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Certification Documents
Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) prepare three major documents as part of the metropolitan transportation planning (3C) process:
  • The Transportation Plan (Plan) – The Plan includes a discussion of an MPO´s transportation policies and goals, an assessment of the current state of the region´s transportation system, estimates of future needs and resources, and a description of a detailed program for preserving and expanding the system over a period of 20 or more years. The Boston Region MPO produces its Plan every four years and adopted its current Plan, JOURNEY TO 2030, in June 2007. An amendment to the Plan was adopted in September 2009.

  • The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – The TIP implements the Plan by allocating funding for transportation system improvements over a four-year period. A project must be designated for funding (programmed) in the TIP in order for it to receive federal funds. The Boston Region TIP lists all federally funded transit projects and all state and federally funded highway and bridge projects. While an annual update is not required by federal regulations, the Boston Region MPO updates its TIP every year.

  • The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) – The UPWP is produced annually; it outlines the planning projects, activities, funding sources, and budgets for one federal fiscal year.
The Boston Region MPO conducts an extensive public participation program to support the development of these documents, which are required by the federal government in order for an MPO to be certified to be eligible to receive federal transportation capital funds. The documents must be approved by the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration. The Boston Regions Plan and TIP are also reviewed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for air quality conformity.