progress on board priorities denver regional council of governments february 23, 2007

Progress on Board Priorities

Denver Regional Council of Governments

February 23, 2007

2006 Board priorities

• Transportation

• Collaboration

• Transit-oriented development (TOD)

• Communications

Transportation

Transportation challenges

• Bleak funding outlook

• Waiting pushes problem down, diminishes statewide support

• Awaiting leadership

Transportation opportunities

• Recommend policies/ positions for financing needs

• New leadership at the state level

• Little changes can make a difference

Transportation outcomes

• Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation Finance– Recommendations expected

in March


• Transportation/economic development meetings


• Traffic Signal and ITS Program– Over 200 signalized intersections in

18 corridors– Reduced travel delays by nearly 4

million hours– Eliminated over 4 million pounds of

air pollutant emissions– Saved over 1.3 million gallons of

fuel– More accurate real time travel

information available to the public


• DRCOG RideArrangers Program– Over 35,000 people participated or

used services • carpool, vanpool, schoolpool, Bike to

Work Day, telework, RideSmart Thursdays

– Reduced vehicle miles traveled by nearly 30 million

– Eliminated over 500,000 pounds of air pollutant emissions

Collaboration

Collaboration challenges

• Spread our net further

• Dr. HOG perception

• Uncultivated relationships

Collaboration opportunities

• Strengthen our position through strategic partnerships– Common interests and

concerns

• More partners = louder voice

• Partnerships with business, industry and academia– 4 gubernatorial debates– Outreach to economic development

organizations– Workshops and seminars

Collaboration outcomes


• Partnerships with business, industry and academia– Educational alliance with Regis

University– Telework “toolkit” for businesses– Continued outreach with 9NEWS,

Rose Foundation, Colorado Health Foundation and Department of Human Services on Senior Source Project


• Partnerships with our neighbors – Front Range Transportation

Planning– Meetings with Weld County and the

North Front Range MPO


• Partnerships with the state– Outreach to candidates– Collaboration with state agencies

on pandemic readiness


• Partnerships with our member governments– Aging Summit– Tolling Workshop

• Partnerships with our member governments– Aerial photography project– Training on local government

issues


Transit-oriented development (TOD)

TOD challenges

• Perception by jurisdictions

• Limited and untested national examples of success

TOD opportunities

• Do what we do best – Data development,

assessment, dissemination

• Provide the best available information for decision-makers

TOD outcomes

• Sponsoring workshops, forums, lunch talks and academies

• Partnership with Urban Land Institute

TOD outcomes

• Defining TOD “success”

• Upgrading land use model to better characterize TOD and economic activity around station areas

Communications

Communications challenges

• Complex, convoluted, disparate messaging

• Lots of responsibilities, all having merit

Communications opportunities

• Strengthen our position, image and message by, in fact, “Speaking With One Voice”

• Renowned for expertise in certain areas

• Complements other 3 priorities

Communications outcomes

• Merged Public Information & Communications with Policy & Legislative Services

• Expanded Web site

Communications outcomes

• New communications plan• Two new positions focused on

outreach in key program areas• Key message training for Board

and staffS

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Other key program areas

Transportation

• Conducted FasTracks annual review• Prepared and adopted Regional

Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan• Conducted RideSmart Thursdays

campaign – 173% increase in persons pledging to use

alternative modes of transportation

Aging

• Allocated $8 million in state and federal funding for senior services– Delivered 394,371 meals

– Provided 16,420 hours of in-home services

– 2,454 visits to long-term care facilities

• Successfully advocated for additional monies – Doubled state funding

• Developed and adopted new 4-year plan

Regional land use planning

• Developed recommendations for Metro Vision plan refinements

• Assisted local governments with TOD planning

• Published reports on strategies for encouraging infill development

• Provided technical assistance to local governments

Member services

• Hosted 16 different workshops• Administered tests to 994 firefighter

candidates with 94% pass rate• Inspected more than 3,000 elevators

and escalators– Developed new computerized inspection

system

What’s next?

• Continue efforts underway– part of new day-to-day business

• Ready to expand or take on new initiatives– 2040 update planning– Changing demographics– Natural resource depletion– Land use and transportation– Climate change

progress on board priorities denver regional council of governments february 23, 2007

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