TPB Priority Areas

The TPB chose to highlight three specific priority areas related to the TPB Vision for consideration by the implementing agencies when submitting projects, proposals and strategies to be included in the Plan and TIP. Click here for information on how the 2005 CLRP responded to these priority areas.

1.  Further improve safe, effective, and optimized use of traffic signals and other traffic control devices, and provide annual reports on transportation operations improvement programs, as stated as part of Goal 3, Strategy 3 in the TPB Vision: “Support the implementation of effective safety measures, including red light camera enforcement, skid-resistant pavements, elimination of roadside hazards, and better intersection controls”, and Goal 4, Strategy 1: “Deploy technologically advanced systems to monitor and manage traffic, and to control and coordinate traffic control devices, such as traffic signals, including providing priority to transit vehicles where appropriate”.
           
From 2002 to 2005, the transportation agencies of the region participated in a traffic signal timing "optimization" program undertaken as a TPB-adopted Transportation Emissions Reduction Measure (TERM). During this program, the percentage of the region’s traffic signals that were optimized rose from 45% to 68%. The TPB recognizes the efforts of the region’s transportation agencies in management, operations, and technology development, and calls for proposals to address maintaining and increasing this level of effort through traffic signal timing optimization, systems maintenance, and exploration of new technologies. Proposals should encourage congestion management, emissions reduction, and the safe and efficient use of the region’s existing transportation system by drivers, transit riders, pedestrians, bicyclists, and all members of the public. Additionally, the TPB calls for an annual report from each transportation agency describing their implementation of transportation operations improvement programs, and the impacts of those programs. This will address the public’s high level of interest in this critical topic.
           
2.  Further improve interagency coordination for incident management, as stated in Goal 4, Objective 3:“Improved management of weather emergencies and major incidences” and Goal 4, Strategy 2: “Improve incident management capabilities in the region through enhanced detection technologies and improved incident response”.
                       
On October 19, 2005, the TPB added an initial multi-year Regional Transportation Coordination Program to the CLRP and Transportation Improvement Program. The program, a partnership of the region’s major transportation agencies, is to coordinate and support regional sharing of transportation systems condition and management information during incidents through integration of systems technologies, improved procedures and planning, and improved accuracy and timeliness of transportation information provided the public. Although individual agencies continue to be the responders to incidents, the regional transportation coordination program aims to keep transportation, police and other agencies across the region in the information loop so that they may make quick decisions to manage sudden transportation system surges or other effects from regional incidents. The TPB calls for maintenance and expansion of this coordination program and related activities to benefit transportation management, safety, and security.
           
           
3. Identify how projects or proposals support the regional core and regional activity centers, as stated in Goal 2, Strategy 4 of the Vision: “Give high priority to regional planning and funding for transportation facilities that serve the regional core and regional activity centers, including expanded rail service and transit centers where passengers can switch easily from one transportation mode to another”.
                       
In 2005, an analysis of how the CLRP supported the regional activity centers and clusters was conducted and presented to the TPB.  The analysis was conducted for clusters because the centers do not line up with transportation analysis zone boundaries. The analysis showed that between 2005 and 2030, the number of activity clusters with rail stations increases. The balance between households and jobs in the clusters improves, as households become more concentrated in clusters. The share of auto commute trips to activity clusters decreases and transit use is high in activity clusters, especially in clusters within the regional core. The TPB and the Metropolitan Development Policy Committee (MDPC) will be revising the regional activity centers and clusters with Round 7.0.