March 14, 2025 Hood County Master Thoroughfare Plan Workshop

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On March 14, 2025, Hood County held a workshop in the Central Jury Room to advance implementation of the Master Thoroughfare Plan, which was adopted in January 2025. The county discussed five priority evacuation and mobility corridors, the limited local authority over renewable energy facilities, and a funding strategy combining local bond investment with federal grants, with preliminary engineering costs cited as approximately 10 percent of construction expenses. County leadership outlined next steps including consultant selection for bond management, cost estimation by planning consultant Tinol Perkins, and capacity assessment by the county auditor to determine an appropriate bond amount for a potential November election. The implementation pathway involves determining funding mechanisms and bringing decisions to the Commissioner's Court agenda by August 2025.

• Meeting call to order and openingThe workshop was called to order on Friday, March 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in the Central Jury Room to discuss implementation of the Master Thoroughfare Plan.
• Background on Master Thoroughfare Plan adoptionThe county adopted the Master Thoroughfare Plan map in late January and the Master Thoroughfare Plan report the following Tuesday, with the workshop called to advance implementation.
• Pecan Plantation speaker on solar farm and road precedenceRobert Taber expressed concerns about a proposed solar farm and battery storage facility across the river from Pecan Plantation and questioned road routing precedence relative to the planned thoroughfare.
• County authority and regulatory framework for solar and battery facilitiesCounty leadership explained the limited local authority over renewable energy and battery storage facilities, with regulation primarily handled at state and federal levels.
• Priority corridors for evacuation and mobilityThe speaker outlined five priority corridors in the Master Thoroughfare Plan focused on evacuation routes and people movement, particularly from Pecan Plantation and Stroud Creek areas.
• Consultant overview of Master Thoroughfare Plan process and next stepsRyan Jones from Tinol Perkins outlined the year-long planning effort, explained that the MTP is high-level and requires further alignment studies, and identified funding and implementation as critical next steps.
• Five priority corridors confirmed with South Pecan Plantation access discussionFive priority corridors identified as short-term priorities; South Pecan Plantation access moved from short-term to long-term but discussed as potentially recoverable if funding becomes available.
• Long-term improvements and funding strategy overviewMany long-term improvements exist on the Master Thoroughfare Plan beyond the five priority corridors, requiring a funding strategy that combines local bond investment with federal grant leverage.
• Transportation bond strategy and cost exampleA transportation bond strategy was proposed where the county funds preliminary engineering (approximately 10% of construction cost) to leverage federal construction funding, with Old Granbury Road cited as a $60 million construction example requiring $6 million in bond funding.
• Consultant selection and role distinctionCounty needs to hire a consultant specifically as a bond manager separate from design consultants; Tinol Perkins explained they cannot serve as bond manager due to conflict of interest as project designers.
• Implementation pathway and decision timelineNext steps involve determining local versus grant funding, potentially pursuing a transportation bond, and bringing a decision to the next Commissioner's Court agenda with an August deadline for November election placement.
• Cost estimation and bond amount determination processNext steps require Tinol Perkins to provide cost estimates for priority projects, with county auditor Stephanie assessing county capacity, to determine appropriate bond amount for November election.
• Funding options and implementation mechanicsMultiple funding mechanisms exist—local tax or County Road and Bridge funds, state funding, grants, and bonds—with bonds identified as likely first leg of implementation strategy.
• Funding options and COG's role in project approvalFunding sources and decision-making authority were discussed, with COG identified as the key holder of purse strings for county transportation projects.
• COG data analysis and mobility modeling resultsCOG ran a regional mobility model on the proposed road network and found significant improvements in county-wide traffic circulation.
• Bond manager role and controlling project destinyA bond manager would help the county control its transportation future by managing debt, timing, and advocacy across multiple funding sources.
• Public gratitude and need for sustained championsSpeakers acknowledged the long development timeline and emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum through local elected official champions.
• Website documentation and meeting conclusionMeeting concluded with information about Master Thoroughfare Plan documentation and accessibility.