Metro News Release

For immediate release: January 8, 2004

Metro to sponsor regional mobility initiative planning session

On Friday, January 9, from 9 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., regional transportation, planning, and economic development officials will gather for a Regional Mobility Initiative Planning Session organized by Metro’s Department of Planning and Strategic Programs (PLSP) at Metro headquarters, 600 Fifth Street, N.W. This meeting is the first in a series of meetings throughout the year that will help the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) define the transportation needs of the region well into the 21st century and solidify the role that Metro will play in the region’s efforts to improve the mobility and quality of life of the area’s residents. "Metro plays a vital role in aiding the region to mitigate its mobility crisis," stated CEO/General Manager Richard A. White. "Much as we did more than 30 years ago when the decision was made to build ’America’s Transit System,’ we must once again coalesce the region’s stakeholders around our critical transportation issues and the urgent needs of Metro, a pivotal transit system in providing a better quality of life and improved transportation services for the region’s residents." Participants will come together to discuss the many challenges facing the region and the Authority, which recently launched the Metro Matters campaign to increase awareness of Metro’s funding challenges and to seek advocacy support in addressing these challenges. In addition to funding shortfalls, additional challenges include reducing traffic and subway congestion, improving air quality, providing effective and efficient transportation for underserved or yet-to-be served areas of the region, increasing ridership, and providing quality maintenance of Metro’s infrastructure to better serve increasing ridership, to name a few. CEO/General Manager White will welcome participants and provide an overview of the meeting; PLSP Assistant General Manager Edward Thomas will give the statement of purpose; and Ron Kirby, Director of Transportation Planning at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, will provide an update on regional planning. Keynote speaker Thomas M. Downs, President and CEO of Eno Transportation Foundation, will talk on transportation policy, planning, and management. He has headed a number of highway, intercity rail, and transit organizations over the past 25 years,. Two panels will convene to discuss the following topics respectively: "What are the most effective transportation system management strategies that will improve mobility" " and "What are the demand management strategies that will reduce congestion by encouraging transit use and trip reduction" " Panel 1 will be moderated by Richard Stevens, Director, Business Planning and Development. Panel members will consist of Ho Chang, Director, Fairfax County Department of Transportation; Al Genetti, Director, Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation; Dan Tangherlini, Director, District of Columbia Department of Transportation; Mark Kellogg, Division Chief, Transportation Planning, Arlington County Department of Public Works; and James Hughes, Director, Operations Planning and Support office at Metro. Panel 2 will be moderated by Patricia Gallagher, Executive Director, National Capital Planning Commission, and will consist of the following panelists: Peggy Schwartz, Executive Director, North Bethesda Transportation Management District; Nicholas Ramfos, Chief, Alternative Commute Program, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; Richard Bradley, Executive Director, Downtown Business Improvement District; Fern Piret, Director, Prince George’s County Park and Planning; and Robert Grow, Director, Government Relations, Greater Washington Board of Trade. At the end of the five-hour meeting, participants and discussion leaders will wrap up the major discussion points and decide on the "next steps" to be undertaken for the ongoing Regional Mobility Initiative.

News release issued on January 8, 2004.