Inside scoop: Texas Transportation Commission April 2024
April 26, 2024
By Laura Butterbrodt
AUSTIN – Here’s what the Texas Transportation Commission discussed and approved at its meeting on April 25, 2024.
Connecting Texas 2050
As Texas’s population continues to grow, so does the need for safe and reliable transportation throughout the state. TxDOT Transportation Planning and Programming Director Humberto Gonzalez presented to the commission about Connecting Texas 2050, the statewide long-range transportation plan.
Connecting Texas 2050 sets a foundation for creating an innovative, multimodal transportation system to move people and freight safely and efficiently throughout the state while supporting future growth. The plan relied on a statewide statistically valid survey, public input, technical studies, historical data, and current and future transportation choices to develop recommendations.
The statewide long-range transportation plan includes these six goals:
- Safety: Plan, build and maintain a safe and secure transportation system for all users.
- Preservation: Maintain and preserve transportation infrastructure and resources to achieve a state of good repair and mitigate asset deterioration.
- Mobility: Address congestion by improving efficiency, resilience and reliability.
- Connectivity: Improve and enhance multimodal connectivity at the local, regional, statewide, national and international levels.
- Economic vitality: Develop transportation systems that support the movement of people and goods to enhance quality of life and promote personal and statewide economic growth.
- Stewardship: Continue the responsible and efficient use of federal, state and local fiscal and natural resources.
Planning for the future is not without its challenges. More people traveling on Texas roads can mean an estimated increase of 42% in total vehicle miles traveled in Texas by 2050, and could lead to an increase of fatal crashes. Connecting Texas 2050 proactively plans to overcome these challenges by accommodating the growing demand and changing demographics and transportation needs through supporting economic competitiveness, leveraging innovation and technology, and optimizing multimodal transportation funding. The plan also accounts for the preservation and strengthening of existing transportation assets. In addition, TxDOT will continue to focus on reducing fatal and severe-injury crashes by investing in safety and working with our partners to increase education and enforcement of roadway safety.
To meet 2050 targets, the minimum total investment is expected to be between $665 billion and $740 billion between 2025 and 2046, with funding allocated for safety, pavement preservation, bridge preservation, urban congestion, rural connectivity, development, and routine maintenance.
Connecting Texas 2050 included a statewide statistically valid survey and received over 5,100 comments from over 4,500 survey respondents. TxDOT has also received more than 1,000 responses from online and in-person public meetings, which have been attended by nearly 5,000 participants.
Beginning May 10, the draft plan will be published for a 30-day public comment period that will run through June 9. There will also be a statewide virtual public hearing on May 28. For more information about Connecting Texas 2050, visit txdot.gov.
Public transportation
The commissioners unanimously voted to award $8.3 million of Federal Transit Administration funding to 36 rural area transit districts across the state. The funding comes from the federal Bus and Bus Facilities Formula program and will go towards transit capital program needs for all rural transit agencies across the state.
Rule adoptions
Because of changes to federal program requirements from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Chapter 7 of the Texas Administrative Code will be amended to establish standards for a risk-based inspection program for TxDOT’s rail state safety oversight responsibilities. Among other requirements, the amendments give authority for TxDOT to conduct unannounced inspections. The TxDOT Public Transportation Division collaboratively worked with all six rail agencies it oversees to implement this process into code.
Chapter 31 will be amended to update the allocation of state public transportation grant program funding to reflect 2020 Census changes and increased public transportation appropriations from the 88th Legislature. These amendments add an additional $3.8 million in appropriated funding to mitigate census impacts, and reallocate the total funding amounts between large urban, small urban and rural transit districts.
State Infrastructure Bank
The commission approved three State Infrastructure Bank Loans totaling $3.3 million. The loans are for the Village of Vinton for road reconstruction, Caldwell County for construction and safety improvements on US 183 and El Sauz Water Supply Corporation for utility relocation.
Contracts
The commission approved the following contracts:
- $1.4 billion letting amount for 67 highway improvement projects
- $45 million for 56 routine maintenance project
$1.5 million for the construction and rehabilitation of buildings at six sites
Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Bruce Bugg noted there has now been $75 billion allocated toward Texas Clear Lanes projects across the state, which included completed, planned and in-progress projects. There are also more than 1,600 active contracts with Texas engineering firms at this time, the most TxDOT has ever had.