About Us

COG is the one place in metropolitan Washington that regularly brings leaders together to develop solutions to the region's major challenges. COG prepares plans enabling the region to receive federal funding, provides members with research and data to inform decision-making, and offers a wide range of programs, including commuter services, cooperative purchasing, technical assistance and grants, and public outreach campaigns.

Transportation

Through the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), area officials, planners, and engineers ensure a well-managed and maintained transportation system. The TPB, which is staffed by COG, conducts the federally mandated transportation planning process for the region and ensures the uninterrupted flow of federal transportation funds that area jurisdictions receive.

Environment

COG's work engages leaders in various environmental fields from water quality experts to climate scientists. Together, they are advancing regional efforts to restore local waterways, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change, promote recycling, and enhance and preserve green space and agriculture.

Community

Area officials and experts, including planning and housing directors and child welfare and health officials, work together with their counterparts at COG to help shape stronger communities throughout the region.

Homeland Security & Public Safety

COG brings police chiefs, fire chiefs, emergency managers, and other leaders together as part of its work to strengthen regional public safety coordination, homeland security planning, and emergency communication.

TPB Community Advisory Committee

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is an appointed group of people from throughout the Washington metropolitan region who represent diverse viewpoints on long-term transportation policy. The CAC is comprised of at least five members from DC, Maryland, and Virginia with nine additional members that incorporate the perspective of communities in TPB member jurisdictions.

2025-2026 CAC Recruitment Period Update

The application period for 2025-2026 CAC members closed on December 2, 2024. Thank you to all who applied. TPB staff will reach out with more information to all applicants in the coming weeks.

The mission of the CAC is:

to promote public involvement in transportation planning for the region,
to advance equitable representation in regional transportation planning, and
to provide independent region-oriented community advice to the TPB on transportation plans and issues.

Meetings are held monthly on Thursday evenings at 6:00 P.M. The meetings are usually, but not always, held on the 2^nd Thursday of the month. Meetings are held in a virtual-only or hybrid format. Hybrid meetings include the options of attending in person at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) office or participating virtually.

Committee meetings are open for members of the public to watch and listen. Public feedback should be directed to the TPB’s monthly board meeting. Learn more about submitting your comments on the TPB Comment Form webpage.

Look under Events & Event Materials to get details about the next CAC meeting, including the meeting agenda once it's posted.

Questions? Contact Laura Bachle at lbachle@mwcog.org.

Membership

The CAC membership application process and operating procedures were updated in November 2020 through the TPB adoption of Resolution R11-2021.

CAC members are selected through an application period held every two years.

Applications are assessed based on the following selection criteria:

TPB member jurisdiction,
Prior service on the CAC,
Familiarity with transportation planning,
Residence in an Equity Emphasis Area,
Demographics and,
Community leadership experience.

Members are expected to serve a two-year term which includes attending monthly meetings (every month except August).

TPB Community Advisory Committee

Committee Members

Staff