Regional Technical Committee

10:00 am, April 9, 2024

Call In Phone Number: 1-346-248-7799 Meeting ID: 884 7517 6860 Passcode: 81166302

DVRPC Office
The ACP Building - 8th Floor
190 N. Independence Mall West
Philadelphia, PA

Call to Order – Chair’s Comments

Deputy Executive Director’s Report

Public Comments on Agenda and Non-Agenda Items

ACTION ITEMS

1. Highlights of the March 12, 2024 RTC Meeting

2. DVRPC Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Actions

Alyson Dressman, Capital Project Planner, will present. The dynamic nature of funding transportation improvements and the need to remain within financial constraint require amendments or modifications to the TIP on a regular basis. The following projects require formal TIP modifications or amendments this month for the FY2024 TIP for New Jersey and/or the FY2023 TIP for Pennsylvania.

3. Request to Open Public Comment Period for Connections 2050: Draft Amendment 3, Draft FY2025 TIP for Pennsylvania, and Conformity Finding of the Plan and TIP

Ethan Fogg, Capital Program Coordinator, will present. Staff requests authorization to open a public comment period for the purpose of gathering public and agency comments on Connections 2050: Draft Amendment 3, Draft FY2025 TIP for Pennsylvania, and the Draft Conformity Determination of the amended Connections 2050 Long-Range Plan and the Draft FY2025 TIP for Pennsylvania to issue proper public notifications; to publish the draft documents on the Internet; to make copies available at certain public libraries; and to hold public meetings.

4. Action Item: FY2025-26 Travel Option Program (TOP) Project Selections

Amy Bernknopf, Manager, Office of Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Planning, will present. The project selection subcommittee of the Regional TDM Advisory Committee, recently met to review applications for funding received for the FY2025-26 Travel Options Program. The action will review the process and proposed selections, and ask the RTC to consider recommending Board approval of the selections, along with an associated TIP action and UPWP amendment.

5. FY2024 Work Program Amendment: FTA Areas of Persistent Poverty Program Grant - Regional Sidewalk Development for Equitable Transit Access

Greg Krykewycz, Director of Transportation Planning, will present. SEPTA and DVRPC received an FFY2023 FTA Areas of Persistent Poverty (AoPP) grant in the amount of $450,000 to provide design development support for sidewalks and other pedestrian improvements that improve SEPTA access for eligible high poverty Census Tracts. SEPTA will be the recipient of the grant, and FTA requires that AoPP projects be added to the MPO's Unified Planning Work Program.

6. FY2024 Work Program Amendment: FTA Areas of Persistent Poverty Program Grant - Erie Avenue Transit First

Greg Krykewycz, Director of Transportation Planning, will present. SEPTA and the City of Philadelphia received an FFY2023 FTA Areas of Persistent Poverty (AoPP) grant in the amount of $500,000 to study, plan, and design transportation improvements for the Erie Avenue Corridor from West Hunting Park Avenue to Kensington Avenue. SEPTA will be the recipient of the grant, and FTA requires that AoPP projects be added to the MPO's Unified Planning Work Program.

PRESENTATION ITEMS

7. Public Participation Task Force (PPTF) Update

Wideleine Desir, Public Participation Planner, will present. DVRPC’s Public Participation Task Force (PPTF) recently brought on new members for the 2024 cohort. The mission of the Task Force is to provide ongoing access to the Greater Philadelphia region’s planning process and empower resident involvement. Members are given a platform to learn more about upcoming projects, provide feedback on planning practices, and test out public outreach strategies. For more details about the PPTF, visit http://www.dvrpc.org/Committees/PPTF/.

8. Bicycle Cyclical Count Program Storymap

Chris Mulroy, Transportation Planner in DVRPC's Office of Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Planning, will present a new story map from DVRPC that provides an overview of the Bicycle Cyclical Count Program and analyzes bicycle volumes in the nine-county region from 2014 to 2022. Planners, lawmakers, and the public can use this information to gain a better understanding of changes in bicycle volumes over time, across different geographies, and on different bicycle facility types. See https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/cef8684d15144a44a07e972dbbf8f02c for the full story map

9. DVRPC region's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Program Update

Ariella Maron, Executive Director, will provide an update on planning and application milestones related to the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA's CPRG program. This includes an overview of the Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) submitted to EPA on March 1, 2024, the implementation grant applications submitted to EPA on March 29, 2024, and next steps.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

10. IIJA Update

An update on IIJA funding opportunities and coordination activities will be provided.

11. One Minute Reports

RTC Members and guests will be invited to provide updates on the activities of their agencies.

Old Business and New Business

12. Meeting Adjournment

The next scheduled meeting of the RTC is Tuesday, May 7, 2024, planned for all virtual.