A firsthand report from Texas: booming

At the Rio Grande Foundation we often contrast New Mexico with our faster-growing neighbors. By any measure Texas is one of the fastest growing states in the nation. Over the Independence Day holiday we saw firsthand that everything really IS bigger in Texas.

For starters our travels took us by plane to Love Field (we are a Southwest family and the airline was started in Texas). After briefly heading north for a concert by Lainey Wilson for one of my daughters we returned to the Dallas area to check out the Texas School Book Depository. We then drove to San Antonio to tour the Alamo and see the Riverwalk before heading to the beach at Port Aransas. Other points of interest included the Dr. Pepper Museum and Mammoth National Monument near Waco.

Having traveled more in Texas than I ever have in my life I can say that the State is booming. That means plenty of road construction like I-35 through Dallas or the massive new bridge going up in Corpus Christi.

Of course, while nobody likes road construction, the roads need to be rebuilt or expanded to accommodate a growing population and growing economy. That means wealth and jobs. The new Tesla plant outside Austin is incredibly large and is just one of the many private sector construction projects being built in the State.

Oh, and Buc’ees is amazing. If you travel through the South where they have one I HIGHLY recommend you check it out. They pay great wages and have a bunch of unique products.