Regional Mobility Authorities in Texas: History and Current Status

A regional mobility authority (RMA) is an independent local government agency authorized by state statute (Chapter 370, Transportation Code) with the main function of transportation project development, finance, and implementation. This research documents the nine existing RMAs in Texas looking at both the history and current activities of RMAs from a statutory and operational standpoint in terms of successes, project implementation progress, and the varied approaches used in development and implementation. This research also characterizes the role of RMAs in transportation development with respect to metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), rural planning organizations (RPOs), and local governments. This research project reviewed the current financial state of RMAs and RMA projects under development using details from annual reports and annual financial statements. Researchers developed geographic and demographic profiles for each RMA.