FY2026 Work Program

PROJECT: 26-34-010 - Long-Range Planning

Responsible Agency:Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Program Coordinator:Jaclyn Davis
Project Manager(s):Amani Bey, Brett Fusco
Supports LRP Goals:

Goals:

Develop a long-range vision and plan for Greater Philadelphia that provides guidance for future growth and development in the nine-county region, and allocates regional funds to transportation investments that are aligned with—and support meeting—regional long-term principles and goals.

Description:

DVRPC employs a collaborative planning approach to its long-range planning process which involves 1) analyzing external trends and forces shaping the region; 2) convening the Futures Group to identify alternate scenarios of extreme but plausible futures for the region; 3) working with the public and stakeholders to develop a broadly shared vision and goals for regional development; 4) recommending strategies to achieve the vision; and 5) facilitating planning partners to determine how limited funds will be invested in transportation infrastructure. DVRPC works with member governments, regional stakeholders, standing committees, and the public to develop a comprehensive Long-Range Plan that addresses the future of transportation and considers the interactions between transportation with land development and revitalization, environmental resources, community dynamics, economic growth, and impacts on vulnerable communities. The Update: Connections 2050 Plan is set for adoption by the DVRPC Board in September of 2025. It will replace the Connections 2050 Plan and serve as a high-level policy directive for all of DVRPC's work, being incorporated into every DVRPC project and program area.

The Plan responds to federal planning requirements including consideration of key planning factors, use of Transportation Performance Management (TPM) targets for decision-making, project evaluation criteria for analyzing and selecting major regional transportation projects, and a Tracking Progress indicator dashboard for measuring progress toward Long-Range Plan goals. The Plan is also coordinated with state initiatives (both DOTs’ long-range plans, statewide freight plans, strategic highway safety plans, and transportation asset management plans, and PennDOT Connects) as well as member government comprehensive planning efforts.

In air-quality nonattainment areas such as the DVRPC region, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) are required to prepare and maintain a long-range transportation plan with a minimum 20-year horizon, and update the plan every four years. The four-year update cycle for the next Plan update begins in the FY 26 work program. The next Plan update will be available for Board adoption in the summer of 2029 and will plan through the year 2055. This fiscal year will look back at Major Regional Projects from past plans and assess TIP and Plan expenditures in working toward shared goals. Another focus will be emerging technologies and how the region can both prioritize and plan for changes on the horizon. Completion of work may require the purchase of materials, supplies, and other services.

Tasks:

  1. Complete the draft Public Comment and final Board Adopted website and printable PDFs for the Update: Connections 2050 Plan.
  2. Hold a minimum 30-day public comment period for the draft version of the Update: Connections 2050 Plan, respond to all public comments received, and share comments and responses on DVRPC’s public online database.
  3. Update the Plan webpage and linked resources to be consistent with Update: Connections 2050.
  4. Work with the Offices of Communications and Engagement and Creative Services to develop promotional materials to draw people to the new Plan website. This may include social media and targeted emails, as well as physical hand-outs for in-person events.
  5. Share Financial Plan data and other Update: Connections 2050 Plan tables publicly through the DVRPC Data Catalog.
  6. Track the funding and progress of Major Regional Projects identified in past long-range plans and transportation improvement programs. Analyze projects’ contributions toward achieving established regional goals, and assess how regional investments align with overarching transportation and development priorities.
  7. Plan for Emerging Technologies by defining and prioritizing technologies to pursue so they can be incorporated into Plan investments and strategies, and new roles can be identified for DVRPC to facilitate deployment of emerging technologies that benefit the region.
  8. Reconvene the Futures Group to meet on key topical issues related to transformative technologies, forces, events, and other issues that may shape the future of Greater Philadelphia.
  9. Review federal and state long-range planning regulations to inform the four-year update cycle.
  10. Work with the Office of Communications and Engagement to plan for more public involvement in the identification of Major Regional Projects in the 2055 Plan.
  11. Amend the Update: Connections 2050 Plan as necessary to account for any significant changes.
  12. Assist DVRPC’s Livable Communities staff as needed with their update of the Municipal Implementation Toolbox to be consistent with Update: Connections 2050.
  13. Assist the Socioeconomic and Land Use Analytics program with updating Tracking Progress to be consistent with the new Plan.
  14. Work with stakeholder agencies, such as PA and NJ DOTs, transit operating agencies, transportation authorities, and county planning departments to develop, update, and implement their respective strategic and Long-Range Plan documents and ensure consistency across federal, state, regional, county, and local planning processes.
  15. Continue a comprehensive public and stakeholder outreach program, including identification of and direct outreach to a handful of local organizations whose work overlaps with key themes and issues in the long-range plan.
  16. Maintain collaboration with surrounding MPOs as a means to discuss and coordinate on multi-regional issues and best practices on an as-needed basis.
  17. Assist other DVRPC offices and program areas on annual work program tasks, as needed.

Products:

  1. Website and printable PDFs for the Update: Connections 2050 Plan
  2. Financial Plan data for DVRPC’s Data Catalog 
  3. Inventory and Webmaps: Major Regional Projects by Plan 
  4. White Paper: Funding Trend Analysis and Recommendations 
  5. Report: Planning for Emerging Technologies

Beneficiaries:

State, county, and municipal levels of government; transportation agencies and transit operators; and businesses and residents of the region.

Project Cost and Funding:

FYTotalHighway PL ProgramTransit PL ProgramComprehensive PlanningOther
2024$627,000$449,485$152,515$25,000
2025$662,000$455,618$176,382$30,000
2026$675,240$473,309$176,931$25,000
Air Quality Partnership
Annual Report
Connections 2050
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
Economic Development District