The Planning & Development Department (P&D) completed the process to amend the Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan (MTFP) Map and will request City Council’s approval of seven amendments and authorization to publish the 2023 MTFP in map form. This memorandum summarizes the process and provides background information on the purpose of the plan.
P&D is responsible for administering an annual public review process for amending the MTFP, which includes multiple opportunities for soliciting and incorporating public comments. This year, P&D reviewed 10 proposed amendments. Planning Commission considered seven of the amendments; three amendments were withdrawn by the applicants. All amendments were submitted by private sector applicants. The amendments and Planning Commission recommendations are listed below:
A. West Greens Road: Planning Commission denied the applicant’s request to delete the proposed Major Thoroughfare West Greens Road between Mills Road and Gessner Road. The proposed Major Thoroughfare is located in the City of Houston, Harris County. The Planning Commission approved the staff proposed alternative to reclassify the Major Thoroughfare to a Major Collector, as the corridor is an important north/south connection for the area and will provide necessary ingress/egress access for the business complex as well as the residential community.
B. Wilcrest Drive: Planning Commission denied the applicant’s request to reclassify the existing Major Thoroughfare to a Major Collector from Beechnut Street to Bissonnet Street. The existing Major Thoroughfare is located in the City of Houston, Harris County. Staff does not support the reclassification request, as the applicant’s amendment proposal is not the appropriate planning solution to address the applicant’s safety concerns. After extensive review of the corridor, staff believes that a thorough planning strategy is required to improve the safety of the corridor and address the applicant’s concern. Wilcrest Drive is listed on the Vision Zero High Injury Network (HIN). Accordingly, staff recommends that the corridor be subject to a Vision Zero Connectivity Study, one of the 50 actions identified in the Vision Zero Houston Action Plan, as the area and the corridor require a more comprehensive approach. Staff will continue to work closely with the applicant to Identify safety improvements.
C. Franz Road: Planning Commission approved the applicant’s request to realign Franz Road from Bartlett Road to the western edge of the City of Houston ETJ. The proposed corridor is located in Waller County, in the City of Houston’s ETJ. The realignment is supported by the adjacent property owner, Monument Pipeline, as the proposed realignment would shift the proposed Major Thoroughfare to the north, causing the corridor to bypass the existing gas facility and make the alignment safer.
D. Baptist Encampment Road: Planning Commission approved the applicant’s request to delete the proposed Major Collector, Baptist Encampment Road from existing Baptist Encampment Road to proposed West Lake Houston Parkway. The Planning Commission approved the applicant’s proposal to delete the proposed Unnamed Major Thoroughfare from existing Baptist Encampment Road to West Lake Houston Parkway. The Planning Commission approved the applicant’s request to reclassify the existing Major Collector Baptist Encampment Road to a Minor Collector from south of the Grand Parkway to proposed Baptist Encampment Road. The amendments are supported by staff and Montgomery County.
E. Inner Katy Corridor (TCS): Planning Commission approved the applicant’s request to designate the METRORapid Inner Katy Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route as a Transit Corridor Street (TCS) in the MTFP. The designation of the Inner Katy BRT route as a TCS is part of METRO’s initiative to create safer and more efficient transportation services by providing more transportation options. Staff supports the addition of the transit corridor classification, as it will empower P&D to designate Transit Oriented Development (TOD) streets that help promote TOD.
F. Cypresswood Drive: Planning Commission approved the staff recommendation to realign and reclassify the proposed Major Thoroughfare Cypresswood Drive from a Major Thoroughfare to a Major Collector, between SH 99 and Becker Road. Cypresswood Drive is located in Harris County, the City of Houston’s ETJ. The alignment is supported by staff and by Harris County, as the proposed alignment maintains east/west connectivity and does not affect the integrity of the street grid.
G. Fairview Drive / Unnamed Major Collector: This proposed amendment was withdrawn by the applicant.
H. Via Dora Drive: Planning Commission denied the applicant’s request to delete the Major Thoroughfare Via Dora Drive, from Golf Club Drive to Red Summit Drive. The proposed Major Thoroughfare is located in Harris County, the City of Houston’s ETJ. Neither City staff nor Harris County supported the applicant’s deletion request, as deletion of the proposed corridor would increase travel demand on other corridors in the area. Planning Commission approved the staff proposed alternative to reclassify the corridor as a Minor Collector, as the reclassification allows ingress/egress into the area, better serves the community, and maintains the integrity of the street grid.
I. Anagnost Road / East Anderson Road: This proposed amendment was withdrawn by the applicant.
J. Burke Road: This proposed amendment was withdrawn by the applicant.
The 2023 MTFP annual amendment review process included the following:
- A pre-application meeting with applicants (January 3, 2023 – February 24, 2023).
- A workshop with the Planning Commission for preliminary review and discussion about the applications (May 11, 2023).
- A thorough review of the applications by P&D staff, and coordination with agency stakeholders, including Houston Public Works, Harris County Flood Control District, Harris County Engineering Department, and TxDOT (June 15, and 21, 2023).
- A public open house held virtually (June 14, 2023).
- A public hearing before Planning Commission (July 27, 2023).
- An MTFP Application Update before Planning Commission (September 7, 2023).
- Planning Commission discussion and vote on the seven amendments (September 21, 2023).
Background
The City of Houston MTFP identifies transportation corridor alignments and establishes the required rights-of-way for major roadways in the City and its ETJ. Chapter 33, Article IX (Section 33-374) 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, and reclassifying streets designated on the plan. The Commission may also consider adding one or more streets to the plan. An amendment approved by the Planning 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 (ROW) width dimensions, as well as the rules governing development along the ROW. 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:
- It identifies long-term roadway needs for Houston and the ETJ;
- It ensures that development and re-development activities dedicate adequate roadway ROW to maintain a well-connected street network as the area grows;
- It helps govern development that takes place along each specific classification on the map;
- 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;
- MTFP classifications are used within HPW’s Infrastructure Design Manual to define how roads will be designed and constructed; and
- It provides officials and the general public useful information when making land acquisition decisions.
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Margaret Wallace Brown, AICP, CNU-A
Director
Planning and Development Department