DRCOG committee backs $1.095 million for TDM set-aside projects spanning nine-county region
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Summary
DRCOG staff recommended and the committee recommended to the Board funding seven Transportation Demand Management projects from the Way to Go program, using $1,000,000 for the 2026–27 cycle plus $95,000 in returned funds; projects will target VMT reduction through outreach, feasibility studies and outreach to underserved communities.
The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) committee on Oct. 14 recommended that the Board of Directors fund seven Transportation Demand Management (TDM) projects through the Way to Go program for the 2026–27 funding cycle, using $1,000,000 in set-aside funds plus $95,000 in returned funds.
Steve Erickson, DRCOG communications and marketing director, introduced the funding recommendation and then turned the presentation to Way to Go manager Nisha Mochsegundam, who summarized the application and review process. Mochsegundam said the fund targets projects that reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) through outreach, education, research and related measures and that applicants were evaluated primarily on projected VMT reduction along with innovation, replicability and funding effectiveness.
The seven recommended projects are (applicants as presented by staff): Transportation Solutions (Cherry Creek commuter outreach), Northeast Transportation Connections (feasibility for multimodal options around 60th, Pena and 40th/Airport RTD stations), Commuting Solutions (outreach for the Harvest Hill development near US 36), Boulder Transportation Connections (neighborhood EcoPass promotion), Denver Regional Mobility Access Council (expanded travel training targeting underserved communities and older adults), Community Cycles (campaign for the US 36 multiuse path and new bicycle infrastructure), and Downtown Denver Partnership (media campaign promoting multimodal options for downtown employers).
Mochsegundam said the two-year cycle had $1,000,000 available plus $95,000 returned from a past set-aside and that staff worked with applicants to refine proposals; a review panel of DRCOG staff and three external partners scored and ranked projects and recommended funding all seven applicants. She explained that applicants are required to submit monthly updates, mid-project reports and a closeout report with VMT as the primary metric.
A committee member who chairs Transportation Solutions stated a conflict and abstained from the vote; the motion to recommend funding carried by voice vote with that abstention noted. The committee's action was to recommend the funding package to DRCOG's Board of Directors for final approval.
Provenance: presentation and discussion of the TDM set-aside and the committee motion and vote are recorded in the meeting transcript at the Way to Go presentation and subsequent motion.
