Two North Texas highways under development by Austin-based Cintra US, the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System and Spanish-based Meridiam Infrastructure were named “2010 Projects of the Year” by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

The LBJ Express is a project of the Dallas-based LBJ Infrastructure Group LLC, and the North Tarrant Express is a project of NTE Mobility Partners, with an office in North Richland Hills. The projects feature redevelopment and expansion of major traffic corridors designed to help reduce travel delays, enhance safety, offer mobility choices and help reduce the carbon footprint often associated with idling traffic.

LBJ Express became the first privately funded road development project of its kind in the country to attain financial close this year. The North Tarrant Express was the nation’s only large-scale public-private road development project to attain financial close last year.

Construction on the LBJ Express is expected to begin in early 2011 and be completed by 2016. The North Tarrant Express construction is expected to start in early 2011 and be completed by 2015.