NOACA Receives National Award

NOACA Receives National Award

The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) has awarded the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) a Certificate of Excellence for Best Practices for its State of the Region Report: Developing Successful Regional Programs. NARC announced the award yesterday as part of its annual conference held in Monterey, California.

NARC recognizes the outstanding work of regional councils and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) through its annual awards program. This marks the second award NOACA has received at the national level. In 1999 the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) honored NOACA with its Overall Achievement Award for large MPOs (over 200,000 in population).

“This is wonderful news,” said NOACA Executive Director Howard R. Maier. “This award recognizes NOACA’s efforts in developing meaningful, creative programs that address the region’s transportation needs. This achievement reflects the excellent work of the NOACA Governing Board, committees and NOACA staff.” Maier and NOACA Governing Board President Robert C. Klaiber, P.E., P.S., were on hand to accept the award.

NOACA’s entry explained how the annual State of the Region Report helps planners identify needs and develop programs that benefit communities and strengthen the region. The reports, produced since 1999:

Assess the region’s economy, natural environment and transportation infrastructure
Document how the region’s Long Range Transportation Plan is being implemented
Identify the region’s transportation needs

In response to identified needs, NOACA has launched several new programs that are proving their value to all the region’s communities, including the successful Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI), and Regional Pavement Management program (RPM). This spring NOACA earmarked $1 million in grants for neighborhood transportation planning projects through the TLCI. As part of the Regional Pavement Management Program, NOACA will soon be providing information to communities about the pavement condition of federal-aid roadways in their neighborhood. The goal of the RPM program is to ensure that repairs are timely and that the roads continue to benefit the traveling public.

NOACA’s nomination package to NARC, as well as additional information about NOACA studies, programs and projects, may be viewed on the NOACA Web site, www.noaca.org.

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) is an association of state, county, city, village, and township officials that works with other organizations to address Northeast Ohio’s transportation, air quality, and water quality needs. In its planning for the region consisting of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina counties, NOACA considers all modes of transportation (vehicles, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, etc.), as well as the transportation system’s impact on the environment and land use. NOACA focuses on preserving existing transportation facilities, relieving congestion, enhancing the region’s economic development, offering greater choice in modes of transportation, and increasing mobility to the elderly, the physically disabled and those who are dependent on transit. As a public agency, NOACA seeks public involvement and comment about all of its planning efforts.