Lozano: Hidalgo County RMA holds ‘primacy’ or jurisdiction over the County Loop

Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority is a governmental agency created by the Texas Transportation Commission and the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court.

Our purpose is to help plan for and accelerate needed transportation projects within the county. The RMA identifies opportunities to expedite essential transportation projects under the direction of a local board, making local decisions about local mobility needs that improve the quality of life and economic growth for all residents in our region. Our seven-member Board of Directors includes four members appointed by the County Commissioners Court, one appointed by the Hidalgo County Judge, one chosen by the City of McAllen (the largest city in the county), and a presiding officer, the Chairman of the Board, who is appointed by the Governor of Texas.

I was appointed as Chairman of the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority (RMA), which gives me a seat at the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The MPO facilitates collaboration among all communities in the Rio Grande Valley and the Texas Department of Transportation to address regional needs and administer federal and state transportation funds allocated to our region.

Having been appointed to chair the RMA late last year, I quickly learned about the history of the much-discussed Hidalgo County Loop, including its location, construction methods, timeline, and responsible parties. My previous roles as RGV Partnership President, McAllen Chamber President, and McAllen EDC President gave me some familiarity with the loop. However, as RMA Chairman, I quickly discovered that transportation is a complex and often political subject. Questions about where roads are going, who is building them, when they will be built, and how they will be funded all contribute to complexities and debates among stakeholders.

The RMA holds “primacy” or jurisdiction over the county loop, a subject that has, for some reason, been contested by certain stakeholders in our county. Hidalgo County Commissioner Ever Villarreal and Mission Mayor Nori Gonzalez Garza have repeatedly, through signed communication, requested that the MPO designate the County as the “Project Sponsor” for two western portions of the county loop, Sections A1 and A2, and list these sections as non-tolled facilities on the RGV MPO Metropolitan Transportation Plan unfunded project list.

The first time this request was made, it did not pass at the MPO due to the question of primacy or jurisdiction—whether it belonged to the RMA or the County. While the primacy question has since been settled and acknowledged by all as belonging to the RMA, the second time the request was made, the MPO Policy Board voted to include Sections A1 and A2 as non-toll facilities in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan unfunded project list, with Hidalgo County as the Project Sponsor. Although my knowledge may be limited given my recent involvement, as Chairman, I represent a unanimous board that believes the purpose and reason for the creation of the Regional Mobility Authority are precisely for these types of projects. Therefore, I used my vote on the MPO policy board to vote “against” the request. Mayor Norie, who has a seat on the policy board, made the motion for the request. County Commissioner and current MPO board chairwoman Ellie Torres seconded the motion, with all other policy board members abstaining, leading to the motion’s passage. Apparently, they represent other stakeholders in the county, have advice from their legal counsel, and have been directed through the process by their local engineering consultants, which brings us to where we are today.

By virtue of the vote at the MPO Policy Board, Hidalgo County, rather than the Hidalgo County RMA, is listed as the Sponsor of Section A1 and A2 of the western portion of the county loop on the MTP’s unfunded project list. Frankly, I am not certain what this ultimately means, but as chair of the RMA, I know that I represent a board that is working to carry out our mission and serve the needs of the citizens of Hidalgo County. Great things are happening in our community, and by working together, I am certain that great things are in store for our future.

Editor’s Note: The above commentary was provided by Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority Chairman Robert Lozano in response to a question from the Rio Grande Guardian. It relates to a motion about two sections of the Hidalgo County Loop project that was debated at an RGV Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting. 

Editor’s Note: Click here for a related Rio Grande Guardian story.  

The post Lozano: Hidalgo County RMA holds ‘primacy’ or jurisdiction over the County Loop appeared first on Rio Grande Guardian.