Advocacy
Securing the Future Interstate Corridor
The Ports-to-Plains Alliance is a grassroots, non-profit coalition of communities, businesses, and advocates working to expand and enhance transportation infrastructure from Texas to North Dakota — and ultimately, into Canada and Mexico. Our mission is to promote the development of a modern, efficient, and safe Future Interstate Highway corridor that drives economic growth, delivers tourism, serves supply chains, strengthens national and international trade, supports agriculture and energy production, and improves quality of life across America’s Heartland.
Key Milestone
A major milestone was achieved on March 15, 2022, when the Ports-to-Plains Corridor in Texas and New Mexico was officially designated as a Future Interstate Highway through federal law — validating years of focused, multi-state advocacy. This designation was enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Public Law 117-103), signed into law by President Biden. The legislation authorized the corridor’s designation as a Future Interstate Highway under 23 U.S.C. §103(c). Building on this statutory designation, the Ports-to-Plains Alliance and its partners continue efforts to secure federal and state construction funding and advance four-lane and Interstate-standard upgrades along the entire corridor.
The National Legislative Front
Federal Policy
The Alliance actively engages Congress and federal agencies (Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation) to ensure the Future Interstate Corridor is recognized as a national priority. Our efforts focus on funding mechanisms and formally completing the route numbering.
Designations & Segments
Securing formal route numbering (I-27, I-27W, I-27E, I-27N) following the 2022 designation. Key focus is currently on the I-27 Numbering Act of 2023 passage.
Highway Formula Plan
Promoting the establishment of a Multi-State Future Interstate Highway Formula Program to ensure dedicated, long-term funding for the I-27 corridor’s construction.
Federal Reauthorization
Ensuring the corridor’s inclusion and prioritization in upcoming federal transportation reauthorization bills to sustain rural infrastructure funding.
Interstate Feasibility Study
An Interstate Feasibility Study is a critical federal policy tool because it establishes the technical, economic, and engineering foundation needed to advance a corridor to Interstate standards. It evaluates traffic, safety, environmental factors, and costs to create a data-driven roadmap for designation and funding eligibility. Without it, corridors remain conceptual; with it, they are positioned for long-term federal investment and delivery.
State Policy & Implementation
Successful corridor development depends on strong, sustained partnerships with state Departments of Transportation and state legislatures. Following federal designation, the Ports-to-Plains Alliance works closely with state partners to advance corridor priorities through planning, programming, and project delivery. This coordination ensures federal intent is translated into on-the-ground construction, aligning state policy, funding programs, and implementation strategies to deliver Future Interstate improvements efficiently and consistently across the corridor.
Texas: I-27 Implementation
The Ports-to-Plains Alliance, in coordination with the I-27 Corridor Advisory Committee and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), is actively advancing the I-27 Implementation Plan. This effort focuses on translating federal designation into delivery by securing state funding, prioritizing projects within the TxDOT Unified Transportation Program (UTP), and accelerating timelines for construction on designated Future Interstate segments across Texas.
New Mexico: Corridor Development
The Ports-to-Plains Alliance works closely with New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and regional partners to advance corridor development consistent with the Future Interstate designation. Efforts are focused on aligning federal intent with state planning and investment priorities, particularly strengthening trade connectivity near the Texas border and the Raton Pass region, while positioning projects for phased delivery and future Interstate-standard upgrades.
The Data Behind the Advocacy
Our advocacy is grounded in extensive research, economic data, and engineering studies that prove the necessity and long-term return on investment of the Future Interstate. Access the landmark Interstate Feasibility Study that underpinned the 2022 federal designation, confirming the corridor’s eligibility for interstate standards and its projected massive economic impact. Review specialized reports detailing the corridor’s impact on economic development, freight mobility, safety improvements, and support for the national energy and agriculture sectors.
Get Involved in Advocacy
Your voice is our most powerful tool! Advance the Future Interstate Corridor by urging your state and federal legislators to support state implementation measures, and dedicated funding that turns designation into construction and delivers national-interest infrastructure for the Heartland.