Approval of September 13, 2018, Minutes Minutes: 5 Presenter: Gary Fickes, RTC Chair Item Summary: Approval of the September 13, 2018, minutes contained in Reference Item 1 will be requested. Background: N/A
Consent Agenda 2.1. Transportation Improvement Program Modifications Presenter: Ken Bunkley, NCTCOG Item Summary: Regional Transportation Council approval of revisions to the 2019-2022 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the ability to amend the Unified Planning Work Program and other planning/administrative documents with TIP-related changes will be requested. Background: November 2018 revisions to the 2019-2022 TIP are provided as Electronic Item 2.1 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 2.2. FY2018 and FY2019 Unified Planning Work Program Modifications Presenter: Vickie Alexander, NCTCOG Item Summary: Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval of modifications to the FY2018 and FY2019 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) will be requested. Direction for staff to also amend the Transportation Improvement Program and other administrative/planning documents, as appropriate, to reflect the approved modifications will also be sought. Background: The Unified Planning Work Program is required by federal and State transportation planning regulations and provides a summary of the transportation and transportation-related air quality planning tasks to be conducted by Metropolitan Planning Organization staff. The FY2018 and FY2019 UPWP identifies the activities to be carried out between October 1, 2017, and September 30, 2019. Amendments to this document are being proposed to reflect new initiatives, project updates and funding adjustments. The proposed amendments were presented to the public through the September 10, 11, and 19, 2018, public meetings and are also included as Electronic Item 2.2.1. Additional information is provided in Electronic Item 2.2.2. Comments received as a result of the public outreach process, if any, will be provided as a handout at the meeting. The Surface Transportation Technical Committee took action at its September meeting to recommend RTC approval of the modifications. 2.3. Clean Fleets North Texas 2018 Funding Recommendation Presenter: Lori Clark, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will request approval of funding recommendations for an additional application received under the Clean Fleets North Texas 2018 Call for Projects (CFP). Background: The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) opened the Clean Fleets North Texas 2018 CFP to award grant funds for diesel vehicle or equipment replacement projects in North Central Texas. Applications are accepted on a modified first-come, first-served basis with monthly application deadlines. Staff completed review and emissions quantification of one additional application received since the last Council approval and recommends funding for this project. This CFP is funded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Supplemental Environmental Project. This initiative is an extension of clean vehicle efforts listed as weight-of-evidence in the Dallas-Fort Worth 2016 Eight-Hour Attainment Demonstration State Implementation Plan. Electronic Item 2.3.1 provides an overview of the call for projects. Electronic Item 2.3.2 provides additional detail on recommended projects. 2.4. 2018 Incident Management Equipment Purchase Call for Projects Presenter: Sonya Landrum, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will request approval from the Regional Transportation Council to host a new round of Incident Management Equipment Purchase Call for Projects in 2018. Background: The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) hosted the first Incident Management Equipment Purchase Call for Projects (CFP) in 2014 to assist first responder partner agencies in purchasing equipment and technology used to mitigate traffic incidents in the North Central Texas nonattainment area. The 2014 CFP was developed in support of the NCTCOG Traffic Incident Management Training Program’s recommendation to use Best Practice Equipment and Technology. The goal of NCTCOG’s Traffic Incident Management Training Program is to initiate a common, coordinated response to traffic incidents that will build partnerships, enhance safety for emergency personnel and the traveling public, reduce secondary traffic crashes, improve the efficiency of the transportation system, and improve air quality in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Non-recurring traffic incidents are responsible for about 50 percent of all congestion. Additionally, the secondary crashes caused by these incidents kill or injure hundreds annually in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Equipment and technology that aid in quick incident clearance can assist with keeping motorists and first responders safe on the roadway and in improving air quality for the region. The 2018 Incident Management Equipment Purchase CFP will be the second round of CFP. Electronic Item 2.4 provides an overview of the 2018 Incident Management Equipment Purchase CFP.
Orientation to Agenda/Director of Transportation Report Minutes: 20 Presenter: Michael Morris, NCTCOG 1.Format for Today’s Meeting •Texas Municipal League Annual Meeting in Fort Worth •Lunch •Bob Poole: Rethinking America’s Highways Book •Short Presentations 2.Bob Poole: Rethinking America’s Highways 3.Regional Transportation Council (RTC) Member Representation at Events •RTC Chair Gary Fickes, Monthly Texas Transportation CommissionMeetings •RTC Chair Gary Fickes, Texas Commission on Environmental QualityPublic Hearing on the Volkswagen Settlement 4.Schedule for RTC Legislative Program •Workshops with Legislators, October 19 and October 31 5.Air Quality Funding Opportunities for Vehicles(www.nctcog.org/trans/quality/air/funding-and-resources/fundingvehicle) 6.Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Events (www.dfwcleancities.org/dfw-clean-cities-meetings) 7.Ozone Season Update (Electronic Item 3.1) 8.September Public Meeting Minutes (Electronic Item 3.2) 9.October Public Meeting Notice (Electronic Item 3.3) 10.Public Comments Report (Electronic Item 3.4) 11.Recent Correspondence (Electronic Item 3.5) 12.Recent News Articles (Electronic Item 3.6) 13.Recent Press Releases (Electronic Item 3.7) 14.Transportation Partners Progress Reports
Auto Occupancy Verification Technology and High-Occupancy Vehicle Rewards Program Minutes:10 Presenter: Natalie Bettger, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will seek Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval of a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) verification technology utilizing the Carma Auto Occupancy Detection and Verification Technology. Background: The RTC’s Tolled Managed Lane Policy includes provisions to explore a technology solution for the verification of auto occupancy rather than relying on manual enforcement. Currently, HOV drivers wishing to receive the discount must register their trip as an HOV trip in advance of taking that trip. Enforcement is done through a manual process in which an officer verifies that a declared HOV has at least two occupants. This is a dangerous situation for the police officers, as well as a disruption to traffic flow when potential violators are pulled over on the side of the road. Staff provided an update of the auto occupancy verification technology and HOV Rewards Program at the RTC Workshop and meeting on September 13, 2018. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) contracted with a vendor, Carma Technology Corporation, to develop an occupancy verification technology solution to apply the HOV discount during the peak periods. The HOV Rewards Program will be evaluated and not approved at this time. The vision is to someday implement a rewards-based technology solution on all tolled managed lanes within the region, with a staged approach to apply on other roadways within the region that could also be deployed statewide through the Texas Department of Transportation. Additional information can be found in Electronic Item 4.
Implementation of Regional Trail Corridors Presenter: Karla Weaver, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will provide an overview of a funding request for design and construction of critical sections of Regional Veloweb trail corridors including last-mile connections to rail stations. Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval of the funding will be requested. Background: In November 2013, a coordination meeting held at the North Central Texas Council of Governments brought together the mayors from five cities of the Dallas-Fort Worth region to discuss implementing a Regional Veloweb trail alignment from Downtown Fort Worth to Downtown Dallas. The participating cities included Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, and Irving. Since 2013, various sections of the trail have begun construction and/or have secured construction funding. Funding is needed on an additional 3.1 miles of trail in proximity to CentrePort Trinity Railway Express rail station that will complete a continuous 53-mile trail southern alignment between the five cities. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Cotton Belt rail project includes a parallel regionally significant Veloweb Trail corridor that will connect with multiple planned commuter rail stations located in seven cities across three counties. Accommodations for the approximate 26-mile regional trail have been included as part of DART’s planning for the commuter rail corridor. Several sections of the trail corridors have been identified as critical to be constructed with the Cotton Belt rail project due to right-of-way constraints and other factors impacting the feasibility of construction in the future when the commuter rail is operational. The RTC will be asked to approve funding to implement various sections of these priority regional trail corridors including last mile connections to rail stations. The funding recommend is provided in Electronic Item 5.1, and information on the overall effort is provided in Electronic Item 5.2.
Automated Vehicle Program 2.0 Minutes: 5 Presenter: Thomas Bamonte, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will seek Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval of an Automated Vehicle (AV) Program that will provide eligible public entities with: 1) planning resources to prepare for AVs, 2) funding to cover costs incurred when there is an AV deployment, and 3) an opportunity to deliver an AV project to address transportation needs not covered by private AV developers. Background: The region is attracting more attention from the AV developer community for a variety of AV deployment types such as robo-taxis and freight delivery. The proposed AV Program consists of three elements: • Planning: Provide planning assistance for public entities that are planning ahead for the deployment of AVs in their community; $1.7 million ($1.5 million net). • Implementation Costs: Funding to help public entities cover infrastructure, equipment, safety, public education, and other costs incurred when an AV deployment comes to a community; $10.6 million ($10 million net). • Regional Priority Projects: AV deployment projects supporting use cases/communities that have not attracted AV developer interest. $20.9 million ($20 million net). The Planning grants will be accessible by public entities that indicate they are interested in AV deployments. The Implementation Cost grants will be accessible by such public entities with AV deployments. The Regional Priority Projects will be selected through a competitive process at a later date. Electronic Item 6.1 provides more detail regarding the Automated Vehicle 2.0 program. The Council will be asked to approve the program and related policies. A proposed RTC policy statement is included for review in Electronic Item 6.2.
Status Report on Positive Train Control Implementation in North Central Texas Minutes: 10 Presenter: Shannon Stevenson, NCTCOG, and Tim McKay, Dallas Area Rapid Transit Item Summary: An update on Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation in North Central Texas will be provided to the Council. Background: On October 16, 2008, Congress passed the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requiring the installation of Positive Train Control technology on a majority of the United States railroad network, including all commuter rail, by December 31, 2018. PTC technology can help prevent collisions and other incidents by automatically detecting and controlling the movement of trains, which could save lives. Staff will summarize progress made with PTC implementation for commuter rail in North Central Texas. Additional background information can be found in Electronic Item 7.
Performance Measures Target Setting Minutes: 15 Presenter: Dan Lamers, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will update the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) on proposed regional targets for federally required performance measures. The targets are set in cooperation and coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation. 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. Previously, the RTC adopted targets for the Transit Asset Management and Safety performance measures. Each performance measure rulemaking consists of several specific performance measures. Targets for these required specific performance measures must be adopted by the RTC by November 15. Proposed targets will be presented for the Infrastructure Condition and System Performance/Freight/Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality required measures. 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 targets for the required federal performance measures are being discussed at North Central Texas Council of Governments public meetings in October and final targets will be proposed for RTC action on November 8, 2018.
Public Participation Plan Update Minutes: 5 Presenter: Amanda Wilson, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will present an overview of the Public Participation Plan and outline proposed revisions, which are necessary to reflect Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act requirements and changing demographics. Background: The current Public Participation Plan, provided in Electronic Item 9.1, was approved by the Regional Transportation Council in February 2015. In accordance with federal law, the Public Participation Plan defines public involvement procedures and comment periods, outlines strategies to inform the public and describes measures to include diverse voices in the transportation and air quality planning process. The Language Assistance Plan is included as an appendix. Updates are necessary to address FAST Act stakeholder requirements, changing demographics, and the increasing role of technology in public input opportunities. A 45-day comment period on an updated Public Participation Plan and Language Assistance Plan, provided in Electronic Item 9.2, began September 10. A presentation containing additional information on the proposed revisions is included as Electronic Item 9.3.
Approval of September 13, 2018, Minutes Minutes: 5 Presenter: Gary Fickes, RTC Chair Item Summary: Approval of the September 13, 2018, minutes contained in Reference Item 1 will be requested. Background: N/A
Consent Agenda 2.1. Transportation Improvement Program Modifications Presenter: Ken Bunkley, NCTCOG Item Summary: Regional Transportation Council approval of revisions to the 2019-2022 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the ability to amend the Unified Planning Work Program and other planning/administrative documents with TIP-related changes will be requested. Background: November 2018 revisions to the 2019-2022 TIP are provided as Electronic Item 2.1 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 2.2. FY2018 and FY2019 Unified Planning Work Program Modifications Presenter: Vickie Alexander, NCTCOG Item Summary: Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval of modifications to the FY2018 and FY2019 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) will be requested. Direction for staff to also amend the Transportation Improvement Program and other administrative/planning documents, as appropriate, to reflect the approved modifications will also be sought. Background: The Unified Planning Work Program is required by federal and State transportation planning regulations and provides a summary of the transportation and transportation-related air quality planning tasks to be conducted by Metropolitan Planning Organization staff. The FY2018 and FY2019 UPWP identifies the activities to be carried out between October 1, 2017, and September 30, 2019. Amendments to this document are being proposed to reflect new initiatives, project updates and funding adjustments. The proposed amendments were presented to the public through the September 10, 11, and 19, 2018, public meetings and are also included as Electronic Item 2.2.1. Additional information is provided in Electronic Item 2.2.2. Comments received as a result of the public outreach process, if any, will be provided as a handout at the meeting. The Surface Transportation Technical Committee took action at its September meeting to recommend RTC approval of the modifications. 2.3. Clean Fleets North Texas 2018 Funding Recommendation Presenter: Lori Clark, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will request approval of funding recommendations for an additional application received under the Clean Fleets North Texas 2018 Call for Projects (CFP). Background: The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) opened the Clean Fleets North Texas 2018 CFP to award grant funds for diesel vehicle or equipment replacement projects in North Central Texas. Applications are accepted on a modified first-come, first-served basis with monthly application deadlines. Staff completed review and emissions quantification of one additional application received since the last Council approval and recommends funding for this project. This CFP is funded through the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Supplemental Environmental Project. This initiative is an extension of clean vehicle efforts listed as weight-of-evidence in the Dallas-Fort Worth 2016 Eight-Hour Attainment Demonstration State Implementation Plan. Electronic Item 2.3.1 provides an overview of the call for projects. Electronic Item 2.3.2 provides additional detail on recommended projects. 2.4. 2018 Incident Management Equipment Purchase Call for Projects Presenter: Sonya Landrum, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will request approval from the Regional Transportation Council to host a new round of Incident Management Equipment Purchase Call for Projects in 2018. Background: The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) hosted the first Incident Management Equipment Purchase Call for Projects (CFP) in 2014 to assist first responder partner agencies in purchasing equipment and technology used to mitigate traffic incidents in the North Central Texas nonattainment area. The 2014 CFP was developed in support of the NCTCOG Traffic Incident Management Training Program’s recommendation to use Best Practice Equipment and Technology. The goal of NCTCOG’s Traffic Incident Management Training Program is to initiate a common, coordinated response to traffic incidents that will build partnerships, enhance safety for emergency personnel and the traveling public, reduce secondary traffic crashes, improve the efficiency of the transportation system, and improve air quality in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. Non-recurring traffic incidents are responsible for about 50 percent of all congestion. Additionally, the secondary crashes caused by these incidents kill or injure hundreds annually in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Equipment and technology that aid in quick incident clearance can assist with keeping motorists and first responders safe on the roadway and in improving air quality for the region. The 2018 Incident Management Equipment Purchase CFP will be the second round of CFP. Electronic Item 2.4 provides an overview of the 2018 Incident Management Equipment Purchase CFP.
Orientation to Agenda/Director of Transportation Report Minutes: 20 Presenter: Michael Morris, NCTCOG 1.Format for Today’s Meeting •Texas Municipal League Annual Meeting in Fort Worth •Lunch •Bob Poole: Rethinking America’s Highways Book •Short Presentations 2.Bob Poole: Rethinking America’s Highways 3.Regional Transportation Council (RTC) Member Representation at Events •RTC Chair Gary Fickes, Monthly Texas Transportation CommissionMeetings •RTC Chair Gary Fickes, Texas Commission on Environmental QualityPublic Hearing on the Volkswagen Settlement 4.Schedule for RTC Legislative Program •Workshops with Legislators, October 19 and October 31 5.Air Quality Funding Opportunities for Vehicles(www.nctcog.org/trans/quality/air/funding-and-resources/fundingvehicle) 6.Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Events (www.dfwcleancities.org/dfw-clean-cities-meetings) 7.Ozone Season Update (Electronic Item 3.1) 8.September Public Meeting Minutes (Electronic Item 3.2) 9.October Public Meeting Notice (Electronic Item 3.3) 10.Public Comments Report (Electronic Item 3.4) 11.Recent Correspondence (Electronic Item 3.5) 12.Recent News Articles (Electronic Item 3.6) 13.Recent Press Releases (Electronic Item 3.7) 14.Transportation Partners Progress Reports
Auto Occupancy Verification Technology and High-Occupancy Vehicle Rewards Program Minutes:10 Presenter: Natalie Bettger, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will seek Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval of a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) verification technology utilizing the Carma Auto Occupancy Detection and Verification Technology. Background: The RTC’s Tolled Managed Lane Policy includes provisions to explore a technology solution for the verification of auto occupancy rather than relying on manual enforcement. Currently, HOV drivers wishing to receive the discount must register their trip as an HOV trip in advance of taking that trip. Enforcement is done through a manual process in which an officer verifies that a declared HOV has at least two occupants. This is a dangerous situation for the police officers, as well as a disruption to traffic flow when potential violators are pulled over on the side of the road. Staff provided an update of the auto occupancy verification technology and HOV Rewards Program at the RTC Workshop and meeting on September 13, 2018. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) contracted with a vendor, Carma Technology Corporation, to develop an occupancy verification technology solution to apply the HOV discount during the peak periods. The HOV Rewards Program will be evaluated and not approved at this time. The vision is to someday implement a rewards-based technology solution on all tolled managed lanes within the region, with a staged approach to apply on other roadways within the region that could also be deployed statewide through the Texas Department of Transportation. Additional information can be found in Electronic Item 4.
Implementation of Regional Trail Corridors Presenter: Karla Weaver, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will provide an overview of a funding request for design and construction of critical sections of Regional Veloweb trail corridors including last-mile connections to rail stations. Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval of the funding will be requested. Background: In November 2013, a coordination meeting held at the North Central Texas Council of Governments brought together the mayors from five cities of the Dallas-Fort Worth region to discuss implementing a Regional Veloweb trail alignment from Downtown Fort Worth to Downtown Dallas. The participating cities included Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, and Irving. Since 2013, various sections of the trail have begun construction and/or have secured construction funding. Funding is needed on an additional 3.1 miles of trail in proximity to CentrePort Trinity Railway Express rail station that will complete a continuous 53-mile trail southern alignment between the five cities. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Cotton Belt rail project includes a parallel regionally significant Veloweb Trail corridor that will connect with multiple planned commuter rail stations located in seven cities across three counties. Accommodations for the approximate 26-mile regional trail have been included as part of DART’s planning for the commuter rail corridor. Several sections of the trail corridors have been identified as critical to be constructed with the Cotton Belt rail project due to right-of-way constraints and other factors impacting the feasibility of construction in the future when the commuter rail is operational. The RTC will be asked to approve funding to implement various sections of these priority regional trail corridors including last mile connections to rail stations. The funding recommend is provided in Electronic Item 5.1, and information on the overall effort is provided in Electronic Item 5.2.
Automated Vehicle Program 2.0 Minutes: 5 Presenter: Thomas Bamonte, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will seek Regional Transportation Council (RTC) approval of an Automated Vehicle (AV) Program that will provide eligible public entities with: 1) planning resources to prepare for AVs, 2) funding to cover costs incurred when there is an AV deployment, and 3) an opportunity to deliver an AV project to address transportation needs not covered by private AV developers. Background: The region is attracting more attention from the AV developer community for a variety of AV deployment types such as robo-taxis and freight delivery. The proposed AV Program consists of three elements: • Planning: Provide planning assistance for public entities that are planning ahead for the deployment of AVs in their community; $1.7 million ($1.5 million net). • Implementation Costs: Funding to help public entities cover infrastructure, equipment, safety, public education, and other costs incurred when an AV deployment comes to a community; $10.6 million ($10 million net). • Regional Priority Projects: AV deployment projects supporting use cases/communities that have not attracted AV developer interest. $20.9 million ($20 million net). The Planning grants will be accessible by public entities that indicate they are interested in AV deployments. The Implementation Cost grants will be accessible by such public entities with AV deployments. The Regional Priority Projects will be selected through a competitive process at a later date. Electronic Item 6.1 provides more detail regarding the Automated Vehicle 2.0 program. The Council will be asked to approve the program and related policies. A proposed RTC policy statement is included for review in Electronic Item 6.2.
Status Report on Positive Train Control Implementation in North Central Texas Minutes: 10 Presenter: Shannon Stevenson, NCTCOG, and Tim McKay, Dallas Area Rapid Transit Item Summary: An update on Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation in North Central Texas will be provided to the Council. Background: On October 16, 2008, Congress passed the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requiring the installation of Positive Train Control technology on a majority of the United States railroad network, including all commuter rail, by December 31, 2018. PTC technology can help prevent collisions and other incidents by automatically detecting and controlling the movement of trains, which could save lives. Staff will summarize progress made with PTC implementation for commuter rail in North Central Texas. Additional background information can be found in Electronic Item 7.
Performance Measures Target Setting Minutes: 15 Presenter: Dan Lamers, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will update the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) on proposed regional targets for federally required performance measures. The targets are set in cooperation and coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation. 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. Previously, the RTC adopted targets for the Transit Asset Management and Safety performance measures. Each performance measure rulemaking consists of several specific performance measures. Targets for these required specific performance measures must be adopted by the RTC by November 15. Proposed targets will be presented for the Infrastructure Condition and System Performance/Freight/Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality required measures. 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 targets for the required federal performance measures are being discussed at North Central Texas Council of Governments public meetings in October and final targets will be proposed for RTC action on November 8, 2018.
Public Participation Plan Update Minutes: 5 Presenter: Amanda Wilson, NCTCOG Item Summary: Staff will present an overview of the Public Participation Plan and outline proposed revisions, which are necessary to reflect Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act requirements and changing demographics. Background: The current Public Participation Plan, provided in Electronic Item 9.1, was approved by the Regional Transportation Council in February 2015. In accordance with federal law, the Public Participation Plan defines public involvement procedures and comment periods, outlines strategies to inform the public and describes measures to include diverse voices in the transportation and air quality planning process. The Language Assistance Plan is included as an appendix. Updates are necessary to address FAST Act stakeholder requirements, changing demographics, and the increasing role of technology in public input opportunities. A 45-day comment period on an updated Public Participation Plan and Language Assistance Plan, provided in Electronic Item 9.2, began September 10. A presentation containing additional information on the proposed revisions is included as Electronic Item 9.3.