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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 2009-03-05 Supporting Freeway Incident Management.pdfCITY OF ANNA, TEXAS RESOLUTION NO. 2009-43-45 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ANNA, TEXAS SUPPORTING A COMPREHENSIVE, COORDUNATED, INTERAGENCY APPROACH TO FREEWAY INCIDENT MANAGEMENT. (R08-10) WHEREAS, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has been designated as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area by the Governor of Texas in accordance with federal law; and, WHEREAS, the Regional Transportation Council (RTC), comprised primarily of local elected officials, is the regional transportation policy body associated with the North Central Texas Council of Governments and has been and continues to be the regional forum for cooperative decisions on transportation; and, WHEREAS, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) assigns the MPO the responsibility for carrying out the metropolitan planning process, in cooperation with the State and public agencies; and, WHEREAS, regionwide, commuters have experienced a 35 percent increase in travel time due to congestion, resulting in unacceptable levels of vehicle emissions and $4.2 billion in lost productivity due to traffic congestion annually; and, WHEREAS, reducing traffic congestion and its related impacts on air quality, energy, safety, and the quality of life are primary goals of Mobility 2030: The Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the Dallas Fort Worth Area: and, WHEREAS, congestion mitigation is an integral element of The Metropolitan Transportation Plan, with a total program cost of apprOximately $3.1 billion, and congestion mitigation strategies are intended to decrease congestion in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area; and, WHEREAS, multi-agency coordination and the implementation of "best practices" Freeway Incident Management techniques reduce congestion on affected roadways and improve the safety of incident responders. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT: Section 1. The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) supports the quick detection and clearance of traffic incidents using state-of-the-art traffic surveillance, traveler notification, and crash investigation equipment. Section 2. The RTC encourages all personnel involved in freeway incident management to be trained in NCTCOG training classes, opportunities, and exercises that promote the objectives within this resolution--a common, comprehensive approach that maintains Res. 2009-03"()s Fn:eway Incident Management.doc 03-24-09 the safety of incident responders and travelers, while minimizing clearance time. Section 3. The RTC supports an enhanced geographic information systems (GIS) based incident location system that will aid incident reporters and responders in the timely detection and verification of incidents. Section 4. The RTC supports a uniform policy whereby law enforcement agency personnel may remove personal property from a roadway or right-of-way, without the consent of the owner or carrier of the property, if the agency determines that the property blocks the roadway or endangers public safety. Section 5. The RTC encourages local governments to adopt a towing ordinance that mandates the arrival of appropriate equipment within a specified time limit and instructs staff to inventory towing ordinance policies impacting freeway and toll road facilities. Section 6. The RTC supports consistent, coordinated operational strategies for all major freeway and toll road projects that include quick incident clearance practices, and that these strategies be conSistently adopted prior to major freeway and toll road improvement expenditures in order to ensure that the expected mobility benefits are realized. Section 7. The RTC may consider compliance with this resolution when considering future Regional Transportation Council funding actions. Section 8. This resolution shall be transmitted to the Texas Transportation Commission, Texas Department of Transportation Dallas and Forth Worth Districts, the North Texas Tollway Authority, DallasIFort Worth International Airport, counties within the Metropolitan Planning Organization planning boundary, and cities having freeways and toll roads within their jurisdiction. Section 9. This resolution shall be in effect immediately upon its adoption. PASSED by the City Council of the City of Anna, Texas, on this the 24th day of March, 2009. ATTEST: APPROVED: 03-2~