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Air Quality Prominent in Residents' Minds
Air quality has garnered attention across the region in recent years, with leaders in business and government embracing the fight for cleaner air. The North Central Texas Council of Governments found in a recent survey that air quality occupies a prominent place on the minds of many residents. The nine-county metropolitan area has battled dirty air for years and is currently classified as moderately nonattainment for ozone.
The survey, conducted by the Transportation Department, asked readers of the fall/winter Mobility Matters newsletter to rank items of interest from least important to most important. Sixty-six percent of the respondents gave air quality the highest significance. |
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Passenger rail and safety and security also received high marks. The unscientific survey of 413 people will help NCTCOG and the Regional Transportation Council more effectively address the transportation concerns of residents throughout the Metroplex.
The region’s surging population is expected to continue its robust expansion over the next two decades. The nine-county Dallas-Fort Worth area is forecast to grow from 6.2 million to 8.5 million by 2030. Such large growth will challenge North Texas’ aging infrastructure greatly.
The importance of finding solutions to the transportation and air quality concerns of the residents could be magnified with the impending expansion of the metropolitan planning area. The MPA is expected to grow by three counties, increasing to 12 the number of counties eligible for regional transportation planning funds. This expansion will not necessarily result in additional construction funding. But as the population grows, perimeter counties will become more and more important to the region’s vitality. Bringing them into the long-term transportation planning process now will put the area in a good position for the future.
NCTCOG is working on several fronts to improve traffic and density in the region’s urban areas. Planned passenger rail development and expansion by the region’s three mass transit providers will improve traffic and air quality. And the benefits will not be short-lived. They will last for generations. |
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North Texas Loses Legendary Transportation Leader
Collin County Commissioner Jack Hatchell’s contributions to transportation can be seen throughout the region. As a transportation engineer, Hatchell was involved in planning and designing numerous roadways. And as a long-time member of the Regional Transportation Council, he used his expertise to help craft policies for a region forced by staggering population gains to grapple with traffic-related issues.
Hatchell died June 28 following a battle with cancer. He was 70.
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On June 13, Hatchell received the 2008 William J. Pitstick Regional Excellence Award from NCTCOG. A professional engineer, Hatchell served from 1990-2007 on the RTC, making a lasting impression on the region’s transportation system. He was a member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments Executive Board from 1999-2005, serving as president in 2003-04.
Hatchell helped design and push through some of North Texas’ most traveled roads. Most recently, he was involved in the State Highway 121 extension, which brought the region $3.2 billion for future transportation projects, and the President George Bush Turnpike, set to be extended to Interstate Highway 30 on the eastern side of the region.
Hatchell chaired the RTC, the region’s transportation policymaking body in 2004-05. He also served as secretary and vice chair of the RTC.
Before being elected Collin County Commissioner, Hatchell served on the Plano City Council for 10 years, including three terms as mayor pro tem. His career as a transportation engineer included stops at the Texas Department of Transportation, the city of Midland, the Texas Transportation Institute, and time as a consultant.
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“Jack played an integral part in designing and developing many of the roadways we all travel today,” said Michael Morris, NCTCOG’s director of transportation. “His passing leaves a void in the transportation community, especially for those of us who saw him as a mentor and friend. We will always be thankful for the progress made possible by his excellent work.”
The Pitstick Award was one of three awards presented at the June 13 General Assembly. Participants in the Joint Land Use Study around the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base earned the Regional Cooperation Award. Michelle Thames, assistant city manager for Richardson, was presented with the Linda Keithley Award for Women in Public Management.
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New Vehicle Boosts Department Air Quality Outreach Efforts
NCTCOG Transportation Department recently acquired a Ford Escape hybrid to assist with public outreach and public meetings, provide shuttle services to and from the Trinity Railway Express station, and aid with technology demonstrations. |
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The five-passenger Escape will make the NCTCOG offices in Arlington accessible by rail and help Transportation Department staff members get to meetings throughout the region in a fuel-efficient way.
The hybrid runs on a combination of gas and electric power. The vehicle is powered by the electric motor at low speeds, and the battery is recharged every time the brakes are applied. When stopped or traveling at low speeds, the hybrid SUV uses no gasoline, contributing to its high gas mileage. The vehicle has a fuel economy of 34 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.
Wrapped with air quality messages, the vehicle will be available to Transportation Department employees to go back and forth between NCTCOG’s Arlington offices and the TRE’s CentrePort/DFW Airport Station and will be used during the day for off-site meetings. |
At the end of the day, the vehicle will be used to transport employees back to the rail station. FWTARE runs between Fort Worth and Dallas, joining with Dallas Area Rapid Transit at Dallas’ Union Station. The Fort Worth Transportation Authority and DART jointly operate the commuter-rail system.
The new vehicle also allows public officials to ride the train to meetings since the SUV is available during the workday for trips to the CentrePort/DFW Station.
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Answers to Recently Received Questions from North Texans
The following are examples from recent public meetings of questions and answers about regional transportation issues.
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Q: With more new residents, why isn’t transportation revenue increasing?
A: With more people moving into the region, there will be more revenue collected, but with a 10 percent annual cost of inflation and increased construction costs, this will not be adequate to sustain the transportation needs of the region. And fuel-efficiency improvements significantly affect fuel consumption.
Q: Do you work with local governments to change land use before the rail is laid?
A: We regularly have discussions and debate with our regional partners and local governments. Some communities are more receptive to passenger rail than others. Cities are recognizing high density isn’t all bad; high-density building around rail stations can equate to a nice quality of life and open new economic opportunities.
Q: What would happen if DART cities end up getting “double-taxed” for the regional rail system, since these communities currently pay a one-cent tax for rail?
A: We will suggest that if a funding option is too difficult to implement selectively around the DART cities, we will place 100 percent of that revenue into a transportation infrastructure fund. We would need to develop mechanisms to manage such a fund, but these dollars could be used to advance rail, build infrastructure, build roadway projects, and perform maintenance projects in DART communities.
Q: Are the number of free lanes on the section of Loop 820 and Interstate Highway 35W when you get to SH 183 dwindling to one?
A: No, there will be three free lanes in each direction and two managed lanes in each direction for a total of five lanes each way. You will actually be gaining one additional free lane. At SH 183 the three lanes will be reconstructed and three managed lanes added. Frontage roads will be reconstructed, ramps will be reconstructed, and there will be auxiliary lanes between ramps. So there will be increased free capacity on IH 820 and SH 183. But the toll element helps us fund the reconstruction efforts. |
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