Compilation: A Statement of Vulnerability Regarding Texas' Megaregion Corridors

Previous CM2-based research developed a rubric and identified vulnerable communities on the Texas Triangle and Gulf Coast Megaregions. The CVI shows a combination of the need via the socioeconomic criteria and the purpose by highlighting the percentage of income spent on transportation. That these individuals and families must spend a larger portion of their income moving around leaves less for all other needs. Disposable income might be used to access education or better employment, spending that could lead to improved lifestyles. Rural and small town residents are often challenged in making their case for public transportation improvements because their problems do not seem as significant as those of urban areas. Public transportation is a remedy to this situation as it would offer dependable alternatives and act as a connector between all the central areas. It is the determination of purpose and need that leads to agency exploration of suitable transportation responses. The public entities expected to recognize and address the gap between need and available transit service are the MPOs and COGs. These agencies require the assessment of purpose and need as a starting point to address mobility gaps. The year 5 research will assemble findings from all previous years to present the perspective of vulnerability proximate to each Texas Megaregion corridor. The research findings are designed to assist decision making by providing an assessment tool to identify the location of vulnerable populations and determine the travel needs that can be met in the megaregion -- outside traditional jurisdictional boundaries.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $60000
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3551747135

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Performing Organizations:

  Cooperative Mobility for Competitive Megaregions (CM2)

  University of Texas at Austin
  Austin, TX  United States  78712
• Principal Investigators:

  Lewis, Carol

  Goodwin, Gwendolyn

• Start Date: 20210101
• Expected Completion Date: 20220731
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Communities; Evaluation and assessment; Needs assessment; Public transit; Regions; Socioeconomic factors; Transportation corridors
• Geographic Terms: Gulf Coast (United States); Texas; Texas Triangle megaregion
• Subject Areas: Economics; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01784100
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Cooperative Mobility for Competitive Megaregions (CM2)
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747135
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Oct 2 2021 3:53PM