Draft Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Unified Planning Work Program Committee Meeting Summary
August 6, 2020 Meeting
9:00 AM–9:20 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform
Benjamin Muller, Chair, representing Stephanie Pollack, Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Committee agreed to the following:
Materials for this meeting included the following:
1. Meeting Summary of the July 16, 2020, meeting
2. Amendment Two to the FFY 2020 UPWP
3. Amendment Three to the FFY 2020 UPWP
B. Muller welcomed meeting participants and called the roll.
There were none.
A motion to approve the summary was made by Eric Bourassa (Metropolitan Area Planning Council) and seconded by Tom Bent (City of Somerville/Inner Core Committee). The motion carried.
S. Johnston presented Amendment Two, recapping the process to this point. The MPO voted to release this amendment for a 30-day public comment period on June 25. This amendment removes a $60,000 study, on transit mitigation for new development sites, from the UPWP and inserts two $30,000 studies on Vision Zero and trip generation rates in its place. The MPO has already approved the scopes for these two studies.
Staff received one comment on this amendment during the public comment period. Marilyn Wellons from Cambridge asked staff to research licensing and regulations of people using bikes as a part of the Vision Zero study. She received a reply from S. Johnston that was developed collaboratively with other staff. In the response, staff committed to tackling these issues in the study. In addition, staff provided background on the issue, proceeding from the understanding that other Vision Zero cities, and the Vision Zero Network in a recent statement, acknowledged the limitations of punitive enforcement and prioritized educational and infrastructural strategies rather than regulatory or license-based strategies to achieve safety most effectively for all roadway users. This is particularly important in the context of the complicated history between enforcement and people of color.
Steve Olanoff (Town of Westwood/Three Rivers Interlocal Council Alternate) remarked that in the past commenters had usually not received detailed responses, and he appreciates the thorough response to this comment. Lenard Diggins (Regional Transportation Advisory Council) supported that sentiment. S. Johnston explained that he is able to write detailed responses to comments on the UPWP and related materials because comment volume is typically low relative to the Transportation Improvement Program.
E. Bourassa made a motion to approve Amendment Two and send it to the MPO for endorsement. S. Olanoff seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
S. Johnston gave background on Amendment Three. Traditionally, staff have presented a number of reallocations between task lines within the UPWP budget to the MPO at or near the beginning of the fourth quarter of a given fiscal year. Being able to reallocate funding flexibly with the support of the MPO board is a major benefit to completing all of staff’s work at this point in the year and to adapt to changing conditions and MPO goals. At this point in the year staff are working off of UPWP budgets that were developed up to 18 months earlier. Per Federal Highway Administration guidance issued earlier this year, any change of 10 percent or more to a UPWP budget line must now be a formal amendment, rather than an informal adjustment as done in the past.
This amendment moves money around within the FFY 2020 UPWP (as it reflects the changes made in Amendments One and Two), but is overall net neutral. This year, there are some unique complications related to COVID, the emergency pandemic situation, and some unanticipated project challenges. Like any year, Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) must also adjust to staffing changes such as staff leaving or staff shortages when someone takes leave. The total amount of money reprogrammed is $137,500.
L. Diggins asked if the cost increases associated with the transition to a virtual meeting format are permanent, or if they are a one-time cost due to the rapid transition to an emergency situation. Annette Demchur (CTPS Director of Policy and Planning) responded that it was probably a one-off cost, but some costs might linger into next year. Tegin Teich (CTPS Executive Director) said that it is important for staff and members to discuss budgeting for public participation and outreach in detail going forward, and members should always feel they can bring it up.
T. Bent made a motion to recommend that the MPO release Amendment Three for public comment, and E. Bourassa seconded it. The motion passed unanimously.
This agenda item was postponed to a later meeting to allow staff more time to gather information to report on this topic.
There were none.
The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for September 17, 2020.
A motion to adjourn was made by E. Bourassa and seconded by T. Bent. The motion carried.
|
Members |
Representatives
and
Alternates |
|
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (Office of Transportation
Planning) |
Ben Muller |
|
Metropolitan Area Planning Council |
Eric Bourassa |
|
Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
Lenard Diggins |
|
At-Large City (City of Newton) |
David Koses |
|
City of Boston (Boston Transportation
Department) |
Tom Kadzis |
|
Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) |
Tom Bent |
|
Three Rivers Interlocal Council alternate
(Town of Westwood) |
Steve Olanoff |
|
City of Framingham (Metrowest Regional Collaborative) |
Eric Johnson |
|
MPO Staff/Central
Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Tegin Teich, Executive Director |
|
Annette Demchur, Director of Policy and Planning |
|
Scott Peterson, Director of Technical Services |
|
Hiral Gandhi, Director of Operations and Finance |
|
Mark Abbott, Traffic Analysis and Design Group Manager |
|
Jonathan Church, Manager of MPO Activities |
|
Sandy Johnston, UPWP Manager |
|
Kate White, Public Outreach Coordinator |
|
Matt Archer, Transportation Planner |
|
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in
compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of
1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination
in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United
States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin
(including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in,
denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any
program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal
nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration,
Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis
of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected
populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation
and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful
access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited
English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation
policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166. The Boston Region MPO also complies with the
Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a,
which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in
admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race,
color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability,
or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor's
Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities,
and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or
contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful
discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry,
national origin, disability, veteran's status (including Vietnam-era
veterans), or background. A complaint form and additional information can be
obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination. To request this
information in a different language or in an accessible format, please
contact Title VI Specialist |