About Us

COG is the one place in metropolitan Washington that regularly brings leaders together to develop solutions to the region's major challenges. COG prepares plans enabling the region to receive federal funding, provides members with research and data to inform decision-making, and offers a wide range of programs, including commuter services, cooperative purchasing, technical assistance and grants, and public outreach campaigns.

Transportation

Through the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), area officials, planners, and engineers ensure a well-managed and maintained transportation system. The TPB, which is staffed by COG, conducts the federally mandated transportation planning process for the region and ensures the uninterrupted flow of federal transportation funds that area jurisdictions receive.

Environment

COG's work engages leaders in various environmental fields from water quality experts to climate scientists. Together, they are advancing regional efforts to restore local waterways, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change, promote recycling, and enhance and preserve green space and agriculture.

Community & Economy

Area officials and experts, including planning and housing directors and child welfare and health officials, work together with their counterparts at COG to help shape stronger communities throughout the region.

Homeland Security & Public Safety

COG brings police chiefs, fire chiefs, emergency managers, and other leaders together as part of its work to strengthen regional public safety coordination, homeland security planning, and emergency communication.

Transportation

Policy Framework

The TPB Vision and the Regional Transportation Priorities Plan make up the regional policy framework meant to help guide transportation planning and decision-making in the Washington region. A number of other TPB and COG policy documents and studies provide additional policy context. The TPB strongly encourages agencies to consider this regional policy framework as they develop and select projects and implement policies. The 2022 TPB Synthesized Policy Framework provides an overview of the latest update to the TPB's vision, principles, and goals.

News & Multimedia

News

Make a difference in our region's transportation future: Participate in the TPB Regional Travel Survey this fall

October 8, 2026

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) will conduct a second wave of the Regional Travel Survey (RTS) from October through December...
News

Beating the Heat: A Regional Resilience Toolkit

September 28, 2026

Extreme heat is one of the main culprits impacting the service and reliability of metropolitan Washington’s multimodal transportation system.
News

September TPB Highlights

September 28, 2026

The TPB’s key action item in September was adoption of DMVMoves service guidelines, setting a regional framework for Metrobus and local operator service levels...

Policy Framework

News & Multimedia

Make a difference in our region's transportation future: Participate in the TPB Regional Travel Survey this fall

Beating the Heat: A Regional Resilience Toolkit

September TPB Highlights