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.

Transportation

Modeling Data & Resources

Surveys and Data

The models that make up the regional travel demand model are estimated, calibrated, and validated using observed data, and supplemented by professional judgment when necessary. Here are some of the major sources of observed data:

Census data
- 2000 Census Transportation Planning Products (CTPP)
- American Community Survey (ACS)
2007/2008 COG/TPB Household Travel Survey (HTS), documented here.
Transit on-board surveys
- 2008 Metrorail Survey
- 2008 Regional Bus Survey
- 2007-2008 On-Board Survey of Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Riders, which would include users of MARC train service
- 2005 Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Passenger Survey
2005 COG/TPB Commercial Vehicle Survey (in addition to non-freight commercial vehicles, this survey also included some truck counts)
State and local government traffic counts
1994 COG/TPB Auto External Survey
1996 COG/TPB Truck Internal Survey
1996 COG/TPB Truck External Survey

Modeling Data & Resources

Surveys and Data

Web Resources