Houston-Galveston Area Council could have about 25 percent more money to spend on transportation infrastructure in the coming decades, according to staff reports discussed Wednesday.
Members of two H–GAC subcommittees—the Transportation Improvement Program and the Regional Transportation Plan—reviewed updated revenue forecasts and discussed timelines for pinning down future transportation projects at a joint meeting at H-GAC’s Houston office.
A 25-year planning document finalized in 2015 estimated the agency could count on about $104 billion for transportation project funding over the next two and a half decades. Updated figures shared on Wednesday show the agency should have closer to $113 billion available to spend.
In addition to those funds, H-GAC staffers identified additional funding sources they believe could provide from $15 to $18 billion over the coming years, according to H-GAC documents. Those potential sources include various taxes and fees levied at the state and federal levels, plus increases to them.
In addition to the updated revenue projections, subcommittee members viewed updated spending models that varied only slightly from those approved in 2015.
H-GAC is a regional organization where representatives of 13 Houston-area counties discuss issues affecting the region.
Specific construction projects were not discussed. The H-GAC’s Transportation Policy Council hopes to finalize and approve by September “framework decisions” that will allow it to evaluate various transportation projects.