The Woodlands Township’s proposal to build new pathways for pedestrians and cyclists along several roads did not make the cut for a federal funding recommendation from a regional transportation council this month, but the township will continue to look for funding sources for the plan, officials said. The township board also considered seeking Texas Department of Transportation funding for the project after it was passed over by H-GAC. TxDOT opened a call for projects related to transportation alternatives and school access routes in February, but the board dropped that pursuit after learning the program is not open to previous H-GAC applicants. The Woodlands Township Safe School Access Project centers around the construction of new concrete paths along portions of Kuykendahl Road, Research Forest Drive and Panther Creek Drive. The pathways would fill in gaps in the township’s existing trail network, according to the project application. The proposal was submitted for funding consideration in the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s 2018 Call for Projects, a regional initiative for entities such as governments and public transit authorities to apply for assistance in improving area infrastructure as part of a longterm transportation strategy. Nearly 200 projects were submitted to the H-GAC Transportation Policy Council for review, 35 of which were recommended for funding at the council’s March 22 meeting. The Woodlands’ proposal was ranked 105th by the H-GAC Technical Advisory Committee. At the March TPC meeting, H-GAC Director of Transportation Planning Alan Clark said the council chose projects related to “purposeful trip-making” rather than recreation for its final recommendations, especially plans connecting to a transit hub. John Powers, assistant general manager for community services in The Woodlands, said although the projects will not receive federal funding as part of the H-GAC program, the township still hopes to move forward on the school access initiative in the future. “I believe the township board wants to see this project go forward; it was one of the top ones that came out of the master plan,” he said. “The project has merit and is needed and warranted, just unfortunately, there’s not enough money in the H-GAC pot right now to fund all the projects.” Powers said the venture could possibly be revisited for a funding opportunity through H-GAC if any of the recommended projects fall through. Despite its initial rejection for funding by H-GAC, the school access project garnered support from The Woodlands Township government and community following a “robust stakeholder outreach process,” according to the project application. Montgomery County Commissioner Charlie Riley also backed the proposal. The access project would be centered around several pathways proposals included in The Woodlands’ 2016 Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan. As submitted to H-GAC, the project would have cost an estimated $4.17 million with around $3.33 million—80 percent—coming from outside funding. The township would have paid the remaining 20 percent, totaling $833,600. Pathway construction was scheduled for completion by late 2022. Powers said the township board will re-evaluate its share of the project cost as part of its budget discussions for the coming year, and alternative funding sources will be sought in hopes of getting the project underway. A new project timeline will depend on potential funding. “Staff is directed to seek grant opportunities at the local, state and federal level for these projects, and we’ll continue to pursue and analyze those as best we can,” he said. As part of the H-GAC call for projects, The Woodlands also submitted a proposal centered on a new shared-use path along College Park Drive that would have run east from Alden Woods to Trade Center Boulevard, and up that road to Harper's Landing. The project would have included a railroad crossing on Trade Center and cost an estimated $3.5 million in total. Despite scoring higher than the school access proposal by H-GAC, the College Park pathway was also not recommended for funding.