Transportation Policy Council Meeting: Nov. 19
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At its November meeting, the Transportation Policy Council unanimously endorsed a letter from the chair to the Texas Transportation Commission encouraging continued collaboration and conversation between stakeholders regarding the design and community impacts of the North Houston Highway Improvement Project. A copy of the letter and more information can be viewed online here.
Additionally, H-GAC Transportation Director Craig Raborn presented to the policy council about the potential regional impacts of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law on Nov. 15. The new law includes $550 billion in new infrastructure spending and numerous new transportation funding programs. Texas is slated to received $35 billion of the available funds over the next five years to launch transportation and infrastructure projects as well as advance existing projects. For more information about the potential impacts of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, view the fact sheet presented by the President's Office.
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H-GAC Joins Local and State Leaders for Groundbreaking for Shepherd-Durham Major Investment Project
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H-GAC Transportation Director Craig Raborn joined transportation colleagues, elected officials, and stakeholders at the groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 4 for a long-term construction project that will completely remake the Shepherd-Durham street corridor in the Houston Heights.
The project, expected to last at least five years, will rebuild North Shepherd Drive and Durham Drive, between North Loop 610 and Interstate 10, and add bicycle lanes, new and wider sidewalks, landscaping and new underground infrastructure for water, wastewater and stormwater drainage. Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority and the Memorial Heights Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone are leading the project. H-GAC helped acquire $40 million for the project that, matched with $10 million in local matching funds from the TIRZ, will help fund its second phase, from West 15th Street and I-10.
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Save the Date for Next Year's Annual Meeting
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H-GAC's 2022 Annual Meeting will take place from 8:30 to 11 a.m., Friday, Feb. 4 at The Briar Club. Click the above image to view the full invitation and details. We look forward to sharing all we accomplished in 2021 and to an informative discussion on our plans for 2022.
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Montrose Livable Centers Study Earns Planning Association Award
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The Montrose Livable Centers Study was recently recognized by the Texas chapter of the American Planning Association with a Silver Best Practices Award. This award is for a specific planning tool, practice, program, project, or process. This category emphasizes results and demonstrates how innovative and state-of-the-art planning methods and practices help to create communities of lasting value.
Completed in 2021, the Montrose Livable Centers Study provides recommendations for the Montrose Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ). The goal of the study was to complete the first comprehensive and stakeholder-driven plan for Montrose that builds off previous plans, leverages past and current infrastructure improvements, improves pedestrian and bike infrastructure, access to transit, greenspace amenities, and housing and economic development into a unified vision and implementation plan.
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H-GAC Announces New Livable Centers Study Sponsors
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Earlier this fall, the H-GAC Board of Directors approved the following new Livable Centers study projects and local sponsors:
- Healthy Pasadena Livable Centers Study, City of Pasadena
- South Houston Livable Centers Study, Harris County Precinct 2
- City of Alvin Livable Centers Study, City of Alvin
- Central Sugar Land Connectivity Study*, City of Sugar Land
- City of Prairie View Livable Centers Study, City of Prairie View
*This study will be a focused study that targets small areas, such as a community node, destination, or specific Livable Centers goal.
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Register Today for the First Bringing Back Main Street Virtual Roundtable of the New Year
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At this virtual workshop, we will explore "Building Downtowns from Scratch" and discuss how to strategically plan for and implement downtown gathering spaces. Jeff Taebel, FAICP, director of community and environmental planning at H-GAC, and Rick Leisner, AICP, principal at Norris Design, will share information about the benefits of building a downtown and strategies for getting started.
Both presenters will take questions from the audience during an "ask the experts" roundtable, so bring your questions, challenges, and success stories to share.
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Freeport, Conroe Join Prestigious Main Street Revitalization Program
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The Texas Historical Commission (THC) has designated Freeport and Conroe as incoming 2022 official Texas Main Street communities. The announcement was made on Oct. 29 at the THC's quarterly commission meeting in Austin.
Effective in 2022, Freeport and Conroe will join 88 other designated Main Street communities throughout Texas committed to a preservation-based economic development program focused on their historic downtowns.
Both Freeport and Conroe were previously official Texas Main Street communities - Freeport from 2000 to 2012 and Conroe from 2006 through 2010. The cities' re-entry into the Texas Main Street Program underscores their commitment to downtown revitalization and their desire to take advantage of resources available to designated Main Street communities.
Every year, the THC may select up to five communities for official Main Street designation. Local Main Street programs receive a wide range of services and technical expertise from the commission, including design and historic preservation, planning, economic development, organizational management, and training. The Texas program is affiliated with the National Main Street Center/Main Street America, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
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Make Safety a Priority While Traversing the Roads this Holiday Season
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As more people take to the roads to travel during the holiday season, H-GAC would like to remind drivers to practice safe habits and use caution when traversing our roads. The region has experienced tremendous population growth and a corresponding increase in traffic-related injuries and deaths. Last year, traffic fatalities increased by 7% in Texas and by 11% in the eight-county metropolitan planning area. Improving traffic safety will take every one of us working together. Otherwise, we will continue to pay the price.
Visit h-gac.com/paytheprice for tips and resources on how you can help improve transportation safety in the region.
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Friday, Dec. 17, 2021
9:30-11 a.m.
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Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022
9:30-11:30 a.m.
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