September 30, 2024 Hood County Special Called Workshop Meeting

Open with transcript & summary →Search this meeting's transcript →

The Hood County Commissioners Court held a special called workshop meeting on September 30, 2024, to present Workshop Two of the Master Thoroughfare Plan update study, which is guiding long-range transportation planning for the county's projected 60 percent population growth over 45 years. The study team presented modeling results for six priority corridors, demonstrating positive impacts on traffic flow and regional connectivity, while addressing identified safety concerns such as flooding access issues and railroad crossings. Discussion included coordination with Johnson County's planning efforts, the importance of the mobility plan for securing state funding, and the significant costs and multi-county partnerships required for major improvements like Old Granbury Road. The meeting concluded with information on next steps, including public feedback collection before determining whether to revise the model or proceed toward draft report and adoption.

• Call to order and openingThe special called workshop meeting of Hood County Commissioners Court was called to order with invocation and pledges.
• Master Thoroughfare Plan update study introductionRyan Jones introduced Workshop number two of the MTP update study as both a formal workshop and public meeting to gather community feedback.
• Study team and consultant introductionTMP engineering design consultants and Council of Governments staff were introduced as members of the project team.
• Meeting logistics and feedback processAttendees were directed to sign in and informed of the comment form process for providing feedback.
• Purpose and importance of Master Thoroughfare PlanThe MTP is a long-range transportation planning document guiding thoroughfare improvements to meet population growth and traffic demands.
• Growth forecasts and community prioritiesHood County is forecasted to grow 60 percent over 45 years, with traffic and pedestrian circulation identified as the most important issue facing Granbury.
• Study partnership and team structureThe study involves partnership with COG, a steering committee including court and municipal officials, a technical committee, and public input.
• North Central Texas Council of Governments backgroundCOG background information was included at staff request to provide context on the regional planning organization.
• Steering committee composition and roleThe steering committee serves as the primary source of guidance and decision-making throughout the study process.
• Project timeline and study stepsThe study commenced in March 2024 with formation of committees, followed by workshops and a special court meeting in May.
• Workshop one goals and identified issuesWorkshop one identified 18 known issues and 18 potential solutions, with primary goals to relieve traffic congestion and provide additional routes.
• Feedback coordination and prioritization processAfter Workshop one, COG and TMP met to discuss feedback and determine that the 18 alternatives needed to be prioritized to a smaller, more manageable number for modeling.
• Priority corridors identificationSix priority corridors were identified as near-term needs, including Theon Plantation access, Old Granbury Road, Fall Creek Highway, new east-west routes, and Misty Meadows Drive extension.
• Modeling process and data preparationCOG incorporated the six priority corridors into their Mobility 2045 model after obtaining coding information about functional class, lane configuration, speed limits, and intersection control.
• Modeling output analysis and heat map methodologyThe modeling output was analyzed using volume change data to create a heat map showing traffic impact across the region, with colors indicating reduction, minimal impact, or increase in traffic.
• Modeling results summaryThe proposed improvements showed positive impacts with reduced congestion on key corridors like US 144, US 377, FM 167, and State Highway 171, while increasing mobility to US 67 and Chism Parkway.
• Level of service and congestion metricsAll Hood County roads received level of service A or C; most areas analyzed were closer to 1.0 on level of congestion metric, significantly below the 1.4 threshold indicating problematic congestion.
• Safety improvements and additional concernsBeyond modeling-based improvements, various safety concerns were identified including railroad crossing issues, flooding access problems, and connections to isolated areas.
• Impact of new routes and positive resultsNew routes and connections identified in the study showed greatly positive impact on the road network and regional mobility.
• COG modeling team presentation - overviewWade, a senior transportation planner with Council of Governments, and Chris, a principal transportation planner with COG, provided additional context on the modeling process and results.
• Regional connections analysisThe modeling revealed that the southern connection to US 67 was unexpectedly effective as an alternate route, particularly for regional traffic from Dallas and Fort Worth providing a southern entrance into Hood County and Granbury.
• Old Granbury Road modeling correctionThe original model showed zero traffic on Old Granbury Road in 2045 due to connection issues, requiring manual adjustment to provide proper connectivity and realistic traffic projections.
• Volume impact and spillover analysisChris noted that examining maps requires looking at impacts on surrounding roads, demonstrating how new connections shift traffic patterns across the network.
• Color coding clarificationChris clarified that colors on the map are indicators, not inherently good or bad, requiring context-specific interpretation based on study goals.
• Public question period - general modeling questionsThe presentation paused for public questions on the modeling aspects and findings before moving to next steps.
• Theon Plantation and Shroud Creek flooding access discussionA detailed discussion of the Theon Plantation area revealed that when Shroud Creek floods, a low-water crossing isolates a residential neighborhood with no alternate access points, necessitating a new connection.
• Mitchell Bend extension and property concernsDiscussion of the proposed Mitchell Bend extension revealed the need to cross the Brazos River and cross private property, with questions raised about impact on neighboring residential areas.
• Johnson County plan coordinationWade noted that Johnson County is also updating their thoroughfare plan and has been made aware of Hood County's proposed alignments, with plans to potentially incorporate similar improvements.
• Project timeline and public engagement processThe presentation concluded with next steps toward finalizing the mobility plan by March 2025, and public comment mechanisms were made available.
• Plan adoption and county benefitsThe adopted plan will provide an updated roadway network map, public documentation, and right-of-way preservation tools for future growth.
• Mobility plan as prerequisite for state fundingA mobility plan is essential leverage when requesting funding from state legislators and agencies like TxDOT.
• Old Granbury Road cost and multi-county coordinationOld Granbury Road improvements alone represent a major expense requiring multi-county partnerships and state involvement.
• Funding mechanisms and county cost-share requirementsCounties are statutorily required to fund 10% of state highway improvements, creating shared costs that must be planned for.
• Crescent project timeline and NRC safety catalystThe Crescent project, which began in 2007, demonstrates how long road infrastructure takes and how nuclear safety concerns accelerated funding.
• TxDOT funding constraints and gas tax stagnationTexas transportation funding has not kept pace with vehicle efficiency improvements or state population growth.
• Crescent Boulevard completion status and challengesThe Crescent Boulevard project, initiated in 2007, has faced prolonged timelines but recently showed construction acceleration.
• Development activity and population growthSignificant development is already occurring in the area, with thousands of planned lots supporting the need for infrastructure planning.
• Next steps: feedback collection and potential workshop reconveningThe process will pause to gather public feedback before deciding whether to reconvene, revise the model, or proceed to draft report and adoption hearing.