NCTCOG to Host Public Meetings to Discuss Filling Gaps in Regional Transit System

PRESS RELEASE
Brian Wilson

(Arlington, TEXAS) - North Texans are invited in February to provide input on a pair of studies examining how to close gaps in the regional transit network and create a more seamless experience for riders. Both studies will help develop a transit vision, along with specific goals and objectives that guide the transit planning process, recommendations and implementation. 
A public meeting for the Denton County Transit Study will take place at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23. NCTCOG will host the meeting at the Denton Senior Center, 509 N. Bell Ave. in Denton. At this meeting, staff will discuss preliminary outcomes from the Denton County Transit Study. 

The study was initiated to develop a comprehensive public transportation plan focusing on areas of the county not already members of the Denton County Transportation Authority, which serves Denton, Lewisville and Highland Village. Dallas Area Rapid Transit and Trinity Metro also provide service to parts of the county, along with prequalified demand-response services such as Span Transit. To learn more about this study visit the project webpage.

A public meeting to discuss the Eastern Dallas, Kaufman and Rockwall Counties Regional Transit Study will take place at 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Rockwall County Library, 
1215 E. Yellow Jacket Lane in Rockwall. Planners want to get a better understanding of the existing transit needs and development patterns and how they can integrate those residents outside current public transportation authorities into a more comprehensive system.
 
In addition to the planned public meeting, NCTCOG has launched a transit survey to allow residents to provide input regarding transit needs in the area. To participate in the survey on transit needs in eastern Dallas, Kaufman and Rockwall counties, visit https://publicinput.com/edkrsurvey. The survey will be open until April 1. More information about the study is available on the project webpage.

The studies of transit needs in Denton County, as well as eastern Dallas, Kaufman and Rockwall counties are part of a regional effort to identify where public transportation can be expanded to meet the evolving needs of a growing Dallas-Fort Worth area. In 2021, NCTCOG completed studies of transit needs in Collin, Tarrant and southern Dallas counties.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is the fourth-largest metropolitan region in the country, with a population of approximately 8 million people. By 2045, an estimated 11 million people will call the region home, and Rockwall and Kaufman counties are projected to lead the way in percentage growth.

Public Meeting Details

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 229 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 44 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.

###