Transportation Policy Council Meeting: April 23 |
|
At its April meeting, the Transportation Policy Council approved the 2021 update of the Congestion Management Process. The Congestion Management Process, as defined in federal regulation, serves as a systematic and ongoing effort to address traffic congestion in the metropolitan planning area. It identifies problem areas related to congestion and outlines strategies to address them. H-GAC presented the draft update at a public meeting on Dec. 3, 2020, and provided a public comment period from Nov. 23, 2020, to Jan. 7, 2021. A summary of the public comments and the approved Congestion Management Process is available on the H-GAC congestion management website.
The council also adopted a formal framework for future amendments to the Regional Transportation Plan. Before, the process to amend the Regional Transportation Plan was largely dependent on the Transportation Improvement Program amendment process. This framework will provide clear guidelines specific to the Regional Transportation Plan based on the type of amendment and its level of impact. The amendments fall under three main categories: 1) administrative amendments that involve minor modifications that can be approved by the metropolitan planning organization director, 2) Level 1 amendments approved by the TPC that do not impact air quality conformity determination, and 3) Level 2 amendments approved by the TPC that do impact air quality conformity determination. More information about the Regional Transportation Plan amendment framework is available here. H-GAC staff will continue refining details about the Regional Transportation Plan amendment process.
Towards the end of the meeting, the policy council received updates on public feedback regarding three key transportation planning studies happening in Southeast Harris County, Montgomery County Precinct 2, and Liberty County; the results of the COVID-19 Regional Employer Survey; and public comments received regarding amendments to the 2015 Regional Transportation Plan and air quality conformity. It also recognized May as Bike Month. All month long, H-GAC and community partners will be hosting events and activities showcasing the benefits of biking. More information and a full schedule of events and activities are available on the official H-GAC Bike Month page.
|
|
H-GAC Celebrates Bike Month |
|
May is Bike Month. H-GAC is celebrating the month and all things bicycling with several events, activities, and contests with area partners across the region.
Bike Month is an excellent opportunity to explore biking to work, coffee shops, restaurants, libraries, schools, and with friends and family members. In the Houston-Galveston region, 25% of people live within five miles of their workplaces, an ideal distance for bicycling. Bicycling also provides health benefits. Adults who regularly bicycle have a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity.
Visit the H-GAC official Bike Month page for more information about bicycling and a full calendar of events, group rides, activities, and contests happening in the region. To learn more about other alternative commuting options in the Houston region, visit the Commute Solutions website.
|
|
Are You Ready for Hurricane Season? |
|
Hurricane season begins on June 1, 2021, and H-GAC wants to make sure everyone in the region is prepared.
Visit TogetherAgainstTheWeather.com for tool kits and strategies on preparing your home and family for a hurricane or severe storm. The page also contains helpful materials for those caring for small children, special need individuals, and those with health conditions.
|
|
Motorists Learn Important Safety Tips When Sharing the Road with Bicyclists at Latest Transportation Brown Bag |
|
Susan Jaworski, senior planner at H-GAC, shared some important safety tips and strategies motorists should keep in mind when sharing the road with bicyclists at the latest transportation Brown Bag webinar held on May 17.
According to the 2018 State of Safety Report, the region experiences two crashes per day involving bicyclists and one fatality every 20 days. Sixty-five percent of crashes involving bicyclists and motorists occur at intersections.
According to Jaworski, motorists should pay special attention at intersections and driveways, check their blindspots and both directions before making a turn, and avoid overtaking a bicyclist and turning right unless it is safe to do so. Other tips she shared included paying attention to road conditions that may cause bicyclists to ride in a road lane instead of a bike lane or the side of the road, allowing at least three feet of room while passing a bicyclist, taking extra precautions when opening a car door when parked along the street where bicyclists ride, and allowing for extra room if you are driving a larger vehicle to avoid situations, such as creating wind blasts, when passing bicyclists. Jaworski also discussed biking and motorist driving laws using real-world exercises, gave bicyclists tips on how they could ride safer and make themselves more visible to motorists, and took questions from the audience.
The next Brown Bag webinar will be the rescheduled webinar from February involving Nuro. Nuro, an American robotics company, will provide an overview of self-driving delivery technology in Houston and discuss how it works with local governments and transportation officials. The webinar will take place at noon on June 21. Click here for more information and to register.
|
|
H-GAC is Seeking a Senior Transportation Manager |
|
H-GAC is currently seeking a senior manager for strategic transportation initiatives. This position reports directly to the transportation director of H-GAC and will be responsible for supporting a regional policymaking council with implementing a short term and long-range vision of the transportation system for one of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.
|
|
H-GAC's Livable Centers Call for Study Sponsors Notice of Intent to Apply Due Soon |
|
This is not a request for proposals from consulting firms.
All eligible sponsors must complete a notice of intent to apply by 5 p.m., Thursday, May 27. Final applications are due Thursday, July 29.
H-GAC seeks to identify and fund Full Livable Centers studies and, for the first time, Focused Livable Centers studies. Full Livable Centers studies will be scaled at a community level, and Focused Livable Centers studies will focus on a smaller geographic area and/or specific issue (e.g., transit-oriented development, first/last mile connections). The proposed study must be in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, or Waller counties.
|
|
 |
Friday, May 21, 2021
9:30-11 a.m.
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
9:30-11 a.m.
|
|
|
|
Follow, Like, and Share
on Social Media!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
