Integrating Inclusion
The Transportation Council recognizes that the history of transportation planning has had an inequitable impact on marginalized communities. While federal policy provides a basis for an approach to equity, the Transportation Council is committed to not merely complying with regulations but integrating equity into all aspects of the federal transportation planning process. The Transportation Council also recognizes integrating equity into its planning processes requires continual evaluation, clarification, refinement, and experimentation and commits to an iterative approach.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Transportation Council must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Capital Region Transportation Council’s Self Evaluation and Transition Plan analyzes its policies, practices, and procedures to ensure compliance. The document contains a nondiscrimination statement as well as a grievance procedure and complaint form. It evaluates the Transportation Council’s public meetings policy, written publications, office facilities including access to the office space and toilet rooms, and its website. The Transition Plan identifies improvements the Transportation Council will make or cause to be made, as well as a timeline for completion.
Environmental Justice and Title VI Analysis
The Transportation Council conducts an Environmental Justice (EJ) and Title VI compliance review of its planning activities after the adoption of each Transportation Improvement Program. The Environmental Justice/Title VI Analysis seeks to ensure that both the positive and negative impacts of transportation planning conducted by the Transportation Council and its funding recipients are fairly distributed, that defined EJ populations do not bear disproportionately high and adverse effects, and defined Title VI populations are not experiencing unlawful discrimination in the Transportation Council’s planning activities.
Limited English Proficiency
The Transportation Council is committed to quality, inclusive planning that involves all residents of the Capital Region who wish to participate, including people with limited English proficiency (LEP), defined as those who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to speak, read, write, or understand English. The Limited English Proficiency Plan evaluates demographic data to identify LEP populations within the region. It explains how the Transportation Council intends to meet its statutory and regulatory obligations to provide meaningful access to benefits, services, information, and other important portions of Transportation Council programs and activities for LEP persons.
Equity-Specific Work
Beyond regulatory compliance, the Transportation Council is engaged in looking deeper at how equity affects transportation in the region and its intersection with the federal transportation planning process. This deeper look has resulted in such reports as the Job Access in New York’s Capital Region and the Equity Work Plan.
Public Participation
The Transportation Council is committed to public participation that is meaningful and inclusive. The Public Participation Plan guides how the Transportation Council will reach out to and engage with the public, with the goal of such efforts being continuous throughout the activity, thorough enough to reach a broad audience, inclusive of those that have been historically underserved in transportation planning, and able to demonstrate effectiveness.