DVRPC News: February 2017

Volume 38, Issue 7  |  February 2017

 

Secretary Richards Unveils PennDOT Connects Program

At the February 23, 2017 DVRPC Board meeting, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Leslie Richards unveiled a new initiative, PennDOT Connects. Recognizing transportation's role in connecting communities and supporting economic development, the program will enhance local engagement and improve transportation-project planning, design, and delivery. PennDOT will collaborate with communities earlier in the planning process and more comprehensively than before. Specific areas to be discussed during collaboration include such things as: safety issues, bicycle/pedestrian accommodations, transit access; stormwater management; utility issues; local and regional plans and studies; freight-generating land uses; and more. "It's about communities, it's about people, and it's about the quality-of-life they deserve," said Secretary Richards at the meeting. To learn more, see PennDOT's press release and website.

 

What's the New Normal for Downtowns? Find out March 31

Join us on March 31 for a workshop with David Mildner, DANTH, Inc., who is nationally recognized for his expertise on the new normal for downtowns, the deliberate consumer, multichannel retailing, and niche revitalization strategies. This event is part of DVRPC's Strategies for Older Suburbs Roundtable Series. It is approved for 2.5 AICP CM credits and attendees may sign-up for a one-on-one conversation with "Dr. Downtown." Space is limited, so please RSVP today!

 

$1.4M for Safe Routes to School Projects in New Jersey

At its February 23, 2017 meeting, the DVRPC Board approved $1.495 million for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) projects in Southern New Jersey, a portion of $5.5 million available statewide. Selected projects include three in Burlington County and one in Camden County (more details here). The SRTS program is funded through the Federal Highway Administration's Federal Aid Program and is being administered by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, in partnership with DVRPC, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization.

 

Malvern Borough is a Classic Town

DVRPC welcomed Malvern, Pennsylvania into the Classic Towns of Greater Philadelphia program. Malvern is a village of 3,000 residents, located in Chester County, 25 miles west of Philadelphia. A desirable mix of Victorian charm and modern amenities makes Malvern an ideal Classic Town. The Classic Towns program promotes the region's unique communities in both the city and suburbs. With more than one million people moving into or within the Greater Philadelphia region every year, this program highlights the "classic" communities and helps residents rediscover the beauty and diversity of our older towns. Discover Malvern at www.classictowns.org/malvern.

 

Making Our Transportation System More Sustainable

A new DVRPC brochure uses infographics to explore how Greater Philadelphia's transportation network could become more sustainable. If we focus our decision making on more efficient use of space, applying technology, and the role of pricing, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase community livability. The brochure identifies actions that communities, businesses, governments, and individuals can take to encourage more sustainable travel and reduce environmental impacts. View the brochure here.

 

New Products and Publications

Tax incentives are important tools for municipalities to attract private investment to underdeveloped areas, generating infill development and strengthening existing communities. This new Municipal Implementation Tool is designed to help municipal officials use tax incentives to increase profitability or defray costs.

Near-term transportation improvements have been identified to reduce bus travel times along Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1). DVRPC recently modeled and evaluated four alternatives in a 2.3-mile sample section of the Boulevard. This operations analysis will inform the City of Philadelphia's $2.5 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to further develop all of the proposals for the Boulevard (as outlined in DVRPC's previous alternatives report).

DVRPC examined the potential for public transit service between Southern Chester and New Castle counties, where there is currently a gap in public transit service. This report provides a thoughtful analysis and concept development for effective transit service in an important but low-density market.

 

Staff Profile: Christopher King, Principal Transportation Planner, Office of Transportation Operations Management

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I grew up in the suburbs of Rochester, NY, and really didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I had no sense of planning as a field. In college, I started out studying engineering, but quickly found out that all the physics and computer science classes were not for me. Happily, I discovered Urban Geography and not only majored in it, but followed up by studying City and Regional Planning in graduate school. I looped back to my original interest in engineering to focus on transportation planning and engineering. Looking back on how I spent many early childhood afternoons making roadway maps and playing with matchbox cars, it made sense that I would become a transportation planner!

How did you end up at DVRPC?
My first job out of grad school was as a transportation planner for Wichita, KS. I worked with a small team of transportation planners doing a little bit of everything: corridor, bike, and even aviation planning. I wanted to move back east to be closer to family, and I applied for and got a job in Corridor Planning at DVRPC back in 1998.

How has your role at DVRPC evolved over the last nearly 20 years?
In Corridor Planning, we started working on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) as a way to improve the operations and safety of the infrastructure we have in place. ITS is basically a set of tools (equipment on roadways that monitors and relays conditions) that allows DOTs and others to know when and how to respond to traffic and incident conditions and inform the traveling public. When we first started to bring the transportation stakeholders – DOTs, turnpike authorities, bridge commissions, and emergency responders – together, most were focused on only their own agency programs. Today, we are bridging the gap to a more cohesive vision by using an integrated approach to Traffic Operations. Projects are being implemented that preserve capacity and improve security, safety, and reliability of the transportation system.

What are you most proud of?
It would have to be the Traffic Incident Management Program. We formed several corridor-based Traffic Incident Management Task Forces (emergency management responders such as police, fire and ambulance squads, tow truck companies, DOTs, and others) who come together outside of an incident to get to know each other, improve procedures, and work out issues. As nearly 60% of congestion is due to non-reoccurring conditions, such as crashes, work zones, special events and adverse weather conditions, this coordination streamlines the handling of incidents, as well as improving safety for those in the incident, the emergency responders and the motorists. DVRPC's program has been nationally recognized as a best practice.

Which three words best describe you?
Dependable, loyal, caring.

Where is your favorite place in the region?
The shore. We spend lots of family time in Wildwood Crest.

What is something colleagues may not know about you?
I used to be a rugby player! I played in college, and then, whenever I moved to a new place for grad school or new jobs, I always connected with the local rugby team as a way to meet people instantly. Rugby has a reputation for being pretty rough, but it's actually more controlled rough-play than football, since nobody is wearing protective gear. Nevertheless, if anyone notices me limping around the office, it's probably injuries from my rugby days, and I'm afraid that knee replacements are in my future.

Being Mr. King you should be prepared for this question – what would you do if you could be King for the day?
I'd change the mindset of drivers and make them pay attention and to especially Move Over or Steer Clear of emergency responders on the side of the road. We've seen too many incidents that turn from one accident into two, when distracted drivers run into emergency personnel trying to help. It's a double tragedy that could have been avoided.