The North Central Texas Council of Governments is celebrating its 40th anniversary as the region’s metropolitan planning organization.
Throughout 2014, the Transportation Department will look back at some historic events and accomplishments that shaped the region while also looking forward to the future.
This month, the focus is on how the region's population and transportation system have grown. |
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Forty years ago, the region possessed transportation assets that made it an attractive place to live and work. The Interstate Highway System had provided a path to move people and goods from the East to West Coast by way of North Texas. There were the railroads for freight delivery, and an airport that would become one of the nation’s busiest had just opened. The region was poised for expansion. Over the next 40 years, it would come, and with it the need for a diversified transportation system. Read more in Local Motion >>>
#DFWMPO40
Which county added the most people between 2000 and 2010?
A. Collin
B. Dallas
C. Denton
D. Tarrant
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Answer on the NCTCOG Transportation Facebook page for a chance to win a car care prize pack, perfect to get you prepared for the North Texas winter.
Via Instagram / Facebook: Traffic on US Highway 75, Dallas, 1970s. One of the major arteries moving people north-south through Dallas, the freeway was expanded to eight lanes in the 1990s. #DFWMPO40 #transpo #FlashbackFriday
Regional Growth and Transportation
Population growth, land use and transportation infrastructure are deeply connected. North Texas has been one of the fastest-growing regions in the country over the past several decades. As the region’s population has expanded, new roads and transit have been necessary to accommodate the influx of residents. Data from the US Census Bureau illustrates the changes that have taken place in North Texas since the creation of the MPO in 1974.
40 Years of Growth
Since the 1970s, North Texas has welcomed 4 million new residents, meaning the region is adding about 1 million people per decade.
Although Dallas and Tarrant remain the most populous counties in the region, Collin and Denton counties have experienced significant population growth since 1970.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Photo: Dallas Area Rapid Transit |
New and expanded highways and rail lines have been necessary to connect people in the growing population centers of Collin and Denton counties. DART’s Red and Green Lines, DCTA’s A-train, President George Bush Turnpike/SH 161, Sam Rayburn Tollway/SH 121 and the DFW Connector are examples of recent projects that have enhanced regional mobility. Regional rail access took an important step forward with DART’s Orange Line extension to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport over the summer. |
North Texas’ population boom has drawn attention to the region’s need for active transportation infrastructure. Currently, 1,000 miles of trails exist in the region, and thousands more are planned for the future.
Recent Growth
Between 2000 and 2010, the region added more than 1.2 million people – a growth rate of 23 percent for the decade.
Of the 12 counties in the metropolitan planning area, Tarrant County added the most people. Fort Worth welcomed 206,512 people alone, making it the city with the highest population growth in the region.
Rockwall County added 35,257 people between 2000 and 2010, making its 81 percent growth rate the highest of all 12 counties.
Among the region’s cities, the town of Little Elm experienced a 610 percent growth rate as its population ballooned from 3,646 in 2000 to 25,898 in 2010. The city of Fate grew from 463 people to 6,357 – an increase of 1,273 percent.
In total, 6,417,724 people called the region home in 2010. |
Infographic: Active Transportation – 40 Years of Regional Progress [JPG]
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Events in October 1974
Irish politician Sean MacBride and former Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato shared the 1974 Nobel Peace Prize. MacBride’s international advocacy for human rights and Sato’s leadership on nuclear non-proliferation were recognized.
The Oakland Athletics defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games to win the World Series for the third time in a row.
Famous People Born in the Fall of 1974
Sept. 10 - Ben Wallace, basketball player
Sept. 16 - Joaquin Castro, member of the US House of Representatives
Sept. 16 - Julian Castro, US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Sept. 19 - Jimmy Fallon, comedian
Oct. 10 - Dale Earnhardt Jr., race car driver
Oct. 28 - Joaquin Phoenix, actor
Dallas-Fort Worth MPO at 40: Reflecting on Accomplishments, Historic Events and More
January 2014: What was Happening in 1974
February 2014: Forty Years of Media and Public Involvement
March 2014: Transportation Options
April 2014: The Regional Transportation Council
May 2014: Air Quality
June 2014: Youth Involvement in Transportation
July 2014: Regional Innovations
August 2014: Public Transportation
September 2014: Technology and Transportation Planning
October 2014: Growth in Population and Transportation
November 2014: Aviation
December 2014: Future of Transportation
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