Thoroughfare Planning Update

1. Update on Thoroughfare Planning
City Council Workshop
June 8, 2017

2. Presentation Overview
• Regional Transportation Planning
– Bryan/College Station Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)
– Brazos Valley Council of Governments (COG)
• College Station Transportation Planning

3. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
• Metropolitan areas with population larger than 50,000
required to designate a MPO.
• Typically a body consisting of elected officials from all
study area jurisdictions, that cooperatively make
transportation decisions.
• Must have a planning process that is continuing,
comprehensive, and cooperative.

4. Bryan/College Station MPO
• Officially designated as a MPO in 1973
• Includes all of Brazos County as planning boundary.
• Has member representation from:
– Brazos County
– City of Bryan
– City of College Station
– Texas A&M University
– Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
– Brazos Transit District (BTD)

5. Bryan/College Station MPO Boards/Committees
• Policy Board
– Consists of elected officials and agency directors
– Adopts all MPO plans, studies and projects
– Provides general policy direction
• Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)
– Consists of appointed staff from each member
– Provides recommendations to Policy Board regarding plans, studies, etc.
• Active Transportation Advisory Panel (ATAP)
– Consists of appointed staff from the members
– Advisory role with focus on bicycle and pedestrian planning and programming

6. Draft MPO 2050
Major Thoroughfare
Concept
• Purpose is to plan major transportation
network needed to serve Brazos County in
2050 when County population is
anticipated to have doubled.
• It is a planning concept, not set roadway
alignments. Implementation will be based
on available funding and transportation
priorities based on future development
patterns and regional/state traffic needs.
• Series of public meetings began in fall
2016 through May 2017.
• Thousands of comments and participants
provided input resulting in numerous
revisions.

7. Draft MPO 2050
Major Thoroughfare
Concept
• Planned to be considered by Policy Board
for adoption at their next meeting.
• Brazos Valley COG considering to explore
creation of a regional thoroughfare/
significant corridor concept for its seven-
county area.
• Brazos County does not have authority to
create its own thoroughfare plan but can
utilize MPO’s plan.
• MPO Thoroughfare Concept consists of
minor arterial classifications and above,
does not include major or minor collector
roadways.

8. Draft MPO 2050
Major Thoroughfare
Concept
• MPO adopting the Thoroughfare Concept
does not have a regulatory authority on
College Station. College Station would
need to amend City’s Thoroughfare Plan
to implement.
• In order for street projects to qualify for
potential MPO funding, City’s
Thoroughfare Plan for street must align
with MPO plan.
• After adoption by MPO, staff will work on
amending College Station Thoroughfare
Plan to incorporate changes, including
revisions needed to tie in collector
roadway system.

9. Zoom into College Station area

10. M-2 M-2
College Station Thoroughfare Plan

11. M-2 M-2
Thoroughfare Plan
Background
• With adoption of Comprehensive
Plan in 2009, the thoroughfare
plan was updated based on the
proposed land uses.
• A travel demand model was used
to verify the thoroughfare plan,
which was calibrated to a system
the City was willing to commit to/
afford.
• As a result of 5-year
Comprehensive Plan evaluation,
the Thoroughfare Plan roadway
contexts and classifications were
updated and simplified in
December 2015.

12. M-2 M-2
Thoroughfare Plan
Future Update Efforts
• Staff will work to incorporate MPO
2050 Thoroughfare Concept into
the College Station Thoroughfare
Plan.
• With 10-year update to the
Comprehensive Plan, it is
anticipated the Thoroughfare Plan
will be further evaluated based on
any changes proposed with that
update.

13. Questions / Discussion