TxDOT moves ahead with I-45 expansion as objections continue Tags: HOUSTON – The Texas Department of Transportation has given itself approval to move into the next phase of a $7.5 billion proposal to rebuild Interstate 45 in downtown Houston, despite community concerns that the highway expansion’s disadvantages outweigh its proposed benefits. TxDOT announced a “record of decision” Thursday, a formality that moves the proposed expansion from the environmental phase to the design phase. “The (record of decision) is a necessary step in moving into the detailed design phases of project development, which is where we will have the opportunity to fully explore many of the project refinements requested since the release of the Draft EIS and subsequent public hearings,” said TxDOT Houston District Engineer Eliza Paul.