The transportation council is an independent policy board made up of officials from across the metroplex and is part of the NCTCOG division that oversees the transportation planning process for the region.
Webb has served on the transportation council since 2011 and has represented Collin County as a commissioner through that same period. He served as the vice chair of the council for the past year.
The transportation body guides the development of roadway, rail, bicycle and pedestrian plans and programs across Dallas-Fort Worth. It also determines how to fund various transportation initiatives and recommends projects to the Texas Transportation Commission. The council coordinates programs with various counties and cities across the metroplex and maintains compliance with federal environmental standards.
The council helped plan and develop Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s Silver Line project. The Silver Line is a $1.89 billion commuter rail line being built by DART that will connect Plano to the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport with an estimated travel time of 60 minutes or less, according to figures released by the transit agency.
The council is also funding a number of automated vehicle projects across the metroplex that are planned to begin sometime in 2023, planning documents show. The council will spend over $30 million on nine different projects related to automated vehicle technology in various cities across the region as part of its long-term plans, according to a presentation at the council’s March 14 meeting.
The council is also putting together a regional parking database to help inform area officials on ways to develop more efficient parking. Using a 2018 study, the council estimates potentially 40% of the region's parking spaces are typically unused.
The council estimates in its Mobility 2045 plan, the long-term guide for the region's transportation needs, that the metroplex will grow to 11.2 million residents by 2045. The plan states this growth will put a large strain on the region's existing transportation system and that traffic congestion may increase dramatically.
More information on the council and its various projects can be found on its website.
