Washington, D.C. (December 20, 2017) –The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) voted at its December meeting to elect its officers for 2018, including District of Columbia Councilmember Charles Allen, who will serve as TPB Chairman.
Allen has served on the TPB since 2015 and as a Vice Chairman for the past two years. He has also served as Chairman of the Access for All Advisory Committee, which advises the TPB on transportation issues, programs, policies, and services that are important to low-income communities, minority communities, and people with disabilities. In addition, Allen has been an active member of the TPB’s Long-Range Plan Task Force, which recently recommended a set of regional initiatives beyond those in official plans to improve the transportation system.
“I appreciate the support from leaders across our region to Chair the Transportation Planning Board for 2018. The work of the TPB in 2018 will be critical in many respects,” said Allen. “Over the course of 2018, the TPB will take up and approve the region’s Long Range Plan outlining transportation investments for the next decade and beyond, known as Visualize 2045. It includes more than 500 transit, roadway, bridge, bicycle, and pedestrian projects for the region.”
“At the end of the day, our region’s path forward has to focus on how we better move people, not just vehicles. We must use multi-modal approaches to help people connect between jobs, homes, and the places they need to go,” said Allen.
Prince William County Supervisor Martin Nohe and City of Frederick Alderman Kelly Russell were elected as TPB Vice Chairmen.
The TPB is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for metropolitan Washington. Working with local, state, regional, and federal partners, the TPB coordinates future plans, provides data and analysis to decision makers, and manages regional programs to advance safety, land-use coordination, and more. In order to receive federal funding, transportation projects and programs must be included in the TPB’s regional plans.
The TPB is housed at and staffed by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).