The January TPB meeting introduced Kelly Russell as chair. She led the first meeting of 2020. At the meeting the TPB approved grants to fund transportation services for people with disabilities and approved the membership for the 2020 Citizens Advisory Committee. The board was also briefed on Transit Asset Management targets for the region, the Metropolitan Area Transportation and Operations Coordination program (MATOC), and the TPB’s budget and work program.  

During the chair’s remarks Chair Russell outlined her priorities for the year. These include continuing the TPB’s focus on roadway safety, working with the COG Board on transportation improvements to support Transit Oriented Communities and working to best support efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. Listen to the Chair’s remarks. 

Action items

Enhanced Mobility Grants approved: The TPB gets to choose and fund programs that help improve transportation services for people with disabilities and seniors. In all the board approved $9.5 million in funding for 24 projects. These grants cover programs that train or help folks get around, new vehicles, taxi vouchers, and improvements for sidewalks that make it easier for people to walk or use a wheelchair.

Learn more about the Enhanced Mobility grants. 

Citizens Advisory Committee: The board also approved the new members of the Citizens Advisory Committee for its 2020 term. This year was a little bit different as staff work with the CAC on how to improve the committee next year. For the 2020 term, members of the 2019 CAC had the opportunity to stay on for the next term. TPB Chair Russell appointed Nancy Abeles as the 2020 CAC chair. 
In his final report as chair, Rob Jackson talked about how important it was to the CAC that road safety continue to be a priority in the coming year. He also explained that the committee discussed what it would be interested in working on for its 2020 term. Listen to the CAC report. Read the report.

Other items

MATOC briefing: The board received a briefing about the MATOC program. Since 2008, MATOC has fostered regional real-time interagency information sharing and coordination, assisting partner agencies as they manage the impacts of major incidents. MATOC maintains an operations center through the University of Maryland and provides information for traffic alerts systems. In his briefing to the board, MATOC facilitator Taran Hutchinson explained what MATOC is and what services it provides the region. 

Next, Clint Osborn from DC’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) gave a presentation about a specific incident that Board member Phil Mendelsohn had previously asked about. He explained how DC HSEMA works with its regional partners and how and when alerts are sent out about an incident. Listen to the presentation and board discussion

Transit Asset Management Targets: The board received a briefing on setting Transit Asset Management targets for the region. These targets are part of Performance Based Planning and Programming, federal requirements for states, transit, agencies, and MPOs like the TPB to set targets for keeping tranit fleets and facilities in a state of good repair. This was a chance for the board to learn about the draft targets and review them prior to approving the targets for the region next month. Listen to the presentation.

Listen to the full January TPB meeting.
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