Preserving Functionality/Asset Value of the State Highway System

Project Description

Continued population growth in Texas underscores the fact that the state needs (and will in the future need) many more highway miles than it can afford to build. Consequently, it is imperative to gain the greatest possible use and benefit from the roadways we do have. Doing so requires that the functionality of the roadway system be maintained at a high level, taking into consideration the mobility, accessibility, operations, right of way and safety elements of that system. This means that, rather than taking a reactive and corrective stance to fix things after they deteriorate, agencies should preserve functionality at a high level through effective planning, operational and safety management, refinement, and proactive infrastructure maintenance. The Texas Department of Transportation adheres to that approach, recognizing that it is the more cost effective option. The research team employed case studies of three corridors in the state, examining the sources or causes of functional deterioration, countermeasures, and how the actions of TxDOT, metropolitan planning organizations and local jurisdictions have or have not contributed to enhanced functionality. The team found that the most effective functionality-preserving programs and practices are in Transportation Management Areas or in communities with active planning programs. The major contributors to a deterioration of functionality were apparent in unincorporated areas characterized by a lack of planning and regulatory measures combined with a business-friendly development climate. Recommendations stress the importance of local planning with respect to access management, context sensitive design, transit oriented development, travel demand and corridor management planning. The research team also highlighted the policies followed by the TxDOT Houston District and the Houston-Galveston Area Council, recommending that other agencies across the state follow those examples.

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