FT. WORTH, TX — The Regional Transportation Council recently approved an update of Mobility 2045, the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ current long-range Metropolitan Transportation Plan, which guides the spending of federal and state transportation funds based on regional goals.

The $148.3-billion Mobility 2045: 2022 Update makes recommendations for transportation improvements over the next 20-plus years through policies, programs, and projects designed to improve regional mobility and increase efficiency, safety, and system capacity.

Fort Worth Mayor Pro Tem Gyna Bivens is Vice-Chair of the Regional Transportation Council and helps lead the 44-member transportation policy-making body.

Long-range transportation plans such as Mobility 2045 are federally required to be updated at least every four years.

The last comprehensive update of the Metropolitan Transportation Plan happened in 2018 with the adoption of Mobility 2045. Since then, planners have continued to refine policy, program, and project recommendations for the 2022 update.

This plan’s financial analysis considers capital, operation, and maintenance costs associated with the preservation and continued operation of the existing transportation system, as well as the costs associated with the recommended improvements.

Now that the RTC has approved the plan, the U.S. Department of Transportation must determine if the plan complies with federal air quality regulations, which will allow the proposed current and future transportation projects to proceed. This is a step required because 10 Dallas-Fort Worth area counties, including Tarrant, are in nonattainment for ozone pollution.