Officials from the North Central Texas Council of Governments came to Denton on Monday to hold the first of six meetings to bring the public into the discussion of the agency’s long-term transportation plan.

That plan, a blueprint for meeting the transportation, economic and environmental needs and goals of the growing North Texas region, was outlined alongside factors working against the improvement of transportation — the largest problem being lack of funding.

Transportation is one of the region’s most important issues, yet “history has shown it is the most difficult to keep up with,” said Dan Lamers, senior program manager for NCTCOG.

The old way of thinking was that planning could continue to go on if the agency just had the money to keep up, Lamers said after the meeting.

“The last few years have shown we can’t. We know we’re not going to have enough and we might not have any,” he said. “If we don’t, what are our options?”

There’s not a single solution, he said. There are many pieces — some are more technical and can be quantified, but some are social and can’t be.

Lamers said it was also difficult working with about 200 government entities in the region and getting them on board with an idea when officials have their own economic and developmental interests in mind.

“We’re excited about this plan. It’s the first time we have wiped the slate clean and said all options are on the table,” he said. “We’re hoping we can find a vision the region can get behind and put us in the right direction.”

Program manager Chad Edwards led the “Mobility 2035” presentation at Denton’s Central Fire Station before a dozen or so residents and representatives from area agencies including North Texas Tollway Authority and Denton County Transportation Authority.

Among the information presented was a chart representing the amount of transportation needs for the region coming in at $243.5 billion, and the amount that was actually funded, $145.5 billion.

Part of the issue is the gas tax, which has been stagnant at the state level since 1991 and at the federal level since 1993. Edwards’ next chart projected construction costs increasing over the years while the gas tax remains the same. On top of that, NCTCOG figures show an estimated 10.1 million people expected to be living in the region by 2035, which presents new challenges as the agency plans for the future.

Terry Clower, director of the Center for Economic Development and Research at the University of North Texas, said he was glad the information was being put out there for people to see and to realize improvements will cost money.

“For better systems, more options, there are costs, [but] none of us like to hear about taxes or the perception of taxes going up,” he said.

Clower said the gas tax was inflexible, and even if it were to take inflation into account, more efficient vehicles using less gas have made it ineffective. He expressed disappointment that the last legislative session did not make any strides on transportation.

Lamers, on the other hand, was not discouraged by the last legislative session.

“It brought the discussion to the forefront,” he said. “We have the entire state and country talking about transportation and transportation funding alternatives.”

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is blewis@dentonrc.com .