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Rating the Region: Metropolitan Indicators Report

June 21, 2016

This report compares 26 metropolitan areas in terms of demographics, natural resources and the environment; livable communities; the economy; and transportation. The Philadelphia region's strengths include its diverse economy; relatively affordable housing, myriad of colleges, universities, and cultural opportunities; health care resources; extensive highway and transit network; and quality air and port facilities. These strengths, however, threaten to be checked by regional challenges, including urban concentrations of poverty and unemployment; low labor force participation; disparately low educational attainment in its cities; an aging population; and fragmented local government. The challenge facing the region is identifying how to capitalize and build on its strengths while recognizing and working to resolve its identified weaknesses.

2016 Municipal Resource Guide

March 1, 2016

This guide is intended to assist local and county governments, community groups, and non-profit organizations in the Delaware Valley Region to identify federal, state, regional, county, and private sources of funding for locally initiated planning and development projects. The programs are listed in alphabetical order and cover topical areas of disaster and pollution mitigation, energy conservation, historic preservation, housing, infrastructure, infill and brownfields, open space and recreation, smart growth and community revitalization, transportation, and private resources.

Enhanced Bus Service on West Chester Pike

February 28, 2016

This study was conducted by DVRPC to improve the quality and effectiveness of bus service on West Chester Pike between West Chester Borough and the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby. This report describes an operational concept for Enhanced Bus Service (EBS) along the corridor that includes consolidated stops, improved passenger amenities, and branded service. Localized pedestrian improvements are also identified for 12 priority stops along the route.

Identifying Opportunities for Park and Ride Capacity in South Jersey

February 28, 2016

As travel patterns shift and demand for public transit services increases due to congestion, drive-to-transit access patterns, such as park-and-rides (PNR), will remain a primary means of transit access for many regional residents and workers to avoid the monetary and time costs of traveling by automobile. This project sought to assess locations where New Jersey Transit (NJT) bus and train PNR demand exceeds capacity, or is likely to do so in the future within the DVPRC region in South Jersey (the study area), and develop candidate locations for PNR investment.

FY 2015 DVRPC Annual Report

February 1, 2016

Each fiscal year, DVRPC is responsible for issuing an annual report that summarizes the programs and projects that comprise the annual planning work program. This Annual Report features highlights of the Commission's many programs, a message from the Executive Director and Board Chair, a listing of Board members and committees, a financial summary, and a specific project or program in each county and major city in the region.

Impact of Diesel Emissions from Port Facilities on Local Communities in the DVRPC Region

December 15, 2015

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) examined the demographics of communities surrounding port communities in the region and reviewed existing health statistics for these communities. Demographic and health data analysis shows that communities surrounding port facilities are generally more economically disadvantaged than the region as a whole. DVRPC analyzed air emissions from heavy-duty vehicles on National Highway System (NHS) Connectors that serve port facilities in these communities where existing vehicle class counts were available. The emissions analysis revealed that older (pre-model year 2007 trucks) are responsible for the majority of emissions from heavy-duty vehicles serving the port facilities, and efforts to modernize the fleet of vehicles serving the ports has the potential to improve air quality in these neighborhoods and the larger region.

Evaluating Opportunities for Transit Signal Priority in Southern New Jersey

December 15, 2015

This study examines traffic signal and surface transit routes in Mercer, Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties and develops a method of scoring corridors on their likelihood for successful and cost-effective TSP and related signals investments. To develop a TSP prioritization framework, the study team has built upon prior data gathering, analysis, and mapping work. The screening tool identifies the corridors where TSP is likely to be the most effective and have the greatest operational benefits for transit and all road users.

Commodity Profile Series #1: Crude Oil in the Delaware Valley

September 30, 2015

This brochure has been developed by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) as part of a series of commodity profiles that seek to illustrate the supply chain of select commodities. This series is meant to help municipalities and the general public better understand a specific commodity's: history in the region; impact on economic development and employment; key facilities and modal distribution; and trends and transportation planning implications. The first part in this series explores crude oil, historically one of the highest-volume commodities to be imported into the region. Crude oil was identified by regional private-sector partners participating in the Delaware Valley Goods Movement Task Force, DVRPC's freight advisory committee, as a key commodity to consider in planning due to recent changes in the regional supply chain.

Investing in People and Places: Greater Philadelphia's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy - 2015 Annual Review and Update

September 30, 2015

This report was created to provide the required annual review and update to Greater Philadelphia's regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The report includes background demographic, economic, and land use data; identifies regional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; discusses economic resiliency; identifies regional economic development goals and objectives; identifies key projects and activities designed to advance the CEDS goals and objectives; and identifies performance measures that will be tracked in future years to measure progress made toward achieving the regional goals. The regional CEDS was developed under the guidance of a Review Committee that includes representatives of the county planning and economic development agencies, regional economic development organizations, educational institutions, and the private sector.

Regional Data Bulletin # 095: Residential Building Permits, 2010 -- 2014 DVRPC's 28-County Extended Data Services Area

June 1, 2015

As the Greater Philadelphia region's metropolitan planning organization (MPO), DVRPC provides technical assistance and services to its member state, county, and local governments; the private sector; and the public. Delaware Valley Data is our periodic series of free data bulletins, data snapshots, and analytical reports. Regional Data Bulletin #095 presents residential building permit data for 2010 through 2014 in the extended 28-county data services area. Residential construction activity data is derived from current reports and publications compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau's Residential Construction Statistics Division. Municipalities provide the Census Bureau with tabulations of the number of housing units authorized, according to types of structures. In the few cases where municipalities reported building permit activity for some months but not for all 12 months, the Census Bureau estimates the total yearly number of building permits based on past building permit activity.

Primos Station Access and Development Opportunities Study

April 30, 2015

The Primos Station Access & Development Opportunities Study was conducted by DVRPC staff in collaboration with SEPTA, Delaware County, Aldan Borough, and Upper Darby Township. The study included a comprehensive analysis of the recently renovated SEPTA station, focusing on three key facets: station parking, intermodal access, and land use potential. The stated objectives of the study were to identify opportunities to improve parking, encourage transit-supportive development, ease intermodal access, and increase station ridership. The report includes an overview of existing conditions, a market analysis, early-action implementation strategies, as well as phased recommendations addressing land use, transportation, parking, and visual character in the study area.

Sitting in Traffic Again? NJ 73 from the Tacony Palmyra Bridge to Evesham Road

April 15, 2015

Congestion is getting harder to manage, but tools to analyze it and cost-effective measures are always improving. This is the second in a series of brochures using archived operations data to understand the causes of congestion and what can be done about it. The focus corridor for this edition is NJ 73 from the Tacony Palmyra Bridge to Evesham Road; however, the emphasis on operations, multimodal approaches, and partnerships as realistic approaches to congestion are widely applicable.