2024 Updates DVRPC performed an analysis to create the CHSTP Priority Score, a layer that helps users visualize where there is a potentially high need to improve transit service for vulnerable populations to reach essential services in the Greater Philadelphia region. As a metropolitan planning organization, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is responsible for updating the region's Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan (CHSTP). The CHSTP update engaged a variety of stakeholders to identify unmet needs and service gaps, recommend innovative transportation access solutions, and empower communities to climb "ladders of opportunity" toward greater social and economic mobility. As part of the CHSTP update, DVRPC created the CHSTP Priority Score Map Toolkit. This interactive web-based tool demonstrates disparities in access to essential services like hospitals, health clinics, recreational spaces, senior centers, and more in the Greater Philadelphia region. Users can view layers representing different datasets including the locations of essential services; bus routes, transit stops, and rail lines; transit walksheds; distributions of vulnerable populations like seniors, households in poverty, and people with disabilities; and areas where transit access is low. https://github.com/dvrpc/gis-chstp  includes all code for the analysis.

Below are several of the analyses included in this dataset. Vulnerable Populations answers the question, “Who lives here?” and highlights populations in need. Essential Services answers the question, “Where do people need to go?” and highlights areas with more services in the region. Population-Services Mismatch answers the question, “Where is there a gap between areas of need and essential services?” This layer highlights areas where there are higher numbers of vulnerable populations but fewer essential services and vice versa. Transit Accessibility answers the question, “How is transit service distributed?” and highlights areas in the region with lower transit accessibility. Priority Score answers the question, “Where can transit service be improved to help vulnerable populations access essential services?” This layer, the result of our analysis, highlights areas with higher numbers of vulnerable populations or essential services, but lower transit accessibility and vice versa. Name Field Source Additional Info Notes VULNERABLE POPULATIONS Total Number of Households hh ACS B11001_001E American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2018-2022) Total Number of People pop ACS B01003_001E American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2018-2022) Households with 1 or More People with Disability hh1_dis ACS B22010, Estimate; Household received Food Stamps/SNAP in the past 12 months American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2018-2022) Number of Households Below Poverty Line hh_pov ACS B17017 Estimate; Income in the past 12 months below poverty level: American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2018-2022) People 65 or Older _65older ACS B01001, summarized by sex and age groups American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2018-2022) Vulnerable Population Rank vul_pop_rank DVRPC calculated ESSENTIAL SERVICES Activity Centers for Seniors or Disabled ss_cnt Overture Map Overture Map (2024) Food Stores food_cnt Overture Map Overture Map (2024) Health Care Facilities hc_cnt Overture Map Overture Map (2024) Number of Educational Institutions school_cnt NCES https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ ; https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/ ; https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/ Parks/Open Space Present os_check DVRPC DVRPC Parks/Open Space (2016) Trails trail_cnt DVRPC DVRPC Circuit Trails (2020) Essential Services Total es_sum DVRPC calculated Jobs sum_jobs Census LODES Census LODES Essential Services Rank es_rank DVRPC calculated Access Gap access_gap_rank DVRPC calculate the difference of vulnerable population rank and essential service rank for access gap TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY Transit Accessibilty Zones t_45min_zone_cnt ; t_zone_quantile DVRPC DVRPC Travel Models (2023), How many areas a person could access in a 45 minute transit trip Essential Services in 45 minute TAZ zones t_es_cnt; t_job_cnt; t_45min_es_job_avg Overture Maps, DVRPC travel model jobs in block group and other essential services grouped into separate bins then averaged Daily Departures (by TAZ) total_departures, depart_quantile GTFS - SEPTA, NJTRANSIT, PATCO Frequency of service Walkability Rank walkshed_quantile DVRPC pedestrian network, GTFS - SEPTA, NJTRANSIT, PATCO Walkability of the block group to transit stations/stops Transit Accessibilty Rank transit_access_rank DVRPC Priority Score chstp_score DVRPC calculated