WESLACO, Texas - As she relinquished her role as chairwoman of the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization’s transportation policy board, Ellie Torres made a plea for collaboration, unity, and regionalism.
“I hope we can continue to work together. Let’s not forget what we've all committed to doing, and that is to move projects forward, collaborate and communicate,” Torres said.
“That is definitely always going to be key, to communicate and collaborate. And don't forget that we are one region. Nobody outside of here knows our cities by individuality. They know us as the Rio Grande Valley. So let's behave like the Rio Grande Valley.”
The RGVMPO was established in 2019 following the merger of the Hidalgo, Harlingen-San Benito, and Brownsville MPOs, creating one of the largest MPOs in the State of Texas. As a Metropolitan Planning Organization, the RGVMPO administers over a billion dollars in federal and state funds for transportation projects, ensuring funds are used to meet our region's needs. The RGVMPO serves the counties of Hidalgo, Cameron, and Starr, facilitating coordinated transportation planning and funding across the Rio Grande Valley.
The Transportation Policy Board is the decision-making body of the RGVMPO.
Torres, county commissioner for Precinct 2 in Hidalgo County, served as the committee’s chair for two years. Her term ended Oct. 24. The new Chair is Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr. In an interview with the RGG Business Journal at the conclusion of the meeting, Cowen said he agreed with Torres’ comments about working regionally.
“I think it is imperative that we work as one region to to make progress. If we're all going to be focused only on our cities or counties, it's not going to be as impactful. And I think under her (Torres’) leadership, we've seen a big change in the way the MPO does business - more transparent, more accountable, and I think we'll be more effective (in the future).”
Under the RGVMPO’s by-laws, the chairmanship alternates between representatives from Hidalgo and Cameron counties. Now that the Chair is from Cameron County, the post of vice-chair is held by a representative from Hidalgo County. The City of McAllen has taken on this role.
One of the RGVMPO board members is Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr. He thanked Torres for her leadership.
“You hit the ground running,” Treviño said. “More than anything, you set a very good example for the rest of us and for the upcoming chair and future chair.”
Mayor Cowen echoed Treviño’s remarks.
“You definitely led by example,” Cowen said of Torres. “As we all know, the MPO is a very complicated, a very consequential organization, and you've helped bring everyone together. You’ve helped raise the bar for our region, and I have some big shoes to fill. But we're going to continue to make progress as a team. So, thank you again for your leadership.”
An RGVMPO staff member read aloud this resolution thanking Torres for her leadership: “In recognition of your exceptional stewardship and forward thinking guidance as a 2024-2025 Chair of the RGVMPO transportation policy board, your dedication has paved the way for a stronger, more resilient and accessible transportation future for the residents of our region.”
There has been criticism in the past that the RGV MPO does not move quickly enough on shovel-ready projects. That criticism has come from state Rep. Terry Canales of Edinburg, and the Texas Department of Transportation, among others. By working on projects that are not shovel-ready, ones that will take more time to complete, consultants and outside engineering firms can pad out their expenses, according to critics. In his interview with the Business Journal, Chairman Cowen addressed this issue.
“I think it is all about executing, getting projects shovel-ready and off the ground… getting the money that we receive from the federal government, through TxDOT, getting those projects going. Because, as we know, the Valley is growing rapidly and we need to get those projects executed so we can go to the state and the federal government and say, hey, we need more money because we have already executed our budget.”
Cowen said that at a specially convened meeting held Oct. 24, RGVMPO effectively addressed previous criticism.
“I think that (criticism) was specifically addressed at this meeting, where we approved our plan, what we call a fiscally constrained plan, which means the projects that are in the plan are ones we can afford, and they're ready to go in the timeframes that they're allotted,” Cowen told the Business Journal.
“It’s really important to show TxDOT that we are effective. Ultimately, that's the goal of the MPO, to get projects going to improve transportation infrastructure in the RGV.”
Cowen added: “The big change (at this meeting) was to approve a project readiness report that we review at every meeting. So that it is very clear where the projects are and what's still left to be done, so that we know how to prioritize. It's very transparent and objective. You can compare projects against each other and say, obviously this is ready first.”
