2040 Regional Transportation Plan

Introduction

The Houston-Galveston region is enjoying a dynamic economy—leading the State of Texas in recovery, growth and development. Rapid economic growth is not new to this region. Since 1980, about one million new residents were added every decade. Most recent estimates suggest population growth of over 120,000 new residents each year. The future outlook anticipates this region will continue its economic development:

• 4th in the nation in regional GDP, the Houston region’s economy grew more than any other in 2013
• 1.5 million additional jobs will be added by 2040 for a total of almost 4 million
• 60% increase in vehicular travel and double the movement of freight over the next 25 years
• 2% annual population growth, adding almost 4 million persons by 2040

Growth has not been commensurate with revenues for investment in state and regional transportation infrastructure, challenging the sustainability of our future economic prosperity. Therefore, establishing regional priorities for the investment of available transportation funding is essential.

The 2040 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) provides a responsible guide for maintaining and improving the current transportation system and identifies priority transportation investments. The 2040 RTP is the latest update to a continuous planning process involving the eight central counties of the thirteen-county Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) region. The recommended investments in this plan total approximately $75 billion (in current dollars). The investment priorities in the 2040 RTP are based on conservative estimates of revenues available over the next 25 years. These investments are key steps toward realization of the vision plan.