Episode 83: Advancing Active Transportation in the Delaware Valley
Cassidy Boulan and Thom Stead of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission talk about their work to make it safer and easier to walk, ride bicycles and take the bus in Trenton, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, and the Delaware Valley.
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for 5 counties in Pennsylvania and 4 in New Jersey. It’s one of the rare MPOs that crosses state lines. On this episode of the Mpact Podcast, hear about specific projects to advance safer bicycling, walking and transit in Trenton and Philadelphia and how DVRPC collaborates with cities, counties and state DOTs.
Cassidy Boulan, Associate Manager in DVRPC’s Office of Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning, is working with residents and leaders in Trenton, New Jersey’s capital city, on a new bicycle plan and to install tactical, quick-build projects to respond to community needs. She talks about bringing transit agencies into the discussion with cities and counties about how streets are designed and upcoming efforts in Trenton to teach kids how to safely walk and bike – part of DVRPC’s Travel Options Program.
The Assistant Manager in DVRPC’s Office of Mobility, Analysis and Design, Thom Stead works closely with the City of Philadelphia and PennDOT to identify two corridors each year for Complete Streets redesign, such as road diets or protected bike lanes, as part of routine repaving. To be successful, Stead says, he’s learned to talk and think like an engineer and to do traffic analyses to make his case. Hear about specific projects in West Philadelphia and upcoming work with SEPTA as part of the recently approved Bus Revolution bus system redesign.
Listen to the podcast for a lively discussion about safer bicycle design, especially at intersections (is the era of the delineator coming to an end?). Get an overall sense of how multimodal programs work at an MPO. And, for all those heading to Mpact Transit + Community this October, less obvious things see and do in Philadelphia.
Bicyclist at an intersection in Philadelphia. Credit: DVRPC
Trenton, NJ, event for bicycle planning and infrastructure. Credit: Clyde Scott.
Featured Guests
Cassidy Boulan, Associate Manager, Office of Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Thom Stead, Assistant Manager, Office of Mobility, Analysis, and Design, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission