Interactive Equity Analysis Tool and Data (formerly ETAs)

The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) has created an interactive equity analysis tool to help address these questions as featured on 33n, the ARC Research & Analytics Blog. In the past, the ARC used a static map of their Equitable Target Areas (ETA) for project evaluation. The ETA index was a tool that helped ARC better identify areas with minority or low-income populations to understand how proposed projects might impact these groups. Now, Atlanta Regional Commission has created a transportation data platform called DASH where a more nuanced equity analysis can be visualized. This equity analysis helps ARC understand where people reside across all nine of the federally protected classes. Coming soon, there will be transportation data added to DASH. Combined with the data already included, the equity analysis provided by DASH will help guide regional transportation and land use planning and will be used as input for project prioritization and evaluation, monitoring resource allocation, and assisting in decision-making. ARC's Equity Analysis is widely used throughout the agency to demonstrate compliance with Federal Guidance, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Limited English Proficiency Executive Order, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Environmental Justice Executive Order, and FHWA and FTA's Title VI and Environmental Justice documents. Methodology The Equity Analysis methodology generates a composite score based on the concentrations of the criteria selected, which is used to meet the nondiscrimination requirements and recommendations of Title VI and EJ for ARC's plans, programs, and decision-making processes. The score calculation is determined by standard deviations relative to a criteria's regional average. This score classifies the concentration of the populations of interest under Title VI and EJ present in every census tract in the region. These population groups are represented by the nine equity analysis criteria: youth, older adults, females, racial minorities, ethnic minorities, foreign-born, limited English proficiency, people with disabilities, and low-income. The data for each of the criteria in the equity analysis are split into five "bins" based on the relative concentration across the region: well below average (score of 0); below average (score of 1); average (score of 2); above average (score of 3); and well above average (score of 4). See Figure 1 below. A summary score of all nine indicators for each census tract (ranging from 0-36) is used to show regional concentrations of populations of interest under Title VI and EJ. A summary score of racial minority, ethnic minority, and low-income for each census tract is used in ARC's Project Evaluation Framework to prioritize projects in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). This view is the map default. Bin 2 for each indicator contains census tracts at or near (within a half standard deviation from) the regional average (mean) for that indicator. Bins 4, 3, 1, and 0 are then built out from the regio nal average; Bins 1 and 3 go another full standard deviation out from bin 2, and bins 0 and 4 contain any remaining tracts further out from 1 or 3, respectively. This Equity Analysis supplants previous equity analysis iterations, including ARC's Equitable Targ et Areas (ETAs). The design of this methodology is supported by both FHWA's and FTA's Title VI recommendations to simply identify the protected classes using demographic data from the US Census Bureau as the first step in conducting equity analyses. Additionally, FTA's EJ guidance cautions recipients of federal funds to not be too reliant on population thresholds to determ ine the impact of a program, plan, or policy to a population group, but rather design a meaning ful measure to identify the presence of all protected and considered population groups and then calculate the possibility of discrimination or disproportionately high and adverse effect on these populations. ARC plans to continue the conversation with its staff, partners, and Transportation Equity Advisory Group (TEAG) about measuring and evaluating transportation benefits and burdens, as well as layering the Equity Analysis with supplemental analyses such as access to essential services, affordability, and displacement. Data Disclaimer This webpage is a public resource using ACS data. The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) makes no warranty, representation, or guarantee as to the content, sequence, accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of any of the spatial data or database information provided herein. ARC and partner state, regional, local, and other agencies shall assume no liability for errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the information provided regardless of how caused, or any decision made or action taken or not taken by any person relying on any information or data furnished within. ARC is committed to enforcing the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and taking positive and realistic affirmative steps to ensure the protection of rights and opportunities for all persons affected by its programs, services, and activities. CSV Download GIS Data Available Soon Date: 2018 Equity Analysis Contact Info: Aileen Daney Senior Planner Transportation Access & Mobility Group 470.378.1579 [e-mail] Title VI Policy and Complaint Contact Info: Brittany Zwald Title VI Officer/Grants and Contracts Analyst Finance Group 470.378.1494 [e-mail] For more information on ARC's Title VI program or to obtain a Title VI Policy and Complaint Form please visit: https://atlantaregional.org/leadership-and-engagement/guidelines-compliance/title-vi-plan-and-program/