This is an extension of the National Accessibility Evaluation project, TPF-5(315), begun in 2015. The ongoing project will continue to provide annual, nationwide, multimodal job accessibility data and reports while also expanding to evaluate access to other destination types, including healthcare, education, and food destinations. Transportation exists to provide the opportunity to reach destinations, and this potential for interaction can be regarded as the fundamental product of transportation systems. Accessibility metrics directly reflect the ability of travelers to reach critical destinations. They combine network travel times with the locations and value of the many origins and destinations served by a multimodal transportation system. This project will implement a measurement of accessibility to jobs and services across the entire U.S. For every Census block, it will calculate the number of jobs that can be reached, by auto, transit, biking, or walking, within various travel time thresholds. For example, from a given Census block it may be possible to reach 150,000 jobs by driving within 20 minutes, or to reach 4 primary care clinics by transit within 30 minutes. This detailed dataset will be available to project partners, and an annual report will summarize the accessibility datasets for metropolitan areas across the country. Accessibility evaluation has applications in a variety of areas: ? Performance Management - By tracking accessibility over time, state DOTs, MPOs, and transit agencies can better understand how well their transportation networks support the goal of connecting people to destinations. Accessibility evaluation can also be applied to existing performance goals related to congestion, reliability, and sustainability. ? Scenario Evaluation and Analysis - Transportation planning organization can use accessibility evaluation to help select project alternatives and to prioritize investments. Because they incorporate land use information, accessibility metrics can provide a more comprehensive picture of how investments will change users’ ability to reach destinations. ? Transportation and Land Use Research - Accessibility calculations can provide a valuable data source for transportation and land use research. Researchers have employed accessibility in models of mode choice and other aspects of travel behavior, linked accessibility to residential property values, and used accessibility to explore the spatial relationship between jobs and worker locations. ? Transportation Equity - Detailed accessibility evaluation can help reveal how the costs and benefits of transportation investments are distributed over space and society, and identify populations which experience systematically higher or lower access to destinations. Understanding the accessibility characteristics of different origins and destinations can help agencies make equitable decisions in transportation planning.

This project has two main objectives. First, it will create a new, national Census block-level accessibility dataset that can be used by partners in local transportation system evaluation, performance management, planning, and research efforts. Second, it will produce and publish a series of annual reports describing accessibility to jobs by auto, transit, and biking in metropolitan areas across America. Accessibility Dataset This project will create a national Census-block level dataset describing accessibility to jobs from locations across the county, updated annually. Accessibility calculations will rely on detailed travel time calculations for both driving and transit, which will be implemented using commercially-available GPS-based speed measurements, published transit schedules, and detailed bike and pedestrian networks. Each Access Across America partner will have direct digital access to the accessibility datasets covering the jurisdictions of all partners. Annual Report The annual Access Across America series of annual reports will provide summaries of the detailed accessibility datasets for the 50 largest metropolitan areas across America. These will be released to national and local media outlets and supported by publicity and communications efforts. Partners will be recognized in the report for their sponsorship and support. Optional Goals The accessibility evaluation tools and expertise developed in this project can also support optional goals for interested agencies: 1. Include destinations from local data sources - Local destination datasets from your organization can be included in the annual accessibility calculations. Cost: $5,000 2. Accessibility Data Workshop - Researchers can lead an on-site or remote workshop to provide transportation agency staff hands-on experience with accessibility data and training on accessibility concepts. Cost: $5,000. 3. Scenario Evaluation - Using annual accessibility data as a baseline, researchers can develop an accessibility evaluation of highway, transit, bike, or pedestrian scenarios based on planning data from your organization. Cost varies with scenario complexity and objectives.

This project is comprised of the following major tasks on an annual basis: 1. Technical Advisory Panel Engagement - Each project partner will be invited to nominate a representative to the TAP. The TAP’s role will be to review the project’s implementation to ensure that the project outputs will be useful to all partners, and to guide the project’s evolution in response to potential advancements in data sources and evaluation methodology. The TAP will meet quarterly to review and comment on project methodology. 2. Calculate Accessibility Dataset - Each year, accessibility data for auto, transit, biking, and walking will be calculated using the most recent travel time, network, and land use data. 3. Prepare and Publish Access Across America Reports - The annual reports, one for each mode, will summarize the most recent accessibility dataset and comment on trends over the duration of the project. 4. Ongoing Development of Tools and Metrics - The project team will track advancements in the field of accessibility evaluation and identify opportunities to enhance or expand the project to take advantage of new developments.

Recommended Funding Funding levels vary by state due to data acquisition costs. See below for appropriate level. Large State - $40,000 (CA,FL,NY,TX) Medium State - $38,000 (AZ,GA,IL,IN,MA,MI,NJ,NC,OH,PA,TN,VA,WA) Small State - $36,000 (AL,AK,AR,CO,CT,DE,DC,HI,ID,IA,KS,KY,LA,ME,MD,MN,MS,MO,MT,NE,NV,NH,NM,ND,OK,OR,PR,RI,SC,SD,UT,VT,WV,WI) Cities, MPOs, transit agencies, and other organizations should contact the Minnesota Department of Transportation to discuss appropriate contributions and data costs. The project will continue to accept new partners after the required commitment level is reached The Minnesota Department of Transportation will serve as the coordinator for this pooled fund project. State DOTs, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and other organizations will be solicited for their interest and participation. The project will continue to accept new partners after the required commitment level is reached.