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CCRPC Executive Committee debates adding racial equity scoring to VPSP2 project rankings
Summary
The Executive Committee reviewed draft VPSP2 transportation values and a pilot racial‑equity screening. Staff proposed a 0–20 point equity evaluation developed with the Vermont Racial Equity Association; members asked staff to forward transportation values to VTrans with comments and to bring equity policy choices to the Board.
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s Executive Committee on June 2 reviewed staff recommendations for the VPSP2 project scoring and a pilot racial‑equity screening that would add up to 20 points to project rankings.
Eleni Churchill, CCRPC transportation program manager, presented the Draft VPSP2 materials and said the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) voted to accept the transportation values and rankings but did not take a position on the equity screening. She explained staff and partners calculated transportation values and began developing an equity screening to identify project areas with higher numbers of underserved populations.
Executive Director Charlie Baker said the pilot is an early-stage effort and that the CCRPC and VTrans are seeking options as they prepare the FY23 Capital Program. "We are trying to determine where this fits into the ranking and scoring in terms of points," Baker said, summarizing staff’s goal to find an objective approach that responds to a legislative request to consider racial equity.
Members pressed for clarity about roles and process. John Zicconi noted TAC is a technical committee and preferred the TAC remain focused on transportation values, leaving policy decisions about racial equity to the Executive Committee and the Board. Bard Hill and other members asked staff to clarify the equity criteria and how the screening would change project categorizations or funding outcomes.
Staff said the draft scoring was prepared with Mark Hughes of the Vermont Racial Equity Association and that CCRPC plans to forward the transportation values plus commentary on equity to VTrans for statewide consideration. Staff also said CCRPC would hire a consultant to further develop and objectify the racial‑equity methodology before the Board acts.
The committee did not take a formal vote to adopt equity scoring at this meeting; members directed staff to present the transportation values to the Board with accompanying comments on the equity screening and to prepare a clearer overview and recommendation for Board action.
Next steps: CCRPC staff will forward the transportation values and the preliminary equity methodology to VTrans, pursue consultant support to refine the screening, and bring a clear recommendation and explanatory materials to the Board.
