SAN BENITO — Area residents will have an opportunity this evening to make their thoughts and ideas on proposed highway and road projects part of the public record.
The Harlingen-San Benito Metropolitan Planning Organization is hosting a town hall meeting at Harlingen City Hall at 118 E. Tyler Ave. from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight.
The discussion will revolve around the Transportation Improvement Program, known as the TIP program, about to be approved for 2019-2022.
“We like to get the public involved in our process and make sure they’re aware of the projects coming up,” J. Joel Garza Jr., director of the Harlingen-San Benito MPO, said yesterday. “Sad to say, at most of our meetings, people don’t come that often.”
The previous TIP plan covered 2017-2020, and many of the $17.6 million in projects are finished or in the bidding or construction process.
The new TIP plan has about 27 projects and will be funded by federal, state and local matches to the tune of around $31 million.
“This plan won’t get approved until next month, so any comments that we receive we’ll bring it up to the board and they ultimately at the end of the day decide the implementation of these projects,” Garza said.