The Planning and Development Department (P&D) recommends City Council approve the amendments to the 2018 Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan, as submitted in Attachment 1, and authorize publication of the 2019 MTFP map, as submitted in Attachment 2.
The City of Houston Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP) identifies transportation corridor alignments and establishes the required rights-of-way for major roadways in the City and its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Chapter 33 (Section 33-37) of the Code of Ordinances requires that the Planning Commission prepare and submit the MTFP annually to City Council. In developing the annual amendments to the MTFP, the Commission may consider deleting, realigning, or reclassifying streets designated on the plan or adding one or more streets to the plan. An amendment approved by the Commission is not effective until the MTFP is approved by City Council.
The MTFP was initially adopted in 1942 as a way to plan for and preserve a long-term transportation network that would support the rapidly growing city. In 1966, the plan was expanded to include the ETJ. Today, the MTFP uses street classifications identifying the preferred right-of-way width dimensions as well as the rules governing development along the right-of-way. Classifications include Freeways/Tollways, Major Thoroughfares, Transit Corridor Streets, Collector Streets (Major Collectors and Minor Collectors), and Local Streets.
The MTFP is important for several reasons:
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It identifies long-term roadway needs for Houston and the ETJ;
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It ensures that development and re-development activities dedicate adequate roadway right-of-way to maintain a well-connected street network as the area grows;
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It helps govern development that takes place along each of the specific classifications on the map;
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It provides a coordinated plan that is used by public agencies when making decisions related to transportation within the City of Houston and its ETJ;
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MTFP classifications are used within HPW’s Infrastructure Design Manual (IDM) to define how roads will be designed and constructed; and
P&D is responsible for administering the nine-month public review process for MTFP amendments. The annual process includes multiple opportunities for soliciting and incorporating public comments on proposed amendments. The 2019 MTFP amendment review process included the following milestones:
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A pre-application meeting with applicants, a thorough review of all applications by P&D staff, and coordination with agency stakeholders, including Houston Public Works and Harris County Engineering Department (January 21, 2019 – March 15, 2019).
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A workshop with the Planning Commission for preliminary review and discussion about the applications (May 9, 2019).
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A public open house at which the public was encouraged to view and comment on the applications and staff and applicants were available to answer questions (June 12, 2019).
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A public hearing before Planning Commission (August 1, 2019).
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A Planning Commission discussion and vote on eight of the nine amendments (August 29, 2019).
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A Planning Commission deferral of Carver/Cebra proposed amendment (August 29, 2019).
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A Planning Commission discussion and vote on the Carver/Cebra deferred amendment (September 5, 2019).
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Margaret Wallace Brown
Interim Director
Planning and Development Department