H-GAC gathers community input on 116 proposed Fort Bend County projects
The Houston-Galveston Area Council hosted 14 public meetings throughout Houston to gather input on the Regional Transportation Plan 2050 throughout July and August, including two meetings in Fort Bend County on Aug. 6.
The proposed $140 billion plan includes hundreds of projects for roads, transit, freight, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the Greater Houston area. The regional plan is updated every four years, with the last update in 2023.
By the numbers: The current plan consists of 116 road projects in Fort Bend County, totaling $5.46 billion, according to project documents.
Nineteen proposed projects in Fort Bend County cross the $100 million mark, including:
$402.5 million for construction of Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road between Hwy. 99 and Hwy. 36
$374.51 million to widen I-10 from Snake Creek to the Harris County line
$325 million to widen three sections of FM 1489
Looking ahead: Residents can weigh in through Aug. 31 via an online survey. The final draft for the RTP 2050 is slated for approval in fall 2026, H-GAC senior planner Florence Buaku said.
Sugar Land approves $3.85M to design new police building, renovate existing one
The Sugar Land Police Department will see building improvements following the voter-approved November 2024 bond.
Zooming in: The plan includes funds to design a new 50,000-square-foot police department building next to the existing one at 1200 Hwy. 6, Lane Wolf, senior manager at Vertical Construction, said.
Breaking it down: The $3.85 million contract comes after voters approved the $350 million general obligation bond last November.
What’s next: The design team is ready to begin, with the process expected to take 12 to 14 months, Wolf said.
University of Houston expands behavioral health programs to meet workforce demand
In response to the growing demand for behavioral health professionals across Texas and the nation, the University of Houston is expanding its academic offerings in Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, an evidence-based therapy most commonly used to support individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
“Our goal is to train highly skilled individuals so they come out of our programs and can provide really effective treatment for our diverse community and our learners with autism and developmental disabilities,” Charlotte Carp, program director and a board-certified behavior analyst, said in an Aug. 14 news release.
Programs are available online and in person at the UH Katy campus.
Zooming out: The timing of this expansion aligns with a significant surge in demand for certified behavior analysts, per the release. In April, Community Impact reported on the rise of ABA centers in Katy, Sugar Land, Missouri City,Cypress, Tomball and Magnolia, where many clinical providers cited staffing demands as many public school districts see a rise in autism diagnoses.
DATA: Housing affordability remains steady across Houston region
Home affordability in the Houston region decreased slightly according to the second-quarter housing affordability report from the Houston Association of Realtors.
At a glance: Out of the five major counties in the Houston region, Montgomery County had the highest rate of home affordability, with 46% of residents able to afford a median-priced home. The least affordable area was Harris County, where only 34% of residents are able to afford a median-priced home.
What else?: For those who rent homes, the average monthly payment across the region dropped from $2,190 to $2,100 a month. Galveston County saw the highest increase in monthly home rental prices, going from $2,100 to $2,175 per month.
