hurricane evacuation route and freight growth
- Improve access to and from the ports in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange, Texas
The proposed improvements will require additional right of way and potentially displace two residences and five non-residential structures. The typical existing ROW width is approximately 120 feet, and the proposed project would require a width up to 450 feet.
Next steps
- Conduct environmental review
- Hold public hearing - April 23, 2026
- Finalize design and construction plans
- Start construction - estimated in 2031
Please note that schedule times are estimates only and are subject to change.
Get involved
- April 23, 2026 – virtual public hearing with in-person option
Downloads
- Project Location Map
- US 96 Proposed Alignments Layout
- Online Engagement Results (10/5/2020 - 12/11/2020)
Relocation assistance is available for displaced people and businesses. Information about the TxDOT Relocation Assistance Program and services and benefits for those displaced and other affected property owners, as well as information about the tentative schedule for right of-way acquisition and construction, can be obtained from the TxDOT district office by calling 409-892-7311 or the TxDOT information line at 800-558-9368.
Updated: March 2026