Court approves countywide thoroughfare plan
Houston-Galveston Area Council. The Chambers County Thoroughfare Plan outlines current and potential roadways throughout the county.
ANAHUAC— After years of research, collaboration and public comments, the Chambers County Thoroughfare Plan was officially approved in an effort to navigate growth in the area.
Chambers County Commissioners Court passed the plan following a public hearing on Tuesday, April 22.
"It's just a plan. It's helping the county plan for the future," said Zachary Vogler, county engineer.
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., and the Houston-Galveston Area Council worked together to develop the county's thoroughfare plan, beginning in the summer of 2023.
County Judge Jimmy Sylvia said the county has created thoroughfare plans in the past, but it's "been a long time" since the last.
The four main goals in creating the plan were to move people and goods efficiently, improve safety, strengthen regional economic competitiveness, and conserve and protect natural and cultural resources.
The plan is a 30-year framework that preserves right-of-way for future roadways, coordinated with surrounding counties. The plan established consistent design guidelines to create a cohesive roadway system.
The plan identified gaps in the county's roadway network to better improve the network over time and a crash analysis was conducted to aid in creating a safer network.
The plan also identified issues and needs within the current network, including high truck traffic in a residential area southwest of Beach City, environmental concerns between Cove and Anahuac, congestion management for Interstate 10 and hurricane evacuation concerns in Winnie headed south.
The plan does not change land ownership, nor does it consider cost estimates for any roadway project.
In a PowerPoint provided by HGAC in early March, benefits of the plan were listed as countywide plan, current information, needs-oriented approach, public engagement, roadway connectivity, evacuation routes and inter-county plan continuity.
Throughout the planning stages, county residents were allowed to voice concerns or opinions about the roadway system, including two public meetings and two one-month-long online surveys.
The plan includes cross-sections ranging from two-lane to six-lane roadways with various designs.
Now that the plan has been approved by the commissioners, Chambers County will work with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to develop a County Corridor Agreement Program.