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56-751: In 1928, the Regional Planning Federation of the Philadelphia Tri-State District , was formed as the first planning commission for the Delaware Valley region. The Federation issued its first regional plan in 1932, and was disbanded nine years later, in 1941. In 1955, Philadelphia's Urban Traffic and Transportation Board produced Plan and Program 1955. This agency was followed by the Penn Jersey Transportation Study, which

112-794: A humid subtropical climate ( Cfa according to the Köppen climate classification .) The remainder of the Delaware Valley has a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa .) PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University Snow amounts may vary widely year-to-year and normally do vary widely within the Delaware Valley. The region has two ski resorts, Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Longswamp Township, Berks County and Spring Mountain Adventures in central Montgomery County . Using

168-484: A formal right-to-know request, DVRPC did not produce any records documenting the suspension and redistribution of voting rights at the RCC's Action Task Force, or alterations to the federally mandated Public Participation Plan. On May 17, 2011, the meeting opened with Aissia Richardson reading a statement about diversity, Nazi concentration camps, and insisting her name be spelled and pronounced correctly each and every time she

224-749: A majority of Delaware's land mass and population. Wilmington is the most populous city in Delaware and the fifth-most populous municipality in the Delaware Valley. The lone Maryland county in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area is part of the region known as the Eastern Shore of Maryland . The following municipalities are all within the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and part of

280-600: A special event service for concerts at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden . Philadelphia's suburbs contain a high concentration of malls, the two largest of which have at least 5,000,000 square feet (460,000 m ) of office space, and at least 600,000 square feet (56,000 m ) of retail. These are the King of Prussia mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, which is the largest in the U.S. (leasable sq. feet of retail space), and

336-699: Is a formal administrative division. As of the 2020 U.S. census , the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area is the seventh-largest MSA in the nation with 6,245,051 people. The MSA includes: As of 2020, the Philadelphia–Reading–Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD CSA is the nation's ninth-largest combined statistical area with a population of 7,379,700. Philadelphia-Reading-Camden Combined Statistical Area includes: When metropolitan areas were originally defined in 1950, most of

392-565: Is a major metropolitan and tri-state region in Northeast United States that centers on Philadelphia , the 6th-most populous city in the United States , and spans part of three states: Southeastern Pennsylvania , Southern New Jersey , and Northern Delaware . With a core of metropolitan statistical area population of 6.288 million residents, while the combined statistical area population of 7.366 million (as of

448-559: Is one of Pennsylvania's two intermediate appellate courts. The Commonwealth Court's headquarters is in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , with jurisdiction over administrative and civil public law . The Superior Court of Pennsylvania is the other intermediate appellate court in the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System , having jurisdiction over criminal and private civil cases. The jurisdiction of

504-726: Is one of the top five American venture capital hubs, credited to its proximity to the New York metropolitan area and its financial and tech and biotechnology ecosystems . At least two educational institutions, Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township, New Jersey , and Delaware Valley College in Doylestown Township, Pennsylvania , and a now defunct local newspaper, The Delaware Valley News in Frenchtown, New Jersey , are named for

560-638: Is sometimes assigned to South Central Pennsylvania . The seven New Jersey counties in the CSA are in South Jersey . Atlantic County, Cape May County, and Cumberland County each form their own respective metropolitan statistical areas. Atlantic City , Cape May County, New Jersey , and the southern Jersey Shore , including Margate City , Ventnor City , the Wildwoods , and Sea Isle City , are major tourist destinations for people from inside and outside of

616-584: Is titled Connections, the Long-Range Plan for a Sustainable Future . DVRPC currently employs approximately 115 full-time staff. In South Jersey : In Pennsylvania : Delaware Valley Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA–NJ–DE–MD Other Statistical Areas in the Philadelphia CSA The Delaware Valley , sometimes referred to as Greater Philadelphia , Philadelphia metropolitan area , or Philadelphia tri-state area ,

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672-900: The Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill, New Jersey , which was the first enclosed mall on the East Coast. In addition, the Christiana Mall in Newark, Delaware, is a popular destination due to its proximity to Interstate 95 and because of the availability of tax-free shopping in Delaware. Malls, office complexes, strip shopping plazas, expressways, and tract housing are common sights, and more and more continue to replace rolling countryside, farms, woods, and wetlands. However, due to strong opposition by residents and political officials, many acres of land have been preserved throughout

728-653: The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records (OOR) determined that DVRPC was covered under the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) of 2008 and was therefore required to provide access to public records in its possession. In response to several requests for information from the Pennsylvania Transit Expansion Coalition (PA-TEC), DVRPC previously argued that it was exempt from the state law, as it

784-579: The Schuylkill River , Lehigh River , and Brandywine Creek . U.S. government agencies have reached various definitions of the Delaware Valley and metropolitan Philadelphia. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines metropolitan statistical area (MSAs), which are regions with relatively high population densities at their cores and close economic ties throughout their respective areas. MSAs are further combined into combined statistical areas (CSAs), reflecting commuting patterns. Neither

840-715: The United States House of Representatives are located partly or entirely in the Delaware Valley CSA. Italicized counties are not part of the CSA. Additionally, the Delaware Valley is represented in the United States Senate by the eight Senators from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. 39°52′37″N 75°19′23″W  /  39.877°N 75.323°W  / 39.877; -75.323 Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania

896-489: The University of Pennsylvania , one of the nation's eight Ivy League universities. Other major universities and colleges in the region include Drexel University , Thomas Jefferson University , Rowan University , Villanova University , Saint Joseph's University , Temple University , Rutgers University–Camden , La Salle University , the University of Delaware , Stockton University , and others. Philadelphia and

952-740: The revolutionary capital during the colonial era in which the Second Continental Congress gathered at Independence Hall and unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence , authorized the formation of the Continental Army , and appointed George Washington its commander to resist the British . After the Continental Army's victory, Philadelphia served as the nation's first capital for most of

1008-520: The -3 °C January isotherm as a boundary, all of the Delaware Valley is humid subtropical. The hardiness zone in the region ranges from 6b in higher areas of Berks and northern Bucks Counties to 8a in Atlantic City and Cape May. [1] Using the Trewartha climate classification system, which requires eight months to average at least 50 °F for the climate to be considered subtropical,

1064-461: The 18th century until 1800, when construction of Washington, D.C. was completed. The U.S. Constitution , the world's longest-standing body of federal law, was ratified at Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 1789. The Delaware Valley is one of the nation's leading regions for academia and academic research with a considerable number of globally-known and highly ranked universities, including

1120-687: The 1968 Pennsylvania Constitution created the Commonwealth Court. Acts enacted in 1970 set up the court. Judges are elected to 10-year terms, and must retire at the age of 75. The Commonwealth Court publishes its precedential opinions in the Atlantic Reporter 3d series. From 1970 to 1995, the court maintained an official reporter, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Reports , volumes 1–168 (1970–1995). The Court's precedential and non-precedential ("unreported") opinions are posted online. Appeals from Commonwealth Court decisions go to

1176-627: The 2020 census), Delaware Valley is the eighth-largest metropolitan region in the United States and the 68th-largest metropolitan region in the world. In addition to Philadelphia, other major population centers in the Delaware Valley include Reading , Upper Darby Township , and Chester in Pennsylvania; Atlantic City , Camden , Vineland , and Cherry Hill in South Jersey; and Wilmington and Dover in Delaware. As of 2022,

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1232-671: The Action Task Force subcommittee, which votes and comments on transportation projects (Transportation Improvement Program [TIP] Action Items), and had been redistributed to selected members chosen by the RCC executive committee and unknown DVRPC employees. A records request under Pennsylvania State Law by PA-TEC revealed that the reassignment of voting rights was undocumented and done out of public view. This occurred after months of RCC deliberations over SEPTA parking garage projects, commuter rail expansion, and prioritization of transportation funding. Despite several attempts, including

1288-524: The DVRPC stated had “a chilling effect” on citizen participation because they "involve e-mails exchanged with leaders of the RCC, who aren't employees of the commission." The OOR ordered the DVRPC to comply with PA-TEC's request and release all documents the group has requested; DVPRC initially waived its right to appeal the decision in Commonwealth court. The ruling had serious consequences concerning

1344-926: The Delaware Valley The Delaware Valley and several areas bordering it, including the Lehigh Valley , are part of the Philadelphia media market, the fourth-largest media market in the nation as of 2023. The two main newspapers are The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News , owned by the Philadelphia Media Network . Local television channels include KYW-TV 3 (CBS), WPVI 6 (ABC), WCAU 10 (NBC), WHYY-TV 12 (PBS), WPHL-TV 17 (MyNetworkTV), WTXF 29 (FOX), WPSG 57 (CW), and WPPX 61 ( Ion ). Radio stations serving

1400-506: The Delaware Valley are a biotechnology hub. As of 2024, metropolitan Philadelphia ranks as one of the Big Five U.S. venture capital hubs, facilitated by its proximity to both New York City's entrepreneurial and financial ecosystems and to the federal regulatory environment of Washington, D.C. Elsewhere in the Delaware Valley, South Jersey has emerged as an East Coast epicenter for logistics and major warehouses. Culturally ,

1456-411: The Delaware Valley. Older townships and large boroughs, such as Cheltenham , Norristown , Jenkintown , Upper Darby , and West Chester retain distinct community identities while engulfed in suburbia. Mid-Atlantic American English and its subset, Philadelphia English , are two common dialects of American English in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley. Listing of the professional sports teams in

1512-609: The Delaware Valley. Other major municipalities in South Jersey include Cherry Hill and Camden , which is across the Delaware River , east of Philadelphia. Burlington , Camden , Gloucester , and Salem Counties comprise the Delware River Region, one of seven officially recognized tourism regions by the New Jersey Department of Tourism. The two counties of Delaware in the CSA constitute

1568-556: The Delaware Valley: The Delaware Valley has four distinct seasons with ample precipitation and is divided by the 0 °C (32 °F) January isotherm . Philadelphia and the New Jersey portion of the area, almost all of the Delaware and Maryland portions, most of Delaware County and lower Bucks County, lowland southern Chester County, and some southern and lowland areas of Montgomery County have

1624-425: The Philadelphia metropolitan area's gross domestic product (GDP) exceeds US$ 518 billion, making it the tenth-largest metropolitan economy in the nation. The Delaware Valley has been influential in the nation's history and economy and home to many people and sites significant to American culture , history , and politics. Philadelphia is sometimes known as "The Birthplace of America" in reference to its role as

1680-880: The Trenton SMSA to form the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the same time, Cape May County, New Jersey was added to the Atlantic City SMSA. The "Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton" became obsolete one census later when Trenton, New Jersey was moved to the New York-Newark-Bridgeport CSA. The Philadelphia-Wilmington-Vineland CSA included the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden MSA and

1736-720: The Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton MSA. In 2000, Kent County, Delaware was designated the Dover MSA, and Kent County and Atlantic City were added to the Philadelphia CSA in 2010. As a result of new 2010 definitions, based on a threshold of 15% labor interchange between MSAs, two additional MSAs were added, Ocean City, New Jersey and Reading, Pennsylvania . The CSA to which they belong is known as Philadelphia-Reading-Camden. The Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area includes sixteen counties in four states. The five Pennsylvania counties in

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1792-423: The annual budget. In February 2011, DVRPC unveiled "Eating Here: Greater Philadelphia’s Food System Plan" and announced $ 500,000 in implementation grants at an event at Reading Terminal Market . Attendees included over 100 regional policy makers, farmers, preservation experts, hunger advocates, and small business owners. The Plan is the result of a two-year collaborative effort to provide recommendations to increase

1848-485: The area include: WRTI , WIOQ , WDAS (AM) , and WTEL . Philadelphia is heavily Democratic , having voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since 1936 . The surrounding suburban counties are key political areas in Pennsylvania, which itself is an important swing state in federal politics. South Jersey has consistently voted Democratic at the presidential level in recent years, although

1904-559: The area now in the Delaware Valley was split between four metropolitan areas, or standard metropolitan areas, as they were then called. The Philadelphia SMA included Philadelphia , Bucks , Chester , Delaware , and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania , and Burlington , Camden , and Gloucester counties in South Jersey . The Wilmington SMA included New Castle County in Delaware and Salem County in South Jersey. Berks County

1960-568: The basis that the planning organization "is not a 'commonwealth agency' under the Law because it does not perform an essential governmental function." In February 2011, RCC President John Pawson was instructed by the DVRPC Executive Committee to step down; he died the following February. On March 8, 2011, members of the RCC were notified by Committee Chairwoman Aissia Richardson that voting rights for members were being revoked on

2016-652: The colony of New Sweden , though this was not officially recognized by the Dutch Empire which re-asserted control in 1655. The area was taken by the English in 1664. The name Delaware comes from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr , who had arrived at Jamestown, Virginia in 1610, just as original settlers were about to abandon it, and thus maintaining the English foothold on the North American continent. In

2072-573: The commission an expanded transportation planning authority and responsibility, as defined in the USDOT Final Rules for Statewide Planning and Metropolitan Planning. Subsequent federal bills have continued and expanded this designation and responsibility. The commission is governed by an 18-member board that establishes regional policy, defines committee duties, and adopts the annual work program. A 10-member executive committee oversees general operations and fiscal matters, including adoption of

2128-489: The compact, by the legislatures of both states. The role of the DVRPC is to gather elected officials and government planners to improve transportation, promote smart growth initiatives, and protect the environment. The commission was first instituted as a regional planning agency in 1965 under a contract between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In the mid-1970s, the Regional Citizens Committee (RCC)

2184-602: The early 1700s, Huguenot refugees from France by way of Germany and then England began settling in the Delaware River Valley. Specifically, they left their mark in Hunterdon County, New Jersey ( Frenchtown ) and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania . Many residents commute to jobs and travel in Philadelphia, Camden, Wilmington, and the surrounding suburbs with the help of expressways , trains , and buses . There are currently no transit connections to Reading,

2240-518: The executive committee." In November 2011, the DVRPC disbanded the RCC and replaced it with a citizens group. Membership was composed of appointees chosen by member counties and others selected by DVRPC staff. In April 2006, Barry Seymour was selected by the DVRPC Board as the new executive director, replacing John Coscia, who had been the executive director since 1982. DVRPC produces a long range plan every five years. The current long range plan

2296-492: The metropolitan statistical area are collectively known as Southeastern Pennsylvania. In addition to Philadelphia, major municipalities in Southeastern Pennsylvania include the inner suburbs of Upper Darby Township and Bensalem Township . Berks County , which forms its own MSA and contains the CSA's second largest city, Reading , is occasionally not considered to be part of Southeastern Pennsylvania and

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2352-553: The nine-judge Commonwealth Court is limited to appeals from final orders of certain state agencies and certain designated cases from the Courts of Common Pleas involving public sector legal questions, government regulation, and certain matters involving Not-for-profit organizations . The Commonwealth Court also functions as a trial court in some civil actions by or against the Commonwealth government and cases regarding statewide elections. (42 Pa.C.S. §§ 761–764). Article V, section 4 of

2408-448: The region is home to the dialect or accent known as Philadelphia English , shares a unique cuisine known as Philadelphia cuisine , has played a formidable role in popular music, and is known for having one of the nation's most passionate and devoted sports cultures centered around its five professional sports teams . The Delaware Valley is geographically associated and proximate to the Delaware River and its three primary tributaries,

2464-639: The region is slightly more Republican-leaning than North Jersey and has voted for Republicans at the state and local level. New Castle County's Democratic lean and large share of Delaware's population has tended to make Delaware as a whole vote for Democrats, while the less populous Kent County is more competitive. Recent well-known political figures from the Greater Philadelphia area include current U.S. President Joe Biden , former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and late former U.S. Senator Arlen Specter . The following congressional districts of

2520-511: The region only has seven such months, so the area considered Cfa by Köppen is oceanic ( Do ) in the Trewartha system. As of 2021, the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area has a gross domestic product of $ 477.58 billion, the tenth-largest among the nation's MSAs. The MSA's nominal gross domestic product of $ 431 billion is comparable to countries , such as Belgium , Iran , and Thailand . Metropolitan Philadelphia

2576-615: The region. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) serves all of the counties of the Delaware Valley MSA except for the counties in the Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division. However, in addition to the Delaware Valley, DVRPC's jurisdiction includes Mercer County, New Jersey , which OMB classifies as the Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and part of the larger New York-Newark CSA . The valley

2632-413: The second largest municipality in the region. Major: Secondary: The Cape May–Lewes Ferry crosses the mouth of the Delaware Bay between Cape May County, New Jersey and Sussex County, Delaware ; U.S. Route 9 uses this ferry. The Riverlink Ferry operates hourly ferry service over the Delaware River between the Camden Waterfront and Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia . They also operate

2688-446: The security and economic, social, and environmental benefits of the regional food system. DVRPC also announced $ 500,000 in grants, made possible with funding from the William Penn Foundation. DVRPC Board Chair and Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel presented "Plate of Distinction" Awards to seven local organizations already working to achieve the recommendations laid out in the plan. These organizations are: On July 19, 2011,

2744-408: The workings of the DVRPC. Documents produced by the DVRPC were presumed public, resulting in the commission only able to refuse the release documents under certain narrow exceptions spelled out in the RTKL. PlanPhilly.com called the decision "a landmark ruling." The DVRPC eventually appealed the ruling to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania , which overturned the OOR decision on October 3, 2012, on

2800-466: Was a multi-state agency that did not perform any essential function, despite being funded almost entirely by taxpayers. The OOR overruled DVRPC's assessment, stating that the RTKL eliminated the requirement than an entity perform an essential governmental function in order to be considered an agency. The OOR had further determined that members of PA-TEC, despite repeated attempts to obtain information from DVRPC, had not engaged in disruptive behavior, which

2856-467: Was addressed (demanding repeatedly "say my name, say it for the record!"). This was followed with a series of personal attacks against members of PA-TEC by vice chairman Jim Richardson, telling one member "go screw yourself!" and another "the next time this comes up in any context, you and I are gonna talk about it on the sidewalk!" Former RCC member Tom McHugh later commented at the January 27, 2012 DVRPC Board Meeting that PA-TEC members were "villainized by

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2912-409: Was designated as the Reading SMA and Atlantic County, New Jersey was the Atlantic City SMA. In 1960, Cecil County, Maryland was added to what was now the Wilmington Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA). In 1980, Cumberland County, New Jersey was defined as the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton SMSA. In 1990, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton SMSAs were merged with

2968-447: Was formed as the result of a federal mandate; it was initially structured as three committees focusing on the issues of transportation, housing, and the environment. In 1980, the three committees were merged into one and since that time the RCC has functioned as an advisory committee to the Board. In 1984, the RCC Chair was given a seat at the Board table in an advisory capacity. The RCC was structured to fulfill three goals: The RCC

3024-530: Was organized to resume regional planning and which eventually evolved into the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC). In 1967, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission was established under the "Delaware Valley Urban Compact" to provide continuing, comprehensive, coordinated regional planning for the Delaware Valley Urban Area and to provide a variety of services designed to address regional issues and needs. The structure, authority, purpose and administrative procedures of DVRPC were defined, via

3080-413: Was originally composed of citizen members, advocates for special interests, and regional organizations. DVRPC was subsequently designated as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for its nine-county planning region in southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey , and retained this designation through the implementation of the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). ISTEA gave

3136-509: Was the territory of the Susquehannock and Lenape , who are recalled in place names throughout the region. The region became part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland after the exploration of Delaware Bay in 1609. The Dutch called the Delaware River the Zuyd Rivier , or South River, and considered the lands along it banks and those of its bay to be the southern flank of its province of New Netherland . In 1638, it began to be settled by Swedes, Forest Finns, Dutch, and Walloons and became

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