Tim Phelps, the executive director of the Transportation Management Association of Chester County (TMACC), attended the Chester County Planning Commission’s board meeting on Jan. 9 and discussed the role of his agency and its partnership with the county.
TMACC was founded in May 1992 as the Chester Valley Transportation Management Association (TMA). It is one of seven TMAs in the Delaware Valley and is governed by a board of directors.
Another local TMA is Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVF), which Phelps described as a “sister agency.” Today, TMACC advocates for sustainable transportation practices and connectivity and covers all of Chester County except the northern edge with Montgomery County, which GVF manages, particularly through their Route 422 Corridor work.
“TMACC’s membership represents over 20,000 commuters in Greater Philadelphia and includes a range of organizations in engineering, planning, law, consumer goods, finance, hospitality, education and more,” states the organization’s website.
Phelps described TMACC as a business association representing employers and their employees– not a public agency. He said he works closely with the Planning Commission’s Transportation Division on projects. Phelps explained his organization is “a private-public partnership that identifies transportation opportunities and issues.”
Phelps said he enjoys exploring the issues and opportunities to address transportation needs in Chester County while engaging employers, municipalities, and developers.
“Just like you, I look for ways to engage folks in the conversation,” he told the Planning Commission board members.
Though TMACC recognizes that the “car is king” in transportation planning, his organization tries to get people to think about other options, such as trails, and how they can utilize them to help reduce congestion and improve air quality especially for a secondary trip.
TMACC has been involved in several projects and initiatives over the years. For example, they are currently working on the Warner Spur Trail Study with the Planning Commission and Tredyffrin Township. They were very involved with the outreach efforts for the opening of the newly built Route 926 Bridge in Birmingham and Pocopson townships and the Route 30 Multimodal Study in East Whiteland Township. They also have been engaged with the Keystone Corridor initiative, autonomous vehicles, and Transit-Oriented Development.
In addition, TMACC manages the ChescoBus operations that include SCCOOT (travels from Oxford to West Chester, Monday through Friday), Coatesville Link (travels from Brandywine Hospital to Parkesburg, Monday through Saturday), and Evening Link (travels from Coatesville to Exton Square Mall, Monday through Saturday). Phelps said they offer 85,000 rides a year through their bus services.
Planning Commission Executive Director Brian O’Leary added that TMACC’s bus service was unique in this region.
Learn more about TMACC.
Learn more about Phelps, who was a member of the Landscapes3 Steering Committee.