FAQs

The Regional Active Transportation Plan is H-GAC's roadmap for creating a safer, more connected, and more accessible transportation network for people who walk, bike, roll, or access transit throughout the eight-county Metropolitan Planning Area. The plan will identify priorities, strategies, and recommendations that help connect people to schools, jobs, parks, healthcare, transit, and other destinations. 

The 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) establishes the long-term vision for transportation across the region and considers all modes of travel. The Regional Active Transportation Plan complements the RTP by focusing specifically on active transportation, including walking, bicycling, rolling, trail connections, and access to transit. While the RTP defines where the region wants to go, the Regional Active Transportation Plan takes a deeper look at how active transportation can help achieve that vision.

The Regional Active Transportation Plan covers H-GAC's entire eight-county Metropolitan Planning Area, which includes Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller counties. The plan will consider the unique transportation needs and opportunities of urban, suburban, rural, and coastal communities throughout the region.

As the region continues to grow, communities are looking for safe and convenient ways to walk, bike, roll, and access transit. The Regional Active Transportation Plan will help identify opportunities to improve safety, strengthen connections between neighborhoods and destinations, expand transportation choices, and support healthier, more vibrant communities. The plan will also help communities prepare for future growth while improving mobility for people of all ages and abilities.

Active transportation generally refers to getting from one place to another using human-powered or other active forms of travel. 

This can include:

• Walking
• Bicycling
• Rolling using wheelchairs or other mobility devices
• Walking or bicycling to access transit
• Using sidewalks, bicycle facilities, shared-use paths, trails, and other facilities that support active travel

Active transportation is about more than recreation. People use these modes every day to get to work, school, healthcare, shopping, transit, parks, and other destinations. 

For some people, walking, bicycling, or rolling is their primary way of getting around. For others, it may be one part of a trip that also includes driving or public transportation. 

The RATP will consider the different ways individuals travel and the connections they need to reach important destinations safely and conveniently. 

As the Texas Gulf Coast region continues to grow, communities need transportation options that work for people of all ages and abilities. 

Improving active transportation can help communities: 

• Create safer places for individuals to walk, bicycle, and roll
• Provide more transportation choices
• Improve connections between neighborhoods and important destinations
• Increase access to jobs, schools, healthcare, transit, parks, and other community destinations
• Support healthier lifestyles
• Provide alternatives to driving for some trips
• Support regional efforts to improve air quality
• Strengthen connections between communities 
• Support economic vitality and community reliance 

A well-connected active transportation network can make it easier for individuals to get where they need to go. This includes trips made entirely on foot, by bicycle, or using a mobility device, as well as trips that connect to another form of transportation.

We want to hear from individuals throughout the region, including:

• Residents
• Individuals who walk, bicycle, or roll
• People who use mobility devices
• Transit riders
• Commuters
• Students and families
• Older adults
• Individuals with disabilities
• Businesses and employers
• Local governments
• Transportation agencies
• Community and neighborhood organizations
• Advocacy organizations

Anyone who lives, works, attends school, travels or spends time in the eight-county Metropolitan Planning Area can provide input. You do not have to regularly walk, bike, or use transit to participate. H-GAC wants to hear from people about what works well today, where improvements are needed and what would make it easier or safer to get where they need to go.

H-GAC wants to understand where people experience challenges and opportunities related to walking, bicycling, rolling, and access to transit. This may include locations where people feel unsafe, gaps in sidewalks or trails, difficult crossings, barriers to accessing transit, connections between neighborhoods and destinations, or opportunities to improve the regional network.

Public input is one part of the information H-GAC will consider as the plan is developed.

Community feedback will help the project team:

• Identify locations where individuals experience safety or accessibility challenges
• Understand barriers that may not be reflected in available data
• Identify important destinations and connections
• Understand community priorities
• Identify opportunities for improvements
• Refine strategies and recommendations

As the project moves forward, H-GAC will share what we heard from the community. We will also explain how public input was considered in developing the plan.

The Regional Active Transportation Plan will help identify regional needs, opportunities, and priorities that can inform future planning and investment.

H-GAC welcomes information about locations where people experience transportation challenges. The Regional Active Transportation Plan is a regional planning effort, so individual project concerns may also need to be addressed by the local government, transportation agency, or other agency responsible for that facility.

There will be multiple ways to participate in the Regional Active Transportation Plan planning process. If you are unable to attend an event, please visit engage.h-gac.com/2050-ratp to take the online survey, see project updates, and review plan materials.

No. Anyone interested in the future of active transportation in the H-GAC region is welcome to participate. If you cannot attend an event in your county, you can participate through other available engagement opportunities.

H-GAC will review and analyze feedback collected throughout the engagement process and use it to inform the development of the Regional Active Transportation Plan. You can follow the draft plan, provide comments and learn how public input was recorded on our website: engage.h-gac.com/2050-ratp.