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Step 1: Equity Analysis

Equity Analysis

Project members will need to be familiar with the community's demographic characteristics to ensure strong community engagement during the course of the planning project. The demographics of the planning area and the types of communities within the planning area may indicate local transportation-related needs. In particular, long-range planning projects must emphasize centering voices of underserved populations to ensure that planned systems benefit these community members and do not disproportionately impact them.

     Definition of underserved populations
Specifically, jurisdictions should reflect the following in the new or updated TSP planning goals and objectives:
  • Transportation-related objectives and outcomes from past planning studies and adopted plans (e.g., downtown plans, hazard mitigation plans, hospital or health department community health assessments and improvement plans, consolidated housing and community development plans, health impact assessments, Americans with Disabilities Act transition plans, access management plans, corridor studies, special transportation area plans, etc.)
  • Regional priorities, performance measures and targets (e.g., safety, mobility, single-occupancy vehicle trip reduction, air quality) especially in MPO areas as articulated in the Regional TSP
  • Consistency with the goals, objectives, and operational and service standards of other transportation service providers managing facilities and servicing the community (e.g., ODOT, the county, transit providers)
  • Alignment with new federal, state, and MPO policies
  • New transportation-related policy objectives, modeling, management, and design techniques and approaches that were not prevalent or known during the last TSP planning process. These policies could reflect new trends (e.g., bicycle tourism, sea level changes, etc.) and/or current best practices within one or more modes
Cities and counties within a metropolitan area that update a TSP are required to include an equity analysis to determine benefits and burdens on Title II, Title VI, EJ, and underserved populations. There are two types of equity analysis: a major equity analysis and an engagement-focused analysis. A summary of what's required in each is provided below.

Analysis Type  Major Equity Analysis  Engagement-Focused Analysis 
When Required  For communities over 5,000 when completing a major TSP update.

For communities under 5,000 when completing a major TSP update.

For any size community completing a minor TSP update, designating a climate-friendly area, or authorizing a selected roadway project.

Analysis Requirements 

Assess, document, acknowledge, and address:  

  • Where current and past land use, transportation, and housing policies and effects of climate change have harmed or are likely to harm underserved populations. 
  • Where current and past racism in land use, transportation, and housing has harmed or is likely to harm underserved populations.  

Identify geographic areas with significantly disproportionate concentrations of underserved populations.  

Develop or review existing performance measures for key community outcomes.  

Address all information required for an engagement-focused equity analysis.  

  • Engage with members of underserved populations to develop key community outcomes.  
  • Gather, collect, and value qualitative and quantitative information from the community on how proposed change benefits or burdens underserved populations.  
  • Recognize where and how intersectional discrimination compounds disadvantages. 
  • Analyze proposed changes for impacts and alignment with desired key community outcomes and performance measures.  

Engagement-Focused Equity Analysis

Equitable community engagement is a set of processes and practices that aim to provide all members of a community the opportunity to participate in decision-making and contribute to discussions that affect their lives. The updated TPR emphasizes engagement with underserved populations, which are defined in OAR 660-012-0125. 

​As described under Community Engagement, working with community organizations is a key way to connect with members of underserved populations. These organizations may have insights into community transportation needs and serve as an entry point to identify individuals who could serve on an advisory committee. Invite multiple representatives from underserved populations onto advisory committees, while recognizing that no singular person represents an entire community. You may also consider a focus group or in-depth interviews with members of underserved populations to better understand community needs.

A key goal of this engagement is to develop community outcomes. These may include social, environmental, or health outcomes that the community would like projects and programs to contribute towards. These could include outcomes such as improved multimodal access to grocery stores or hospitals, reduced exposure to air pollution, or improved safety along arterial corridors. Outcomes should be developed early in the engagement process, such as when the vision and goals are being defined.​

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​In the context of a TSP update, proposed changes typically include new transportation solutions, such as a new crosswalk or new demand management program, or the removal of solutions. The benefits and negative impacts associated with transportation projects and programs will look different for every community depending on its history, context, and type of project. A project that increases vehicular access to a neighborhood but also increases vehicular traffic volumes may be perceived as a burden if the community already has safety or air pollution concerns.

Quantitative information refers to data that can be expressed as numbers. In a TSP, this data could be summarized demographic information, traffic volumes, or the number of fatal crashes in the community. Qualitative information refers to data that is not easily quantified but provides valuable information about how a community perceives and experiences the transportation system. An example is whether community members feel safe using a part of the transportation system, such as walking down a busy or unlit street. Qualitative information can be obtained through resident interviews, focus groups, surveys with comment boxes, or other methods.

Quantitative and qualitative information are both important for evaluating impacts. While quantitative analysis may provide information about the impacts of proposed solutions, it is important to ground-truth quantitative analysis with qualitative information. For example, ask community members whether the key destinations identified as part of a TSP (OAR 660-012-0360) will be easier or harder to reach with the development of proposed projects. Community members are experts in their experience of the transportation system and will be aware of barriers that may not show up in quantitative analysis.


When considering transportation solutions to meet community needs, recognize that some individuals may experience challenges getting their transportation needs met for multiple reasons. For example, a low-income individual may have difficulty accessing transportation options not only due to cost but also because they have a disability.​​

​Earlier in the process, underserved populations helped define key community outcomes. The impacts associated with proposed changes can be estimated quantitatively or qualitatively as compared to these outcomes. For example, changes in access to key destinations can be measured quantitatively. Impacts can also be evaluated qualitatively using a ranking system (e.g., high, medium, or low) or other methods. In addition to community outcomes, evaluate proposed changes against adopted land use and transportation performance measures. As described in the TSP Guidelines under Performance Measures for Reporting, cities and counties adopt performance measures and targets either through scenario planning or rely on the performance measures provided in OAR 660-012-0905. ​

​Based on the feedback from community engagement and evaluation of proposed impacts of projects and programs, select strategies that improve equity or minimize negative consequences. To support the adoption of these strategies, the prioritization framework described in OAR 660-012-0155 includes a decision-making factor to improve equitable outcomes for underserved populations. In addition, modal project lists must prioritize projects in areas with concentrations of underserved populations (e.g. OAR 660-012-0520(b)). Overall, the TSP project list must burden underserved populations less than and benefit underserved populations as much or more than the city or county population as a whole, as provided in OAR 660-012-0180.​

​As part of the engagement process, re-connect with members of underserved populations to report back on the feedback they provided, explain how projects were identified, and why selected projects were prioritized. This is required in OAR 660-012-0130(3) and OAR 660-012-0135(4). The Title VI report can be used as a place to document how engagement informed the transportation planning process.​




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