Community leaders and interested citizens from across the Washington region are invited to apply for membership on the 2008 Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB). 

What is the CAC? 

The CAC is a group of 15 people who represent diverse viewpoints on regional transportation issues, including long-term planning concerns, and short-term policies and programs. The TPB itself is the body that coordinates transportation planning for the entire metropolitan Washington region. The TPB includes elected local officials, representatives from transportation agencies and other key officials. Staff for the TPB is provided by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

The mission of the TPB Citizens Advisory Committee is: 
1)   to promote public involvement in transportation planning for the region and 
2)   to provide independent, region-oriented citizen advice to the TPB on transportation plans and issues.  

The 15 members of the CAC are either elected or appointed. Every fall, six members are elected by the current CAC to serve in the coming year. The other nine members are appointed by the TPB each January. The membership is evenly divided between the District of Columbia, Suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia. According to TPB procedures, the CAC membership should represent environmental, business and civic interests in transportation, including appropriate representation from low-income, minority and disabled groups and from the geographical area served by the TPB. 

The CAC meets every month on the Thursday evening that is six days prior to the monthly TPB meeting (the TPB always meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month). The CAC meetings are from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, 777 N. Capitol St, NE, Washington, DC 20002. 

Recent Committee Activities 

The CAC acts in an advisory role to the TPB and offers comments to the board reflecting the committee’s diverse viewpoints. Over the years, the CAC has focused on key regional transportation issues, such as the transportation funding shortfall, environmental concerns and emergency preparedness issues. 

In recent years, the CAC has encouraged regional decision-makers to improve the coordination between land-use and transportation planning. In 2000 the committee called for the TPB to initiates a regional study that would examine different transportation and land use scenarios. The committee has been an integral player in moving that scenario study forward and in ensuring a robust region-wide debate on the challenges and policy options facing local and state governments. 

The committee has also consistently called for enhancements in the TPB’s public participation activities. The CAC has urged the TPB to develop more user-friendly public information and publications on transportation planning issues. In recent years, the committee has promoted and sponsored public forums called “What if the Washington Region Grew Differently?” that seek to educate citizens and solicit public input on regional transportation and land-use challenges.  

For more information on the CAC’s activities, including committee reports and agendas, go to: www.mwcog.org/transportation/committee/cac . 

Applicants: 

•	Should be able to attend monthly meetings at the Council of Governments. 
•	Should be willing to serve for a 1-year term. 
•	Should complete the attached application form. Completed applications will be considered by the members of the CAC when they select six individuals to serve on next year’s CAC and by the TPB chair and vice chairs when they nominate nine additional individuals to serve on the CAC. 

For More Information or to Submit Your Application, Please Contact:  

John Swanson, Senior Transportation Planner
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
777 N. Capitol St., NE
Washington, DC  20002
(202) 962-3295 
jswanson@mwcog.org  

Deadline for Applications: 

December 7, 2007

	

Please provide the following information: 
Name: ______________________________________________________________________________

Residential Address: 	___________________________________________________________________ 
	Street 	City                               State	 Zip
Mailing Address: 	______________________________________________________________________ 
	Street 	City                               State	Zip
Business Address: 	_____________________________________________________________________ 
	Street 	City                               State	 Zip
Primary Telephone: ________________________  	Secondary Telephone: _________________________
E-mail Address: __________	_____________________________________________________________
Use additional pages to answer the following questions if necessary. 
1.  Why are you interested in serving on the TPB’s Citizen Advisory Committee? 

2. Please check all the interest areas that reflect the perspective you would bring to the CAC.       
The Citizens Advisory Committee is dynamic and effective because it represents diverse citizen experiences and interests. All residents are encouraged to apply regardless of their expertise or transportation interest. 

Check all that apply:
  Affordable Housing	  Land-Use Issues	  Persons with Disabilities 	
  Bicycle Advocacy 	  Low-Income Issues	  Suburban Issues	
  Business/Chamber 	  Minority Communities	  Rural/Exurban	
  Citizen at Large 	  Environmental Concerns	  Road/Bridges Advocacy 	
  Downtown D.C.	  Neighborhood-Scale Issues 	  Transit Rider/Transit Advocacy	
  Employees/Labor	  Parks/Trails 	  Senior Citizen Issues	
  Freight/Rail/Trucking	  Pedestrian Advocacy	  Student Issues	
  Motor Vehicle Advocacy	  Highway Safety	  School District/Parent	
  Telework	  Ridesharing	  Alternative Commuting	
  Smart Growth	  Transit-Oriented Development	  Environmental Justice	
  Economic Development	  Transportation Funding	  Highway Commuting	
  Other (Please specify) : 	
3. Please briefly describe your experience related to the interest areas you checked in question 2 that you feel may contribute to your effectiveness on the Citizens Advisory Committee. Also, list any relevant organizations or groups in which you participate that may relate to your service on the Citizens Advisory Committee.

4. Is there any other information related to your serving as a member of the TPB Citizens Advisory Committee that you’d like to tell us about? 

5.  If appointed to the Citizens Advisory Committee, could you begin your term in February 2008?  
 Yes     No 
6.  How did you learn about the Citizen Advisory Committee opportunity?

7.  Demographic Information (Optional): 
Sex: 	  Male 	  Female 	

Disability:       Yes     	
  No 	
Age:  20-29     	
 30-39	
 40-49	
 50-59     60 +  	
Ethnicity:	  African American	  American Indian/Alaskan Native	  Hispanic 	
  Multiracial 	  Asian/Pacific Islander	  White (European Decent)	  Other