Ronald Kirby

Director, Department of Transportation Planning, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

Ronald F. Kirby is director of transportation planning for the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).  The COG is a regional organization of 18 Washington area local governments, providing a forum to develop regional responses to issues concerning the environment, economic development, human services, and transportation.  The TPB is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Washington region. 

 

Mr. Kirby joined COG in 1987 and is responsible for the administrative and technical supervision of ongoing projects in his department, including long-range planning for highway and public transportation systems in the Washington metropolitan region, assessment of the air quality implications of transportation plans and programs, and a regional commuter assistance program.  In addition, Mr. Kirby participates in airport systems planning for the Washington region.  In these duties, Mr. Kirby coordinates his department’s planning activities with other transportation planning activities in the 18 local governments and state departments of transportation through the TPB. 

 

Previously, Mr. Kirby directed the transportation program at the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization in Washington, D.C., where he conducted several analyses of the performance of federal highway and public transportation programs.  In addition, he worked on a series of policy studies and demonstration projects for the federal Urban Mass Transportation Administration.

 

Mr. Kirby is the author of numerous papers regarding urban transportation planning and financing, and recently served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board, National Research Council.  Mr. Kirby received his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the University of Adelaide, South Australia.