This post has been updated with a new application deadline. 

The TPB is currently accepting applications for the Community Advisory Committee (CAC). Formerly known as the Citizens Advisory Committee, the CAC is a group of 24 people from throughout the Washington metropolitan region who represent diverse viewpoints on long-term transportation policy.

Apply for the Community Advisory Committee 

At the November TPB meeting, the board approved a suite of recommendations for updating the
CAC. In addition to changing the name, the board approved changes that extend the term for CAC members from one to two years and make meetings more accessible by offering in-person and remote participation options.

Following the board’s recent recommitment to equity, the CAC’s mission was updated to include an explicit focus on equity. The committee’s updated mission is to promote public involvement in transportation planning for the region, to advance equitable representation in regional transportation planning, and to provide independent region-oriented community advice to the TPB on transportation plans and issues.

The biggest change was an updated committee structure. Historically, the committee had 15 members and up to nine alternates. Starting in 2021, the committee will have 24 members and no alternates. Fifteen of these members will be selected by state – five each from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Nine additional members will be selected to ensure diversity and to get more involvement from people living in TPB member jurisdictions that don’t often have members on the CAC.

A brief history of the CAC

The CAC got its start in 1992 when a group of residents who regularly attended TPB meetings saw an opportunity to establish a formal committee to ensure more public involvement in the TPB process. The current committee structure was formalized by a board resolution in 1999.

Over the years, the CAC has pushed for more multimodal considerations, asked the TPB to incorporate scenario planning into its long-range planning activities, and led the effort to launch the TPB’s Transportation Land-Use Connections program.

What’s coming up in 2021?

During the 2021-2022 term, members can expect to provide input and help promote involvement in Visualize 2045, the region’s long-range transportation plan. There will also be an opportunity to provide region-oriented advice to the board on topics ranging from transportation safety to climate change.

If you live in the Washington region and are interested advising regional decision makers by serving on the 2021-2022 CAC. The application deadline is December 16.

Apply for the Community Advisory Committee 

The TPB is expected to approve appointments to the committee at its January 21, 2021 board meeting. The CAC’s two-year term begins in February 2021 and runs to December 2022.