Texas DOT Backlog Report - September 2026
Before the Next Letting, $17.29B Is Already on the Books
Every new TxDOT letting enters a market that already has significant active construction work underway. The current workload is $17.29 billion statewide, distributed unevenly across 25 districts with a total of 3,037 active projects. This reflects a broad engagement with infrastructure renewal and expansion needs throughout Texas.
Active backlog refers to the remaining value tied to ongoing projects, while change orders indicate the approved values that have been added post-award. The largest district by active backlog is Dallas, with $4.43 billion, while Fort Worth is notable for its highest change order percentage of 21.6%. Other districts, such as Houston and Austin, display robust project counts but differ significantly in backlog profiles. Understanding both district totals and individual project details will provide deeper insights into the current active market.
Interactive District View
The interactive district view shows how active backlog and change orders are distributed across Texas. One map layer highlights where remaining active backlog is concentrated, while another indicates where contract values have increased due to change orders. These views highlight different aspects of the active market.
For instance, Dallas stands out with a significant active backlog, while Fort Worth's projects show pronounced growth in change orders. Understanding these layers is essential for navigating the complexities of the active construction landscape.
Dallas Is Carrying the Largest Remaining Workload
Dallas leads with an active backlog of $4.43 billion spread across 264 projects. This concentration of workload reflects a high volume of activity compared to the next two districts, Austin and Houston, which have backlogs of $2.07 billion and $1.89 billion, respectively. Austin has a significantly lower project count at 140, while Houston hosts the largest number of active projects at 334.
In Fort Worth, although the active backlog is lower at $1 billion, the change order percentage at 21.6% is noteworthy. This diverse range of profiles among the leading districts underscores the importance of examining active workload beyond just project counts or total values.
| Rank | District | Active backlog | Projects | Change order % | Change orders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DALLAS | $4.43B | 264 | 2.1% | $167.17M |
| 2 | AUSTIN | $2.07B | 140 | 4.8% | $217.06M |
| 3 | HOUSTON | $1.89B | 334 | 8.1% | $469.59M |
| 4 | SAN ANTONIO | $1.31B | 174 | 3.9% | $213.76M |
| 5 | FORT WORTH | $1.00B | 170 | 21.6% | $627.29M |
| 6 | BRYAN | $816.84M | 141 | 6.1% | $88.77M |
| 7 | BEAUMONT | $677.98M | 128 | 6.4% | $109.20M |
| 8 | PHARR | $605.94M | 117 | 5.3% | $66.74M |
| 9 | EL PASO | $505.81M | 99 | 12.7% | $171.66M |
| 10 | YOAKUM | $504.47M | 128 | 2.2% | $43.28M |
| 11 | CORPUS CHRISTI | $503.04M | 152 | 4.5% | $51.03M |
| 12 | LAREDO | $347.34M | 81 | 3.1% | $26.01M |
| 13 | AMARILLO | $334.68M | 80 | 1.6% | $16.62M |
| 14 | PARIS | $323.84M | 133 | 6.3% | $80.43M |
| 15 | TYLER | $320.82M | 151 | 7.3% | $66.28M |
| 16 | ODESSA | $317.00M | 146 | 5.6% | $65.57M |
| 17 | WICHITA FALLS | $302.40M | 77 | 1.6% | $14.61M |
| 18 | WACO | $239.37M | 60 | 3.4% | $25.18M |
| 19 | ATLANTA | $173.96M | 74 | 7.6% | $38.90M |
| 20 | LUFKIN | $156.66M | 67 | 4.1% | $27.82M |
| 21 | LUBBOCK | $127.89M | 69 | 3.4% | $15.97M |
| 22 | ABILENE | $112.86M | 56 | 2.5% | $7.78M |
| 23 | BROWNWOOD | $76.75M | 99 | 7.0% | $19.23M |
| 24 | SAN ANGELO | $68.83M | 62 | 8.3% | $25.93M |
| 25 | CHILDRESS | $63.27M | 35 | 9.8% | $15.41M |
Change Orders Add a Second View
The statewide change order percentage stands at 5.9%. Fort Worth, notable for its change order percentage of 21.6%, leads by this metric with a total of $627.29 million in approved change orders. Austin and Houston follow with change order percentages of 4.8% and 8.1%, respectively.
While Dallas has a more controlled change order percentage of 2.1%, it nonetheless translates to considerable dollar values with $167.17 million in change orders. Understanding these metrics helps to reveal different market dynamics and project characteristics across Texas.
Notable Active Projects
Examining individual projects helps clarify district-level trends. For instance, Dallas houses the largest active backlog project, CCSJ 2374-01-137, with a backlog of $1.71 billion and no recorded change orders. In contrast, the notable Fort Worth project, CCSJ 0008-13-125, with a backlog of $694.59 million, has a substantial change order total of $451.41 million, representing a change order percentage of 28.4%.
This juxtaposition showcases how some projects are characterized by significant backlog while others experience substantial growth in contract values post-award. The following table details these prominent projects.
The table below shows the largest active projects by remaining backlog.
| CCSJ | Project | District | Active backlog | Change orders | Change order % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2374-01-137 | CCSJ 2374-01-137 (project NH 1902(389)) | DALLAS | $1.71B | $0 | 0.0% |
| 0009-11-254 | CCSJ 0009-11-254 (project F 2025(365)) | DALLAS | $709.79M | $3.42M | 0.4% |
| 0008-13-125 | CCSJ 0008-13-125 (project F 2022(675)) | FORT WORTH | $694.59M | $451.41M | 28.4% |
| 0049-12-110 | CCSJ 0049-12-110 (project F 2025(274)) | BRYAN | $512.14M | $2.87M | 0.4% |
| 0015-13-428 | CCSJ 0015-13-428 (project F 2024(833)) | AUSTIN | $506.60M | $-7.71M | -1.0% |
Overall, the largest projects indicate where substantial value is tied up, while contrasting change order figures highlight areas where project management might face challenges.
What the Current Active Market Looks Like
The current active TxDOT market reflects a statewide active backlog of $17.29 billion spread across 3,037 active projects. Dallas is at the forefront with the largest backlog, while Fort Worth stands out with significant change orders. Austin and Houston present additional contrasts in project counts, revealing varied concentrations of workload and activity across the state.