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From page 85... ... B-1 A P P E N D I X B Interview Case Studies Summary Introduction As part of the literature review for this project, the research team surveyed equity analyses conducted for long-range transportation plans (MTPs) and transportation improvement programs (TIPs) Read the entire page →
From page 86... ... B-2 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Table B-1 (Continued) Read the entire page →
From page 87... ... Interview Case Studies B-3 planning for rural areas, operating travel-demand management programs, staffing councils on aging, coordinating regional emergency services, and rehabilitating low-income housing. Partnerships Every MPO named at least one partner with whom they were working to accomplish their equity analysis. Read the entire page →
From page 88... ... B-4 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes simply not familiar with their agency's planning and environmental linkages (PEL) activities. Read the entire page →
From page 89... ... Interview Case Studies B-5 arbitrary. They noted that the approach was not difficult for an MPO that maintained an in-house travel-demand model. Read the entire page →
From page 90... ... B-6 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes going beyond this litmus test and assessing the level to which the agency's work was improving overall mobility for underserved persons by studying whether these populations are receiving equal benefits from the system as a whole, rather than simply analyzing impacts of a given plan, program, or project. A few examples of agencies' analysis methods and experiences are noted below: The MORPC took the approach of comparing plan-related benefits for underserved persons with those for control populations, and digging deeper if the collective benefits were not trending in the same direction for both groups. Read the entire page →
From page 91... ... Interview Case Studies B-7 techniques for connecting programming decisions and agency actions on equity analyses include the following: The DRCOG sets aside a portion of program funds specifically for underserved communities. The MATPB includes health and equity criteria for awarding funding to TIP projects through a point-based evaluation process. Read the entire page →
From page 92... ... B-8 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Questionnaire/Survey Below is the list of questions that were used during these interviews. Those conducive to a survey format were provided to interviewees to submit online in advance of the interviews, which helped the interviewees and the interviewers prepare for the calls. Read the entire page →
From page 93... ... Interview Case Studies B-9 What, if anything, would you like to improve about your identification process to make it more meaningful and/or inclusive? Decision-Making Process Questions Has your agency adopted policies or goals related to equity? Read the entire page →
From page 94... ... B-10 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) Agency Context The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) Read the entire page →
From page 95... ... Interview Case Studies B-11 The ARC partnered with a local non-profit, Partnership for Southern Equity, as a trusted community voice to help with outreach. Workshops included the following: A September 2014 Equitable Target Area Workshop where over 60 "civic & non-profit leaders, equity stakeholders and locally elected officials, including previous Social Equity Committee members as well as members of the Poverty Equity Opportunity Committee, convened to share specific policy suggestions and feedback on the Equitable Target Area Index methodology and maps" discussed below. Read the entire page →
From page 96... ... B-12 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes 4. Determine each census tract's overall ETA Index Category of Very High, High, Medium, or non-ETA (Figure B-2) Read the entire page →
From page 97... ... Interview Case Studies B-13 The ETA allows the ARC to focus on underserved communities that face more severe disadvantages where a more targeted analysis is warranted, as shown in Figure B-3. The areas scoring as Very High, High, and Medium on the ETA Index contain 22% of the ARC's population, whereas areas with the very highest disadvantage have just under 5% of the population. Read the entire page →
From page 98... ... B-14 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Identifying Needs and Concerns The ARC's Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) appendix discussing the ETAs mapped out several indicators that show gaps in transit access in ETA areas. Read the entire page →
From page 99... ... Interview Case Studies B-15 Entry-Level Jobs The agency also mapped the location of low-wage jobs against areas with transit access. Most are outside of ETAs and may not have good transit access (see Figure B-6) Read the entire page →
From page 100... ... B-16 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Analysis Process Using GIS, census data, and the projects from the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and TIP, the ARC overlays a map of project locations onto a map of underserved communities. Read the entire page →
From page 101... ... Interview Case Studies B-17 Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Agency Context The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Read the entire page →
From page 102... ... B-18 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes 2017, Transit Alliance held its 23rd Academy, and, over the years, roughly one-third of the program graduates have later served in the region in a volunteer or elected position -- including on the DRCOG board. The DRCOG partnered with the Transit Alliance to encourage stakeholder engagement from underserved persons around the development of the Northwest Corridor to enhance multimodal connections between Denver and Boulder. Read the entire page →
From page 103... ... Interview Case Studies B-19 Shown: Non-white populations map layer Source: DRCOG (n.d.) , Equity Atlas Figure B-7. Read the entire page →
From page 104... ... B-20 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Proximity Analysis To assess the potential impact of the projects in the MTP, the DRCOG conducted a proximity analysis to examine the distribution of fiscally constrained regionally funded projects in relation to underserved communities. The DRCOG overlaid a map of the fiscally constrained projects over a map of traffic analysis zones (TAZs) Read the entire page →
From page 105... ... Interview Case Studies B-21 Current Initiatives and Aspirations The 2018–2021 Transportation Improvement Program incorporates equity considerations into the programming process. Project sponsors are prompted to identify whether a project was in an underserved community and provide a narrative description of the benefit(s) Read the entire page →
From page 106... ... B-22 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Madison Area Transportation Planning Board (MATPB) Agency Context The Madison Area Transportation Planning Board (MATPB) Read the entire page →
From page 107... ... Interview Case Studies B-23 Source: MATPB (internal document provided during interview) Figure B-9. Read the entire page →
From page 108... ... B-24 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Despite the above efforts, the MATPB had little success in engaging these underserved persons. Meetings held in areas with significant concentrations of low-income and minority populations, including one held at a community recreation center, had no representation from these groups. Read the entire page →
From page 109... ... Interview Case Studies B-25 income residents of the region were carpooling, transit, and walking. The MATPB largely attributes this travel-time disparity to higher use of cars/vanpools and buses among these groups. Read the entire page →
From page 110... ... B-26 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Source: MATPB (2012) Figure B-10. Read the entire page →
From page 111... ... Interview Case Studies B-27 neighborhood connectivity, decreasing neighborhood traffic problems, and minimizing direct impacts." These mitigating design features include a grade-separated crossing of Verona Road; the construction of a new pedestrian/bicycle underpass and other pedestrian/bicycle facilities; and various roadway segments that increase local connectivity. As part of this effort, the Wisconsin DOT funded a physical improvement plan for the affected neighborhood to plan for residential and commercial redevelopment, and to add other improvements such as traffic calming devices and lighting. Read the entire page →
From page 112... ... B-28 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Lessons Learned and Noteworthy Practices Key lessons learned from this case study include: Strong partnerships with local agencies, governments, and universities, including the University of Wisconsin Survey Center, allowed for a better understanding of existing conditions and needs. The MATPB employed standard approaches to analyzing mode split, travel time, and the location of planned and programmed investments relative to underserved communities. Read the entire page →
From page 113... ... Interview Case Studies B-29 Memphis Urban Area MPO Agency Context The Memphis Urban Area MPO is a medium-sized organization serving the Greater Memphis region. The MPO's service area includes all of Shelby County and the western portion of Fayette County in Tennessee, as well as the entire DeSoto County and northwestern portion of Marshall County in Mississippi. Read the entire page →
From page 114... ... B-30 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Source: Memphis Urban Area MPO (2014) , screenshot from YouTube presentation Figure B-12. Read the entire page →
From page 115... ... Interview Case Studies B-31 Identifying Populations for Analysis The Memphis Urban Area MPO analyzed the impacts of future transportation investment plans and programming on underserved persons, which they defined to include any of the following: Low-income households, and households below the poverty line; Racial and ethnic subgroups (such as minority and Hispanic populations, respectively) ; Mobility-limited persons, and persons with disabilities; Veterans; Elderly/older adults; and Persons with LEP. Read the entire page →
From page 116... ... B-32 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes The MPO concluded that transit service improvements and expanding opportunities for ride sharing would greatly improve the travel needs and concerns of underserved persons. Transit Gap Analysis As part of the long-range planning process, the Memphis Urban Area MPO conducted a transit gap analysis to identify opportunities to improve access from underserved communities to the major employment centers (such as the airport and hospitals) Read the entire page →
From page 117... ... Interview Case Studies B-33 The analysis focused on benefits, burdens, and potential mitigation strategies for three types of projects: highway capacity, transit, and bicycle and pedestrian. More than half of planned investments to expand highway capacity were totally or partially located in underserved communities, and potential benefits cited included improving access, encouraging reinvestment, and addressing existing safety issues and bottleneck problems. Read the entire page →
From page 118... ... B-34 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes As a part of their transit gap analysis (described above) , the Memphis Urban Area MPO identified several significant gaps that would not be addressed by the call for projects or public and stakeholder engagement. Read the entire page →
From page 119... ... Interview Case Studies B-35 Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) Agency Context The Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) Read the entire page →
From page 120... ... B-36 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Table B-2. Survey respondent comments on public participation concerns and MAPA responses. Read the entire page →
From page 121... ... Interview Case Studies B-37 Source: MAPA (2015a) , Public Participation Plan Figure B-16. Read the entire page →
From page 122... ... B-38 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Identifying Needs and Concerns The MAPA staff report that there is significant concern regarding regional jobs-housing imbalance due in part to lack of a large regional transit system to serve areas of higher than average unemployment. To come to a common understanding regarding existing conditions and needs, Metro Transit provides the MAPA with a comprehensive analysis of existing infrastructure. Read the entire page →
From page 123... ... Interview Case Studies B-39 Source: MAPA (2017a) , 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan Figure B-17. Read the entire page →
From page 124... ... B-40 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Source: MAPA (2017a) , 2040 Long-Range Transportation Plan Figure B-18. Read the entire page →
From page 125... ... Interview Case Studies B-41 Although the plan discusses presumed mobility, economic, aesthetic, and other benefits accruing to underserved persons from major capital projects in these areas, there is no mention of potential short- or long-term negative impacts resulting from factors like construction impacts or increased travel through areas of expanded capacity. The 2040 MTP could benefit from a more balanced assessment. Read the entire page →
From page 126... ... B-42 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Agency Context The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Read the entire page →
From page 127... ... Interview Case Studies B-43 When conducting statistically valid polls, surveys or focus groups, offering the information in other languages such as Spanish or Cantonese. Each time the RTP is updated, the MTC creates a new PPP. Read the entire page →
From page 128... ... B-44 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Identifying Needs and Concerns At a high level, the MTC uses the "3 Es" of sustainability, considering the environment, economics, and equity as broad guidance for the needs and concerns for Bay Area residents. The agency selected performance targets for its planning efforts that would inform one or more of the 3 Es. Read the entire page →
From page 129... ... Interview Case Studies B-45 Equity Analysis Process As discussed in the previous section, the MTC conducts a population/use-based analysis as part of its investment analysis by comparing funding and use by mode and population type. The following steps are conducted for each sub-population type comparison (minority status, lowincome status) Read the entire page →
From page 130... ... B-46 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Mitigating Inequities The MTC has established performance targets in an attempt to mitigate inequities found by their Title VI analysis. Per a statutory requirement, the MTC must house 100% of the region's projected growth by income level without displacing current low-income residents. Read the entire page →
From page 131... ... Interview Case Studies B-47 Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Agency Context The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Read the entire page →
From page 132... ... B-48 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes "Expanding multimodal transportation options in the region is essential. Expanding public transit and bicycle and pedestrian facilities should take priority and should be reflected in the 2040 plan." "Affordability of the transportation system should be considered in the policy framework or performance measures. Read the entire page →
From page 133... ... Interview Case Studies B-49 Source: MARC (2015) , Transportation Outlook 2040, 14.0 Equity Analysis Figure B-19. Read the entire page →
From page 134... ... B-50 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes region where jobs may be located. As seen in Figure B-20, underserved communities are in areas where 7-day transit service is prevalent, such as western Jackson County and Wyandotte County, however a large majority of jobs and anticipated job growth occurs in less-connected areas like Johnson County. Read the entire page →
From page 135... ... Interview Case Studies B-51 supported the ability of underserved persons to access jobs. This type of analysis also gave the MARC insight into what the underserved persons would need in future transportation projects in order to be able to reach employers. Read the entire page →
From page 136... ... B-52 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Tools Used The MARC uses data from local transit agency services and GIS analysis to determine whether spending is in underserved communities by calculating construction costs of projects in their TIP (per capita) and spatially analyzing the distribution of funds in underserved communities versus other areas. Read the entire page →
From page 137... ... Interview Case Studies B-53 Source: MARC (2015) , Transportation Outlook 2040, Appendix J: Environmental Justice Analysis Figure B-22. Read the entire page →
From page 138... ... B-54 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes the development of intersection countermeasures, which were provided to the local jurisdictions and implementers to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety in those areas. Lessons Learned and Noteworthy Practices Key lessons learned from this case study include: Conducting per capita analyses allows transportation planners to have a comprehensive look at how planned transportation investments impact underserved communities. Read the entire page →
From page 139... ... Interview Case Studies B-55 Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) Agency Context The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) Read the entire page →
From page 140... ... B-56 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes and low-income households rather than also providing analysis of impacts to ethnic subgroups, persons with disabilities, older adults, or zero-vehicle households. The MORPC was the only agency in the study that used a population-based analysis, which examined the effects of their activities on all underserved persons in the region rather than just those living in areas with high concentrations. Read the entire page →
From page 141... ... Interview Case Studies B-57 Identifying Needs and Concerns The MORPC's 2000 report reviewed existing reports and plans about the needs of target populations to develop this summary statement: "There is a lack of a reliable, accessible, affordable, convenient, and timely transportation system that can respond to an individual's full range of daily activities." Specific elements included: Limited transit access to destinations in outlying areas; Transit commute times should be 45 minutes or less; Pedestrians and persons with limited mobility encounter barriers to access; Reverse commute transit options from low-income neighborhood to employment centers are insufficient; and Housing-jobs location mismatch; difficulty of crossing county lines via transit. These needs generally reflect the needs of those with limited income and with mobility challenges, but the MORPC recognizes that they may not necessarily reflect the needs of the minority community and that additional analyses would be necessary to understand the needs of minority persons who are not low-income. Read the entire page →
From page 142... ... B-58 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes The MORPC developed a table of potential measures listing for each measure the mode, type (population, geographic, or visual) , the tool needed to measure it, and whether it could be developed in the short term, middle term, or long term (depending on current and anticipated data availability) Read the entire page →
From page 143... ... Interview Case Studies B-59 average work-trip time originating from each zone. Then, the number of total trips from each zone was proportioned based on the population percent of population group for each zone. Read the entire page →
From page 144... ... B-60 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes there are more likely to be maintenance projects, funding for which is reflected in the region-wide funding amount. Source: MORPC (2016) Read the entire page →
From page 145... ... Interview Case Studies B-61 Source: MORPC (2016) , Long-Range Plan Project Evaluation, Appendix Figure B-25. Read the entire page →
From page 146... ... B-62 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes percent of population with access to certain destinations) to compare outcomes for underserved persons and for relevant control groups. Read the entire page →
From page 147... ... Interview Case Studies B-63 Oregon Metro Agency Context The Oregon Metro was the first directly elected regional government in the United States, whose history in the Portland, Oregon region stretches back over three decades. Among the Oregon Metro's many duties -- including running the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Expo Center, and Portland's Center for the Arts -- the agency serves as the MPO for the 1.5 million people residing in Portland and 23 other cities in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. Read the entire page →
From page 148... ... B-64 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes The checklist includes six steps to ensure the inclusion of underserved persons: 1. Appropriate contacts should be identified and maintained; these contacts should be updated at key decision points and offered the opportunity to engage and comment on proposed actions. Read the entire page →
From page 149... ... Interview Case Studies B-65 Hires, trains, and promotes a racially diverse workforce; Creates safe and welcoming services, programs, and destinations; and Uses resource allocation that advances racial equity. Identifying Populations for Analysis The Oregon Metro hired a doctoral candidate to conduct research on their efforts to develop a set of proposed definitions and thresholds for identifying underserved persons and significant concentrations of these groups. Read the entire page →
From page 150... ... B-66 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Source: Oregon Metro (2014) , 2014 RTP and 2015–2018 MTIP EJ and Title VI Report Figure B-26. Read the entire page →
From page 151... ... Interview Case Studies B-67 to continue with this framework for the sake of the analysis, recognizing that project-level impact analysis will be conducted during other phases. Geographic Analysis To assign the region's transportation investment to underserved communities, Oregon Metro staff took a conservative approach and used an intersect rule, meaning any census tract or census block was assigned the value of the transportation project if: (1) Read the entire page →
From page 152... ... B-68 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Defining Disparate Impact Unlike the disproportionate burden analysis, Metro's disparate impact analysis seeks to draw a conclusion from the quantitative analysis using the specific assessment guidelines established through case law. As a result, this analysis looks at the proportion of transportation investment per person per acre for underserved communities compared to the region to indicate disparate impact. Read the entire page →
From page 153... ... Interview Case Studies B-69 Table B-6. RTP, per person per acre investment ratio compared to regional average. Read the entire page →
From page 154... ... B-70 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes 4. Conduct analysis and prepare findings and recommendations, and 5. Read the entire page →
From page 155... ... Interview Case Studies B-71 Oregon Metro. Read the entire page →
From page 156... ... B-72 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Wichita Area MPO Agency Context The Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO) is a small-sized MPO serving the city of Wichita and surrounding areas, including 22 cities and all or part of three counties in south central Kansas. Read the entire page →
From page 157... ... Interview Case Studies B-73 The following list provides a broad grouping of the three major constituency groups identified based on the varying levels of engagement and understanding of the regional transportation planning process and associated issues: The Involved Public is both knowledgeable about transportation policy issues in general, as well as the WAMPO's role in the regional transportation planning process. These individuals/organizations already actively participate in the process and have a fairly extensive understanding of regional transportation issues and policy. Read the entire page →
From page 158... ... B-74 Equity Analysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes Source: WAMPO (2014) Figure B-28. Read the entire page →
From page 159... ... Interview Case Studies B-75 Analysis Process This case study focuses on the analysis process based on population using U.S. Census information and GIS. Read the entire page →
From page 161... ... Abbreviations and acronyms used without definitions in TRB publications: A4A Airlines for America AAAE American Association of Airport Executives AASHO American Association of State Highway Officials AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials ACI–NA Airports Council International–North America ACRP Airport Cooperative Research Program ADA Americans with Disabilities Act APTA American Public Transportation Association ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials ATA American Trucking Associations CTAA Community Transportation Association of America CTBSSP Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program DHS Department of Homeland Security DOE Department of Energy EPA Environmental Protection Agency FAA Federal Aviation Administration FAST Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (2015) FHWA Federal Highway Administration FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration FRA Federal Railroad Administration FTA Federal Transit Administration HMCRP Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ISTEA Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 ITE Institute of Transportation Engineers MAP-21 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (2012) Read the entire page →
From page 162... ... Equity A nalysis in Regional Transportation Planning Processes, Volum e 2: Research O verview TCRP Research Report 214 TRB TRA N SPO RTATIO N RESEA RCH BO A RD 500 Fifth Street, N W W ashington, D C 20001 A D D RESS SERV ICE REQ U ESTED ISBN 978-0-309-48168-7 9 7 8 0 3 0 9 4 8 1 6 8 7 9 0 0 0 0 Read the entire page →

From page 85...

... B-1 A P P E N D I X B Interview Case Studies Summary Introduction As part of the literature review for this project, the research team surveyed equity analyses conducted for long-range transportation plans (MTPs) and transportation improvement programs (TIPs)