The TPC includes representatives of cities and counties as well as the Texas Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County and the Gulf Coast Rail District as well as other transportation interests, such as ports.
Duties of the TPC include approving funding distribution for state and federal funds within the eight-county Metropolitan Planning Organization, according to the H-GAC.
The eight counties that comprise the MPO are:
- Brazoria
- Chambers
- Fort Bend
- Galveston
- Harris
- Liberty
- Montgomery
- Waller
As a special-purpose district, The Woodlands did not previously have a voting position on the board. In April 2023, it passed a resolution to request the seat beginning in 2024.
The township does not have responsibility for roads within its boundaries—those fall to entities such as the county and state, according to a news release from The Woodlands. The township does administer several transit programs, however, including The Woodlands Express Park & Ride commuter bus, for which it receives federal transit funding, according to the release.
The Woodlands recently weighed in on the H-GAC's Transportation Improvement Plan, joining Montgomery County in a call to remove a proposed Research Forest Drive widening project from the plan.
What they’re saying
"Words cannot express how honored The Woodlands is to have your support and be a part of the TPC," said Ann Snyder, chair of The Woodlands Township board of directors. "I've served on the township board; I'm in my fifth term here, and it's been something that we have wanted to be a part of the Greater Houston region during my entire tenure on the board. And we are very, very honored. ... We thank you on behalf of not only our board but more importantly, all ... of the residents of The Woodlands."
What's next
Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough, who is a voting member on the TPC, recommended Snyder as the township's main representative for the TPC and board member Kyle Watson as the alternate. The township will vote on the representative at a future meeting.
