Introduction & Overview

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) has a long history of public participation and citizen involvement in regional and transportation planning initiatives. Throughout DVRPC's history, the basic tenet of public participation has always remained the same: to reach out to and engage as many citizens as possible in the decision-making process. Through a constructive dialogue, decision-makers, planners and the public can share their opinions and mutually shape a vision for a community, county or region. In order to implement any plan, there needs to be cooperative and coordinated action among the public, private and non-profit sectors and the general public. Building coalitions is a DVRPC mandate, and our organization works with a variety of stakeholders throughout the region, from elected officials to business owners, local civic organizations and the general public.

DVRPC's Public Participation Plan is designed as a resource for DVRPC's Board, staff, and the general public to better understand the Commission's overall public participation strategy and procedures, as well as the federal mandates that inform DVRPC's public participation efforts. This is the third iteration of a formal plan, with previous editions issued in 2001 and 2004.

This edition of the Public Participation Plan includes updates as per new federal SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) guidelines, as well as an expanded Title VI and environmental justice (EJ) section, which incorporates DVRPC's previously released Environmental Justice Protocol. DVRPC firmly believes that Title VI and EJ statutes are inherent to all work completed by the Commission and should be incorporated into all aspects of DVRPC's work and public participation activities. The Public Participation Plan, DVRPC's Title VI Compliance Plan, and Environmental Justice at DVRPC (which replaces the "... And Justice for All" Annual Update) work concurrently to integrate federal mandates for Title VI and EJ throughout DVRPC's Work Program. Environmental Justice at DVRPC, which is updated every fiscal year, includes data collection that directs the Commission's public participation efforts, as well as descriptions of projects and programs that utilize DVRPC's EJ methodology.

What is DVRPC?
DVRPC was created in 1965 by interstate compact between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, whose legislatures worked together to define the Commission's structure, authority, purpose, and administrative procedures. DVRPC was subsequently designated as the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the nine-county Delaware Valley region.

The region encompasses the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Chester, Pennsylvania/ Camden, New Jersey/Trenton, New Jersey metropolitan area and includes nine counties: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania; and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer in New Jersey. These counties are comprised of 353 individual cities, boroughs or townships within a 3,833 square mile planning area.

DVRPC's mission is to proactively shape a comprehensive vision for the region's future growth. We do so by developing regional plans and priorities; providing technical assistance and services; conducting high priority studies that respond to the requests and demands of member states and local governments; fostering cooperation among various constituencies to forge a consensus on diverse regional issues; determining and meeting the needs of the private sector; and continuing public outreach efforts that promote two-way communication and enhance public awareness of regional issues and DVRPC.

Key DVRPC initiatives include:

• Long-range regional planning with a 20-year horizon;
• The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) -- a priority list of highway, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, and freight improvements that will be funded in the coming years;
• Transportation project and corridor plans;
• Community and neighborhood planning;
• Local land use planning initiatives;
• Regional and local open space conservation planning;
• Expanding access to jobs and other economic development plans;
• Municipal outreach and assistance; and
• Geographic Information System (GIS), aerial images and data gathering.

DVRPC is governed by an eighteen-member decision-making board composed of state, county, and city representatives from the region's member governments, as well as various participating non-voting members and federal agency observers. All DVRPC Board meetings are open to the public to attend, and include an opportunity for public comment.

DVRPC staff is comprised of transportation planners and engineers, city and environmental planners, technology and mapping specialists, and other professionals that provide technical assistance and services on a wide variety of issues facing the region.

What is an MPO?
A metropolitan planning organization (MPO) is a regional organization responsible for comprehensive transportation planning and programming for urbanized areas. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962 created the requirement for urban transportation planning largely in response to the construction of the Interstate Highway System and the planning of routes through and around urban areas. The Act required that transportation projects in urbanized areas with population of 50,000 or more be based on a continuing, comprehensive, urban transportation planning process undertaken cooperatively by the states and local governments.

Beyond the initial mandate of highway and road construction, transportation planning undertaken by MPOs can include transit, inter-modal and pedestrian/bicycle planning, and continue to serve as a cooperative effort among state agencies and local governments to effectively fulfill a variety of regional planning responsibilities.

A Vision For The Future
As the MPO for the Delaware Valley region, DVRPC undertakes two significant, ongoing planning processes: the development and adoption of a Long-Range Plan, and the management and adoption of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

Long-Range Planning: Destination 2030: The Year 2030 Plan for the Delaware Valley
Destination 2030: The Year 2030 Plan for the Delaware Valley is DVRPC's sixth regional Long-Range Plan. Since its creation in 1965, DVRPC has prepared and adopted plans with horizon years of 1985, 2000, 2010, 2020, 2025 and 2030. As the region's MPO, DVRPC has a mandated responsibility to develop a regional plan with a 20-year time frame, with long-range forecasts of population, land use, employment and travel trends that determine how federal transportation funds will be spent. Destination 2030 sets the framework and priorities for distribution of federal funds and ensures that recommended projects are consistent with defined long-term goals for the transportation system. Destination 2030 was adopted in June, 2005, and was developed through an extensive public outreach effort, technical research and coordination among other agencies.

Destination 2030 provides a vision of the region's future growth and development over the next twenty-five years; determines regional plan consistency in order to locate and implement future transportation facilities and services; provides guidance and direction for municipal, county, and state agencies to make infrastructure and conservation protection investments; and serves as the foundation for developing the region's TIP.

Connections - The Regional Plan for a Sustainable Future
Work is currently underway on the Year 2035 update to the DVRPC Long-Range Plan for the greater Philadelphia region, entitled Connections - The Regional Plan for a Sustainable Future. Connections will focus on strengthening the linkages between land use, the environment, economic development, and the transportation system. Recent long-range planning policies have emphasized sustainable growth, redeveloping existing regional centers, and funding transportation projects which support the plan's goals. Additionally, Connections will address new focus areas such as climate change and energy needs.

Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is an agreed-upon list of priority projects. The TIP lists all projects for which federal funds are anticipated, along with non-federally funded projects that are regionally significant.

This program enables the DVRPC Board to select and prioritize the many transportation-related projects proposed for the region, while maximizing the allocation and use of available federal dollars. The list is multi-modal; in addition to the more traditional highway and public transit projects, it includes bicycle, pedestrian and freight-related projects as well. The TIP not only lists the specific projects, but also documents the anticipated schedule and cost for each project phase. Inclusion of a project phase in the TIP means that it is seriously expected to be implemented during the TIP time period. The TIP is financially constrained to the amount of funds that are expected to be available. DVRPC has adopted a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), one for Pennsylvania, one for New Jersey, which define the procedures for making amendments and modifications to the TIP. Such agreements between the states, transit operators, and DVRPC define major and minor amendments and the degree of public review required for each type of action. The MOUs are included with each TIP document.

In Pennsylvania, the TIP covers a four-year period and is updated every other year. The New Jersey TIP also covers a four-year period and is updated annually.

To help establish priorities for the TIP, DVRPC solicits the public's opinion. A public comment period of at least thirty (30) days and public meetings give the public an opportunity to post and pose questions about the TIP process and the projects.

DVRPC Committee Management
Prior to review and action by DVRPC's Board, all regional plans, TIPs, and major actions are subject to review and comment by the following standing committees: Regional Citizens Committee (RCC), Regional Transportation Committee (RTC) and Planning Coordinating Committee (PCC); with review, as appropriate, by the Regional Aviation Committee, Regional Air Quality Committee, Tri-County Water Quality Management Board, and other such committees as the Board establishes. Such action by these committees follows the public participation programs conducted by municipalities and counties prior to forwarding recommendations to DVRPC for regional public outreach.

While only the RCC is open to the general public for membership, anyone who wishes may attend any of the following committee meetings: RTC and PCC, Regional Aviation Committee, Information Resources Exchange Group, Goods Movement Task Force, Tri-County Water Quality Management Board, Land Use and Housing Committee, TransitChek Policy Committee, Board Policy Analysis Committee, and ITS Coordinating Council.

When the Board creates new committees, it shall designate whether they will be open to the public. All of these committees may receive public input from the Commission's various constituencies.

Public notification of all meetings of DVRPC's Board-established committees is provided at least ten (10) days prior to each meeting. The public notification includes a copy of a draft agenda and/or a notice that includes the date, time, and location of the meeting. This notification can also be issued to pertinent members of the news media, if applicable. Changes to the agenda may be made up to the day of the meeting; however, no major action items should be added within three (3) days of the meeting. Meeting dates and agendas are available at www.dvrpc.org.

Regional Citizens Committee
DVRPC's primary forum for continuous public involvement is the Regional Citizens Committee (RCC). This advisory arm of DVRPC has been established to provide direct, ongoing access to the regional planning and decision-making process. The RCC meets monthly to review and comment on DVRPC policies and plans. This open avenue of communication gives us the chance to hear the public's voice, ideas, and concerns on major decisions that affects the way Delaware Valley residents live, work, and travel.

The RCC includes individuals and representatives of various organizations that are concerned with land use and/or transportation issues in the region. Voting members must attend at least three (3) consecutive RCC meetings, or have attended at least four (4) meetings in the past twelve (12) months. Corresponding members do not attend regular meetings, but remain on the mailing list.

The RCC may also establish subcommittees and task forces as needed to study particular issues as transportation, land use, the environment, legislation, and sustainability.

Committee membership is open to anyone who wishes to join. To maintain balance, no more than one representative of any organization or company is permitted to cast votes. Members of the RCC prior to 1990 are "grandfathered" and may continue to vote, regardless of organizational "quota."

For more information, please contact the Office of Communications and Public Affairs at 215-238-2871.