FOCUS AREAS
MOBILITY & ACCESSIBILITY
DRAFT
TO ACCESS THE CURRENT 2045 HATS RTP, CLICK HERE.
In transportation planning, mobility and accessibility refers to the ability of users to move through the transportation system (mobility) and how users connect to places within the transportation system (accessibility). Mobility is typically concerned with addressing issues of efficiency and capacity, while accessibility focuses on travel modes, comfort, and safety. The ultimate aim of this Mobility & Accessibility Chapter is ensuring all users of the transportation system can move through and connect to places and communities throughout the region.
Along with the Vision established for the HATS 2050 RTP that instructs us to plan for all modes and all users, other programs and regulations such as Title VI and the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) guide HATS to plan for the needs of the disabled and elderly (individuals
QUICK LINKS
aged 65 years and older) as well as the underrepresented and underserved communities of our region. This chapter will focus on how the region’s transportation system impacts and how we can better address the transportation needs of these populations.
CONDITIONS
CENSUS DATA —
According to American Community Survey estimates (2018-2022) from the US Census Bureau, the HATS region’s disabled population accounts for approximately 12.92 percent, while the elderly population accounts for 18.13 percent. None of the three counties has disabled or elderly population significantly higher or lower than the regional average. The interactive mapping shows these populations at the block group/tract level, at which the distribution of the elderly population is spread out relatively evenly throughout the region, especially when compared to the distribution of the region’s disabled population.
The true distribution of the region’s elderly and disabled populations is shown in the “dot density” maps included in the interactive mapping application. This shows that while percentages are fairly consistent and without significant geographic concentrations, looking at the actual numbers illustrates the majority of the region’s elderly and disabled populations are located in the highly developed a populated corridor between Mechanicsburg and Hershey.
To view the census data, click here for the interactive mapping application.
Table 1 - Elderly Population
Source: ACS 2018-2022 Estimates
Table 2 - Disabled Population
Source: ACS 2018-2022 Estimates
COMMUNITY FACILITIES —
Enabling connections to everyday destinations and vital public services is the ultimate goal not just in this Mobility & Accessibility chapter, but the HATS 2050 RTP as a whole. These community facilities include government offices, hospitals, police departments, libraries, and post offices and are located in all corners of the region. Because these facilities are located in every community in the region, the need for the region’s residents to connect to these facilities extends to every community in the region.
To view the region’s community facilities, click here for the interactive mapping application.
PARATRANSIT/SHARED RIDE SERVICE —
Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority (SRTA) and rabbittransit provide specialized transportation services throughout the HATS region to residents unable to access normal modes of public and private transportation such as bus service or access to personal vehicles. Through their paratransit or “shared ride” services, users are grouped together depending on their travel time, origins, and destinations. Paratransit is not a taxi-service and does not provide transportation for medical emergencies.
Paratransit services are supported through a variety of programs, each governed by a set of regulations, funding sources, and service delivery guideline. These programs include Senior Shared Ride Program, Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP), ADA
Source: rabbittransit
Complementary Paratransit Program, Persons with Disabilities Program (PWD), and Mental Health/Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (MH/DD). For more information, including how to apply for service, click here to visit rabbittransit’s shared ride webpage.
COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT - HUMAN-SERVICE TRANSPORTATION PLAN —
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA aka “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law”) requires a coordinated plan for transit be developed in each region. A coordinated Public Transit – Human Service Transportation Plan (CPT-HSTP) identifies the transportation needs for individuals with disabilities, older adults and people with low incomes, and provides strategies for meeting those local needs and prioritize transportation services for funding and implementation. A part of the IIJA legislation, it made public transportation projects that improve access to fixed-route service and decrease reliance by individuals with disabilities on complementary paratransit are now eligible.
The plan is separated into 4 sections with an overview of providers and services that are offered throughout the Tri-County Region by SRTA, a transportation needs assessment which includes persons with disabilities and also a review of transportation needs by region, and identification of transportation gaps. The final section of the plan establishes priorities for implementation, which are summarized below.
HATS Coordinated Public Transit - Human Service Transportation Plan Implementation Priorities
1. Capital Equipment Support
2. Public Transit Funding Support
3. Education
4. Identification of Resources
5. Emergency Service Planning
6. Easy Enrollment Applications for Share-A-Ride Services
7. Coordination of Services between Public and Private Organizations
8. New Technologies
To access the current HATS Coordinated Public Transit - Human Service Transportation Plan, click here.
ISSUES
SAFE AND RELIABLE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN LAND USES —
Safe connections between land uses are essential for creating accessible, sustainable communities where people can move safely and efficiently between residential, commercial, recreational, and other land use areas. These connections play a key role in promoting walkable communities, reducing congestion and enhancing the overall quality of life.
As Cumberland and Dauphin Counties continue to see high rates of development, it is important to include non-motorized improvements both within proposed developments and connecting to surrounding land uses. Areas that are along or in close proximity to transit routes should have safe and accessible options, so individuals are able to safely walk to the bus stops. Connections between land uses should be designed to ensure people of all ages and abilities can safely travel, regardless of which transportation mode is utilized. HATS has developed a regional sidewalk inventory to evaluate and map sidewalk presence, condition, and material along the Regional Transportation System. This layer can help in identifying these initial gaps and addressing issues to improve accessibility to such facilities.
To view the regional sidewalk inventory, click on the interactive mapping application.
ADA COMPLIANCE —
Federal regulations such as the American with Disabilities Act guide HATS efforts to account for the needs of the disabled and elderly. For those populations across the HATS region, ADA compliance is crucial to ensure individuals have equal access to public facilities, services, transportation, and employment. Well maintained sidewalks and crosswalks, compliant ADA ramps and other measures should be taken so individuals can move safely throughout their communities. Too often sidewalks are too narrow, have utility poles and sign posts obstructing movement, or lack ramps that prevent users of mobility devices from moving freely.
To improve ADA compliance, state DOTs and municipalities can develop an ADA Transition Plan. According to FHWA, ADA Transition Plans “provide a plan for removal of physical barriers to accessibility in transportation systems and facilities for people with disabilities”. More information on ADA Transition Plans can be found by clicking here.
PARATRANSIT AND FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT —
Paratransit and fixed route transit services are inextricably linked. Communities well served by fixed route service has less need for paratransit services, which tends to be more expensive and more difficult for users to access than fixed route service. By expanding access to fixed route service, limited paratransit funding and support can be targeted to communities where fixed route service is nonexistent or unfeasible, which is typical in our region’s rural areas. As illustrated in the census data above, these rural areas have significant disabled and elderly populations, presenting unique challenges that paratransit is best suited to address. Simply put…better fixed route service leads to better paratransit service, which provides the best service to the widest population possible.
ACTIONS
-
Increase transportation options allowing people to fulfill their daily needs
-
Update HATS Regional Coordinated Public Transit – Human Service Transportation Plan to reflect changes in the transit operations and organization in the region
-
Continue work with regional stakeholders and transit/paratransit service providers to ensure equitable access for all populations and distribute information on available services
-
Encourage communities to develop ADA transition plans and/or sidewalk inventories that include evaluation of ADA compliance