Transportation
This Strategic Plan is the third in a series and follows the accomplishments of previous efforts. The original Plan was developed in 2000. The process includes an ongoing dialogue with regional transportation agencies, local elected officials and the general public. During Fiscal Year 2007, 40 public meetings were held in various locations throughout the region. NCTCOG transportation staff also participated in more than 20 community events to respond to questions, present programs, and distribute information about regional transportation and air quality issues. Successful media outreach efforts were also conducted, including the distribution of multiple press releases to more than 200 media outlets and interviews with local print, radio and television media.
Throughout this work, staff discussed the plans, projects, partnerships, policies, performance, and programs of the transportation department and received feedback on the work being done. Development of and modifications to the Unified Planning Work Program were discussed at several public meetings throughout the year, providing an opportunity to discuss and comment on the areas of focus for department staff.
A few issues from the 2003-2007 Strategic Plan remain priorities, including: Regional Transit Infrastructure and Implementation, Addressing the Funding Shortfall, Air Quality, Safety/Security, and Inefficient Development Patterns Which Increase Transportation Constraints (Land Use/Transportation Connection). Two new initiatives have gained momentum in the last year, and will continue into the next strategic plan: Aviation and Goods Movement.
Two of the initiatives have agency-wide implications. “Security,” as it relates to the transportation system has been integrated into the regional initiatives of the Emergency Preparedness Department. In a similar fashion, “Inefficient Development Patterns Which Increase Transportation Constraints” has been combined with related land use and resource issues addressed by the Department of Environment and Development.
Major Issues
 ISSUE: Regional Transit Infrastructure and Implementation - Lack of seamless regional transit services. By 2030 more people in the Dallas-Fort Worth region will live outside the existing transit service area than inside, creating a challenge for travelers to utilize transit.
- Vision of Success: To provide the Dallas-Fort Worth region with a seamless regional transit system that provides transportation and mobility opportunities for all citizens.
- Steps to Success:
- Build upon the momentum generated from political and grass roots efforts during the 2007 legislative session related to a local option sales tax dedicated for transit purposes.
- Coordinate metropolitan transportation plan recommendations with local transit agencies through an RTC Subcommittee focused on transit implementation.
- Support local transit agencies in their efforts to pursue federal funding for projects.
- Explore and analyze potential rail transit corridors not currently identified in the metropolitan transportation plan.
- Implement recently approved transit operation initiatives providing seamless services for all citizens.
- Indicators of Success:
- Legislative authority to hold local elections for expansion of transit initiatives.
ISSUE: Funding Shortfall - Lack of funding available to meet critical transportation needs in the region and state. Revenue estimates to implement Mobility 2030: The Metropolitan Transportation Plan identify significant levels of new, innovative funding streams to offset falling federal/state transportation funding from gas tax revenues. Partnerships among federal, state, and local governments; between roadway and transit agencies; and between the public and the private sectors are going to be even more important in the future as we try to maximize funding. The RTC’s priority is to maintain the existing infrastructure before building new facilities with about 40 cents of every dollar going to maintain the current infrastructure. Without increased revenue, needed transportation improvements will not occur.
- Vision of Success: Enhanced mobility in the region resulting from increased project programming and construction from partnership programs, institutional structure modifications, and enhanced user fees.
- Steps to Success:
- Develop an enhanced legislative strategy by:
- Reviewing the role and structure of the regions legislative initiatives and recommending improvements.
- Reviewing the outcome of recent legislative sessions and recommending improvements in programs.
- Reviewing opportunities to implement legislative initiatives aimed at raising transportation revenues.
- Continuing priority of maintaining existing infrastructure before building new infrastructure.
- Implementing Partnership Programs and Regional Toll Revenue Funding Initiatives approved by the RTC.
- Indicators of Success:
- Increased revenue for the implementation of transportation improvements.
 ISSUE: Air Quality - Regional ozone levels exceed federal standards with mobile sources being a primary contributor to regional pollutant emissions. The region is in non-attainment for the ozone standard and has only a few years to reach attainment.
- Vision of Success: Attainment and maintenance of federal air quality standards while implementing the metropolitan transportation plan.
- Steps to Success:
- Support the?RTC and the NCTCOG Air Quality Steering Committee.
- Perform transportation conformity analyses on the metropolitan transportation plan.
- Identify and implement regional projects, programs and policies to reduce pollutant emissions.
- Provide outreach/education to local governments, businesses, and public regarding air quality issues.
- Assist in the development of the Dallas-Fort Worth State Implementation Plans for air quality improvements.
- Pursue air quality legislative goals at state and Federal levels.
- Indicators of Success:
- Reduction in regional ozone levels and compliance with federal air quality requirements.
ISSUE: Safety – Unacceptable number of injuries and fatalities related to transportation activities. There are approximately 1,200 fatalities each year on our transportation system. This includes drivers, passengers, construction workers, first responders, and pedestrian/bicycle users.
- Vision of Success: Improved transportation safety for travelers and users in the region through data collection, analysis, training, education, enforcement and engineering.
- Steps to Success:
- Establish a Regional Safety Information System.
- Improve railroad grade crossings and other high crash locations.
- Coordinate hazardous material routes for trucks traveling in the region.
- Train emergency response professionals to better manage freeway incidents.
- Offer and support transportation safety seminars and workshop opportunities.
- Develop programs to reduce injury and fatalities of construction workers.
- Indicators of Success:
- Reduced number of personal injury and fatalities of transportation related crashes in the region.
ISSUE: Security – Lack of coordination between transportation agencies and emergency response agencies in the region. Using transportation assets to aid emergency response and the increased security to protect transportation assets is of critical importance.
- Vision of Success: Through planning activities, provide opportunities for transportation security partners to work together to improve the security of our transportation system and provide opportunities to assist with security objectives.
- Steps to Success:
- Increase cooperative transportation security planning.
- Develop and implement projects, programs and policies that enhance the security of our transportation system.
- Develop communication system to exchange transportation related data and video.
- Utilize modeling tools to better predict and plan for travel demand during a catastrophic event.
- Indicators of Success:
- Increased involvement of transportation agencies and emergency response agencies in the transportation security planning process.
ISSUE: Land Use/Transportation Connection. Need to focus on sustainable development as the region’s new strategic approach to transportation planning, programming, and construction which will leverage the land use/transportation relationship to improve mobility, enhance air quality, support economic growth, and assist with the financial stability of the transportation system.
- Vision of Success: Fund and assist in the implementation of land use and transportation projects which reduce the demand for single occupant vehicle users.
- Steps to Success:
- Promote economic development with greener outcomes.
- Make decisions based on impacts to land use, congestion, vehicle miles of travel, and the viability of alternative transportation modes.
- Increase the number and size of developments in the region which have lower demand on the roadway system on a per household basis.
- Promote planning efforts which seek to balance access, finance, mobility, affordability, community efforts, and environmental quality.
- Provide public information and assistance with efforts to become more focused on sustainable development.
- Indicators of Success:
- Publish annually the vehicle miles of travel estimate per person and household. The measure should be estimated with and without truck travel being included.
 ISSUE: Aviation. Conduct aviation planning to preserve existing resources and plan for future needs.
- Vision of Success: Successfully conduct a Regional General Aviation and Heliport System Plan, along with a Joint Land Use Study and associated implementation surrounding the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth. Create a plan for surface transportation routes to aviation facilities and provide technical assistance to local governments on issues related to aviation facilities.
- Steps to Success:
- Facilitate meetings of the Air Transportation Technical Advisory Committee and the Joint Land Use Study Policy Committee.
- Inventory the aviation system to assess current facilities and needs.
- Forecast aviation demand in the future to assess future capital needs and roles for individual airports.
- Assess surface roadway needs surrounding airports, including air cargo.
- Address the effects of urban development on aviation facilities to ensure their preservation in the future.
- Indicators of Success:
- Publish annually the capacity remaining at air carrier airports.
- Publish annually the number of general aviation aircraft and capacity at general aviation airports.
- Develop and publish a qualitative land use compatibility measure for the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base.
 ISSUE: Goods Movement. The movement of goods in the region is a primary source of jobs and economic growth potential for the region, but goods movement also contributes to and is impacted by congestion, accidents, air quality efforts and delays. With the coming increase in regional population and employment in rural areas, mobility and transportation safety must be increased for both freight and passenger traffic traveling through and within the region.
- Vision of Success: Enhanced mobility and safety for freight truck and freight rail traffic, as well as increased freight-oriented development within the region.
- Steps to Success:
- Increase cooperative freight planning.
- Expand the truck lane restrictions within the region.
- Develop a solution for Tower 55.
- Implement the Diesel Freight Idle Reduction Phase I program.
- Integrate logistics and goods movement with economic development and transportation operations.
- Develop the Regional Loop.
- Indicators of Success:
- Publish regular reports on progress toward the Regional Loop (i.e., 240 miles) and Tower 55.
- Publish lane miles of truck lane restrictions on regional freeways.
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