Archeology

TxDOT strives to avoid or minimize the impact our transportation projects can have on the state’s cultural resources. We evaluate a project’s potential effects on archeological sites and determine the next steps by collaborating with regulatory agencies like the Texas Historical Commission.

When an archeological site can't be avoided, we may perform excavations to preserve cultural resources before the site is impacted by construction. In the past, these excavations have yielded important discoveries that led to a new understanding of Texas history and prehistory.

Local museums often use information from our archeological excavations for educational programs and exhibits, and other researchers use the information in their studies.

TxDOT has excavated several important sites, including the following:

• 800-year-old pit houses in El Paso
• The 18th-century Mission Dolores in San Augustine
• The 11,000-year-old Wilson Leonard site just north of Austin

For more information about our archeology projects, call us at (512) 416-2617 or e-mail us.