RTP2050 H-GAC Call for Projects — User Guide

This guide explains how to use the app, what GIS data is auto-populated, and how projects are screened against the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) scoring framework.

App Overview

The H-GAC 2050 RTP Call for Projects App allows project sponsors to submit transportation project applications for consideration in the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan. The app uses GIS layers to automatically populate project context — roadway characteristics, crash history, congestion, flood exposure, resilience indicators, vulnerable population data, and regional growth patterns.

GIS-based results are preliminary screening indicators. Final scoring, project eligibility, and prioritization require review and approval by H-GAC staff.

You must sign in with an ArcGIS Online account to submit a project. If you don't have an account, use the Request Access link on the sign-in page.

How to Submit a Project

Project submission follows a four-step guided workflow.

Location

Select streets from the map or draw your project location using the drawing tools.

Summary

Review auto-populated GIS data for your project location including roadway, crash, congestion, and resilience indicators.

Project Details

Fill in project information, category, schedule, funding, and narrative descriptions for each RTP scoring theme.

Review & Submit

Review all entered information and GIS data, then submit the application to H-GAC.

Step 1 — Select Project Location

Choose between two methods to define your project location:

Select Streets — Click on road segments in the map to select them. Hold Shift and click a selected segment to deselect it. This method works best for linear projects along existing roadways.
Draw Location — Use the drawing tools to sketch a point, line, or polygon. Use this method for projects that don't follow a specific road segment, such as intersections, transit hubs, or area-wide improvements.

New Roadway Construction

If your project proposes a new roadway alignment that does not follow any existing road segment, check the box labeled "Is this project for new roadway construction?" before defining the location.

When this option is checked:

Draw Location mode is required — the Select Streets button is disabled. New alignments do not follow an existing road segment, so you must sketch the proposed location manually.
A notice banner appears in the Step 2 Summary and in the Section C GIS block in Step 3, indicating that GIS attributes (functional class, AADT, safety, congestion, and resiliency) reflect existing streets within the 50-foot buffer and do not represent the proposed facility. Reviewers are alerted accordingly.
Functional Classification becomes a dropdown in Step 3, grouped by Rural and Urban area type. Select the proposed classification for the new roadway from the list (e.g., Urban — Other Principal Arterial, Rural — Major Collector).
Two manual traffic fields appear in Step 3 in place of the auto-populated design-year AADT: Projected AADT — the estimated future daily traffic volume for the proposed roadway — and Projected Year — the forecast horizon year (defaults to 2044). Enter both values to describe the anticipated traffic demand for the new alignment.

Auto-populated GIS values for a new roadway project describe nearby existing roads, not the proposed facility. Use the narrative fields in Step 3 to describe expected traffic, safety, and operational characteristics of the new roadway.

Once a location is defined, click Next: View Summary to continue.

Step 2 — Location Summary

After defining the project location, the app queries multiple GIS layers and displays a summary of auto-populated data. The table below explains each field shown in the Location Summary panel.

Project Location

Field	Description
Segments Selected	Number of road segments included in the project location selection.
Total Length	Combined length of all selected segments, shown in feet and miles.
Street(s)	Street name(s) of the selected road segments.
Functional Class	Federal functional classification of the roadway (e.g., Principal Arterial, Minor Arterial, Collector, Local).
Rural / Urban	Urbanization classification based on census-defined area type and population size.
County	County in which the project is located.
City	City or municipality in which the project is located.
Railroad Crossings At Grade (50 ft buffer)	Count of FRA-inventoried public highway-rail crossings at grade within a 50-foot buffer of the project location. Auto-populated from the FRA National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory. A value of zero means no public at-grade crossings were found within 50 feet.
TxDOT Bridges (50 ft buffer)	Count of TxDOT-inventoried bridge structures within a 50-foot buffer of the project location, along with each bridge's unique identification number (Bridge ID). Auto-populated from the TxDOT Bridge Inspection Database. A value of zero means no bridge structures were found within 50 feet.
TxDOT Truck Route	Indicates whether the roadway is designated as a TxDOT truck route.
HGAC Region Critical Urban Freight Corridors (50 ft buffer)	Indicates whether the project is within 50 feet of a roadway designated as a Critical Urban Freight Corridor. Auto-populated from the HGAC Region Critical Urban Freight Corridors 2023 layer.
HGAC Regional Goods Movement Plan Freight Network (50 ft buffer)	Indicates whether the project is within 50 feet of a roadway in the H-GAC Regional Goods Movement Plan Freight Network. Auto-populated from the HGAC Regional Goods Movement Plan Freight Network layer.
Evacuation Route	Indicates whether the roadway is designated as a hurricane evacuation route.
Designated Bike Route	Indicates whether the roadway has a designated bicycle route.

Traffic

Field	Description
AADT (current year)	Annual Average Daily Traffic for the most recent available count year. Represents the average number of vehicles per day on the segment.

Safety (5-Year Totals)

Crash counts are aggregated within a 50-foot buffer of the project location over the most recent 5-year period.

Field	Description
Total Crashes	Total number of reported crashes of all types within the buffer area over 5 years.
Pedestrian Crashes	Number of crashes involving a pedestrian within the buffer.
Bike Crashes	Number of crashes involving a bicyclist within the buffer.
Fatalities	Number of crash fatalities within the buffer over 5 years.
Serious Injuries	Number of serious (incapacitating) injuries from crashes within the buffer.
Crash Rate (100M VMT)	Crash rate normalized by daily vehicle miles traveled (DVMT), expressed as crashes per 100 million VMT. Allows comparison across roadways with different traffic volumes.

Resiliency

Values are derived from the H-GAC Criticality–Vulnerability (C-V) Matrix within a 300-foot buffer of the project.

Field	Description
Criticality (0–1)	A normalized score (0 to 1) reflecting how important the roadway is to regional travel, emergency access, evacuation, and economic function. Higher values indicate greater importance.
Vulnerability (0–1)	A normalized score (0 to 1) reflecting the roadway's exposure and sensitivity to flooding, storm surge, and sea-level rise. Higher values indicate greater hazard exposure.

Congestion — TTI COMPAT

Congestion data is sourced from the H-GAC COMPAT dataset within a 50-foot buffer of the project.

Field	Description
Travel Time Index (TTI)	Ratio of peak-period travel time to free-flow travel time. A TTI of 1.43 means travel takes 43% longer than free-flow. Values above 1.25 indicate significant congestion.
Truck TTI (TrkTTI)	The Travel Time Index calculated specifically for truck traffic. Higher values indicate freight delays on the corridor.

Activity Centers (3-sq.-mile hex grids)

Activity center data is based on 3-square-mile hexagonal grid analysis of population and employment density.

Field	Description
Type of Activity Center	Classification of the activity center based on the combination of job density and population density (e.g., Med Job – Low Pop, High Job – High Pop).
Population (2025)	Estimated total population within the 3-sq.-mile hex grid for 2025.
Jobs (2025)	Estimated total employment within the 3-sq.-mile hex grid for 2025.
Population Growth (2020–2050)	Projected population growth classification for the hex grid from 2020 to 2050 (e.g., Low Growth, Moderate Growth, High Growth, Very High Growth).
Job Growth (2020–2050)	Projected employment growth classification for the hex grid from 2020 to 2050.

Vulnerable Population

Field	Description
VPI Index (0.5-mi buffer)	Vulnerable Population Index score within a 0.5-mile buffer of the project. A composite indicator measuring concentration of sensitive population groups including low-income, minority, limited English proficiency, elderly, disabled, carless, and single-parent households. Higher values indicate a greater concentration of vulnerable populations.

Review the summary carefully. If data appears missing or incorrect for your project area, note this in your narrative fields in Step 3.

Step 3 — Project Details

This is the main application form. It is organized into sections that align with the 2050 RTP scoring framework:

A — Project Identity: Sponsor, contact, location description, project type, investment category, and a Detailed Project Type Description field where applicants briefly describe the proposed project type and major elements (e.g., roadway widening, intersection improvements, bicycle/pedestrian facilities, transit improvements, safety countermeasures). The description field placeholder updates automatically based on the selected project type.
B — Cost & Funding: Total project cost, a checkbox for 100% locally funded projects, federal funding request, local match, and cost breakdown by phase (planning, design, environmental, ROW, construction). All dollar fields are formatted with thousand separators (e.g., 1,500,000).
C — GIS Location (auto-filled): Displays auto-populated GIS data for your project location. At the end of this section, an Autopopulated Information Review question asks whether you have any concerns or corrections regarding the auto-populated data. If you select Yes, a comments field and file upload area appear for you to describe any corrections.
D1 – D5 — Project Criteria: Safety, mobility, network integration, resilience, and project status — each section includes embedded narrative fields. D1 Safety includes: (1) high crash segment Yes/No; (2) whether the project location has been identified as a safety concern within the past five years — if Yes, a source/description text field and file attachment appear; (3) ped/bike collision reduction Yes/No; (4) at-grade railroad crossing elimination Yes/No; and (5) a proven safety countermeasures checkbox list. D2 Mobility includes an expanded list of 11 destination types. D5 includes an Estimated Project Completion Year field.
F — Benefit/Cost Analysis: BCA safety benefits, travel time savings, emissions reductions, and overall BCA ratio.
E — Any Other Supporting Files: Optional attachment area for additional supporting documents such as studies, plans, or cost estimates (up to 10 MB per file).

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*). You cannot proceed to Step 4 without completing all required fields.

Save Draft — A Save Draft button is available at the bottom of Step 3 (and Step 4). Click it at any time to save your progress to H-GAC without submitting. Required fields do not need to be complete to save a draft. Your draft will appear in My Submissions with a Draft status badge, and you can resume it later by clicking Resume.

Project Types

Select the project type that best describes your project. Choose Other if none of the listed types apply and provide a brief description.

Project Type	Applicant Guidance / Description	Example Projects
New Roadways	Projects that construct a new roadway where one does not currently exist, or extend an existing roadway to create a new connection. These projects usually improve regional connectivity, open access to developing areas, or provide an alternative route to reduce congestion.	Constructing a new four-lane roadway, such as the Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road Segment C from FM 2759 to FM 762/SH 99; constructing a four-lane new-location roadway from SH 99 to Coach Light.
Road Widening	Projects that add travel lanes to an existing roadway to increase capacity, improve traffic flow, or accommodate future growth. These may also include medians, sidewalks, shared-use paths, drainage, and intersection upgrades.	Widening Eagle Drive from two lanes to a four-lane boulevard with shared-use paths on both sides; reconstructing and widening FM 359 from two to four lanes; widening FM 521 from two to four lanes with a raised median and bicycle/pedestrian facilities.
Major Roadway Reconstruction	Projects that rebuild an existing roadway corridor, often including pavement replacement, geometric improvements, drainage, safety features, access changes, sidewalks, bicycle facilities, or lane reconfiguration. This category is appropriate when the project is more than routine maintenance.	Reconstructing and widening Sheldon Road from two to five lanes with a continuous center turn lane and intersection improvements; reconstructing FM 2920 from four to six lanes and adding sidewalks where none currently exist.
Major Intersection Improvements / Interchanges	Projects focused on improving major intersections, freeway ramps, direct connectors, grade separations, or interchanges. These projects are intended to improve safety, reduce delay, and improve turning or merging movements.	Constructing two direct connectors at Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road and SL 8; constructing four direct connectors at SH 99 and FM 1093/Westpark Tollway; intersection improvements at IH 45 South and Broadway including turn lanes, traffic circle rehabilitation, pedestrian accommodations, and signal upgrades.
Access Management	Projects that improve how vehicles enter, exit, and move along a corridor. These may include medians, driveway consolidation, turn lanes, signal coordination, intersection spacing, or other treatments that reduce conflict points and improve safety and operations.	Raised medians, wider median treatments, new turn lanes, driveway management, and signal upgrades. The TIP identifies access management improvements as part of congestion and system performance strategies.
Transportation Operations / ITS	Projects that improve the operation of the transportation system without necessarily adding major roadway capacity. These may include traffic signal systems, traffic management technology, dynamic message signs, ramp meters, traffic monitoring equipment, communications infrastructure, incident management, and other Intelligent Transportation Systems.	Traffic signal communication systems, ITS equipment and infrastructure, traffic monitoring equipment, variable message signs, ramp metering, Houston TranStar-related traffic management, and Tow and Go freeway incident management.
Regional Air Quality Programs	Programs or projects designed to reduce transportation-related emissions and help the region meet air quality goals. These may include congestion reduction, clean vehicle programs, commute alternatives, vanpool programs, transit pilot projects, or replacement of diesel buses with electric buses.	Clean Vehicles Program, Commute Solutions Program, Regional Vanpool, commuter and transit pilot projects, diesel transit bus replacement with electric buses, and CMAQ-funded projects.
Active Transportation Facilities	Projects that improve walking, bicycling, and other non-motorized travel. These may include sidewalks, shared-use paths, bicycle lanes, trails, pedestrian/bicycle signals, safe routes for non-drivers, lighting, ADA improvements, and traffic-calming features.	Shared-use paths on both sides of Eagle Drive; new sidewalks along FM 2920; bicycle and pedestrian facilities along FM 521; sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian/bicycle signals, traffic calming, lighting, ADA improvements, and Safe Routes to School activities.
Transit & Freight — Flexible Funds	Projects that use flexible transportation funding for transit, freight, or goods movement improvements. These may include bus rapid transit, light rail extensions, park-and-ride facilities, transit centers, freight corridor improvements, truck parking, or projects that improve movement of people and goods.	Gulfton Busway project; Uptown BRT extension; Green and Purple METRO light rail line extensions; Shepherd/Durham Transit Center; new BRT busways; Regional Goods Movement projects; truck parking and freight-related improvements.
Other	Projects that do not fit clearly into the categories above but still support transportation safety, reliability, maintenance, resilience, accessibility, or environmental goals. Applicants should use this category only when the project is transportation-related but does not match a primary category.	Bridge replacement or rehabilitation, safety improvements, landscaping, ADA pedestrian improvements, railroad signal maintenance, safety rest areas/truck parking, preliminary engineering, and other grouped statewide program activities.

Step 4 — Review & Submit

Review all entered information before submitting. Use the Back button to return to Step 3 and make corrections. When you are satisfied, click Submit Application. A confirmation message will appear with your submission ID.

Key GIS indicator values — crash rate, criticality, vulnerability, TTI, Truck TTI, and VPI — are displayed with color-coded badge labels in the review panel. Green badges indicate favorable conditions; amber and orange indicate moderate concern; red indicates elevated need. These badges are for review reference only and do not change the scoring.

After submitting, you can manage your submissions from the My Submissions panel. Click any row to zoom the map to the project location. A View button is available on every row to open a read-only summary of the submitted application.

Once submitted, editing and deletion are not available. If changes are needed after submission, contact H-GAC staff at [email protected]. If H-GAC staff changes the status to More Info Needed, an Edit button will become active and you may update and resubmit the application.

Saved drafts also appear in My Submissions with an amber Draft status badge. Click Resume on a draft row to re-enter the form with all saved data pre-filled. Once you are ready to finalize, complete any remaining required fields and click Submit Application to promote the draft to a submitted application. Draft applications can also be deleted.

GIS Auto-Populated Data

When you define a project location, the app queries several GIS layers and automatically populates screening indicators. The sections below explain each data source.

Roadway Inventory

Source: TxDOT · Year: 2025 · TxDOT Open Data ↗

🗺 Map Layers: This data is available in the map layer list as "Street Network" (roadway characteristics, functional class, traffic) and "Census Administrative Boundaries" (county and city jurisdiction). Toggle these layers on to explore the data for your project area.

The roadway inventory layer provides base roadway characteristics for the project location. It supports auto-population of roadway name, jurisdiction, functional classification, traffic volume, truck volume, freight designation, evacuation route status, multimodal indicators, and maintenance responsibility.

Field	Meaning
`F_SYSTEM_DESC`	Functional classification (e.g., Principal Arterial, Collector)
`ADT_CUR`	Current Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
`AADT_TRUCKS`	Truck AADT (all truck types)
`AADT_DESGN`	Design-year AADT
`SEC_NHS_DESC`	National Highway System designation
`SEC_TRK_DESC`	Truck route designation
`NHFN_DESC`	National Highway Freight Network status
`IS_EVAC`	Evacuation route flag
`IS_BIKE_RT`	Bicycle route flag
`HAS_MM_FAC`	Multimodal facility presence
`RDWAY_MAINT_AGCY_DESC`	Roadway maintaining agency
`DVMT`	Daily vehicle miles traveled

Railroad Crossings At Grade

Source: FRA / USDOT · Dataset: National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory · FRA Crossing Inventory ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "FRA Public Railroad Crossings At Grade". Toggle it on to view highway-rail crossing locations across the H-GAC region.

This layer identifies public highway-rail crossings where the roadway and railroad intersect at the same elevation within the H-GAC 8-county MPO region. The data is derived from the FRA / USDOT National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory and includes crossing location, railroad ownership, roadway name, crossing type, warning devices, traffic volume, train activity, quiet zone status, and links to FRA inventory and accident records.

The layer can support freight planning, safety screening, blocked crossing analysis, project scoring, and identification of potential grade separation or crossing improvement needs.

The app counts the number of public railroad crossings at grade within a 50-foot buffer of the project location and displays this count automatically in Steps 2 and 3.

Key Fields

Field	Description
`CROSSING`	FRA / USDOT unique crossing identification number.
`RAILROAD`	Railroad company abbreviation.
`RRDIV`	Railroad division.
`RRSUBDIV`	Railroad subdivision.
`STREET`	Street name at the crossing.
`HIGHWAY`	Highway or roadway name.
`TYPEXING`	Crossing type (public or private).
`POSXING`	Position of the crossing — at grade or grade-separated.
`XPURPOSE`	Purpose of the crossing (highway, pedestrian, trail, etc.).
`WDCODE`	Warning device type installed at the crossing.
`WHISTBAN`	Quiet zone or whistle ban indicator.
`DAYTHRU`	Number of daytime through trains per day.
`NGHTTHRU`	Number of nighttime through trains per day.
`AADT`	Annual Average Daily Traffic at the crossing.
`AADTYEAR`	Year of the AADT count.
`LATITUDE`	Reported latitude of the crossing location.
`LONGITUD`	Reported longitude of the crossing location.
`COUNTYNAME`	County in which the crossing is located.
`CITYNAME`	City in which the crossing is located.

Projects located near or involving at-grade railroad crossings may qualify for safety improvements such as upgraded warning devices, crossing surface rehabilitation, or grade separation. Review crossing details in the FRA inventory for warning device status, train volume, and traffic data.

TxDOT Bridges

Source: TxDOT Bridge Inspection Database · Dataset: Texas Statewide Bridge Data (SNBI) · TxDOT Open Data ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "TxDOT Bridge Data". Toggle it on to view bridge locations across the H-GAC region and explore inspection attributes for bridges near your project.

This statewide point dataset represents bridge locations maintained in the TxDOT Bridge Inspection Database. It includes both on-system and off-system bridges from the statewide bridge asset inventory and contains applicable Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (SNBI) data fields.

The data includes bridge structures on public roadways throughout Texas, including bridges maintained by TxDOT, toll authorities, counties, municipalities, and other local jurisdictions. Bridge inspection records are the primary source used to update the National Bridge Inspection File submitted to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

The app counts the number of bridges within a 50-foot buffer of the project location and displays this count — along with the unique bridge identification numbers — in Steps 2, 3, and 4.

Key Fields

Field	Description
`ID01_BRDG_NBR`	Unique bridge identification number assigned in the TxDOT Bridge Inspection Database.
`FACLTY_CARRD_BY_STRUC`	Facility carried by the bridge structure (e.g., roadway name, highway designation).
`FEAT_CROSSED`	Feature crossed by the bridge, such as a roadway, waterway, railroad, or other feature.
`TXDOT_CNTY_DESC`	County where the bridge is located.
`L12_MPO_DESC`	Metropolitan Planning Organization associated with the bridge location.
`L11_BRDG_LOCN`	General description of the bridge location.
`W01_YR_BLT`	Year the bridge was originally built.
`BRDG_DESC`	General bridge structure description.
`C12_BRDG_COND_CLASS_CD`	Bridge condition classification code.
`C13_LWST_COND_RTNG_CD`	Lowest condition rating among key bridge elements.
`C04_CULV_COND_RTNG_CD`	Culvert condition rating.
`C09_CHNL_COND_RTNG_CD`	Channel condition rating.
`C11_SCOUR_COND_RTNG_CD`	Scour condition rating.
`H09_AADT`	Annual Average Daily Traffic on the roadway served by the bridge.
`H11_YR_OF_AADT`	Year of the AADT traffic count.
`H10_AADTT`	Annual Average Daily Truck Traffic on the roadway served by the bridge.
`AP02_OVRTOP_LIKELIHOOD_CD`	Likelihood of bridge overtopping during a flood event.
`AP03_SCOUR_VULN_CD`	Bridge vulnerability to scour — undermining of the foundation by water flow.
`PS01_LD_POST_STAT_CURR_CD`	Current load posting status — indicates whether the bridge has weight restrictions.
`IE02_INSP_BEGIN_DT_RTN`	Most recent routine inspection date.
`IE06_INSP_DUE_DT_RTN`	Next routine inspection due date.

Projects located near bridges may involve rehabilitation, replacement, widening, or load capacity improvements. Condition ratings, scour vulnerability, and overtopping likelihood fields can help identify bridges with elevated structural or resilience needs relevant to RTP project screening.

HGAC Region Critical Urban Freight Corridors

Source: H-GAC · Year: 2023

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "HGAC Region Critical Urban Freight Corridors 2023". Toggle it on to view designated Critical Urban Freight Corridors across the H-GAC region.

This layer identifies public roads designated as Critical Urban Freight Corridors. These corridors connect freight generators to the Primary Highway Freight System and help expand the National Highway Freight Network within the region.

The designated corridors support freight mobility by improving access to major freight routes, increasing economic competitiveness, reducing congestion, lowering freight transportation costs, and supporting eligibility for National Highway Freight Program funding.

The app checks whether the project location intersects a Critical Urban Freight Corridor within a 50-foot buffer and displays Yes or No in Steps 2, 3, and 4. Projects on or adjacent to these corridors may have stronger justification for freight mobility, network connectivity, and federal freight program eligibility.

HGAC Regional Goods Movement Plan Freight Network

Source: H-GAC · Dataset: Regional Goods Movement Plan

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "HGAC Regional Goods Movement Plan Freight Network". Toggle it on to view the regional freight network identified through H-GAC's goods movement planning process.

This layer identifies alternative roadways used for the movement of goods within the H-GAC region. These routes supplement the established FHWA and TxDOT freight networks and represent the regional freight network identified through H-GAC's goods movement planning process.

The layer supports freight planning by highlighting first- and last-mile corridors that provide access between freight generators, industrial areas, commercial centers, and the broader regional transportation system. These corridors help improve goods movement efficiency and regional freight connectivity.

The app checks whether the project location intersects the GMP Freight Network within a 50-foot buffer and displays Yes or No in Steps 2, 3, and 4. Projects on or adjacent to these routes may have stronger justification for freight mobility, first- and last-mile connectivity, and regional goods movement planning alignment.

Safety & Crash Data

Source: H-GAC originated data from TxDOT CRIS · Year: 2020–2024 · H-GAC DataLab — Crash ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "Crash Rate Streets". Toggle it on to view crash rate classifications across the street network for your project area.

The crash layer supports the Safety scoring theme. It identifies high-crash locations, severe crash patterns, pedestrian crashes, bicycle crashes, and crash hot spots near the project location.

Indicator	Use
Total crashes	Overall crash history on the corridor
Fatal crashes / fatalities	Identifies severe safety need
Serious injury crashes	Identifies severe safety need
Pedestrian crashes	Bike/pedestrian safety need
Bicycle crashes	Bike/pedestrian safety need
Crash hot spot	Statistically significant high-crash location

Crash Rate Badge — Average by Area Type & Functional Class

The app compares the project's crash rate (crashes per 100M VMT) to the regional average for the same area type and functional class. A badge is displayed alongside the crash rate value:

Badge	Threshold	Meaning
Below Avg	Less than 85% of benchmark	Crash rate is below the typical rate — safer than average for this road type
Average	85% – 115% of benchmark	Crash rate is within the typical range for this road type
Above Average	Greater than 115% of benchmark	Crash rate exceeds the typical rate — higher safety need than average

Reference crash rates (crashes per 100M VMT) used for comparison:

Area Type	Functional Class	Avg Crash Rate
Rural	Interstate	82.60
Rural	Other Freeway and Expressway	25.24
Rural	Other Principal Arterial	108.33
Rural	Minor Arterial	149.91
Rural	Major Collector	160.23
Rural	Minor Collector	160.40
Rural	Local	284.01
Urban	Interstate	146.19
Urban	Other Freeway and Expressway	111.30
Urban	Other Principal Arterial	354.53
Urban	Minor Arterial	342.16
Urban	Major Collector	198.74
Urban	Minor Collector	248.19
Urban	Local	562.63

Crash data is auto-populated where available. Applicants must also describe proposed safety countermeasures and expected crash reduction benefit in the narrative fields.

High Injury Network (HIN)

Source: H-GAC originated data from TxDOT CRIS · Year: 2020–2024 · H-GAC DataLab — Crash ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "High Injury Network". Toggle it on to view segments designated as high-priority safety corridors across the region.

The High Injury Network (HIN) identifies roadway segments with a high concentration of fatal and serious injury crashes over a five-year crash analysis period. The purpose of this layer is to help users locate priority safety corridors for planning, project evaluation, and safety countermeasure development.

The HIN was developed using five years of TxDOT CRIS crash data. Each roadway segment was evaluated using crash records from the five-year period, with a focus on severe crashes that resulted in fatalities or serious injuries. The layer also includes total crashes and other injury-severity categories to provide additional context.

Three Key Safety Measures

Each roadway segment was evaluated using three key safety measures:

K+A Crashes — the number of fatal and serious injury crashes during the five-year period.
K+A Crashes per Mile — the concentration of fatal and serious injury crashes based on segment length.
K+A Crash Rate — the fatal and serious injury crash rate adjusted by traffic exposure, using DVMT/AADT.

Ranking Methodology

Segments were ranked within their urban/rural functional classification group so similar roadway types are compared together. For example, urban freeways are compared with other urban freeways, and rural collectors are compared with other rural collectors. This avoids directly comparing roadways with different traffic volumes, design characteristics, and operating conditions.

The final HIN designation is based on a composite score that gives the greatest weight to fatal and serious injury crash frequency, while also considering crash density and crash rate. Segments identified as part of the HIN represent locations with elevated safety needs and may be considered for further review, project prioritization, and potential safety countermeasures.

Key Fields

Field	Description
`crash`	Total crashes during the five-year analysis period.
`Fatality`	Fatal crashes during the five-year analysis period.
`Serious_Injury`	Serious injury crashes during the five-year analysis period.
`KA_CRASH`	Total fatal and serious injury crashes during the five-year analysis period.
`Nonincap_Injury`	Non-incapacitating injury crashes during the five-year analysis period.
`Possible_Injury`	Possible injury crashes during the five-year analysis period.
`Non_Injury`	Non-injury crashes during the five-year analysis period.
`FINAL_HIN`	Indicates whether the segment is included in the final High Injury Network.
`HIN_TYPE`	Explains whether the segment was selected through regional ranking, urban/rural functional class ranking, or both.
`HIN_CLASS`	Priority level assigned to the segment.
`KA_PER_MI`	Fatal and serious injury crashes per mile.
`KA_RATE`	Fatal and serious injury crash rate adjusted by traffic exposure.
`HIN_SCORE`	Composite score used to rank roadway segments.
`RU_Func_Class`	Urban/rural functional classification used for comparison.
`REG_HIN`	Indicates whether the segment was selected through regional ranking.
`RU_HIN`	Indicates whether the segment was selected within its urban/rural functional classification group.
`HIN_NOTE`	Provides additional explanation about the segment's HIN designation.

Congestion & Travel Time Reliability

Source: TTI · Year: 2023 · TTI Open Data ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "TTI 2023 COMPAT Data". Toggle it on to view Travel Time Index values across the corridor network for your project area.

Congestion and reliability indicators support Optimized Mobility & Economic Vitality. The Travel Time Index (TTI) compares congested travel time to free-flow travel time. A TTI of 1.30 means travel takes about 30% longer than free-flow conditions.

TTI Range	Label	Relative Congestion
< 1.10	Low Delay	Minimal congestion
1.10 – 1.24	Moderate Delay	Noticeable but manageable
1.25 – 1.49	High Delay	Significant congestion
1.50 – 1.74	Very High Delay	Severe congestion
≥ 1.75	Severe Delay	Extreme congestion

Additional indicators include the Planning Time Index (PTI) for travel time reliability, truck TTI/PTI for freight, delay in hours, and congestion cost. Higher values indicate stronger justification for mobility improvements.

TxDOT Top 100 Most Congested Roadways

Source: TxDOT · Year: 2025 · TxDOT Open Data ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "TxDOT Top 100 Most Congested Roadways". Toggle it on to explore congested roadway segments in your project area.

The TxDOT Top 100 Congested Roadways layer identifies the most congested roadway segments in Texas for transportation planning purposes. The dataset is maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation and is based on an annual congestion analysis conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute for TxDOT's Transportation Planning and Programming Division. Approximately 1,800 roadway segments are analyzed using speed and traffic data, and the top 100 most congested segments are ranked and included in this layer.

This layer can be used in the RTP application to help users identify roadways with significant congestion, travel delay, truck delay, and congestion-related economic costs. It supports project screening, corridor evaluation, congestion mitigation planning, freight mobility analysis, and regional transportation investment prioritization.

Key Fields

Field	Description
`RD_NM`	Roadway name or corridor name.
`RANK`	Overall congestion ranking among the Top 100 congested roadways.
`TRK_RANK`	Truck-related congestion ranking.
`TCI`	Travel Congestion Index, representing the level of congestion on the segment.
`DLAY_MILE`	Delay per mile for the roadway segment.
`COST_DLAY`	Estimated cost of total delay.
`TRK_DLY`	Truck delay measure.
`COST_TRK`	Estimated cost of truck delay.
`DIST_NM`	TxDOT district name.
`YR`	Analysis year.
`SEG_ID`	Unique segment identifier.
`Shape_Leng / Shape__Length`	Segment length information.

How to Use This Layer: Use this layer to identify corridors with high congestion impacts and compare candidate RTP projects against known congested roadway locations. Projects located on or near these segments may help address regional mobility, travel delay, freight reliability, and congestion-related economic costs. This layer should be used as a planning and screening resource and reviewed together with other RTP factors such as safety, access, equity, freight movement, land use, and project readiness.

FEMA Floodplain & Coastal Flood Zone

Source: H-GAC interpreted from FEMA data · Year: 2026 · FEMA Map Service Center ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "FEMA NFHL Floodplain". Toggle it on to view 100-year, 500-year, floodway, and coastal flood zone boundaries for your project area.

The FEMA floodplain layer supports flood risk and resilience screening. Flood zone classifications are mapped to simplified labels:

FEMA Zone	App Classification
A, AE, AH, AO	100-year Floodplain
V, VE	Coastal Flood Zone
X (500-year subtype)	500-year Floodplain
ZONE_SUBTY = FLOODWAY	Floodway
OPEN WATER	Open Water
AREA NOT INCLUDED	Area Not Included / Not Mapped

Area Not Included does not mean no flood risk. It means FEMA does not provide an effective mapped flood hazard classification for that area. Projects in these areas should still evaluate flood exposure carefully.

Ecologically Sensitive Area

Source: H-GAC · Year: 2022 · H-GAC DataLab — Ecological GIS ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "Ecologically Sensitive Area". Toggle it on to view ecological land type coverage across the region and identify whether your project falls within or adjacent to a sensitive area.

Does this project corridor pass through or adjacent to an Ecologically Sensitive Area?

An Ecologically Sensitive Area is a location where 80% or more of the surrounding land is composed of ecological land types. These are areas where natural ecosystems remain largely intact and undisturbed by development, making them particularly vulnerable to the impacts of transportation projects.

The Houston-Galveston region supports a diverse array of ecological resources that are increasingly at risk due to rapid urban growth. H-GAC has identified and mapped seven ecological land types across the 8-county region as part of the Eco-Logical Tool, developed in collaboration with the Ecological Advisory Committee (EAC) — a group of environmental professionals from federal and state resource agencies.

The Seven Ecological Land Types

Land Type	Description
Upland Forest	Forested areas — including mixed, deciduous, evergreen, and shrub/scrub lands — located outside the 100-year floodplain. These canopy-producing areas occupy higher, drier ground and are spatially separated from bottomland forests using floodplain boundaries.
Bottomland Forest	Forested areas of the same canopy types as upland forests, but located within the 100-year floodplain. These low-lying forests are closely tied to stream systems and are highly sensitive to hydrological changes.
Prairies (Coastal)	Herbaceous grassland ecosystems occurring in non-tidal areas, historically covering the majority of the Houston-Galveston region. Today, coastal prairies are highly fragmented due to urbanization and agriculture. Remnant areas include portions of the Katy Prairie, Damon Prairie, and Chambers County prairies.
Tidal Prairies	Coastal grasslands occurring near the shoreline under tidal influence. These level or gently undulating landscapes occupy saline soils and may be inundated by saltwater during storm surges. Often dominated by Gulf cordgrass (Spartina spartinae).
Non-Prairie Grasslands	Herbaceous grasslands representing a mosaic of woody and herbaceous cover, often associated with savanna land types. These include managed grasslands and disturbance grasslands occupying bottomland soils, typically lacking significant shrub or overstory canopy.
Freshwater Wetlands	A broad category encompassing herbaceous and wooded wetland vegetation in low-lying areas — including valleys, stream drainages, riparian corridors, marshes, and swamps. These areas play a critical role in water quality, flood control, and habitat connectivity.
Tidal Wetlands	Low-lying coastal wetlands influenced by tidal fluctuations, including salt marshes and coastal marshes. Their ecological character is shaped by the frequency and duration of tidal inundation, salinity levels, and storm tide events.

How is this determined?

H-GAC's ecological land cover data was developed using 2016 National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial imagery, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) Ecological Mapping Systems data, and H-GAC's 2018 Land Use Land Cover dataset. The resulting dataset is a 5-meter resolution raster map covering all 8 counties in the H-GAC region.

You can verify whether your project falls within or near an Ecologically Sensitive Area using the H-GAC Eco-Logical Application: datalab.h-gac.com/EcologicalGIS. For questions about ecological data or to request a GIS data file, visit the Eco-Logical Data Download page or contact H-GAC staff.

Resilience & Criticality-Vulnerability

Source: H-GAC · Year: 2020 · H-GAC DataLab — Resilience ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "Resilience Streets". Toggle it on to view criticality, vulnerability, and C-V matrix classifications across the roadway network for your project area.

The resilience layer supports the Resiliency & Adaptability theme using a Criticality–Vulnerability (C-V) Matrix that combines roadway importance with hazard exposure.

Concept	Meaning
Criticality	Importance to travel, emergency response, access, and economic activity
Vulnerability	Exposure and sensitivity to flooding, storm surge, and sea-level rise
C-V Matrix	Combines criticality and vulnerability to identify resilience priority
Network redundancy	Additional travel required if a roadway segment is closed
Evacuation importance	Role of the roadway in regional hurricane evacuation

Sub-indicators include flood vulnerability (100-year and 500-year), hurricane storm surge by category, sea-level rise vulnerability, hospital/shelter/fire/transit access importance, and network detour ratio.

Criticality & Vulnerability Classification

Both Criticality and Vulnerability are normalized scores from 0 to 1. The app displays a classification label alongside the score using the thresholds below.

Score Range	Class	Label
≥ 0.66	High	High criticality or vulnerability — roadway is significantly important or highly exposed to hazards.
≥ 0.33 and < 0.66	Moderate	Moderate criticality or vulnerability — moderate importance or hazard exposure.
< 0.33	Low	Low criticality or vulnerability — limited regional importance or minimal hazard exposure.

Vulnerable Population Index

Source: H-GAC · Year: 2024 · H-GAC DataLab — Equity ↗

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "Block Group Population". Toggle it on to view VPI scores and vulnerable population concentrations by census block group for your project area.

The Vulnerable Population Index (VPI) supports equity and access screening. It identifies whether a project serves communities with higher concentrations of sensitive populations:

Population below poverty threshold
Non-Hispanic, non-white (minority population)
Hispanic population
Households with limited English proficiency
Families with a disabled head, spouse, or sole member
Elderly population (age 75 and above)
Car-less households (no vehicle access)
Single female householders with children under 18

VPI Classification

The VPI score is displayed on a 0–100 scale. The app classifies the score into five levels:

Index Range	Class	Label
0 – 20	Class 1	Very Low Vulnerability
>20 – 40	Class 2	Low Vulnerability
>40 – 60	Class 3	Moderate Vulnerability
>60 – 80	Class 4	High Vulnerability
>80 – 100	Class 5	Very High Vulnerability

VPI should be used as a screening indicator for equity and access, not as the only basis for scoring. The term Vulnerable Population is used in place of Environmental Justice in the 2050 RTP framework.

Regional Activity Centers & Growth Hot Spots

Source: H-GAC · Year: 2024

🗺 Map Layer: This data is available in the map layer list as "Activity Centers". Toggle it on to view 3-square-mile hexagonal grid classifications of population density, employment density, and growth hot spot status across the region.

Activity Centers are based on 3-square-mile hexagonal grids using population and employment density clusters. They identify major job centers, high-density residential areas, balanced suburban centers, and emerging growth corridors.

Growth Hot Spot analysis identifies statistically significant areas of projected population or employment growth:

Gi_Bin	Label
3	Very High Growth
2	High Growth
1	Moderate Growth
0 or below	Low Growth

Projects intersecting high-growth or very-high-growth areas may have stronger justification for mobility and access investments.

Applicant-Provided Fields

Some information cannot be reliably auto-populated and must be entered by the applicant. Make sure to complete all of the following in Step 3:

Project name and description
Project sponsor agency, contact name, email, and phone
Project type and investment category
Detailed Project Type Description — a brief description of the proposed project type and major elements; the placeholder example updates automatically based on the selected project type
Project limits (street names, from/to boundaries)
Improvement type and project phase
Estimated total cost and whether the project is 100% locally funded
Federal funding request, local match amount, and cost breakdown by phase
Autopopulated Information Review — whether the auto-populated GIS data appears correct, with an optional comments and file upload field for any corrections
Study status and funding commitment status
Approved plan reference
Public review status
Estimated Project Completion Year
Emergency management or mitigation plan link
Technology use description
Whether the project location has been identified as a safety concern in the past five years — if Yes, a text field and file attachment area appear to identify the source, describe the concern, and optionally upload supporting documentation (examples: safety action plan, corridor study, road safety audit, high-injury network analysis, crash records, incident reports, law enforcement documentation, public complaints, or local agency documentation)
Proven safety countermeasures (checkbox list; select Other for types not listed and provide a brief description)
Destination access types — select all destination categories (up to 11) that the project improves access to
Collision reduction, congestion improvement, multimodal LOS, and resiliency narrative descriptions
BCA safety benefits, travel time savings, emissions reductions, and BCA ratio
Supporting attachments in Section E — any additional documents such as studies, plans, or cost estimates (optional, up to 10 MB per file)

Facility Type Improvements

Note: Facility Type Improvement (crash reduction elements) is assessed by H-GAC staff reviewers as part of the D1 Safety scoring, not by applicants. Applicants do not need to select crash reduction elements in the application form. This section is provided for reference only.

A Facility Type Improvement is a physical change to the roadway or its surroundings that is designed to reduce the likelihood or severity of crashes. These improvements are based on TxDOT's Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) guidelines, which assign each improvement type a Crash Reduction Factor (CRF) — an estimate of how much that improvement is expected to reduce crashes on the facility.

The following categories are used by H-GAC reviewers:

Signing & Warning Devices

Includes warning signs, overhead signs, advance warning signals and signs at curves or intersections, school zone signs, chevrons, and delineators.

These improvements help drivers anticipate and respond to roadway conditions, such as curves, intersections, or speed changes, by providing clear visual guidance.

Traffic Signals & Beacons

Includes installing or improving traffic signals, flashing beacons, flashing yellow arrows, and signal interconnection.

These improvements manage vehicle movement at intersections, reducing conflict points between turning, crossing, and through traffic.

Pedestrian & Cyclist Facilities

Includes pedestrian signals, crosswalks, sidewalks, and pedestrian over/underpasses.

These improvements create safer, dedicated space for people walking or biking by separating them from vehicle traffic or improving visibility at crossing points.

Roadside & Median Improvements

Includes median barriers, raised medians, impact attenuation systems, bridge widening, and fixed object treatments.

These improvements reduce the consequences of a vehicle leaving the travel lane, either by physically separating opposing traffic or by removing or protecting roadside hazards.

Pavement Surface Treatments

Includes resurfacing, high friction surface treatment at curves or intersections, and safety lighting.

These improvements address crash risk related to pavement condition and visibility, such as wet surface skidding or low-light environments.

Pavement Markings & Delineation

Includes centerline striping, edge markings, pavement markings, and rumble strips (milled, raised, or profile).

These improvements reinforce lane boundaries and alert drivers when they drift from the travel lane, particularly effective on rural two-lane roadways.

Geometric & Capacity Improvements

Includes lane widening, shoulder construction, turn lanes, roundabouts, grade separations, interchanges, passing lanes, and frontage road conversions.

These improvements change the physical layout of the roadway to reduce conflict points, accommodate traffic demand, and improve the predictability of vehicle movements.

Each selected improvement must be reflected in your project's engineering plans or scope of work. If you are unsure which category applies, refer to the TxDOT HSIP Guidance document or contact H-GAC staff for assistance.

If your project includes a crash reduction element that does not fit any of the categories above, select Other and provide a brief description in the text field that appears.

Regionally Significant Project

A regionally significant project means a transportation project (other than projects that may be grouped in the TIP and/or STIP or exempt projects as defined in EPA's transportation conformity regulations (40 CFR part 93, subpart A)) that is on a facility that serves regional transportation needs — such as:

Access to and from the area outside the region
Major activity centers in the region
Major planned developments such as new retail malls, sports complexes, or employment centers
Transportation terminals

The project would normally be included in the modeling of the metropolitan area's transportation network. At a minimum, this includes all principal arterial highways and all fixed guideway transit facilities that offer an alternative to regional highway travel.

Regulatory reference: 23 CFR 450.104

Tips for Applicants

Review the GIS Summary carefully. If auto-populated values appear incorrect or missing, note this in your narrative. H-GAC staff can review data quality issues during screening.
Use the AI Assistant. The AI chat button (bottom-right) can explain GIS indicators, scoring criteria, and form fields in plain language.
Select Streets mode works best for projects along an existing roadway. Draw mode is better for intersections, area-wide improvements, or locations not on the street network.
Narratives matter. GIS data provides a preliminary screening baseline. Strong narrative responses describing project benefits, safety countermeasures, and resilience improvements are important for scoring.
FEMA "Area Not Included" does not mean no flood risk — it means FEMA does not have a mapped flood classification for that area. Evaluate flood exposure carefully if your project is in such an area.
Vulnerable Population Index is a screening tool, not the sole basis for equity scoring. Use it to help explain which communities your project serves.
You can save and return. Use My Submissions to view, edit, or delete your submitted applications before the call closes.
Railroad Crossings At Grade is auto-populated from the FRA National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory. If your project involves a highway-rail crossing — such as a grade separation, crossing upgrade, or quiet zone — reference the crossing count and verify crossing details using the FRA inventory layer on the map.
Contact H-GAC if you have questions about eligibility, data quality, or the scoring process. GIS-based results shown in the app are preliminary and subject to staff review.

Terminology & Acronyms

The following terms and acronyms are used throughout the app, scoring framework, and GIS data layers.

Term / Acronym	Definition
AADT	Annual Average Daily Traffic — the total volume of vehicle traffic on a roadway for one year divided by 365 days.
BFE	Base Flood Elevation — the computed elevation to which floodwater is anticipated to rise during the base (100-year) flood.
COMPAT	Congestion Performance and Travel Time Reliability dataset used by H-GAC to measure corridor-level congestion and reliability.
C-V Matrix	Criticality-Vulnerability Matrix — combines roadway criticality and hazard vulnerability to identify resilience priority segments.
DVMT	Daily Vehicle Miles Traveled — total miles driven on a roadway segment in one day.
DTRKVMT	Daily Truck Vehicle Miles Traveled — daily VMT attributed to truck traffic.
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency — the federal agency that produces flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) used for floodplain classification.
FRA	Federal Railroad Administration — the federal agency within USDOT responsible for rail safety. Maintains the National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory used to auto-populate at-grade crossing counts in the app.
FHWA	Federal Highway Administration — the federal agency overseeing highway programs, classifications, and funding.
F100	100-Year Floodplain — area with a 1% annual chance of flooding (also called the base flood or SFHA).
F500	500-Year Floodplain — area with a 0.2% annual chance of flooding.
GIS	Geographic Information System — a system for capturing, storing, analyzing, and displaying spatial/geographic data.
H-GAC	Houston-Galveston Area Council — the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Houston-Galveston region.
LOS	Level of Service — a qualitative measure of traffic flow conditions, ranging from A (free flow) to F (breakdown/congestion).
MPO	Metropolitan Planning Organization — the federally designated body responsible for transportation planning in urbanized areas.
MTP	Metropolitan Transportation Plan — the long-range transportation plan (same as RTP in this context).
NHS	National Highway System — a network of strategic highways important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.
NHFN	National Highway Freight Network — the federally designated network of highways critical to freight movement.
PTI	Planning Time Index — a measure of travel time reliability. PTI95 means 95% of trips take no longer than PTI × free-flow time.
RTP	Regional Transportation Plan — the long-range (20+ year) plan for transportation investments in the H-GAC region.
SFHA	Special Flood Hazard Area — the area subject to inundation by the 1% annual chance (100-year) flood.
SLR	Sea-Level Rise — projected increase in mean sea level used to evaluate long-term vulnerability of coastal transportation infrastructure.
SLOSH	Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes — NOAA model used to estimate storm surge from hurricanes by category.
TIP	Transportation Improvement Program — the short-range (4-year) program of federally funded transportation projects.
TTI	Travel Time Index — ratio of congested travel time to free-flow travel time. TTI of 1.30 means travel takes 30% longer than free flow.
TxDOT	Texas Department of Transportation — the state agency responsible for planning, design, construction, and maintenance of state highways.
VMT	Vehicle Miles Traveled — a measure of total travel on a roadway, calculated as volume × segment length.
VPI	Vulnerable Population Index — a composite indicator identifying census areas with higher concentrations of sensitive population groups.
Criticality	A measure of a roadway segment's importance based on traffic volume, emergency access, evacuation function, freight movement, and network redundancy.
Floodway	The channel of a stream and the adjacent land area that must be kept free of encroachment to allow floodwaters to pass.
Functional Classification	The grouping of roadways by the type of service they provide — from interstates and principal arterials down to local roads.
Growth Hot Spot	A statistically significant cluster of high projected population or employment growth, identified using Getis-Ord Gi* spatial statistics.
Vulnerable Population	Populations with characteristics that may make transportation access, safety, or resilience outcomes more challenging — used in place of "Environmental Justice" in the 2050 RTP framework.