Volume 44, Issue 6
DVRPC’s Public Participation Task Force Seeks New Members
Want to represent your community and engage in the regional planning and decision-making process? Looking for an opportunity to represent your community? Apply to be a member of DVRPC’s Public Participation Task Force (PPTF) and be a part of the regional planning process.
The mission of DVRPC's PPTF is to provide access to the transportation planning process, host a welcoming forum to discuss and learn about timely issues, assist the Commission in implementing public outreach strategies, and to empower residents to be a part of regional and community planning processes. For more details about the PPTF, visit http://www.dvrpc.org/Committees/PPTF/.
Applications for the 2023 cohort are open through December 26th, 2022. If you have any questions, please contact Shoshana Akins, Public Participation Planner, at 215-238-2817 or sakins@dvrpc.org.
Curious but want to know more? Attend the next PPTF online meeting on the evening of December 13th. Come network with current members and learn more about how the PPTF works.
Philadelphia Commuter Benefit Law To Take Effect Beginning December 31, 2022
Effective December 31, 2022, Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code will require large employers in Philadelphia to offer a mass transit program to covered employees. Commuter benefits allow employees to save by setting aside money tax-free from their paychecks every month to spend on public transportation and carpool expenses.
Employers can offer an employee-paid, pre-tax payroll deduction, or provide an employer-paid direct benefit such as a public transit fare card. Commuter benefit programs can save employers up to 10 percent on FICA and payroll taxes. They are also an excellent recruitment and retention tool. In Philadelphia, employees can save anywhere from $138 to $540 annually by using pre-tax dollars for transit or vanpool fares, depending on their fare costs and tax bracket.
The ordinance was passed by Philadelphia City Council, signed by Mayor Jim Kenney in June 2022, and applies to employers with 50 or more employees. A “covered employee” is any employee who worked an average of 30 or more hours per week within Philadelphia County for the same employer within the past 12 months. (Full-time telework employees and government entities are exempt.) Employers are not required to provide a commuter benefit unless an employee requests one. Once requested, employers have 60 days to provide a commuter benefit.
Learn more about the Employee Commuter Benefit Law.
Executive Director Recognized for 32 Years of Leadership and Service
DVRPC Executive Director Barry Seymour has been honored by several planning and transportation organizations ahead of his retirement in early 2023.
Earlier this year, Seymour was also the recipient of the National Association of Regional Council’s Walter Scheiber Leadership Award recognizing his national prominence as a leader, and the Leadership Award for Distinguished Service awarded by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association. On December 1, WTS Philadelphia presented Seymour with the Legacy Achievement Award. He received this award for facilitating profound positive impacts within the Greater Philadelphia region for the past 32 years.
On December 8, the Southeast Section of the American Planning Association, Pennsylvania Chapter, will host a conversation with Seymour at its 2022 Annual Event. There, he will discuss his life, career, and the future of planning in the Philadelphia region.
Limited English Proficiency Threshold Web Map Updated with Latest Data
The Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Threshold web map has been updated with the latest Limited English Proficiency data from 2020. Originally launched in Fiscal Year 2022, the map was created to better identify LEP populations, and evaluate DVRPC's efforts to provide meaningful access. The web map update contains ACS data from the years 2016-2020. LEP populations are those individuals, age 5 and older, who speak English less than “very well.” This tool includes specific tabs for the top five most spoken languages by LEP persons in our region: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, and Korean. The LEP Threshold web map is a great resource for nonprofits, government entities, and for-profit organizations. It can be used to increase access to information for LEP persons, expand services to LEP communities, and enhance grant applications.
Upcoming Committee Meetings
Regional Safety Task Force - Please join us on Tuesday, December 6, 1:00 - 3:00 pm, for the next Regional Safety Task Force (RSTF) meeting, which will be devoted to the Safe System principle, "Responsibility is Shared," continuing our focus on the Safe System approach to traffic safety. Guest speakers will discuss the principle of shared responsibility in the Safe System approach between roadway owners and the users of the system. Learn more and register.
Public Participation Task Force - Please join us on Tuesday, December 13, 6:00 - 7:30 pm, for the Public Participation Task Force (PPTF) meeting. The meeting will be online as well as in-person at DVRPC’s offices; dinner will be available at 5:30 pm for in-person attendees. This meeting will be about the impact public involvement has on various DVRPC projects and programs. Attendees will learn about DVRPC's public participation requirements, recent projects, and how to stay involved with regional planning. Learn more and register.
Information Resources Exchange Group - Please join us on Wednesday, December 14, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, for the next Information Resources Exchange Group (IREG) meeting. This meeting is in conjunction with the New Jersey Geospatial Forum General Meeting and will feature a roundtable discussion among county and regional GIS managers about their experiences, including problems and solutions, that comes with managing GIS in their organization. Learn more and register.
Upcoming Online LTAP Classes in PA and NJ
The 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. Classes are held by Pennsylvania and New Jersey LTAP programs, but are open to any municipality.
Upcoming classes:
Bridge and Culvert Inspection for Municipalities
Virtual
December 13, 2022 (8:00 am - 3:00 pm)
Design of ADA Curb Ramps and Pedestrian Access Routes
Virtual
December 20-22, 2022 (10:00 am - 12:00 pm)
Visit Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation to see the 2022 schedule of LTAP courses in New Jersey.
Visit PennDOT's LTAP website to view the course descriptions and register. For any questions, contact Linda McNeffer at lmcneffer@dvrpc.org or 215-238-2872.
DVRPC maintains a calendar of events, workshops, and conferences hosted by our partners and related to planning for Greater Philadelphia. Visit our Partner Calendar to learn more.
Staff Profile: Rick Murphy Jr., Manager, Office of TIP Development and Maintenance
What did you want to be growing up? Naval Aviator
What was your first job? I was a paperboy for the Times Herald in Norristown.
How did you end up at DVRPC? While I was doing an Americorp internship with the Army Corps of Engineers, I got a call from DVRPC’s HR. Someone from the GIS department saw my resume online and thought they should bring me in for an interview. I interviewed for the position, however I did not get it. I was instead offered a short-term temp position. That short-term temp position turned into a full-time position and the rest is history! I have worked in the GIS office and the Transportation Operations office. I have been in Capital Programs for the past 11+ years.
What are your responsibilities? What has changed over time? I manage the Transportation Improvement Program, AKA the TIP. Developing and maintaining the TIP makes our region eligible to receive federal transportation funds. Over time, there has been a greater focus on Performance Based Planning and Programming for project selection.
What is your favorite part of working at DVRPC? The people. I really enjoy working with DVRPC staff, as well as our partners around the region.
What is your work/life philosophy? There needs to be a balance because both are important.
What 3 words best describe you? Dedicated, trustworthy, and dependable
What is something colleagues don’t know about you? I can cook really well. I used to be a sous chef in a previous life. My specialities are fettuccine alfredo and barbecue ribs.
Who would you like to drive across the country with? I would like to drive across the country with my dad, who lost his battle with Early Onset Alzheimer’s two years ago.
What actor would play you in the movie version of your life? Vincent D'Onofrio
What is your favorite leisure activity? Spending time with my family, whether it be watching my girls play softball, taking a family vacation to the Adirondacks or the beach, or watching Star Wars shows.
What is your recent obsession? During the pandemic I have become obsessed with collecting vinyl records and baseball hats from the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Athletics.
What is the last book you read? I am actually in the middle of reading three different books: Philadelphia’s Lost Waterfront by Harry Kyriakodis, The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell, and a Star Wars book called Skywalker: A Family at War by Kristin Baver.
What are your Top 3 places you want to travel to? Sicily, Germany, Poland. I apparently still have long distance relatives in those countries.
Are you a cat or dog person? I have two cats and two dogs, so I think I am both.
What is a recent gift you’ve given or received? Attending game 5 of the National League Championship Series with my family, and watching the Phillies win The Pennant and go to the World Series.
What is the most meaningful item in your house? My Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.