If you live in Texas, you’ve probably seen Connecting Texas 2050 popping up in your newsfeed lately. What is it? What does it mean for Texans? Here are five things you need to know about Connecting Texas 2050:
- It’s a Vision for the Future
Connecting Texas 2050 is the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT’s) statewide, long-range transportation plan to “establish the vision, objectives, performance measures, and strategic recommendations for the state’s transportation system through 2050 for all modes.” It’s a document designed to help Texas plan future transportation projects all the way to 2050 so that the state’s growth can be coordinated, and its resources deployed as efficiently as possible to aid that growth.
- It’s planning in Increments
Things change, sometimes in ways that cannot be anticipated. Technology advances, a pandemic happens, people’s transportation needs shift. To address these changes, Connecting Texas 2050 is evaluated and updated every four years in an effort to keep TxDOT’s plan on track.
- TxDOT seeks feedback from experts and the public
During its evaluation processes, TxDOT seeks input from experts, stakeholders, and the public. The goal of these efforts is to ensure that the plan stays focused on “safety, reliability, and resiliency of the state’s multimodal system for 2050.” Information is collected by TxDOT during a defined period, evaluated, and used to revise Connecting Texas 2050 as needed.
- Anyone can participate
There are several ways that Texans can participate, individually and through organizations. First, TxDOT provides written comment periods, during which Texans can submit comments by mail, email, or through TxDOT’s web portal. TxDOT also schedules public meetings and open house events around the state, and participants can attend these events in-person or virtually. Information about participating can be found on TxDOT’s “Get Involved” page.
- It’s easy to find updates on Connecting Texas 2050
TxDOT has put together a dedicated website for providing updates related to Connecting Texas 2050. The website provides background and details on the systems included in the transportation plans being developed. It contains information about how to participate in the comment period, town halls, open houses, and other events related to plan development. The website houses the documents related to the plan, as well as the meetings being held around the state, so anyone can access them. It also provides contact information for anyone who may have questions for TxDOT about Connecting Texas 2050 or any of the related activities.