What's New @ HCMPO
Transportation / Scenario Planning Workshop | Posted 02/04/2010
The Hidalog County MPO will be hosting at Transportation / Scenario Planning Workshop on February 25, 2010 at 6:00 PM at the IT Square Building on the campus of the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, TX. The workshop will combine transportation experts with neighborhood representatives, environmental professionals, community leaders and students amongst others to envision what $1.5 billion of infrastructure could do to prepare Hidalgo County for the nearly one million new residents expected by 2035.
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HCMPO ByLaws Amendment | Posted 01/15/2010
The HCMPO is currently amending the ByLaws by adding the Hidalgo County Commuter Rail District as an ex-officio member to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and to the Transportation Policy Committee (TPC). The last of public involvement is February 11, 2010. It is very important to hear from the Hidalgo County Citizens.
Transportation Policy Committee Honors La Joya City Commissioner Angie Garza For Her Tenure As Chairperson For The TPC | Posted 12/15/2009
Pictured from left to right; Andrew Canon-HCMPO Transportation Director, Noe Garza-Mayor Pro-Tem City of Edinburg (TPC Vice Chair), Angie Garza-City Commissioner for La Joya (TPC Chair) with granddaughter, and Diana Martinez-Mayor Pro-Tem (TPC Secretary). The HCMPO TPC's last meeting in 2009 was held in Weslaco, Texas on December 10, 2009. The TPC meeting was not without mixed emotions. There was some sense of urgency in that the 2010-2035 Metropolitan Transportation Plan needed to be approved in order for the HCMPO to continue operations. City officials representing their municipalities were all working hard to ensure that their respective city projects fell into the first 10 year stretch of the Long-Range Plan. Mr. Canon said, "Transportation planning was an exercise in mathematical equations this year" due to fewer budgetary dollars for projects and having the committee pencil out projects that would ordinarily require more work and money to "make" ready for submittal into the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). It was a give and take in some instances as policy committee members worked to arrive at a general consensus regarding which projects would fall into the first 10 year list of funded projects. At the end, there were more unfunded projects remaining in the MTP than previous cycles. Nevertheless, the TPC celebrated having approved the MTP with what they considered the most beneficial projects currently as they looked towards the future for Hidalgo County. TPC Chair Angie Garza was honored for her excellent leadership during a crucial time period as US Expressway 83 was being planned with implementation and construction right behind their plans. Mrs. Garza vacates her post but will remain active as TPC member. Mr. Noe Garza will grab the reins as TPC Chair for the next 2 year term.
Transportation Policy Committee Meets On December 2009 In A Meeting Which Can Be Described As A "Meeting Of The Minds" To Review The 2010-2035 Metropolitan Transportation Plan | Posted 12/15/2009
The Hidalgo County Metropolitan Planning Organization (HCMPO) continued to press forward with the 2010-2035 Metropolitan Transportation Plan Update. The HCMPO held several public meetings during the last month of 2009. These meetings were held throughout several cities in Hidalgo County to enable all citizens to have an opportunity to engage and learn about current and future plans for transportation infrastructure in the area. The final meeting in the MTP Update Process was held in Weslaco, Texas at the beautiful LRGVDC/HCMPO Facilities on December 10, 2009. At this meeting of the Transportation Policy Committee city officials, mayors, county commissioners, and other elected officials for Hidalgo County came together to discuss and approve the 2010-2035 Metropolitan Transportation Plan . The direction that the HCMPO was to take rested on these men and women, but more importantly the future for transportation infrastructure for Hidalgo County lay in their hands. Andrew A. Canon, HCMPO Transportation Director and staff were confident that the most current information had been provided allowing for community leaders to envision the future of Hidalgo County.
3rd Annual Border to Border Transportation Conference | Updated 01/15/2009
The 3rd Annual Border to Border Transportation conference will be hosted by the El Paso MPO in November 16-18, 2010 at the El Paso Convention Center. If you are interested in presenting at the conference, please send an email to Maria Champine at mchampine@hcmpo.org or call her at 956-969-5778. A call for papers will be posted very soon, but you do not have to wait for that if you are interested in presenting. Registrations for the conference will open up soon, and we will inform you as soon as possible. If you are interested in sponsoring the Conference, please download the sponsorship form and email it to Maria Champine or fax it to 956-969-5281.
The conference will be a 2 1/2 days, and items like transportation issues, funding issues and much more that concern Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will be addressed. The goal of the conference has always been to cover from the U.S. / Mexico International Border Area to the U.S. / Canada International Border Area and all of the U.S. area in between. People have described the conference to be a stunning success since the first conference put together in 2007, and we plan for the 3rd Annual to be same or more. We hope to see you there!
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