H-GAC Transportation Newsletter: May 2020
Transportation Policy Council Meeting: April 24
At its meeting on April 24, the Transportation Policy Council received a status update from the city of Houston on the North Houston Highway Improvement Project . City representatives presented feedback they had received from several public meetings and workshops about the project and its potential impacts on several neighborhoods and communities along the construction area. Based on the feedback, the city has drafted alternative design options for segments 1 and 2 of the project that will allow for minimal displacement, preserve or create safer bike and pedestrian crossings, introduce dedicated two-way transit lanes and rapid bus transit stations, and mitigate flooding.

Also known informally as the I-45 expansion project, the North Houston Highway Improvement Project involves widening the North Freeway, I-45, from the North Sam Houston Tollway to Downtown Houston. The project, which is one of several included for funding in the region's Transportation Improvement Program, is intended to reduce congestion and improve safety and efficiency along this portion of I-45. The council has committed $100 million of its sub-allocated state funds for segment 2 of the project as well as well as $50 million in eligible federal transportation funds for community planning activities - such as ongoing efforts to mitigate potential adverse impacts associated with the segment. City officials will make a decision on the final alternative designs of segments 1 and 2 after completing a regional freight of movement study and receiving more public feedback.

The council also received an update on public comments received about the 2021-24 Draft Transportation Improvement Program. The public comment period ran from Feb. 28 to April 15 and included two public meetings on March 5 where members of the community could review all the projects included in the 2021-24 draft. H-GAC received 66 public comments on topics such as the North Houston Highway Improvement Project, roadway safety, improving transit, and investing in more multi-modal projects. The full list of public comments is available online HERE. The council is expected to make a final decision on the draft 2021-24 program at its June meeting. The final 2021-24 TIP must be submitted to the Texas Department of Transportation by July 13. 

To listen to the audio recording of the latest TPC meeting, click HERE . The next meeting is scheduled to take place at 9:30 a.m., Friday, May 22 via teleconference webinar. Click HERE for more information. Public comments on agenda items may be sent by email to publiccomments@h-gac.com. Comments received by 9 a.m., Friday, May 22 will be entered into the meeting record.
Join Commute Solutions and Greater Houston's Transportation and Vanpool Providers for a Special Brown Bag Webinar on Thursday, May 21
A commuter’s return to work begins as soon as they step outside the door. Join Greater Houston’s transportation and vanpool providers and the Commute Solutions team for a special edition Brown Bag webinar on the status of commuter transportation in the region starting at noon, Thursday, May 21. Learn what transportation providers are doing to make the journey safer and what commuters can do to help keep themselves safe in their plan for a return to work. Click HERE to register.

This session is sponsored jointly by Connect Transit, Conroe Connection, Fort Bend Transit, Harris County Transit, Houston BCycle, the Houston-Galveston Area Council, Island Transit, Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), and Woodlands Transit.
Use Mobility Links to Find Free or Affordable Transportation Options in Your Community

Need help finding free or affordable transportation options in your community? Mobility Links is a user-friendly, one-stop search hub with directory information on hundreds of providers of medical transport, commute assistance, taxi and shuttle services, meals on wheels, and other essential mobility services for residents throughout the 13-county Houston-Galveston region.

Mobility Links can be used by anyone in need of transportation services and is especially suited for the elderly, persons with disabilities, and low-income families. Results can be broken down by county service area, service type, passenger type, and organization name, and include each provider's hours of operation, cost information, contact information, scheduling requirements, and more.
Visit www.h-gac.com/mobility-links to find a transportation provider in your community. If you're a new mobility service provider and would like to be added to our list of providers, email RidesCustSvc@csd.hctx.net .
Congratulations to the Show Us How You Telework Contest Winners!
Between April 27 and May 7, Commute Solutions asked residents to showcase how they were making the most of working from home in the "Show Us How You Telework" photo contest. Residents answered the call, submitting their coolest and cutest telework photos for a chance to win a one-month membership to Houston BCycle. Seven winners were selected.

Click HERE or on the photo above to see the contest winners' photo gallery. Congratulations to all the winners!

For more information about teleworking and other sustainable commute options in your community, visit YourCommuteSolution.org.

If you are an employer, university, or property manager, consider becoming a Commute Solutions Partner. Partners receive complimentary travel demand management planning services for carpool and vanpool, walking and biking, public transit, telework, compressed work week, parking management, and more. Visit YourCommuteSolution.org/Partners to learn more.
See What the Public Has to Say about the 2021-24 Draft Transportation Improvement Program
H-GAC received 66 comments from members of the community about the 2021-24 Draft Transportation Improvement Program. All the comments are available to view online at the TIP public comments page.

H-GAC held two public meetings on March 5 to discuss the upcoming projects in the 2021-24 segment of the Transportation Improvement Program. Members of the community could also submit their comments by email, mail, or phone from Feb. 28 to April 15.

The projects in the 2021-24 program cover several areas of transportation - including transit, bicyclist and pedestrian, highway, and air quality improvements - across the entire Greater Houston region. Among these projects are shared use lanes in the Galleria, a new roundabout intersection on Navigation in East Downtown (EaDo), hiking trails and bikeways in League City, and a new bus fleet maintenance facility in Conroe.

The Transportation Policy Council is expected to make a final decision on the draft 2021-24 program at its June meeting. The final 2021-24 TIP must be submitted to TxDOT by July 13. 

For more information about the 2021-24 draft TIP and for a complete list of projects, visit h-gac.com/transportation-improvement-program .
Next Brown Bag Series Event Will Feature Josh Shideler at Houston TranStar
Mark your calendars for the next Brown Bag Series event, which will take place at noon, Monday, June 15. The featured speaker will be, Josh Shideler, public information officer at Houston TranStar.

Houston TranStar is a unique partnership of representatives from the City of Houston, Harris County, METRO, and TxDOT, who share resources and exchange information to keep motorists informed, roadways clear, and lives safe. Shideler will discuss the role of TranStar in providing coordinated, innovative transportation and emergency management services to the Gulf Coast region.

More event details and registration information are coming soon. For more information about TranStar, visit www.houstontranstar.org.
Josh Shideler
Public Information Officer, Houston TranStar
There's Still Time to Take the U.S. Census!
There's still time to take the 2020 U.S. Census online! Census results show where communities need new schools, clinics, roads and other services benefiting families, older adults and children. They help decide federal funding for disaster recovery, mental health services, medical benefits programs, education programs and much more. When you’re counted in the census, you’re helping to build a better community and a stronger Gulf Coast region.  

Complete the census online in less than 10 minutes at 2020census.gov . The census is also available by phone and by mail in more than 13 languages. Say YES to Census 2020, and help us shape the next 10 years for the Gulf Coast region. You deserved to be counted!
Upcoming Meetings

Friday, May 22, 2020 
9:30 - 11 a.m.

Join via teleconference by calling either toll-free number:
888-788-0099
877-853-5247

Webinar ID: 961 5188 2804
Password: 443768

Wednesday, June 17, 2020
9:30 - 11 a.m.

Meeting details coming soon.