Transportation Policy
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The transportation policy collection includes a series of research reports, white papers, and proceedings of public policy forums that have focused on transportation policy and infrastructure issues, including mobility friendly design, interconnectivity, healthy/walkable communities, transit-oriented development, integration of transportation/transit planning and land-use planning, Northeast Corridor transportation policy and infrastructure issues—particularly freight movement, and transit studies—including paratransit, specialized transportation, and bus rapid transit. Visit the IPA website for more information.
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Item Understanding the Role of Equity in Delaware Department of Transportation Expenditures(Institute for Public Administration, 2024-09-01) Barnes, Philip; Pierce, Andrea L.; Jackson, Calaia S.Equitable outcomes are an increasingly important expectation for expenditures by state Departments of Transportation, yet little is known about the methods and practices used to incorporate the amorphous concept of equity into budgetary decision-making on infrastructure. This research project employs semi-structured interviews with key personnel in the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and local Metropolitan Planning Organizations to illuminate their conceptualization of equity and how it influences capital expenditures for the state’s transportation systems. Utilizing a pre-existing framework for understanding transportation equity, our findings indicate that key personnel in DelDOT both conceptualize and operationalize the idea along three main lines: Fair Share (communities are involved in planning, infrastructure supports non-drivers, and investments are distributed across the state), Inclusivity (infrastructure and mobility systems prioritize accessible options for individuals with special needs), and Social Justice (areas with low-income and minority communities are prioritized for investments, minority-owned businesses receive support for procurement and contracting). The mechanisms through which equity becomes operationalized in capital expenditures include federal requirements and funding, project identification and planning processes, DelDOT’s homegrown Equity Analysis Tool, Project Prioritization Criteria used to rank and sort candidate projects, and DelDOT’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program.Item The Financial and Policy Impact of Electric Vehicles and Improved Fuel Economy on Delaware’s Motor Fuel Tax Revenue(Institute for Public Administration, 2024-08-15) Barnes, PhilipTwo unavoidable technological changes will negatively impact Delaware’s motor fuel tax (MFT) revenue and the long-term health of the Transportation Trust Fund that is critical to the development, operation, maintenance, and management of the state’s transportation and transit systems. First, gasoline and diesel vehicles are becoming more efficient and can drive more miles on the same amount of fuel. Second, electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more popular, yet their owners pay no motor fuel tax because the vehicles are powered by batteries. The EV transition in Delaware was codified in a state regulation finalized in November 2023. The regulation requires that 82% of all new vehicle deliveries to Delaware in 2032 must be zero- emission vehicles. Given these technological inevitabilities of improved fuel economy and EVsales, and the fact that both changes will depress motor fuel consumption in Delaware, analyses are required to inform a path forward. A financial analysis is required to forecast MFT revenue; and once the magnitude of the revenue shortfall is estimated, a policy analysis can help illuminate the options available to address the budget challenge and identify policy tradeoffs.Item Local Policies for Electric Vehicle Readiness(Institute for Public Administration, 2021-07) Barnes, Philip; Sikora, VincentLocal governments in Delaware have a role to play in supporting the ongoing transition to an electric vehicle (EV) future, especially for EV charging stations and infrastructure. Federal and state governments have sizeable policy levers that they can pull to direct transportation systems and markets toward EVs, but so too do municipalities. Indeed, Delaware’s local governments could use their legislative and administrative authority over zoning, parking, signage, and building codes to foster EV-readiness and reap the benefits of the technology, which includes economic development, increased property values, and cleaner local environments.Item Resources to Support Electric Vehicles in Delaware(Institute for Public Administration, 2021-06) Barnes, Philip; Hernandez-Limon, JorgeLocal governments in Delaware will play a major role in facilitating the transition to electric vehicle (EV) transportation. Fortunately, there are a range of resources—financial, technical, and informational— that are available to assist municipalities in their efforts. This brief outlines these resources.Item Whiz, Not Bang: Electric Vehicle Technology(Institute for Public Administration, 2021-05) Barnes, Philip; Hernandez-Limon, JorgeThis policy brief explains the difference between electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and hybrid electric vehicles, and standard petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE).Item Hosting Electric Vehicle Charging Stations(Institute for Public Administration, 2021-04) Barnes, Philip; Sikora, VincentTo meet current and future charging capacity demands, local governments and property owners who would like to host EV charging stations can pursue innovative partnerships and create a robust network of EV chargers in Delaware.Item Delaware’s Automotive Future is Electric(Institute for Public Administration, 2021-04) Barnes, Philip; Hernandez-Limon, JorgeThis policy brief provides insights and recommendations for EV-ready counties, cities, and towns so local officials can begin laying the groundwork for the EV future.Item Use of Crowdsourcing Tools to Analyze First- and Last-Mile Bus Stop Accessibility in Delaware(Institute for Public Administration, 2020-11) Scott, Marcia; Michalowski, AllisonAs part of the Mobility in Motion outreach process to update the State of Delaware’s Coordinated Public-Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan, IPA developed three map-based crowdsourcing tools on first- and last-mile bus stop accessibility in Delaware. The purpose of developing these tools was to obtain information from DART First State transit riders on first- and last-mile accessibility barriers for walking, biking, or rolling to/from a transit stop or hub in Delaware.Item Analysis of Best Practice Section 5310 Programs and Competitive Funding Selection Frameworks(Institute for Public Administration, 2020-11) Scott, Marcia; James, KellyThis policy brief is part of a series that was developed as part of the Mobility in Motion outreach process to update the State of Delaware’s Coordinated Public-Transit—Human Services Transportation Plan. This policy brief explores the frameworks of federal Section 5310 (49 U.S.C. 5310) program recipients that elect the option to distribute funds competitively to Section 5310 subrecipients.Item Non-Emergency Medical Transportation for Veterans(Institute for Public Administration, 2020-11) Timmreck, AlexaThis policy brief by the Institute for Public Administration was prepared for the Delaware Transit Corporation, a division of the Delaware Department of Transportation that operates DART First State Transit. The brief was prepared as part of the research process to update Delaware’s 2020 Coordinated Public Transit—Human Services Transportation Plan. This brief discusses the specific transportation needs of Delaware veterans, who comprise approximately ten percent of Delaware’s total population.1 Healthcare and wellness treatment options for veterans are often limited and can require considerable travel time.Item Non-Emergency Medical Transportation and Delaware’s Aging Population(Institute for Public Administration, 2020-09) Timmreck, Alexa; Noonan Davis, SarahThis policy brief by the Institute for Public Administration was prepared for the Delaware Transit Corporation, a division of the Delaware Department of Transportation that operates DART First State Transit. It examines the critical need for non-emergency medical transportation for Delaware’s growing older adult population, which facilitates access to needed health services and the ability to age in community. The brief was prepared as part of the research process to update Delaware’s 2020 Coordinated Public Transit—Human Services Transportation Plan.Item Coordinated Public Transit–Human-Services Transportation Plan for Delaware(Institute for Public Administration, 2020-07-07) Scott, Marcia; O'Hanlon, Julia; Timmreck, Alexa; Littmann, Danielle; Matera, MadisonThis Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan, or “Coordinated Plan,” for the State of Delaware was developed through a participatory planning process and serves as a strategic framework for addressing the state’s existing and future mobility needs. It is aligned with and conforms to the current federal framework focused on the need to enhance mobility for all transportation-disadvantaged populations (e.g., older adults, persons with disabilities, veterans, low-income individuals, non-drivers, and no-car households). Specifically, the plan responds to the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which was enacted in 2015 and provides increased emphasis on advancing mobility management practices and projects, including those related to the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program (herein referred to as the Section 5310 program).Item Transportation Network Companies, Transportation Brokerage Companies, and Non-Emergency Medical Transportation(2020-07) O'Hanlon, Julia; Scott, Marcia; Timmreck, AlexaThis policy brief by the Institute for Public Administration was prepared for the Delaware Transit Corporation, a division of the Delaware Department of Transportation that operates DART First State Transit. It explores the use of transportation brokerage companies to enhance on-demand mobility and improve customer experience for paratransit customers. Roundtrip, a ride-booking platform based in Philadelphia, may provide an innovative, on-demand, and affordable ADA-compliant specialized transportation option for existing paratransit customers in Delaware. The brief was prepared as part of the research process to update Delaware’s 2020 Coordinated Public Transit—Human Services Transportation Plan.Item Outcomes Report: Delaware Transportation Needs Assessment Survey(2019-01) Scott, Marcia; O'Hanlon, Julia; Metcalfe, Danielle; Timmreck, AlexaThis report details the results of the Transportation Needs Assessment Survey administered in 2018 by the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration's Institute for Public Administration (IPA) at the University of Delaware, on behalf of the Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC). The survey was designed to obtain input and data used in identifying public transit and human services transportation barriers, challenges, and gaps in Delaware. Information gathered from the survey responses will be used to develop the 2019 update of the Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan for Delaware.Item Bicycle Justice or Just Bicycles? Analyzing Equity in Baltimore's Bike Share Program(Department of Transportation and Urban Infrastructure at Morgan State University, 2018-09) Barnes, Philip J.; Grasso, Susan; Chavis, Celeste; Bhutan, Istiak A.; Nickkar, AmirrezaBike share systems have become a common feature of the modern urban landscape and provide residents and visitors with an active transportation mode. Yet these systems have sustained equity-focused criticism for serving a narrow demographic band of residents and visitors, while others lack access and face barriers to usage. The City of Baltimore, Maryland, launched a bike share system in 2016. This study evaluates Baltimore’s new system from an equity-focused lens using two complementary approaches. The first approach, which is a GIS-based equity gap analysis, develops a population-density-normalized Bike Equity Index to quantitatively assess the spatial distribution of the city’s bicycle infrastructure supply and how it serves (or doesn’t serve) Baltimore’s transit-dependent and environmental justice communities. The second analytic orientation, which applies a user and barrier analysis, utilizes survey data to identify the low-equity groups and the variables that limit (or don’t limit) their demand for the city’s bike share program. When combined, the two perspectives—one top-down and the other bottom-up—present a more comprehensive picture and nuanced understanding of the current system’s equity performance. The research findings demonstrate that Baltimore Bike Share infrastructure is unevenly distributed across the city’s many communities and is undersupplied in areas with residents who are transit-dependent. Furthermore, the results support claims of a demographic mismatch between current bike share system users and the general population. The communities underrepresented among Baltimore Bike Share users are less educated, lower-income, non-whites, Hispanics, and females. The research indicates that females express concern over certain barriers to accessing and using Baltimore Bike Share, including how to use the system, personal safety, helmet use, harassment, and hygiene. No significant barriers were identified for the other underrepresented demographic groups. To enhance the equity of the system, the research team recommends that the City of Baltimore prioritize bike share system expansion into the neighborhoods east and west of the downtown corridor. A robust community outreach strategy that targets underrepresented populations is also recommended and should include initiatives such as a grassroots bike share ambassador program and organized community rides. The bike share docking stations can also be leveraged for their advertising potential and should contain marketing materials that speak directly to underrepresented communities.Item Survey Outcomes: Delaware Section 5310 Program Funding Subrecipients(Institute for Public Administration, 2018-11) Scott, Marcia S.; O'Hanlon, Julia; Polito, BrianIn spring 2018, the Institute for Public Administration (IPA) at University of Delaware administered a survey of Delaware agencies (i.e., subrecipients) that receive and are subrecipients of federal funding (Title 49 U.S.C. 5310, herein referred to as the Section 5310 Program) to transport senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. The survey was administered on behalf of the Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC), an operating division of the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), which operates DART First State Transit. The survey was planned as part of the December 2017 Public Outreach and Engagement Plan to Develop a Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Plan for Delaware (i.e., coordinated plan). As part of a “high-tech interaction” strategy, the purpose of this survey was to gather information from current Delaware Section 5310 Program subrecipients on existing specialized transportation services, gaps, and unmet needs clients.Item High Definition Mapping and Data Needs for Connected and Automated Vehicles(Institute for Public Administration, 2019-01) Barnes, Philip J.; Swan, BrettHigh-definition (HD) maps are essential for the safe operation of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs). The maps are not the traditional two-dimensional paper or GPS versions we are familiar with, but rather are three-dimensional representations of the real world—such as we see with our own eyes. HD maps, which come within centimeters of accuracy, allow a CAV to understand its location, surrounding physical environment, and rules of the road. Due to the complexity and data-intensity of HD maps, CAVs require extensive on-board computing power to quickly collect, store, process, and transmit a tremendous amount of data.Item Enhanced Mobility from Connected and Automated Vehicles(Institute for Public Administration, 2018-10) Barnes, Philip J.; Swan, BrettHow CAVS can enhance independent mobility options for the elderly and people with disabilities.Item Fiscal Impacts of Connected and Automated Vehicles in Delaware(Institute for Public Administration, 2018-10) Barnes, Philip J.; Swan, BrettHow Connected and Automated Vehicles will alter the state and municipal fiscal landscape.Item Urban Planning for Connected and Automated Vehicles(Institute for Public Administration, 2018-07) Barnes, Philip; Swan, BrettConnected and automated vehicles (CAVs) will require Delaware municipalities to rethink urban planning. As CAVs become common, action is needed on parking, land use and design practices, and suburban sprawl.