Call to Order

Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call

Item 1

Approval of December 13, 2018, Minutes

Presenter: Gary Fickes, RTC Chair
Item Summary: Approval of the December 13, 2018, minutes contained in Reference Item 1 will be requested.
Background: N/A

Consent Agenda

2.1.
Project to Ensure Compliance with Required Energy Reporting
Presenter: Lori Clark, NCTCOG
Item Summary: The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is launching a new Regional Energy Manager project that seeks to increase local government knowledge related to energy management and increase the number of local governments complying with required energy-related reporting. Staff requests approval of up to $12,500 in Regional Transportation Council Local funds as a backstop for required local match.
Background: In 2011, the 82nd Legislature passed Senate Bill 898,
which requires all local governments in ozone
nonattainment areas to: 1) set goals to reduce
electricity consumption by at least 5 percent annually,
and 2) submit an annual report on progress and efforts
to meet this goal. These requirements are intended to
reduce overall energy consumption, which in turn helps
reduce ozone-forming emissions from electricity
generation. However, many local governments in the
ozone nonattainment area are unaware of these
requirements and/or are not compliant with annual
reporting requirements. The State Energy Conservation
Office has provided NCTCOG $125,000 in Department
of Energy funds for a Regional Energy Manager project.
Through this project, staff will provide education and
training to local governments on energy management
topics to develop case studies and other resources, and
to assist local governments with compiling and
submitting the data needed to comply with State
reporting requirements. Electronic Item 2.1 provides an
overview of the project.

2.2.
Transportation Improvement Program Modifications
Presenter: Ken Bunkley, NCTCOG
Item Summary: Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval of revisions to the 2019-2022 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the ability to amend the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and other planning/administrative documents with TIP-related changes will be requested.
Background: February 2019 revisions to the 2019-2022 TIP are
provided as Electronic Item 2.2 for the Council’s
consideration. These modifications have been reviewed
for consistency with the Mobility Plan, the air quality
conformity determination, and financial constraint of
the TIP.

Item 3

Orientation to Agenda/Director of Transportation Report

1. Regional Transportation Council Member Representation at Events
• TEXRail Inaugural Service: RTC Chair Gary Fickes, Jungus Jordan, Scott Mahaffey, T. Oscar Trevino Jr., B. Glen Whitley, and Ann Zadeh
2. Monitoring the Government Shutdown: Need for Flexibility
3. Recent Trip to Brownsville
4. Status Report on US 75 Technology Lanes
5. Notice of Funding Opportunity for Automated Driving System Demonstration Grants
6. Air Quality Funding Opportunities for Vehicles
7. Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Events (www.dfwcleancities.org/dfw-clean-cities-meetings)
8. Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Annual Survey Underway (www.dfwcleancities.org/annualreport)
9. Correspondence from City of Fort Worth to Federal Aviation Administration (Electronic Item 3.1)
10. Irving Home Energy Fair, February 9, 2019, 1:00-3:00 pm in the Former Irving Central Library Lobby
11. December Online Input Opportunity Minutes (Electronic Item 3.2)
12. January Online Input Notice (Electronic Item 3.3)
13. Public Comments Report (Electronic Item 3.4)
14. Recent Correspondence (Electronic Item 3.5)
15. Recent News Articles (Electronic Item 3.6)
16. Recent Press Releases (Electronic Item 3.7)
17. Transportation Partners Progress Reports

Item 4

Emergency Funds for Span

Item Summary: Staff will request Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval for emergency funding for the transit provider Span, Inc. (Span) to continue providing critical transit services for residents in Denton County.
Background: During 2018, the North Central Texas Council of Governments
coordinated with Span to improve management of federally
funded urban service, including implementing processes to
ensure greater accuracy in reconciliation of urban and rural
transit service expenses. Urban transit service in Span’s
provider area has increased. However, annually allocated
federal funds are reflective of service levels from the former
two years. Due to this gap, Span has introduced new funding
and service adjustments but is facing reductions in urban
service until additional federal funds become available from
the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and additional local
funds are secured.
Staff will request authorization to utilize existing Regional Toll
Revenue (RTR) funds previously authorized by the RTC for
transit projects in an amount not to exceed $160,000 to
ensure the continuation of urban transit services for seniors
and people with disabilities by Span. All expenses paid with
RTR funds will follow FTA requirements. Additional details can
be found in Electronic Item 4.

Item 5

Alliance Link Funding to Trinity Metro

Item Summary: Staff will request Regional Transportation Council approval for funding to Trinity Metro to continue enhanced connectivity between the Fort Worth Alliance area and potential employee pools in Fort Worth, Denton, and surrounding areas.
Background: In 2018, Toyota Motor North Texas funded the Alliance Link, a
pilot project implemented to increase public transit ridership
and transportation access in the Fort Worth Alliance area. The
pilot, scheduled to conclude January 31, 2019, demonstrated
the importance of connecting employees with existing nearby
bus routes and final destinations. As the Alliance area
continues to grow at an accelerated rate, transportation will be
a critical component for lasting success. Trinity Metro reached
out to the North Central Texas Council of Governments
(NCTCOG) seeking support for the continuation of this critical
first/last mile connection. Trinity Metro is coordinating the
service with the Denton County Transportation Authority and
plans to integrate the Alliance Link into the High-Intensity Bus
project, or guaranteed transit, taking shape along the IH 35W
corridor that was previously funded by the Regional
Transportation Council. Electronic Item 5.1 contains a copy of
Trinity Metro’s request along with NCTCOG’s response, and
Electronic Item 5.2 provides additional details on this project.

Item 6

Legislative Update

Presenter: Amanda Wilson, NCTCOG
Item Summary: Staff will provide an update on federal and State legislative actions related to transportation and air quality issues affecting the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Background: Transportation issues continue to be a focus for both the
United States (US) Congress and the Texas Legislature.
The 1st session of the 116th US Congress convened on
January 3, 2019. The 86th Texas Legislature convened on
January 8, 2019. This item will allow staff to provide updates
on key positions of the Regional Transportation Council and
allow any additional positions to be taken, if necessary.

Item 7

Performance Measures Target Setting: Roadway Safety and Transit Asset Management

Item Summary: Staff will update the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) on proposed 2019 Roadway Safety and Transit Asset Management regional targets for federally required performance measures. Roadway Safety targets are focused on reducing serious injuries and fatalities for motorized and non-motorized travelers. Regional Transit Asset Management targets are focused on ensuring that public transportation vehicles, rail lines, and other capital assets for all transit providers in the urbanized area are in a state of good repair.
Background: In December 2015, the Fixing America’s Surface
Transportation (FAST) Act was signed into law. The FAST Act
requires certain performance measures be included in the
long-range metropolitan transportation planning process.
These measures were established by a series of four
rulemakings: Safety, Infrastructure Condition, System
Performance/Freight/Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality,
and Transit Asset Management. In December 2017, the RTC
adopted 2018 targets for the Transit Asset Management and
Safety performance measures. In November 2018, the RTC
adopted the targets for Infrastructure Condition and System
Performance/Freight/Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality
required measures.
As the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the North
Central Texas region, the RTC is required to set targets
annually for Roadway Safety and annually evaluate and
adjust, if necessary, regional Transit Asset Management
targets. These targets will be used to track and report on the
region’s performance through existing documents such as the
Metropolitan Transportation Plan, the Transportation
Improvement Program, and the State of the Region report.
Additional performance measures representative of the
region’s long-range transportation planning goals as outlined
in the recently adopted Mobility 2045 plan will be proposed for
RTC consideration at a later date.
The proposed 2019 targets for Roadway Safety and Transit
Asset Management will be discussed, and final targets will be
proposed for RTC action at its February 14, 2019, meeting.

Item 8

Tolled Managed Lanes Success: Recent Trip to Chicago

Item Summary: Staff will provide a summary of the presentation provided to transportation entities in the Chicago Metropolitan Area and Illinois Department of Transportation.
Background: Electronic Item 8 contains slides presented during a recent trip
to Chicago. Michael Morris was requested to present as a
result of a peer exchange conducted by the Illinois
Department of Transportation and Federal Highway
Administration. Elements of the Dallas-Fort Worth success
story regarding tolled managed lanes will be summarized.

Item 9

Candidate Top Five Regional Transportation Council Policy Initiatives for 2019

Item Summary: Staff will provide an initial list of 2019 non-legislative policy priorities for the Regional Transportation Council to consider in 2019.
Background: Concentrated initiatives for 2019 include, but are not limited to:
1. High-Speed Rail Engineering and Planning work links
the Dallas-Fort Worth region to the rest of the state with a
system of improvements that connects Houston-DallasArlington-Fort Worth-Waco-Temple/Killeen-Austin-San
Antonio-Laredo.
2. Advances in Public Transit Engineering and Planning
outcomes are occurring on:
a. Collin County transit
b. Southern Dallas County transit
c. Tarrant County transit
d. Social service transit pass program
e. First mile/last mile nodes
f. Passenger rail/freeway interface
3. Next steps will begin on Tolled Facilities with completion
of Mobility 2045. Work will continue on the role of toll
roads and tolled managed lanes in the delivery of reliable
mobility options for residents.
4. The future of Technology Advances in people mover
systems, technology-based transit, technology-based
carpooling, and autonomous vehicles will expand.
5. Groundwork for the next Amazon will occur through the
review of the appropriate institutional partnerships
necessary to increase the region’s abilities to attract the
appropriate mix of employers and employees within the
region.