Dallas County Commissioner Theresa Daniel Elected Chair of the Regional Transportation Council

 (Arlington, Texas) –

Dallas County Commissioner Theresa Daniel

Dallas County Commissioner Theresa Daniel will chair over the   Regional
 Transportation Council for the next year after being elected chair of the 44-member   transportation policymaking body for the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Thursday.
 
 Daniel assumes leadership of the RTC from Johnson County Judge the Roger Harmon.   Harmon has chaired the RTC through much of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading the RTC   through various challenges that have significantly impacted the region’s economic activity and   transportation system. He has also steered the RTC through the 87^th Texas Legislature.
 
 Collin County Commissioner Duncan Webb is the new vice chair, while Fort Worth City     Councilmember Cary Moon was named secretary.
 
 As the transportation policymaking body for the 12-county Dallas-Fort Worth area, the RTC   oversees transportation planning for the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country, which   has a current population of more than 7.5 million people. The RTC guides the development of   roadway, rail and bicycle-pedestrian plans and programs; allocates transportation funds; and recommends projects to the Texas Transportation Commission for other programs.
 
The RTC also ensures transportation services are coordinated throughout the region and the metropolitan area complies with air quality regulations. Dallas-Fort Worth is currently in nonattainment for ozone and is working toward meeting the federal standards.
 
Daniel has served on the transportation policymaking body since 2018. She has represented Dallas County as a commissioner since 2013. Daniel served last year as vice chair of the RTC after a year as secretary. The new officers will serve in their positions through June 2022, helping the RTC chart a course toward recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The RTC has historically embraced innovation to meet the transportation needs of the growing region. That has continued during the pandemic, with projects such as the Dallas-Fort Worth High-Speed Transportation Connections Study. The project is currently examining high-speed options between Dallas and Fort Worth, including Arlington. The study is currently in its final stages before the federal environmental documentation process begins. The technology selected will offer a connection to other planned high-speed transportation systems.   
 
The innovative approach of the RTC helps the policymaking body make decisions that enhance the quality of life of people throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area and provide transportation for people throughout the region.
 
 
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 on the two urban centers of Dallas and Fort Worth. Currently, NCTCOG has 238 member governments including
16 counties, 169 cities, 22 school districts and 31 special districts. For more information on the NCTCOG 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.