MWCOG.org - TPB Weekly Report

Seven years ago, the Transportation Planning Board hosted its first Community Leadership Institute, or CLI, a workshop-style event designed to help current or emerging citizen leaders from around the Washington region learn about how transportation decisions are made and how to become more involved in the decision-making process. more...

April 2013

Long-Term "Aspirations" Scenario Could Bring More Travel Options, Relief From Growing Delay
April 30, 2013

Imagine a future in which travel options like transit, bicycling, and walking would be safer and more practical for more people in the region, and drivers would have the option to bypass congestion and enjoy more reliable travel times on many of the region's highways.

That's the predicted effect of the Transportation Planning Board's "CLRP Aspirations" scenario, an alternative long-term vision for the region calling for a comprehensive network of express toll lanes and bus rapid transit on many of the interstates and other major highways in the region and concentrating future housing and job growth near current or planned transit stations. more...

"Bike To Work Day" on May 17 to Promote Bicycle Commuting and Safety
April 23, 2013

On Friday, May 17, thousands of Washington area residents will take to roads, bicycle lanes, and shared-use paths to commute to work by bicycle in the region's thirteenth annual Bike to Work Day. more...

"Street Smart" Promoting Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety as Weather Warms and Days Grow Longer
April 16, 2013

Between now and mid-May, motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists throughout the region will hear and see reminders about how to stay safe and avoid traffic accidents as warmer spring weather and longer daylight hours bring more people out on foot and on bicycles. more...

New Funding Will Allow Wheelchair-Accessible Taxicab Pilot Program in the District to Continue
April 9, 2013

A pilot program implemented by the Transportation Planning Board to provide wheelchair-accessible taxicab service in the District of Columbia will continue now that District officials have committed a portion of the funding needed to keep the pilot going and to expand it by adding more ramp- and lift-equipped vehicles. more...

In-Depth Surveys Highlight Travel Patterns in Areas With Different Household Characteristics and Transportation Options
April 2, 2013

The results of a series of in-depth travel surveys released by the Transportation Planning Board in March highlight key differences in how people live and travel in higher-density areas with greater proximity to transit compared to those with lower densities and fewer travel options. more...

March 2013

Survey Finds Number of Local "Complete Streets" Policies in the Region Growing
March 26, 2013

Less than a year after the Transportation Planning Board adopted its regional policy endorsing "Complete Streets," most major jurisdictions in the region now have their own such policies in place aimed at providing adequate and safe access for all street users, according to a December 2012 survey of the TPB's member jurisdictions. more...

Online "Clearinghouse" Provides Access to Regional Traffic, Transit, and Growth Data
March 19, 2013

For decades the Transportation Planning Board has made the data and information it collects about the region's transportation system available to the public, including road traffic counts and transit ridership numbers. Now, the TPB is making much of that information available online so that local planners and decision-makers, developers, consultants, and anyone else can access it, after obtaining login information from the site administrator. more...

TLC Studies Focus on Making Areas Near Transit Safer, Easier to Use, and More Affordable
March 12, 2013

In 2012, the Transportation Planning Board funded three planning studies to look at ways to make commercial and residential areas near transit stations in the Washington region safer and easier to use, or to make those areas more affordable places to live. more...

Under MAP-21, a Portion of "Transportation Alternatives" Funding To Be Awarded Regionally
March 5, 2013

Starting this year, under a provision in the latest version of the federal law authorizing the flow of transportation dollars to states and localities in the region, the Transportation Planning Board will decide what projects receive a portion of funding intended for "alternatives to traditional highway construction." more...

February 2013

Projects in Annual Update to Region's Transportation Plan Advance, But With One Key Change in Response to Public Input
February 26, 2013

The annual process of updating the region's constrained long-range transportation plan, or CLRP, started last October when the Transportation Planning Board called on state, local, and regional transportation agencies to submit their proposed additions and changes.

Now, following a period of public comment on the package of 21 proposals that were submitted by the Virginia and District of Columbia departments of transportation, the TPB will continue the process of updating the plan by determining whether shifts in travel patterns that might happen because of the proposed changes will push future vehicle-related emissions above targets previously set by the region and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. more...

TPB's Citizens Advisory Committee Celebrates 20 Years of Providing Citizen Input
February 19, 2013

On a December evening in 1992, a group of Washington area residents gathered for the first meeting of the Transportation Planning Board's Citizens Advisory Committee. more...

Region Ranked "Worst" For Congestion, But Options For Avoiding Traffic Are Expanding
February 12, 2013

For the fourth year in a row, the Washington region was named "worst in the country" in the Texas A&M Transportation Institute's annual ranking of metropolitan areas based on how much time they say drivers spend "stuck in traffic" each year during the morning and afternoon commutes. more...

TPB Urges State Leaders to Increase Funding for Transportation
February 5, 2013

In a December letter to state leaders, the Transportation Planning Board urged immediate action to increase funding for transportation in the Washington region, citing recent analysis showing that the transportation improvements currently planned through 2040 -- given existing revenue streams -- won't be enough to keep up with expected population and job growth in coming decades. more...

January 2013

More Travel Options, Greater Accountability Needed Before Public Would Support Congestion Pricing, Area Residents Say
January 29, 2013

In a recent study of public opinion regarding congestion pricing, the Transportation Planning Board found cautious receptivity to the idea of charging Washington area drivers new fees to use the region's roads as a way to manage worsening congestion and to pay for much-needed transportation improvements. more...

Proximity Matters Most in Choosing Which Airport to Use, Local Air Travelers Say
January 22, 2013

The majority of air travelers in the Washington region say that proximity to their hotel, place of business, or home matters most in choosing which of the region's three major airports to use, according to the results of a 2011 Transportation Planning Board air passenger survey. more...

Solo Driving to Account for Smaller Share of Commute Trips in 2040
January 15, 2013

Between now and 2040, the share of people who drive alone to and from work each day is expected to fall while the share of people who choose to carpool, bicycle, or walk to work will increase, according to the results of the Transportation Planning Board's latest travel forecasts. The share of people who take transit is expected to remain roughly the same. more...

Accuracy of Growth Forecasts Made 20 Years Ago Varied From Jurisdiction to Jurisdiction
January 8, 2013

When local planners gathered more than 20 years ago to forecast how many people would be living and working in the Washington region in 2010, they underestimated how much the population would swell and were optimistic when it came to how many new jobs there would be. more...

Holiday - No Report
January 1, 2013

December 2012

Holiday - No Report
December 25, 2012

Worsening Congestion Expected to Reduce Access to Jobs For Some, Not Others
December 18, 2012

A recent Transportation Planning Board analysis that shows worsening congestion on the region's roadways and transit systems through 2040 also predicts an overall decline in the average number of jobs that will be reasonably accessible by car, even as more than 1.1 million new jobs are forecast to be added in the region during the period. At the same time, the average number of jobs accessible within a 45-minute trip by transit is expected to grow. more...

Without Major Changes, Current Planning and Funding Trajectories Portend Worsening Congestion, Analysis Finds
December 11, 2012

Travelers in the Washington region will face considerably more roadway and transit congestion in coming decades if current planning and funding trajectories are allowed to continue. That's the main finding of a recent Transportation Planning Board analysis of how well the projects and programs in the region's long-range transportation plan will meet the increased demands brought on by anticipated population and job growth over the next three decades. more...

Citizen Leaders Gather to Learn About Regional Transportation Decision-Making
December 4, 2012

A group of current or emerging citizen leaders and other interested individuals from around the Washington region gathered recently to learn about how transportation decisions are made in the region and how to become more involved in the decision-making process. more...

November 2012

New Tools Would Help Visitors Find Alternative Ways to Access Region's National Park Sites
November 27, 2012

A new website and smartphone application to help visitors of the federally-owned cultural, historic, and recreational attractions in the Washington region find ways other than by car to get to those sites could become a reality if the Transportation Planning Board and the National Park Service receive a federal grant for which they jointly applied earlier this year. more...

Holiday - No Report
November 20, 2012

Household Travel Patterns Suggest Electric Vehicles Could Be Practical for Many Trips in Region
November 13, 2012

At 7.7 miles, the average length of a one-way trip by car in the Washington region is well within the range of a typical electric vehicle on a single battery charge, according to a recent Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments report assessing the region's readiness for more widespread use of electric vehicles. more...

"Street Smart" Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Campaign to Run Nov. 12 through Nov. 24
November 6, 2012

Many motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians whose evening commutes last week occurred in the daylight will for the next several months be commuting in the glare of the setting sun or after dark thanks to the end of Daylight Saving Time and the earlier sunsets that accompany both it and the start of winter.

The Transportation Planning Board's semi-annual "Street Smart" bicycle and pedestrian safety campaign -- set to launch next Monday, November 12, and run through the Thanksgiving holiday -- will use mass media to remind motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians of the region's traffic safety laws and how to stay safe in the darker conditions of the late fall and winter. more...

October 2012

TLC Studies to Begin in Nine Local Jurisdictions Around the Region
October 31, 2012

Nine studies aimed at promoting the integration of transportation and land-use planning at the local level will kick off around the Washington region in the coming weeks. The projects will be funded under the Transportation/Land-Use Connections Program, which was created by the Transportation Planning Board in 2006 to help local jurisdictions identify key improvements to help make the transportation system and development patterns support one another more effectively. more...

"Call for Projects" Kicks Off Annual Update to Region's Transportation Plan
October 23, 2012

It's time again for transportation agencies in the Washington region to identify new projects or programs to include in the region's constrained long-range transportation plan, or CLRP, which goes out to the year 2040, or in the six-year transportation improvement program, known as the TIP. more...

New Federal Ozone Standard Requires Emissions Forecasts for 2015
October 16, 2012

This fall, the Transportation Planning Board will forecast vehicle-related emissions of ozone-forming pollutants in the Washington region for the year 2015. The forecasts are required under a new, more stringent federal standard for ground-level ozone concentrations that was first proposed in 2008 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and finalized in May of this year. more...

TIGER Grant Helping to Build Region's First BRT Line
October 9, 2012

The region's first bus rapid transit line could be operating in Northern Virginia by early 2014 thanks in part to a federal TIGER grant received by the Transportation Planning Board two years ago. more...

Telework Continues to Gain Popularity as Technology Advances, Employers Grant More Flexibility
October 2, 2012

More than 600,000 people in the Washington region telework "at least occasionally" and another 500,000 say they "could and would" work remotely if given the opportunity, according to the results of a 2010 Transportation Planning Board survey of commuters' travel patterns. That's nearly half of the region's 2010 workforce of around 2.4 million people. more...

September 2012

Task Force to Ask: "Can 'Bus-on-Shoulder' Work in the Washington Region?"
September 25, 2012

More express and local transit buses that operate on the region's highways could eventually, in select locations and under certain traffic conditions, be allowed to use shoulders to bypass especially bad congestion in regular travel lanes if a new task force set up by the Transportation Planning Board finds that it would be safe, practical, and advantageous to do so. more...

Transportation Priorities Plan Needed to Make Region's Economy Stronger, More Competitive
September 18, 2012

A current Transportation Planning Board effort to identify the region's top transportation infrastructure needs and ways to pay for those improvements is, according to a report released last week by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, one of five key ways the Washington region can help make its economy stronger and more competitive. more...

New Study to Identify Near-Term Multimodal Access Improvements Needed to Support Development Near Rail Transit Stations
September 11, 2012

Making the most of the Washington region's existing transit system by promoting development near underutilized rail transit stations only makes sense, especially at a time when future funding for transportation is uncertain and significant expansions of the transit network are unlikely anytime soon. more...

New Federal Transportation Law Brings Changes, Opportunities for Region
September 5, 2012

Three years and eleven short-term extensions after the previous funding act expired, Congress in June passed a new law authorizing the expenditure of federal funds for transportation through September 2014. more...

August 2012

Detailed Traffic Information Helps Explain "Back-to-School" Jump in Travel Delays
August 28, 2012

This time next week, many travelers who use the region's freeways may be facing another significant "back-to-school" jump in congestion-related travel delays, following two months -- July and August -- that usually bring a temporary reduction in traffic back-ups in the Washington region. more...

Washington Region to Join World in Celebrating Car Free Day on Saturday, Sept. 22
August 21, 2012

Carpool to the game. Ride Metro to a museum. Bike or walk to the grocery store. Combine errands. These are just a few of the ways that organizers of the Washington area's 2012 Car Free Day -- scheduled for Saturday, September 22 -- say people can reduce or eliminate their use of private automobiles in celebration of the diversity of transportation modes available in the region. more...

Annual TPB Work Program Supports Regional Decision-Making
August 14, 2012

On July 1, the annual work program and budget for the Transportation Planning Board and its staff for the coming year went into effect detailing the TPB's ongoing role in meeting regional transportation planning requirements mandated by the federal government, serving as a regional forum for planners, policymakers, and decision-makers, and providing technical resources to aid transportation decision-making in the Washington region. more...

In Search for Legion Bridge Solutions, Officials Look to Details on Travel Patterns
August 7, 2012

Drivers wanting to cross the Potomac River between Fairfax and Montgomery Counties have only one option: the American Legion Bridge on the Capital Beltway. Opened to traffic for the first time in December 1962, the Legion Bridge today carries more than 232,000 cars and trucks a day -- 10% more than it did in 2000, and nearly four times more than it did in 1965. more...

July 2012

Study Identifies "Hot Spots" For Bus Delays, Makes Recommendations to Improve On-Time Performance
July 31, 2012

When buses encounter delay, riders are inconvenienced and transit agencies are left to pick up the added operational costs of being stuck in traffic. A recent study led by the Transportation Planning Board has, for the first time, identified the top corridors or intersections throughout the Washington region where buses encounter the greatest travel delay and has made specific recommendations for "priority treatment" improvements in six of the worst locations to speed buses and to improve on-time performance. more...

Updates to 30-Year Transportation Plan and Growth Forecasts Bring Region's Future Into Clearer Focus
July 24, 2012

As it adopted updates to the region's 30-year transportation plan during its most recent meeting on July 18, the Transportation Planning Board at the same time made official new regional forecasts of population and job growth that were compiled by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) earlier this year. Together, the long-range plan and the new growth forecasts make it easier to see what the Washington region will look like in 2040 under current trajectories of planning and funding. more...

Shifts in Daily Travel Patterns Result in Summertime Drop in Travel Delay
July 17, 2012

Travel delays on freeways in the Washington region dropped by 18% between June and July of last year thanks in largest part to changes in daily travel patterns that accompany the arrival of summer. more...

TLC Program Helps Connect Transportation and Land-Use at the Local Level
July 10, 2012

Imagine the consequences of unexpectedly getting your bicycle wheel stuck in a new streetcar track. Or try to picture just how much water runs off into nearby streams after a heavy rain on an urban street with almost no natural landscaping in sight. And what happens when industrial land uses aren't near transportation infrastructure that can carry high-volume freight shipments? These planning challenges were the subject of three studies funded in 2011 by the Transportation Planning Board under the Transportation/ Land-Use Connections (TLC) Program. more...

Economic Downturn Slows Anticipated Growth in Driving Through 2020, but Pushes Up Forecasts of Vehicle-Related Emissions
July 3, 2012

Despite forecasts of slower-than-expected growth in population, employment, and driving in the Washington region through 2020 because of the economic downturn of the last few years, vehicle-related emissions of harmful pollutants could still be as much as 16% higher in 2020 than previously expected because economic conditions have also slowed the rate at which consumers are replacing older vehicles with newer models that have significantly lower emissions. more...

June 2012

Transportation Improvement Program Lays Out Six-Year, $16 Billion Spending Plan for Region
June 26, 2012

Nearly $16 billion in combined federal, state, local, and private dollars is anticipated to be spent on transportation projects in the Washington region over the next six years, according to the Transportation Planning Board, which on June 14 released for public comment a draft of the latest update to the region's six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). more...

Travel Training Helps People With Mobility Challenges Use Region's Transit Network
June 19, 2012

Using grants awarded by the Transportation Planning Board, three agencies and organizations in the Washington region are making it easier for more than 1,000 people with mobility challenges to use the region's public transit network by providing one-on-one or group "travel training" to help them use the system safely and effectively on their own. more...

Reaching Region's Airports by Car Takes Longer Today Than It Did Eight Years Ago, Study Finds
June 12, 2012

Getting to any one of the Washington region's three major airports by car took longer in 2011 than it did in 2003 for travelers in many parts of the region, according to the results of a study recently released by the Transportation Planning Board. From most of the residential or commercial centers that the TPB studied, one-way travel times to the airport by highway during the evening rush hour went up, in one case nearly doubling. more...

In-Depth Travel Surveys Provide Baseline for Assessing Impacts of Major Transportation Improvements
June 5, 2012

New information gathered from in-depth surveys of household travel behavior in ten strategically chosen areas around the Washington region will help planners and officials better understand neighborhood-level travel patterns and aid in assessing the impacts of major transportation improvements in the region. more...

May 2012

In-Depth Surveys Provide New Understanding of Neighborhood-Level Travel Patterns in Region
May 29, 2012

In-depth surveys of household travel behavior conducted by the Transportation Planning Board in ten strategically-chosen areas around the Washington region will help planners and local officials better understand neighborhood-level travel patterns in ways that no other existing survey can. The results will inform efforts by local jurisdictions to plan for future growth and to identify strategies for meeting future transportation needs. more...

Regional "Complete Streets" Policy Aims to Make Roadways Safer, Friendlier for All Users
May 22, 2012

The elected officials and transportation agency representatives who sit on the Transportation Planning Board agree: designing, building, and operating streets that enable safe access for all users and potential users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of diverse ages and abilities, should be a goal of every local jurisdiction and transportation agency in the Washington region. more...

Planning a High-Density, Transit-Oriented Future for Waldorf, Maryland
May 15, 2012

When high-capacity transit comes to downtown Waldorf, Maryland -- as the Maryland Transit Administration has been discussing for several years -- local planners want the site to be ready to handle the new development that they hope will accompany it.

A 2010 study funded under the Transportation Planning Board's Transportation/ Land-Use Connections (TLC) program identified the key transportation infrastructure improvements that will be necessary to support high-density, transit-oriented development in the area and it recommended strategies for how Charles County, where Waldorf is located, might pay for such improvements. more...

Changes to How Metro is Governed Informed by Extensive Review of Other Transit Agencies
May 8, 2012

An extensive research effort by the Transportation Planning Board and other groups in the Washington region over the past two years has informed a series of actions by area jurisdictions and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) that change how the transit system is governed. more...

"Reach-a-Ride" Making It Easier to Find Specialized Transportation Services in the Washington Region
May 1, 2012

Getting to work, to school, to medical appointments, and to countless other destinations in metropolitan Washington can be a challenge for people with disabilities, those with limited English proficiency, workers with low incomes, and for senior citizens who have limited mobility. A new website and call center launched in late 2011 by the Transportation Planning Board offers individuals with specialized transportation needs a new and easier way to find the transportation they require and to find providers that serve their area. more...

April 2012

Bike to Work Day in the Washington Region on May 18 Aiming to Draw 12,500 Participants
April 24, 2012

On Friday, May 18, the region's twelfth annual Bike to Work Day will take place to promote bicycling as a viable transportation alternative for Washington area commuters. Nearly 12,500 people are expected to participate, and 58 "pit stops" will be set up throughout the region to welcome cyclists and help celebrate the day's events. more...

Slowdown in Vehicle Replacement Could Negatively Impact Region's Air Quality
April 17, 2012

The average age of all the cars and trucks on Washington area roadways is on the rise, according to a 2011 Transportation Planning Board study of vehicle registration information from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The trend suggests that residents and businesses in the region are waiting longer to replace aging vehicles, which could have a negative impact on air quality as the rate at which newer, more fuel-efficient vehicles hit the road slows down. more...

Two-Day Workshop Empowers Community Leaders to Connect Local Interests With Regional Decision-Making
April 10, 2012

Twenty community leaders from around the Washington region recently attended a two-day workshop hosted by the Transportation Planning Board to learn about how transportation decisions are made in the region and how to become more involved in the decision-making process. more...

"Street Smart" Campaign to Promote Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Will Run Until Apr. 14
April 3, 2012

A campaign to raise awareness of bicycle and pedestrian safety laws is currently underway in the Washington region and will run until April 14. more...

March 2012

Freight Group Highlights Ten Key Transportation Improvements Needed to Enhance Goods Movement in the Region
March 27, 2012

Nine major highway and rail improvements throughout metropolitan Washington and one ongoing program to facilitate better curbside commercial loading in the District of Columbia make up a list of ten key freight-related transportation improvements that are needed to better accommodate increasing truck and freight rail traffic in the region. more...

Major Updates Made to Tools Used in Forecasting Region's Future Travel Patterns
March 20, 2012

Recent updates to the tools used by the Transportation Planning Board to forecast future travel patterns in metropolitan Washington will provide more accurate predictions of where, when, and how the millions of current and future residents of the region will travel in coming decades. more...

Rising Gas Prices Send More Washington Area Drivers in Search of Commuting Alternatives
March 13, 2012

When prices at the gas pump are on the rise, more Washington area commuters turn to the region's Commuter Connections program in search of information about joining carpools or vanpools or finding other ways to save money on their monthly commuting costs. more...

One Year After Jan. 26, 2011, Snow Event, Transportation Coordination and Preparedness Have Been Strengthened
March 6, 2012

A year after the late-afternoon snowfall of January 26, 2011, brought traffic on the region's roadways to a standstill during the evening commute and left thousands of homes and businesses without power, the Transportation Planning Board is supporting ongoing regional actions that have already strengthened coordination and preparedness protocols for such disruptive events. more...

February 2012

Study Initiated to Assess Availability of Affordable Housing Around Ten Existing and Planned Transit Stations in Region
February 28, 2012

A study recently initiated in Prince George's County, the District of Columbia, and the City of Alexandria will assess the availability of affordable housing options near ten existing or planned transit stations where future development could cause home prices and rents to escalate. more...

Region Seeks Federal TIGER Funding for Access Improvements at 16 Rail Stations
February 21, 2012

On March 19, the Transportation Planning Board will apply for $20 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation to make a number of high-impact bicycle and pedestrian access improvements around 16 Metrorail and commuter rail stations in the Washington region. more...

Wheelchair-Accessible Taxicab Pilot Project in D.C. Gets Good Reviews After First Two Years
February 14, 2012

Since it began two years ago, the Transportation Planning Board's wheelchair-accessible taxicab pilot program--"rollDC"--has seen an eight-fold increase in the number of trips provided to users of mobility devices living in or visiting the District of Columbia. In a 2011 customer satisfaction survey, 81% of respondents rated their most recent "rollDC" trip either "very good" or "excellent," and nine in ten first-time users said they planned to use the service again in the future. more...

Toll Lanes, Bus Rapid Transit, and Concentrated Growth Combined in Regional "Aspirations" Scenario
February 7, 2012

An alternative vision for the future of the region's transportation system being studied by the Transportation Planning Board would give travelers new options for avoiding traffic back-ups, slow expected growth in congestion and travel delay at peak hours, and provide new revenue for much-needed improvements in high-demand travel corridors. more...

January 2012

Aerial Survey of Region's Freeways Shows Congestion Relief in a Few Locations, But Worsening Conditions Overall
January 31, 2012

Between 2008 and 2011, the number of lane-miles of freeway in the Washington region with moderate or severe congestion during peak traffic periods increased by 31%, according to a recent aerial traffic survey by the Transportation Planning Board. more...

Indexing Gas Taxes to Inflation Holds Greatest Promise for Raising Transportation Revenue in Short-Term, Study Concludes
January 24, 2012

Indexing gas taxes to inflation would be the easiest way to secure more adequate funding for the maintenance and expansion of the region's transportation system in the short-term, according to a study prepared for the TPB. But the study adds that, in the long-run, transportation funding should be tied to how much drivers use the roads, not to how much gasoline they buy. more...

Tight Funding Crimps Region's Long-Range Plans for Transportation
January 17, 2012

In the most recent major update to the region's long-range plan for transportation, a number of significant projects to improve the region's transportation system were delayed and others removed altogether in light of updated estimates of how much money will be available for transportation through 2040. more...

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