DVRPC News: June 2016
Volume 37, Issue 11 | June 2016
DVRPC Opens Public Comment Periods for Transportation Planning Documents
The public has an opportunity to review and comment on documents that prioritize transportation projects in southeastern Pennsylvania. The Draft DVRPC Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for Pennsylvania (FY 2017-2020) and the Draft Amendment to the DVRPC Connections 2040 Long-Range Plan (LRP) are available for public comment from May 27, 2016 until June 27, 2016 at 5:00 PM.
Available for public comment from June 3, 2016 until July 5, 2016 is the Draft Transportation Conformity Demonstration: Connections 2040 Long-Range Plan and Draft DVRPC FY 2017 TIP for Pennsylvania (FY 2017-20). Transportation Conformity is the process that ensures that plans and programs receiving federal aid are consistent with the region's air quality goals.
DVRPC invites the public to learn more about these documents at:
Public Meeting/Information Session
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
DVRPC Main Conference Room
190 N. Independence Mall West, 8th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106
For full details, access to copies of the documents, information about translation requests, and more, please visit www.dvrpc.org/GetInvolved/PublicNotices/2016-05_TIP.htm and www.dvrpc.org/AirQuality/Conformity.
Connections 2045 Visioning Workshops Held Across Region
At three public workshops held this spring, hundreds of people from many walks of life shared their thoughts about Greater Philadelphia's future. Insights from these workshops will help inform the next phases of the long-range planning process. The update to Greater Philadelphia's long-range comprehensive plan, Connections 2045, is scheduled to be adopted in the summer of 2017.
This spring's visioning workshops recognized some of the emerging social, political, economic, environmental, and technological trends, or Future Forces, that may reshape our region in the decades to come. Workshop participants shared what they like about Greater Philadelphia as well as their concerns and hopes for the region. They were asked to consider how we can "bend the trends," working in, around, or counter to the Future Forces to achieve our desired future.
If you didn't have a chance to attend a workshop, you can still share your vision for the future – whether it's an idea for a specific transportation projects or the type of community you want to live in. Simply post your vision in photos or words on social media using the hashtag #MakingConnections. Participants will be entered to win a Fitbit Alta. Details at www.dvrpc.org/MakingConnections.
You can access the full Future Forces report at www.dvrpc.org/Products/16007A, or learn more about Connections 2045 and upcoming opportunities to get involved at www.dvrpc.org/Connections2045.
Join DVRPC to Discuss the State of the Region on June 15
DVRPC's Regional Community and Economic Development Forum (RCEDF) will host its "State of the Region" meeting on June 15. Mary Bell, DVRPC's Manager of Demographic and Economic Analysis, will present key findings from the upcoming Rating the Region report, which compares Greater Philadelphia to the nation's 25 largest metropolitan areas. Phil Hopkins of IHS Global will discuss the region's recovery from the recession and share IHS's latest economic forecasts for the region. Michael Boyer, DVRPC's Associate Director of Planning, will then present key takeaways from DVRPC's recent Future Forces report on the impact of global forces on the region and lead a discussion on these forces' meaning for Greater Philadelphia's future economic growth and prosperity.
The event has been approved by the American Planning Association (APA) for 1.5 CM credits for AICP-certified planners. See dvrpc.ticketleap.com/rcedf for registration and details.
Two Circuit Trails Projects Awarded Regional Trails Program Grants
The Circuit is Greater Philadelphia's 750-mile-long network of multiuse trails connecting communities from Pennsylvania to New Jersey and beyond. At its May meeting, the DVRPC Board approved Regional Trails Program funding for two Circuit trail projects:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive Trail Reconstruction (Philadelphia)
Grant amount: $500,000
This project will reconstruct the MLK Drive Trail from the Falls Bridge to the MLK Drive Bridge over the Schuylkill River, a distance of approximately 3.8 miles. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will provide additional funding. - Chester Creek Trail Phase II Design and Engineering (Delaware County)
Grant amount: $208,907
This project will design and engineer an extension of the Chester Creek Trail from its current terminus at Creek Road to Bridgewater Road in Aston Township, a distance of approximately 1.3 miles. DCNR will provide additional funding.
Together, these projects will add more than five miles to the Circuit. To learn more about the Regional Trails Program and the Circuit, please visit www.dvrpc.org/RegionalTrailsProgram.
Data Journal: Truck Volumes in Greater Philadelphia
Freight is a significant part of Greater Philadelphia's transportation network and volume. Trucks, trains, ships, and planes intermingle with passenger forms of transportation. Understanding the routes and behavior of these vehicles can help planners and local decision-makers better integrate freight transportation operations and facilities with community goals.
DVRPC collects and disseminates data about our region's freight system. This map shows the locations we've counted with the greatest truck volumes. DVRPC compiled this information as part of the Local Freight Data Improvement project, a federal Strategic Highway Research Program initiative seeking to make freight data more accessible.
A free copy of the full report can be downloaded at www.dvrpc.org/Products/15061. You can also visit www.dvrpc.org/webmaps/PhillyFreightFinder to explore similar data about the regional freight network with DVRPC's interactive web map PhillyFreightFinder. DVRPC's entire database of automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian counts, including vehicle classification counts, is available at www.dvrpc.org/Traffic.
The Data Journal is a new feature that highlights some of the Commission's most exciting research findings. Every month, the Data Journal will showcase a thought-provoking chart, map, or other graphic that illustrates DVRPC's recent work and illuminates an interesting facet of our region.
New Searchable Database Compiles List of Municipal Resources
DVRPC has released the 2016 Municipal Resource Guide, a publication which helps local and county governments, community groups, and nonprofit organizations in Greater Philadelphia identify sources of funding for planning and development projects. The guide compiles an array of sources, including grants, loans, tax credits, loan guarantees, municipal assistance, and reimbursement programs. The guide may also be used to find programs eligible to match awards from DVRPC's Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) Grant Program. Additionally, DVRPC has also created a database of the programs listed in the guide, allowing users to search for resources by category or location.
To find out more about particular programs in the Municipal Resource Guide, please contact the listed organizations directly. To download a free copy of the guide, see www.dvrpc.org/Products/16004, and to access the online database, visit www.dvrpc.org/asp/MCDResource.
New Report: Analysis of Modernization Scenarios for SEPTA Route 34
SEPTA is engaged in a multiyear effort to modernize its trolley fleet with new wheelchair-accessible trolleys and stops and potentially implement other operational changes. To help SEPTA explore the options, DVRPC used VISSIM microsimulation software to test the travel time outcomes of various trolley modernization scenarios for the street-running portions of SEPTA Route 34.
The study considered two potential vehicles—one with front-door boarding and another with multi-door boarding—as well as the impacts of transit signal prioritization (TSP) and stop consolidation. Ultimately, the study found that higher levels of intervention result in higher levels of benefits. The study determined that using the low-friction, multi-door boarding vehicles was the single most impactful potential change.
To access the full text of the report go to www.dvrpc.org/Products/15005.
Upcoming APA Webinar on New Developments in Planning Law
DVRPC subscribes to APA's webinar series to help provide free or low-cost continuing education to the region's planning community. The last APA webinar of this series is scheduled for June.
Planning Law Review 2016
DVRPC Main Conference Room
190 N. Independence Mall West, 8th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106
June 29, 2016 (3:45 PM – 5:30 PM)
As the U.S. Supreme Court concludes its session, this webinar will convene planning attorneys to discuss the most important decisions of the year. In addition to the Supreme Court cases, the panel will review district and state court rulings. Participants will learn why APA filed amicus briefs in specific cases as well. This course will help planners, their clients, and officials stay current on legal trends and issues affecting planning today.
The webinar provides 1.5 CM LAW credits for AICP-certified planners. Register or find more information at dvrpc.ticketleap.com/planning-law-review-2016.
Upcoming LTAP Class on Work Zone Traffic Control
The PennDOT Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) provides technical information and expertise to help municipal governments use transportation funds more effectively, improve road maintenance, and increase roadway safety.
Work Zone (Temporary) Traffic Control (Montgomery County)
East Norriton Township Building
2501 Stanbridge Street, East Norriton, PA 19401
June 9, 2016 (8:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
This course identifies work zone set-up requirements, traffic control devices, and flagging procedures through a review of the regulations in PennDOT Publication 213 (Temporary Traffic Control Guidelines) and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The course covers development of traffic control plans, use of typical layout figures, and inspection of established work zones. It emphasizes work zone traffic control guidelines and set-ups for typical municipal work, from grading a gravel road to painting crosswalk lines to repairing pavement.
To sign up for the course, please visit www.dot7.state.pa.us/LTAP.