Overview of the Transportation System

Two of our region’s biggest challenges are improving mobility and air quality. One of the key tools to meet these challenges is the region’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The RTP serves as the blueprint that will guide the Houston-Galveston Metropolitan Transportation Area in the development of transportation projects to be implemented over the next two decades. The area covered by the RTP includes Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller counties.

The Houston-Galveston region has an extensive transportation system that includes roadways, transit facilities, airports, and water ports. The development of the regional roadway and transit network is a key element of regional land use and population distribution. A few of the major elements of the transportation system are:

• 25,785 centerline miles of freeways and major roadways including: I-10, I-45, US-59, Loop 610, Beltway 8, US-225, and US-290
• 71 miles of HOV lanes (113 miles are planned)
• 133 transit routes served by 1,402 buses
• 7 mile light rail line from Relaint Park to the CBD
• 29 commuter transit routes
• 5 rail freight yards and 1 Amtrak station
• 24 Park & Ride lots serving 26,287 vehicles
• 3 Commercial Airports - Ellington Field, Bush Intercontinental and Hobby serving over 40 million passengers
• 4 Ports - Brazosport, Port of Galveston, Port of Houston and Port of Texas City handling over 250 million tons of cargo per year