Regional Cooperation

The number of people living in North Central Texas grew by 28 percent from 2000 to 2007 and experts predict that this trend will continue. This means that today’s population of about 6.4 million people in the Dallas/Fort Worth region is expected to grow to nearly 10 million by 2030. This is an exciting time as growth brings new economic and cultural opportunities. But it is also a time in which the region must plan for new and unique challenges.  

To prepare for the road ahead, the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Strategic Plan for 1999-2003 called for the creation of the Center of Development Excellence. The center was envisioned as a comprehensive effort to bring together public- and private-sector experts in the environmental, transportation, development, and information analysis fields to address the regional issues and infrastructure concerns of the future. They examine the many issues that will impact the region as its population grows, including, but not limited to, transportation, air quality, water supply, and the environment.  

Regional cooperation is a necessity for the entire North Texas area. One example of a successful regional effort is the North Texas Commission. The commission is made up of businesses, cities, counties, chambers, and higher education institutions that work together on four primary areas: transportation, aviation, environment, and long-range strategies. Vision North Texas is an ongoing regional planning effort that serves as a forum for discussion, education, research and decision about public and private sector actions to address these concerns.