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WRCOG to pilot near‑term transportation fixes, including ITS study and Southwest TUMF pilot
Summary
WRCOG staff proposed and received committee support for pilot studies to accelerate Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) project delivery, including an ITS feasibility analysis for the Pass zone and a Southwest TUMF pilot focused on signal coordination and near-term intersection fixes; an RFP was released with a 12–18 month timeline.
WRCOG staff told the executive committee they will pilot near-term transportation improvements aimed at speeding stalled projects paid for with TUMF funds, including an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) feasibility analysis for the Pass zone and a Southwest TUMF transportation study focused on short-term, implementable fixes.
Deputy Executive Director Chris Gray said a multiyear review found project delivery has slowed since the COVID pandemic, leaving large balances in some zones. “Over a 5 year period, that zone balance grew by $22,000,000,” Gray said of the Southwest zone, and staff pointed to projects that repeatedly appear in allocations year after year but never start.
Gray and staff argued the causes include a lack of short-term prioritization, staffing shortages in civil engineering and complex legal and regulatory requirements. To address this, WRCOG proposed a trial methodology — “build what you can, when you can, with what you have” — beginning with pilots in the Southwest and Paso zones to develop an approach that could be scaled to other zones.
Christopher Zhang described two pilot projects. For the Pass zone, staff launched an ITS feasibility analysis that will inventory existing ITS systems, consider ramp metering and signal coordination, and coordinate with Caltrans. Zhang said the study aims to finish feasibility analysis by fall and stressed coordination with local agency staff and Caltrans because signals often fall under multiple jurisdictions.
For the Southwest zone, the pilot will focus on near-term operational improvements — signal coordination, re-striping and targeted intersection improvements — not roadway widenings or interchange projects. An RFP has been released and staff said they expect a 12–18 month study period from kickoff in May or June.
Members raised local impacts and delays. A Marietta representative described a 14-year environmental review for a medical-corridor project that she called a "public safety crisis" due to lack of access to hospitals, and thanked staff for pursuing legislative and collaborative avenues to secure Caltrans coordination. Gray and staff said the pilot studies are intended to identify implementable fixes that agencies can advance more quickly than large capital projects.
The committee did not take a separate formal vote on the pilots during the meeting; staff said agencies in the Southwest zone have requested the work and the projects will be funded from zone TUMF funds.
