CTCOG is the Rural Planning Organization (RPO) for the seven counties within its jurisdiction.  The RPO includes all areas that are outside of the Killeen-Temple Metropolitan Planning Organization (KTMPO) boundary.  As such, the RPO area includes the counties of Hamilton, Milam, Mills, and San Saba, and the vast majority of Coryell and Lampasas Counties.

Transportation planning in the rural areas of the CTCOG region follows a similar planning process as is conducted in the urban areas.  The Statewide Long-Range Transportation Plan 2035 (SLRTP), which was adopted by the Texas Transportation Commission in 2010, serves as the state’s 24-year, multi-modal “blueprint” for the transportation planning process.  There is both an urban and rural component of the SLRTP.  The urban component is the Texas Metropolitan Transportation Plan (TMTP), and the rural component is the Texas Rural Transportation Plan (TRTP).  Appendices are found on TxDOT’s website.

Development of the TRTP is a collaborative process involving TxDOT, regional councils of government, rural transportation planning organizations, the traveling public and various public and private transportation organizations.

In addition to the SLRTP, every state has a statewide transportation improvement program (STIP). The STIP also has an urban and rural component.  The STIP lists transportation projects that are expected to move forward within a four-year planning horizon. Before proceeding to construction or implementation, a project must be listed on the STIP.