N o r t h C e n t r a l Tex a s C o u n c i l o f G ove r n m e n t s

Healthy Communities:Transportation and the Natural Environment

Progress North Texas

Dear Neighbors,

Thank you for reading Progress North Texas 2018. This year’s theme isHealthy Communities: Transportation and the Natural Environment. Asalways, our goal with this annual state of the region report is to providean update on our transportation system using performance measures.

Our region offers residents and visitors a world-class transportationsystem. Whether people choose to move around by car, transit, bicycleor walking, Dallas-Fort Worth has the transportation resources to improve their productivity and quality of life. As our system expands to accommodate our growing region, we must remember to take care ofthe natural environment so we can preserve our quality of life for tomorrow’s leaders. I am blessed to represent Cedar Hill, a city thatboasts a beautiful natural resource – Cedar Hill State Park. It offers visitors an abundance of ways to celebrate the outdoors. The park givesus an opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of our dailylives to relax and enjoy nature.

As Chair of the Regional Transportation Council, I recognize how theenvironment and transportation can complement each other. In Dallas-Fort Worth, we’re trying to move people efficiently, which involves roadway and rail projects worth millions – and sometimes billions – of dollars. We must do this while paying close attention to air quality.

Ten counties in the region are in nonattainment for ozone pollution andare working toward compliance of the federal government’s standard.The North Central Texas Council of Governments has many programsintended to help improve the air we breathe, and data shows they aremaking a difference. For example, the region’s ozone concentration fellto 79 parts per billion last year, the lowest reading on record. It has decreased steadily since the late 1990s. NCTCOG and its partners areworking every day to meet the goal of ozone attainment.

With Progress North Texas, we hope to inspire you to become involvedin transportation planning while reminding you of the importance ofbeing good stewards of our resources – both natural and financial.I invite you to become part of the transportation planning process sothat you can impact our system. Come to one of our public meetings.Watch a meeting online. Interact with us on social media. Send us anemail. No matter how you communicate, your feedback is invaluable aswe continue planning transportation improvements.

Sincerely,Rob FrankeMayor, Cedar HillChair, Regional Transportation Council

From the Chair

All graphics are from NCTCOG, andall photos are from Getty Images, unless otherwise indicated.

Cover: Congratulations to AnthonyLuna, a sixth-grader at Cedar HillISD’s Permenter Middle School. Anthony won this year’s ProgressNorth Texas art contest.

Progress North Texas 2018Healthy Communities:

Transportation and the Natural Environment

June 2018

Table of Contents

Meeting the Challenge

Transportation and the Environment

Transit

Road to Sustainability

Active Transportation

Aviation

Goods Movement

Safety

Transportation and Education

Public Involvement

2018 Art Contest Winners

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www.nctcog.org/ourregion

12-county metropolitan planning area:Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson,Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Wise

16-county NCTCOG region:Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt,Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker,Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, Wise

Ozone nonattainment area:Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman,Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Wise

Definitions of terms used in this report

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4

Meeting the Challenge

The Dallas-Fort Worth area continues to experience robustgrowth, boasting an estimated population of 7.4 million in 2017, according to US Census projections.DFW added 146,000 residents in2017, more than any other region inthe country. Employment in the nation’s fourth-largest metropolitanarea also continues to grow substantially, led by high profile corporate relocations and expansions. More people workingmeans greater prosperity for the region. With careful planning and coordination with regional, State andfederal partners, NCTCOG is meeting the transportation challenges posed by growth.

Congestion Data

According to one measure of congestion, mobility is getting betterin the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The region improved from seventh-mostcongested in the country to 10th in2017, with drivers spending 54 hoursin congestion, according to the InrixGlobal Scorecard. This was a 9 percent improvement over 2016. Inrixcredits recently completed projectssuch as the 35Express and Horseshoe for much of this change. Approximately $28 billion has beenspent since 2000 on transportationconstruction projects throughout the region.

TomTom, another company that usesdata to measure traffic congestion,presents a different picture of mobility, rating DFW No. 34 nationallyover a three-year period ending in2016. In Dallas-Fort Worth, motoristswere on the roads 18 percent longerbecause of congestion. By comparison, Austin traffic adds 25 percent more travel time and Houston 24 percent.TEXpress Lanes

One transportation enhancement thatis helping the region accommodateits growth is TEXpress Lanes, whichprovide drivers the choice of paying atoll in exchange for a more reliablecommute. TEXpress Lanes havebeen built adjacent to non-tolled,general-purpose lanes in many of theregion’s corridors, including InterstateHighway 35E from LBJ to TubervilleRoad, a project Inrix highlighted as apotential reason for the improvementin mobility.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area continues toexperience robust growth, boasting an estimated population of 7.4 million in 2017.

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From 2014-2017, about 70 centerline miles of TEXpress Laneswere added in the region, as projects such as the DFW Connector, North Tarrant Expressand LBJ Express were completed.

Investments in transportation infrastructure are helping the regionabsorb the new residents withoutsacrificing mobility.

Data Sharing

Data is also important in the fightagainst congestion. The Waze Connected Citizens Program is providing cities with the data necessary to improve reliability. In August, the Regional Transportation Council approvedgrants to six cities to encourage

data sharing. Members of the program share information on roadclosures with Waze and in returnare given access to the real-timedata provided to the company byusers of the mobile app. Manytimes, Waze is notified of an incident on the road sooner than911. By integrating the Waze datawith their emergency systems, citieswill be better able to improve safetyand mobility for drivers.

The RTC also awarded funds toTxDOT and seven cities as part of atraffic signal data-sharing initiative.Arlington, Flower Mound, Frisco,Garland, Grand Prairie, Grapevineand Plano joined TxDOT in makingsignal data available to developersseeking to improve vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

Population growth is leading tomore miles being driven, as the region experienced a slight boost in 2017 after the largest increase inmore than a decade in 2016. Thereare also more cars on the road, withapproximately 6.2 million registeredvehicles as of 2016.

Despite people driving more, the region continues to see a sharp decline in nitrogen oxides andvolatile organic compounds, two ingredients that lead to the formation of ozone pollution. Thisreport highlights many NCTCOG efforts to improve air quality while maintaining a reliable transportation system.

1,400,000

1,450,000

1,500,000

1,550,000

1,600,000

1,650,000

1,700,000

2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

1,750,000

2017

Average daily trafficat permanent stations increasedto 1,708,818 in 2017.

Source: TxDOT

Average Daily Vehicle Traffic in North Texas

TEXpressLane System

70Miles opened 2014-17

36Future miles

(by 2022)

The Waze ConnectedCitizens Program is using data to help citiesimprove reliability. In2017, the RTC approvedgrants to six cities to encourage them toshare information onroad closures.

6

Transportation and the Environment

As North Texas continues to grow, sodoes the number of vehicles on theroad. More vehicles can mean increasedair pollution, making air quality actions important to ensure that environmentalhealth is not negatively impacted by transportation.

Ozone

Under the Clean Air Act, the US Environmental Protection Agency established the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or NAAQS, designedto protect human and environmentalhealth. DFW meets the federal standardfor five of six criteria pollutants. It is stillworking toward compliance with theozone standard.

Clinical studies indicate prolonged exposure to elevated concentrations ofground-level ozone may reduce lung function, increase the frequency ofasthma episodes and reduce the body’sability to resist respiratory infections.Ground-level ozone in North Texas is

monitored year-round; however, theEPA-designated ozone season is fromMarch 1 through November 30, whenhigh ozone concentrations are mostcommon.

DFW counties have been in nonattainment for ozone since 1991 and have engaged in a broad effort to reduce emission levels, protect health and comply with federal air quality requirements.

These efforts have led to ozone concentration levels being reduced from 102 parts per billion (ppb) in 1998 to 79 ppb in 2017.

Uphill Battle

Although progress is being made, continued efforts and innovations areneeded to keep up with the recently revised ozone standard and rapid population growth.

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2008 Standard ≤ 75 ppb (attainment deadline of 2017)

(8-Hour Ozone Historical Trends)

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Consecutive Three-Year Periods

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Ozone Progress

The region’s ozone concentrationcontinues to improve, allowing theDallas-Fort Worth area to movecloser to attainment of the federalstandard of 70 parts per billion.

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Unlike many pollutants, ground-levelozone is not produced directly by anemissions source. It is formed by thereaction of other pollutants – nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatileorganic compounds (VOC) – that mixin the presence of sunlight and heat.These are known as precursor pollutants.

Mobile sources, including trucks andcars, accounted for 68 percent of regional NOx emissions in 2017. Asa result, air quality initiatives in theregion are focused on reducingtransportation-based pollution. In2015, the EPA established a stricterozone standard, lowering the limitfrom 75 ppb to 70 ppb.

Role of NCTCOG

NCTCOG and the RTC are requiredto ensure transportation planningand development activities conformto the “emissions budgets” set for theregion in the State ImplementationPlan. The SIP outlines strategies to be used to lower ozone concentrations in the nonattainmentarea. NCTCOG and the RTC focuson actions that reduce NOx and VOCto accomplish this goal.

Electric Vehicles

From fancy sports cars to affordablesedans, electric vehicles are aquickly growing market. EVs are akey component to reducing transportation-related pollution. Theyproduce no tailpipe emissions whenrunning on electric motors. They canrange from zero-emission vehiclesfor all-electric vehicles, to low-emission, plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles that run partly on electricityand partly on gasoline engines. EVscan lead to an overall reduction inpollution, even when considering anyincrease in electricity generation at apower plant. The number of EVs inthe region grew from approximately240 in 2011 to over 4,500 today, an increase of nearly 2,000 percent. For more information, visit www.dfwcleancities.org/evnt.

Automated Vehicles

While still a developing technology,automated vehicles are becoming increasingly common. In August2017, the City of Arlington debuted a pilot project of two driverless low-speed vehicles that took fans to Globe Life Park in Arlington orAT&T Stadium via trails in the adjacent parks.

Because AV development has become synonymous with EVs, implementation of AVs could be agame-changer in regional air qualityefforts as an additional zero- emission transportation option.

Volkswagen Settlement

Air Quality could benefit greatly from additional funding provided as part ofthe $14.7 billion settlement Volkswagen was ordered to pay in2016. Courts determined the company used equipment to help vehicles trick federal emissions tests.Texas was designated as a beneficiary of approximately $209million from the Environmental Mitigation Trust. These dollars can beused to pay for replacement of olderheavy-duty diesel vehicles or installation of EV charging stations.Funds will be administered by theTexas Commission on EnvironmentalQuality. For more information, visitwww.tceq.texas.gov/agency/trust.

Electric vehicles have grownsubstantially in popularity in recent years, increasing by2,000% regionally since 2011.EV sales are expected to continue to rise sharply nationwide in the comingyears.

1%

9%

39%

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30%

35%

40%

45%

2020 2025 2030 2040

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f To

tal V

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Projected EV Growth in US

Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance Electric Vehicle Outlook 2017

Air Quality Initiatives

NCTCOG staff administers many air quality programs and initiatives to supportemissions reduction. Programs predominantly focus on light- and heavy-duty vehicles and equipment, which represent the majority of ozone- forming emissions in the region.

AirCheckTexas

The AirCheckTexas Drive a Clean Machine Program is designed to help vehicle owners comply with emissionsstandards by offering financial incentivesto repair or replace vehicles. It allows localresidents to contribute to the regional airquality solution. If eligible, vehicle ownerscan receive up to $600 toward emissionsrepairs or up to $3,500 toward a qualifyingreplacement vehicle purchase. In 2017,over 2,600 vehicles were repaired or replaced through AirCheckTexas.www.airchecktexas.org

Air North Texas

Air North Texas is an outreach campaigncreated to educate North Texans on simple things they can do in their everydaylives, such as carpooling and properlymaintaining their vehicle, to help reduceemissions and prevent ozone from reaching unhealthy levels. Pollutant-

specific alerts are sent when air quality isprojected to reach the unhealthy range.www.airnorthtexas.org

DFW Clean Cities Coalition

The Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coalition works to advance energy security, protect environmental and publichealth and stimulate economic development. Since 1995, DFW CleanCities has promoted practices and decisions that reduce petroleum consumption and improve air quality. Examples are using alternative fuels, reducing idling and increasing fuel economy. In 2017, DFW Clean Citieshelped reduce almost 23 million gallons of petroleum. www.dfwcleancities.org

SolSmart

SolSmart is a national designation program designed to recognize communities that have taken steps to reduce barriers to solar energy and fosterthe growth of mature solar markets.NCTCOG recently served as a SolSmartadviser helping entities apply for SolSmartdesignation. Six cities have earned designations: Cedar Hill (Gold), Kennedale(Silver) and Corinth, Denton, Lewisvilleand Plano (Bronze).www.gosolartexas.org/solsmart

For information on more programs, see www.nctcog.org/airquality.

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Transit

Dallas-Fort Worth’s public transportationsystem is operated by three major authorities and numerous smaller agencies and private service providers.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), TrinityMetro (formerly known as The T), Denton County Transportation Authority(DCTA) and smaller agencies provideNorth Texans with regional connections to education, jobs, health care and other opportunities.

In fiscal year 2017, DART, Trinity Metro,and DCTA provided over 75.6 million passenger trips, while the smaller transitagencies provided over 412,000 trips inthe region. Ridership is expected to growsteadily with continuous expansion ofthe public transportation system. For example, TEX Rail, slated to debut bylate 2018, is projected to carry morethan 8,000 passengers daily in its first year.

Intercity bus and rail operators such asGreyhound and Amtrak, as well as companies such as Uber and Lyft, havebeen moving thousands of people dailythroughout the region.

Innovative Partnerships

Access to public transportation remainsa challenge, particularly for seniors, individuals with disabilities, individualswith lower incomes and others considered transit-dependent. To fill current gaps in service, public agencies have increasingly leveraged partnerships with private-sector andnonprofit organizations to implement innovative solutions.

Arlington is one of the first cities in theregion to offer on-demand ridesharingservice through a partnership with themicrotransit operator Via. For a flat fare,

75.6millionPassenger trips

provided by DFW’s 3major transit providers

in FY2017

TEX Rail first train delivery inNovember 2017 at Grapevine.

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Via transports people within a service area that includes the Entertainment District and the University of Texas at Arlington.

In January 2018, DCTA announceda partnership with Lyft in which theagency offers a $2 discount for Lyftrides in Highland Village and northLewisville. This is another option forpeople to access transit stations orother destinations.

Also, transit agencies and cities –including DART and Arlington’sHanditran – supplement currenttransit and paratransit service bypartnering with taxi companies.These partnerships provide trips tomedical appointments and the grocery store.

Tarrant County and Catholic Charities of Fort Worth have workedtogether to build the Tarrant RidersNetwork, composed of volunteerdrivers, to provide affordable ridesfor transit-dependent individualsand resources for other agencies seeking to implement their own volunteer driver programs.

Bike sharing programs are providingcrucial first-and-last-mile connections in the region. FortWorth B-Cycle operates a dockedbikeshare program in partnershipwith the City of Fort Worth and Trinity Metro. In Dallas, residentsand employees can access points

of interest with bikes provided bydockless bikeshare companies.

These innovative partnerships havemade public transportation in the region more accessible, efficientand cost-effective. They also provide a sense of independence to residents and build healthy communities by ensuring greateraccess to essential services.

Modern Technology

Technology has continued to enableseamless public transportation service and influenced how peopleaccess transit services. Using the

Federal Transit Administration’s(FTA) Mobility on Demand grant,DART is developing an integratedmobile app to include partners thatprovide last-mile connections toDART stations for ticketing, scheduling and information. The updated mobile app will be beentested at a series of locations including Legacy in Plano and insouthern Dallas.

Future Planning

Various plans, studies and compliance efforts for public transportation have taken place in the region. Mobility 2045, the new Metropolitan TransportationPlan under development, is theblueprint for the region’s multimodal transportation system and guidesfederal and State transportationfunding through 2045.

Access North Texas, the public transit-human services transportation coordination plan,was approved in March 2018. Theplan identifies strategies to servethe transit-dependent populationbased on a combination of research, technical analysis andpublic input.

Regional Vanpool Program DART TM DCTA Combined

Number of Vans (at year end) 183 89 32 304

Participants 1,310 624 337 2,271

Vehicle Miles of Travel Reduced (annual)

18,799,487 11,501,554 6,451,790 36,752,831

Vehicle Trips Removed (annual) 569,554 267,478 151,542 988,574

2017 Regional Vanpool Program Performance Update

Per Month

NOx Emissions Reduced (pounds) 11,180 6,840 3,837 21,857

VOC Emissions Reduced (pounds) 3,727 2,280 1,279 7,286

Vanpools give the region’s workers an opportunity to save money commutingwhile benefiting the environment through the removal of vehicles from the roads.

The City of Arlington partnered with Via to provide on-demand ridesharing starting in late 2017.

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Transit Asset Management Targets and Performance Measures

NCTCOG is required by federal legislation to set regional transit asset management targetsand evaluate performance of various transit assets annually in coordination with transitproviders. The regional targets and tracking of transit assets focus on ensuring public transportation vehicles, rail lines and other capital assets are in a state of good repair.

Rolling Stock Performance Compared to Targets(Percent of revenue vehicles that have met or exceeded their useful life benchmark)

Asset Type FY 2018 Target FY 2017 Performance

Bus* 0% 6% Small bus* 0% 3% Light Rail Vehicle* 0% 0% Commuter Rail Locomotive* 0% 0% Commuter Rail Passenger Car* 0% 0% Articulated Bus 0% 0% Commuter Rail Passenger Coach** 0% 35%Streetcar 0% 0% Van 0% 13%

* RTC policy emphasis area

** This asset category includes a number of assets that were rebuilt near the end of their useful life.The analysis above assumes a minimum extension of 10 years of useful life, which may be too conservative (i.e. vehicles may be in better condition than expected based on completed rebuild activities).

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Road to Sustainability

Important investments have been madein recent years to improve the region’stransportation system. Significant roadway and rail projects are allowingthe Dallas-Fort Worth area to accommodate the new residents moving to the region while preservingthe quality of life for all. The region has been successful in implementingmajor projects over the past severalyears. Last year, approximately 48 miles of freeway/tollway capacity was added.

In fiscal year 2017, approximately $572million in federal funding was obligatedfor roadways. Combined with transit and bicycle-pedestrian expenditures, morethan $836 million in federal funding wasprovided for Dallas-Fort Worth transportation projects.

The multimillion-dollar projects are necessary to accommodate growth. But,improving the transportation system involves more than building new infrastructure. Sustaining the region will require attention paid to the natural andbuilt environments. The weather, soilsand geography of the region can make maintenance even more expensive thanin other parts of the country. Periods ofdrought followed by heavy rains cancause the soils to shift, leading to cracks in the roadway. Those must be repaired – often repeatedly – which requires significant investment.

According to Mobility 2040, which projects transportation needs through2040, more than $37 billion will be spenton infrastructure maintenance over thelife of the plan.

Annual Project Listing

Roadways $571,788,040Transit $245,594,465Bicycle-pedestrian $18,624,649

Total $836,007,154

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Asset Optimization

In many cases, NCTCOG and itspartners are trying to work within theexisting footprint of a particular road,saving money by preserving as muchof the existing structure while increasing capacity. Maintenance isjust as important as additional capacity because the new projectsare built to last up to 50 years or more.

Through asset optimization,NCTCOG and its partners seek toadd to main lanes, frontage roads,cross streets and other facilities asmuch as possible instead of entirelyrebuilding corridors. This increasesthe lifespan and effectiveness of thefacilities more economically than acomplete rebuild. Maintenance isalso important, given the new bridgeand pavement standards that willsoon be required. Understanding thatthe region will be responsible for reporting on the condition of its

roads and bridges, planners must setaside enough money to maintain current assets, as well as those to bebuilt in the future.The City of Dallasis dedicating $500 million-plus tostreets in its recently approved $1billion bond package. That is expected to address just a fraction of the needs. The City of Irving willspend $100 million on its streets overthe next five years as part of its capital improvement program. This isalso less than is needed to maintainroads in their current condition.

Environmental Clearance

There are 109 projects requiring environmental clearance over thenext three years. Of these, 105 arefrom TxDOT districts and four are from NTTA.

NCTCOG has a program to furtherexpedite these projects. The Section214 program, authorized under theWater Resources Development Act,

allows the Council of Governmentsto pay the salary of a US ArmyCorps of Engineers employee responsible for working on NCTCOGprojects. Projects considered to havea major regional impact are handledas part of the program. With a dedicated staff member and increased coordination with partners,the environmental review of projectsis being expedited. For example, inthe two years since the program wasfirst authorized, an average of 177 finalized actions have occurred annually. Prior to the agreement, only14 such actions – decisions deemednecessary for the continuation of aproject – were completed yearly.

Under the program, all general permits were issued within 60 days.More permits lead to more completed projects. The completionof more projects, both large andsmall, means a more reliable system.

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The regionadded almost50 miles of additional freeway/tollwaycapacity in 2017.

2017 DFW Road and Rail Improvements

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Active Transportation

Fueled by calories and emitting no air pollution, active transportation is themost environmentally friendly mode oftravel. Bicycling and walking for shorttrips, such as to the grocery store or towork or school, helps reduce congestionby removing vehicles from the roadways.Active transportation also provides opportunities to increase physical activity and improve air quality, contributing to the quality of life and health of residents throughout the region.

In spring 2017, NCTCOG commissioned a survey of residents in the 12-county Dallas-Fort Worth area to capture theviews of the public about bicycle use.Results from this study will help guidefuture plans and projects that affect bicyclists. The phone survey was conducted in English and Spanish.Questions helped determine residents’perception of factors in their neighborhood that might help or hinder bicycle use, frequency of bicycling and perceived barriers to

bicycling. Helmet use and the level ofsupport for improvements to bicycle facilities were also measured.

The survey highlighted several key findings that will aid policy development:

• About 55 percent of respondents would like to bicycle more than they do today.

• The closer respondents lived to a bicycle lane or trail, the more likelythey were to ride bicycles.

• Weather and the lack of bicycle facilities were the top obstacles to bicycling more often.

• A significant majority of respondents reported they felt more comfortable riding on trails or on-street bikeways separated from traffic than riding on roadways with no designated bicycle facilities.

• About 58 percent of those who bicycled said they wear a helmet at least some of the time, but usage varied by age.

78%

60%

9%

85%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

The same street, if it also had a wide bicycle lane separated from traffic by a raised curb

The same street with a striped bike lane added

A major street with two or three traffic lanes in each direction and speeds of 35-40 mph with no bike lane

A path or trail that is separated from a street

Level of Comfort Cycling Level of Comfort Cycling

North Texas bicyclists feel safest when riding on dedicated paths ortrails, according to a recent survey.

Respondents reporting they would feel “very comfortable” or “somewhatcomfortable” riding a bike on the following:

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Funded Projects

The results from the bicycle surveydemonstrate North Texans want aseamless network of bicycle facilities to overcome preconceivedbarriers to bicycling for transportation. In June 2017, the RTC awarded $34.2 million throughthe Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program Call for Projects. Active Transportation projects received $22 million to construct primarily shared-use paths and on-street bike lanes.

Projects providing enhanced connections to schools and largeemployment centers and transit stations were prioritized. A noteworthy project receiving funding on the western side of theregion was the 1.6-mile DallasRoad Transit-Oriented Development Corridor/Cotton Belt Trail extensionin Grapevine. This project will connect the Cotton Belt and Linkstrails, and provide pedestrian and

safety improvements along WestDallas Road. The connection will make it easier for residents to usethe funded bicycle and pedestrianfacilities to reach the TEX Rail station when the commuter lineopens.

An example on the northern side ofthe region is the Sycamore-Welch Active Transportation Connection in Denton. This 1.6-mile project willprovide a combination of shared-use paths and bike lanes to link theUniversity of North Texas to DCTA’sdowntown Denton station.

Projects intended to help studentsacross the Dallas-Fort Worth arearide their bicycles or walk to schoolmore safely received a significant boost from the RTC in 2017. Theseprojects will benefit students, hadstrong community support and willimprove quality of life.

In all, 34 projects spanning 16 communities and eight countieswere funded as part of the Transportation AlternativesSet-Aside Program Call for Projects.The entities awarded funding will contribute an additional $12.4 million in local match.

Bikeway Network Mileage

The latest round of funded activetransportation projects will expandthe region’s existing bikeway network. Currently, there are 764miles of existing off-street paths and207 miles of existing on-street bicycle facilities. With so many milesin the region’s bikeway network,there are boundless opportunitiesfor people to get outside, connectwith nature and their community,and walk or bicycle to destinations.

DFW has764 miles

of existingoff-street bike

paths.

AviationAviation

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is the economic engine thatdrives the region. It is the fourth-busiestairport in the world, serving 67 millionpassengers in 2017, a 2.3 percent increase over the previous year. Thistranslated to almost 1,800 flights a day,according to data provided by DFW Airport. Capacity at DFW is approximately 4,080 flights a day, according to the FAA.

Activity at Dallas Love Field Airport continues to grow. In 2017, the airportexperienced a slight increase in dailyflights (623), continuing a trend thatbegan with the 2014 repeal of Wright

Amendment flight restrictions. LoveField maintains enough capacity to handle the increase. The airport can accommodate approximately 1,024flights per day, according to the FAA.

Aviation involves more than just moving people. Valuable freight thatmust arrive at its destination quickly isoften shipped by air. Dallas-Fort Worthhas three primary facilities that handleair cargo. DFW Airport and Love Fieldmay be obvious answers, as the region’s major commercial airports. But Alliance Airport, in the heart of north Fort Worth’s AllianceTexas development, continues to experiencegrowth in the amount of air cargo it handles.

The number of flights at DFW Airportdipped slightly in 2017, but the number ofpassengers served at each of the region’smajor commercial airports continued togrow. Together, DFW Airport and LoveField have the capacity to operate morethan 5,100 flights per day.

Daily FlightsDFW Airport

1,793

Love Field623

16

17

A new type of aircraft is taking tothe skies at increasingly high numbers. In 2017, there were almost 16,000 unmanned aircraftsystems (UAS), also known asdrones, registered in Dallas-FortWorth. Approximately 14,300 ofthese belonged to hobbyists, while1,600 were earmarked for otherpurposes, such as commercial use. UAS are useful for a variety of purposes, including planning, aerialphotography and accident investigation.

Land Use

In 2017, NCTCOG, elected officialsand community leaders concludedJoining Forces, a study to helpNorth Texas military installationsand their neighbors collaborate oncompatibility issues.

This Regional Joint Land Use Study recommends communication andland-use strategies to support continued military capabilities.Funded by the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment, the project involves the

communities and military operationsof the Naval Air Station Fort WorthJoint Reserve Base, Redmond Taylor Army Heliport in Dallas, FortWolters training center in MineralWells and Camp Maxey trainingcenter near Paris.

NCTCOG collaborated with citiesand counties surrounding the military installations to plan andcarry out specific actions that willpromote compatible community andeconomic growth.

Throughout the project’s duration,the planning team interviewed keystakeholders, facilitated publicmeetings and coordinated severalrounds of policy committee meetings to establish priorities forthe study, gather data, and identifychallenges and opportunities.

The collaborative process has developed over 150 recommendations covering regional, as well as individual installations and community-specificactions.

Many recommendations focus onenhancing and formalizing communication. Others look at economic development, planningand land-use techniques, and improved physical security.NCTCOG staff will continue to workwith community and military partners to implement the recommendations.

More information about JoiningForces can be found at www.joiningforcesntx.org.

0

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1,200,000

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

2017

DFW International Airport Alliance

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Air cargo tonnageshipped continued to increase in 2017, risingnearly 8% at DFW andalmost 4% at Alliance,the region’s leaders incargo shipped by air.

16,000unmanned aircraftregistered in DFW

DFW International Airport and Alliance Air Cargo Tonnage

18

Goods Movement

Trucks are the most common vehicles depended on to move freight to its destination. Anyone traversing the streetsand highways of Dallas-Fort Worth can understand how important they are to theoverall supply chain. To ensure freight continues to move efficiently, it is helpfulto know where trucks are most commonlytraveling. NCTCOG has completedroughly 1,000 traffic-classification countsfor the region. The initiative providesplanners a more complete picture ofwhere truck traffic is most heavily concentrated throughout the day and willhelp them continue to refine the transportation system.

The data from this project confirms whatplanners suspected about freight movement: The percentage of trucks isheaviest in areas such as AllianceTexas, southern Dallas County and the SH 360corridor south of DFW Airport. All arepopulated with distribution centers andwarehouses and serve as essential hubsin the movement of goods. AllianceTexasand southern Dallas County are alsohome to intermodal facilities, which depend on trucks to transport products tothe store, manufacturer or customer.

The information from this traffic-countsproject will also help NCTCOG staff develop better traffic models, leading toimproved mobility, system reliability andemissions forecasts.

Truck Parking Study

A region so dependent on trucks shouldhave adequate facilities for the freight carriers when they are between deliveries. The regional Truck ParkingStudy assessed the overnight and temporary truck parking needs throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. Contentfrom previous truck parking studies, datacollection and driver surveys served asthe foundation for the analysis, which resulted in key findings about the region’sneed for additional truck parking. Theanalysis also identified specific areas

with the most critical truck parking priorities – the Corridors of Concern. Recommendations were developed toprovide guidance to address these findings.

The recommendations included in thisstudy provide local, regional and Stateagencies, along with private entities, verifiable data and opportunities to improve truck parking infrastructure. Increasing the number of viable truck parking spaces would help truck driverscomply with federally mandated regulations, improve roadway safety and enhance regional economic development. The study is in the finalstages of review and will be published in 2018.

Truck Automation

The technology by which goods are delivered to homes and businesses ischanging. In some areas of the country,autonomous trucks are being tested or actually hauling goods. (Currently, theyhave a human driver equipped to takeover in case of emergency.) The benefitsof automated trucks look promising.Among the trucking industry’s biggest issues are safety, efficiency and laborshortages. Automated trucks can travelcontinuously, thereby reducing deliverytime. Increasing automation can also improve safety and help lessen the drivershortage issue, especially in long-haultrucking.

However, automation is a complex and dynamic concept. The technology needsto be further refined and will requireproper regulations in place to determine its use in the trucking industry.These topics are being considered at international, national and regional levels.NCTCOG is planning for the future withthe different levels of automation in bothpassenger and freight vehicles.

North Central Texas Traffic Counts

Truck traffic is heavily concentrated in the AllianceTexas area, southern Dallas County, alongSH 360 south of DFW Airport and rural areas of the region. This map shows the percentage oftruck traffic in relation to total traffic.

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Safety

NCTCOG continues to focus on improving the safety of the transportation system by concentrating on programs and projects that assist in reducing thenumber of crashes, serious injuriesand fatalities on area roadways.

In 2017, Dallas-Fort Worth experienced 123,481 crashes, ofwhich 4,327 resulted in a serious injury or fatality. There was a 6 percent decline in the number ofcrashes from 2016 to 2017. Fatalitiesincreased slightly, but with initiativessuch as the wrong-way driving pilotproject, work is being done to reducehighway deaths.

The numbers reflect the importanceof training for agencies and first responders responsible for managingand clearing traffic incidents on regional and local roadways. Quickclearance reduces the chance a motorist or first responder will be involved in a secondary crash.NCTCOG continues efforts to

improve roadway safety by offeringTraffic Incident Management Trainingto local police, fire, wrecker, emergency medical technicians andCourtesy Patrol agencies. Theseagencies work together when responding to crashes to enhancesafety for motorists and emergencypersonnel, as well as to clearcrashes more quickly, which helps reduce upstream traffic collisions.More than 2,800 emergency responders throughout the regionhave completed the TIM training offered by NCTCOG since 2003. In2017, 106 trainees completed thecourse.

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2017 Regional Crashes

County Total

Crashes Fatal

Crashes

Collin 13,073 56 Dallas 50,535 264 Denton 11,931 44 Ellis 2,724 32 Hood 820 9 Hunt 1,297 22 Johnson 2,346 20 Kaufman 1,911 27 Parker 2,306 19 Rockwall 1,359 13 Tarrant 34,226 168 Wise 953 21

Total 123,481 695

20

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The sheriff’s offices in Dallas andTarrant counties also help strandedmotorists along many of the region’s freeways. In 2017, morethan 92,000 drivers were aided bythe counties’ Mobility AssistancePatrol Program, also known asCourtesy Patrol. The North TexasTollway Authority responded tomore than 26,000 requests on itssystem of toll roads. There weremore than 11,000 assists on the region’s TEXpress Lanes.

Another important safety endeavoris the Takata airbag recall. At least22 people have been killed worldwide and more than 200 injured as a result of airbags withbad inflators. NCTCOG is involvedin an outreach effort to educatepeople about the importance of getting their defective airbags replaced. Fewer than half of theairbags under recall have been addressed, so the outreach effortcontinues.

NCTCOG has also worked in recentyears to decrease crashes at the region’s 2,900 railroad crossings.Those efforts continued to pay off in2017, as the number of incidents atcrossings dropped to 32. In 2000,there were 67 such incidents.

Active Transportation

NCTCOG also tracks the number ofwrecks involving bicycles andpedestrians. There were 608 bicycleand 1,453 pedestrian crashes in2017. Efforts are underway to improve on these statistics, as well.Since 2015, NCTCOG has used theLook Out Texans campaign to educate the public about the importance of driving, walking andbicycling safely throughout the region. There are 21 tips availableat www.lookouttexans.org to encourage safer travel. In addition,the TxDOT-funded campaign offers school resources and videosto further illustrate people’s rightsand responsibilities on the roads.

Federal Safety Targets

The federal transportation legislation, known as the FixingAmerica’s Surface Transportation(FAST) Act, requires target-settingfor safety that NCTCOG must striveto meet. TxDOT developed a list ofdata-driven targets as part of a collaborative process. The regionalgoal for 2018 is no more than 0.96fatalities per 100 million vehiclemiles traveled, or 665. In approvingthe regional targets, the RTC alsoadded an aspirational goal statingthat one death on North Texasroadways is too many.

With continued cooperation,NCTCOG and its transportationpartners can meet these targetsand make the system safer for bothmotorized vehicles and activemodes of transportation.

The Look Out Texans campaignhelps the publicunderstand theimportance of

driving, walkingand bicycling

safely.

Safety Performance Targets TxDOT NCTCOG

Fatalities 3,704 665Fatality Rate 1.432 0.96Serious Injuries 17,565 3,648Serious Injury Rate 6.74 5.18Non-motorized Fatalities

and Serious Injuries 2,151 560

NCTCOG Safety Target Recommendations

More than 129,000motorists received

help from the MobilityAssistance Patrol

Program.

The RTC has approvedsafety targets, required by federal transportation legislation, in an effort to improve roadway safety.

22

Transportation and Education

Transportation and education intersectin many areas, providing NCTCOG the opportunity to reach the decision makers of the future. For example,planners are actively working to generate more interest in aviation careers and provide educational opportunities for a prospective aviation workforce.

Aviation Outreach

NCTCOG reached more than 13,000 students at over 25 events in 2017.Among the events were STEM exposand festivals, career days, job fairs andair shows.

The North Texas Aviation Education Program aims to connect potential aviation and aerospace professionalswith careers, programs and academicinstitutions on a regional level. Theprogram’s website, located atwww.nctaviationcareers.com, helps students access training, educational requirements, funding resources and real-time local employment opportunities. Activity on the careerssite has grown substantially since its2012 launch. Last year, averagemonthly visits were up 17 percent.Adding value to the aviation education pipeline is subsequently fueling what is currently one of the top aviation and aerospace laborforces in the country.

Gaming

Mobile gaming is another opportunityto reach today’s youth and inspirethem to think about the future.NCTCOG partnered with the DFW Regional Aerospace Consortium, aWorkforce Solutions of Tarrant Countyinitiative; local aerospace employers;and the University of Texas at Arlingtonto develop FLYBY DFW, a game available for Apple and Android devices.

Participants can pilot aircraft such asLockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II,Bell's V-280 and Airbus Helicopters'H155 and EC255 through virtual recreations of Fort Worth Alliance Airport, the Dallas-Fort Worth cityscape and Corpus Christi waterfront.

FLYBY DFW was designed to stimulate interest in aviation at ayounger age while sharing interestinglocal aviation trivia.

NCTCOG will continue its efforts in aviation outreach to help the region fillthe current and future aviation staffingdeficit by preparing tomorrow’s workforce today.

Activity onNCTCOG’s aviation careerswebsite reachedan all-time highin 2017, with average monthlyvisitors up 17%over 2016.

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Planning

Campuses throughout the regionare benefiting from work done tomake it safer for students to chooseactive transportation options.

NCTCOG worked with local communities in 2017 to prepareSafe Routes to School plans for fourschools. Applied Learning Academyin Fort Worth, Delaney Elementaryand Arthur Intermediate inKennedale, and Ignacio ZaragozaElementary in Dallas received assistance with blueprints for making their campuses more accessible to walkers and bicyclists. As a result of this project,Dallas has completed striping ofnew and faded crosswalks aroundZaragosa Elementary. Additionally,federal and local funds have beenidentified to make the improvementsin Fort Worth.

NCTCOG also hosted bicyclerodeos at select schools, led by instructors from BikeDFW, a nonprofit organization working topromote bicycling for transportationand recreation. Participants received free bike helmets, biketune-ups, information on helmet-fitting and safety skills, including theopportunity to participate in an obstacle course.

Resources are available to help parents and community membersbegin Safe Routes to School initiatives. For more, visit www.nctcog.org/schools.

Funding

The RTC awarded $12.2 million to22 Safe Routes to School projectsas part of a 2017 Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program Callfor Projects. These projects will

provide sidewalks, crosswalks, trailsand a range of other improvements.This will make it easier and safer forstudents to walk and bicycle to 30elementary and middle schoolsacross North Texas.

This funding included over $3.2 million to the City of Fort Worth for projects benefiting seven schools.The City of Burleson was awarded$1.7 million in federal funds to construct a network of bicycle-pedestrian paths, bikeways, sidewalks and other improvements connecting to Kerr Middle Schooland J.W. Norwood ElementarySchool. This project had strongcommunity support and will improve the quality of life of residents by providing more choices for transportation.

The RTC awarded $12.2 millionto 22 Safe Routes to School projects in 2017.

23

24

Public Involvement

NCTCOG staff members address transportation and air quality issues byfocusing on the people who live in the region. This approach helps develop innovative ways to improve mobility andclean the air. The intent is to listen soplanners can make informed decisionsabout the multimillion-dollar projectsbeing considered.

Each year, the NCTCOG TransportationDepartment reaches people of all agesat community fairs, schools and civic events. These venues provide opportunities to educate residents abouttopics that affect them directly – and allow staff to receive immediate feedback. It is important to maintain aconversation with the public so plannersare not doing all the talking.

An active outreach strategy helps planners discuss transportation and airquality with people face to face. The department participates in eventsthroughout the year, with a significantpush each spring. In spring 2017, the department was involved in 13 events attended by nearly 140,000 people.

Public meetings are also an importantmethod of reaching residents to explainkey projects and programs, and gather

feedback directly from users of the transportation system. The departmentregularly meets at locations throughoutthe 12-county area to discuss topics important to the transportation systemand regional air quality.

Streaming

Not everyone can attend a meeting inperson, so the department streams RTCand public meetings live, allowing peopleto watch all or part of the proceedingsfrom their computers or on their mobiledevices. An average of approximately 60people per month watched meetings livein 2017, with activity peaking in August at151. Archived videos of public and RTCmeetings are also available.

In addition to meetings and outreachevents, NCTCOG uses a variety of methods to communicate with the public,including publications, social media andmedia relations. The department coversa variety of topics throughout the year.Sometimes, certain subjects appearacross media platforms more than others. Air quality was the most populartopic, appearing seven times, followed byfunding (five times).

Air quality and funding were the most popular topics communicated by NCTCOG in publications and media relations.

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25

The department also uses socialmedia to encourage public engagement in transportation decisions. Its audience continued togrow in 2017, led by Facebook (34 percent). The department’s Twitter following increased 16 percent. Throughout 2017, severaltopics emerged as the most popularin terms of reach and engagement.Public meeting posts reached themost people (145,250), followed bytopics involving roadway projects,planning and programs (104,915).

The most engaging posts werethose that helped people understand who the NCTCOGTransportation Department is byadding a “face” to the brand. These

are messages that may not have related directly to transportation, but demonstrated a more conversational tone. Although few innumber, these “about us” posts resulted in the highest percentageinteractions from social media usersof any posts during the year.

Clean Air Action Day

Air quality is an important factor that must be weighed in the development of the Dallas-FortWorth area’s transportation system.Clean Air Action Day is the signature event used by NCTCOG’sAir North Texas campaign to encourage individuals and employers to become part of the air

quality solution. On June 23, 2017,more than 1,100 North Texans tooksteps toward improving air quality insupport of Clean Air Action Day.Through this event, Air North Texasencourages North Texans to makechoices that contribute to reducingemissions and improving air quality.Participants log their choices atwww.airnorthtexas.org/cleanairactionday.

Air North Texas is just one exampleof how the region’s residents aremaking a difference. There aremany other opportunities to contribute to a transportation system that preserves natural surroundings. Start by interactingwith us. We are listening. Keep it up!

Topic Posts Engagement Reach Share of Reach

About Us 8 6% 5,722 0.75%

Alternative Fuels 20 3.9% 8,222 1%

Bike-Pedestrian 48 3.5% 32,829 4%

Public Meetings/ Forums/ Comments/ Outreach/ Events 265 3.3% 145,250 18.68%

High-Speed Rail 7 3.1% 3,781 0.48%

Social Media Engagement

These are the five most engaging topics covered on the department’s Facebook and Twitter pages in 2017. The average engagement rate of each platform is about 1%.

First PlaceAnthony Luna6th gradePermenter Middle SchoolTeacher: Sarah Box

Second PlaceVladimir Munoz8th gradePermenter Middle SchoolTeacher: Sarah Box

To see all entries, visit www.nctcog.org/ourregion.

Third PlaceLaila Zoubi6th gradePermenter Middle SchoolTeacher: Sarah Box

Honorable MentionIsaiah Edwards8th gradeColeman Middle SchoolTeacher: Alvin Collins

2018 Art Contest WinnersCedar Hill Independent School District

26

Congratulations to Anthony Luna, a sixth-grader Permenter Middle School in CedarHill, on winning this year’s Progress North Texas art contest. The North Central TexasCouncil of Governments asked sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders in Cedar Hill Independent School District to create artwork illustrating how the region can meet thetransportation needs of people living in the region while taking care of the environment.Anthony’s artwork is featured on the cover of Progress North Texas 2018.

North Central Texas Council of GovernmentsP. O. Box 5888Arlington, TX 76005-5888

Progress North Texas 2018Healthy Communities: Transportation and the Natural Environment

The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors who are responsible for the opinions,findings and conclusions presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies

of the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration or the Texas Department of Transportation. This document was prepared in cooperation with the Texas Department of

Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration andFederal Transit Administration.