NCTCOG to Highlight Broadband, Vehicle Infrastructure Efforts at March 11 Public Meeting
3/5/2024
Public comments to be accepted until April 9
PRESS RELEASE
Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Arlington, TEXAS – The North Central Texas Council of Governments is hosting a hybrid public meeting at noon Monday, March 11, allowing residents to learn more about current transportation initiatives and participate in the planning process.
The meeting will be held at NCTCOG’s Arlington offices, 616 Six Flags Drive. Residents can also watch the meeting live at www.publicinput.com/nctcogMarch24, or participate over the phone by dialing 855-925-2801, then code 10174.
At the meeting, staff will provide details about broadband as a transportation service, recent grant awards for hydrogen and electric vehicle infrastructure projects, the Dallas-Fort Worth Air Quality Improvement Plan (DFW AQIP), Bike & Roll to School Day and post-COVID transit ridership. Feedback is also encouraged. Public comments will be accepted until April 9.
A stakeholder meeting was held in December to discuss public investment in internet service technology and internet training programs. Following the meeting, a series of suggested steps were developed to increase municipal broadband activities in the region.
NCTCOG was recently awarded several grants from both the Federal Highway Administration and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to support the transition to zero-emission vehicles in the region and beyond. The funding will be used to repair and replace electric vehicle (EV) chargers, build hydrogen refueling stations throughout the Texas Triangle and to develop a resilient EV charging plan for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The DFW AQIP is a collaboration of governments in the region to help improve air quality, protect public health and address extreme weather events. The development of this plan is supported through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program.
Bike & Roll to School Day will take place on May 8. NCTCOG will hold raffles for fun safety-themed giveaways and new bicycles to generate interest and excitement for students at participating schools.
COVID-19 caused a significant decline in transit ridership. As a result, NCTCOG staff has continued to collaborate with regional transit agencies to prioritize rider safety and restore user numbers.
Additionally, modifications to the Fiscal Year 2024 and Fiscal Tear 2025 Unified Planning Work Program and information on the start of 2024 Ozone Season will be posted online for review and comment.
Resources and information about Interactive Public Input: Map Your Experience, the Department of Energy Multimodal Delivery Project, Try Parking It, the Regional Smoking Vehicle Program (RSVP), and vehicle incentive and funding opportunities will also be made available online and at the meeting.
For residents who want to take transit to the meeting, $6 roundtrip rides from the CentrePort/DFW Airport Station to NCTCOG are available through the Arlington Transportation app. To download the app, visit www.arlingtontx.gov/ondemand. For special accommodation due to disabilities or language interpretation, contact 817-695-9255 or email jcastillo@nctcog.org.
| Public Meeting Details |
| Noon Monday, March 11, 2024 North Central Texas Council of Governments 616 Six Flags Drive Arlington, TX 76011 |
About the North Central Texas Council of Governments:
NCTCOG is a voluntary association of local governments established in 1966 to assist local governments in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit and coordinating for sound regional development.
NCTCOG's purpose is to strengthen both the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and make joint decisions. NCTCOG serves a 16-county region of North Central Texas, which is centered in the two urban centers of Dallas and Fort Worth. Currently, NCTCOG has 228 member governments including 16 counties, 169 cities, 19 school districts and 27 special districts. For more information on the Transportation Department, visit www.nctcog.org/trans.
About the Regional Transportation Council:
The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) of the North Central Texas Council of Governments has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for regional transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1974. The MPO works in cooperation with the region’s transportation providers to address the complex transportation needs of the rapidly growing metropolitan area. The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise counties. The RTC’s 45 members include local elected or appointed officials from the metropolitan area and representatives from each of the area’s transportation providers. More information can be found at www.nctcog.org.