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Waller County remains primarily rural but it's becoming home to a lot more people. Between 2010 and 2016 the county's population grew by close to 16% percent. Alan Clark with the Houston-Galveston Area Council says you now have a situation where a suburban population is having to get around on old farm-to-market roads.
"They take a lot of turns, to the right, to the left, up and down along the way,” explains Clark. “And some of those really need to be widened. They also need to be straightened."
H-GAC is now seeking input on its Waller County Transportation Plan, which Clark says will serve as a guide for future planning. Along with building new roads, Clark says they also need to find ways to preserve green space.
"Waller County is a lot like our other counties,” says Clark. “It experiences significant flooding at different times. So drainage and flood management along major roadways is another issue that will be discussed."
And there’s also a strong desire to protect Waller County’s rural character, especially on the Katy Prairie and along the Brazos River.
"I don't believe the residents of Waller County want to see those natural assets disappear,” says Clark. “In fact I think they are looking for enhancement and protection for those areas."
There's a couple of informational meetings where Waller County residents can comment on the plan. The first is October 10 at the Brookshire Convention Center. The second is October 12 at the Waller County Community Center in Prairie View. Both meetings have an open-house format and they’re from 6:00-8:00 PM.
