Application of the Equity Rubric for Purpose and Need to a Demonstration Corridor in the Texas Megaregion

US Transportation Collection2020PDFTech ReportLewis, Carol AbelGoodwin, GwendolynRobin-Stout, MarciaRogers, BrandonTexas Southern University. Center for Transportation Training and ResearchUniversity of Texas at Austin. Cooperative Mobility for Competitive MegaregionsUnited States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) ProgramUnited States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and TechnologyUniversity of Texas at Austin. Cooperative Mobility for Competitive MegaregionsTexasUnited StatesEquity (Justice)Metrics (Quantitative assessment)Regional planningTransportation corridorsTransportation planningMobilityTransportation disadvantaged personsPurpose and NeedMegaregional TransportationVulnerable Non-urban CommunitiesCM2 \u2013 769A3551747135Technical Report conducted May 2018 to December 2019State transportation agencies and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) seek to improve access to employment, health care and other essential needs and services for vulnerable or at-risk populations. Purpose and need statements trigger the planning process for projects leading to increased mobility. The designation of purpose and need for rural and small urban communities is especially important as these locales often are considered less vigorously for public transportation than urban locations. Previous research for CM\ub2 created an Equity Purpose and Need Rubric for use by transportation planners in megaregion settings. In addition to traditional poverty indicators, the rubric considers the percentage of income paid for transportation compared to the county mean. This research pays particular attention to communities in small urban and rural areas and applies the index to a corridor in the Texas Triangle megaregion.109