HGAC (Houston Galveston Area Council) is now accepting public comment on its 2045 RTP (Regional Transportation Plan). This is a plan for the 8 county HGAC region that is updated every 4 years and sets investment priorities for area transportation projects, such as roadways, mass transit, bike infrastructure, etc. This is an opportunity to advocate for better & 'greener' transportation options, such as mass transit and bike and pedestrian infrastructure, rather than more highway expansion. The over reliance on highway expansion in the Houston region has led to many of the environmental problems that the area faces today. People need to have better future options for travel.
HGAC has a website dedicated to the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan which provides an overview, an opportunity to provide comments online, and a schedule of public meetings in March and April at various regional locations.
And here is direct link to public comment options, including a tab for scheduled public meetings:
http://2045rtp.com/get-involved.aspx
Some suggested comments:
Improve & extend mass transit options, both the light rail network and bus transit, particularly a high capacity transit line that connects the current light rail network to points west.
Improve bus service by giving buses better priority in general traffic, dedicated bus lanes and increased frequency on primary routes.
Improve & expand bicycle infrastructure to give more people safer and more accessible routes.
The region needs to address carbon emissions in planning future infrastructure, and develop carbon dioxide reduction strategies.
Mega freeways, and highway infrastructure in general, create extensive paved surfaces that greatly exacerbate rainfall run off and subsequent flooding. Transit, both bus and rail, can move more people with a much smaller footprint.
Expanded use of transit, bike, and pedestrian infrastructure means planning for people, which leads to more human scaled communities, and improved health benefits.
In recent years a number of U.S. cities have adopted ambitious transit expansion plans, notably Denver, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Both Los Angeles and Seattle voted to approve new transportation plans in November 2016. These are plans that significantly expand transit options with the goals of reducing carbon emissions, improving general mobility, accommodating increased population growth in urban centers, and improving general quality of life.
Here is a link to previous article with links about other cities plans:
https://www.sierraclub.org/texas/houston/blog/2017/04/metro-new-regional-transportation-plan
For questions or more info, contact Frank Blake at frankblake@juno.com