MPO Meeting Minutes

Draft Memorandum for the Record

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting

December 17, 2020, Meeting

10:00 AM–10:53 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform

David Mohler, Chair, representing Stephanie Pollack, Secretary, and Chief Executive Officer, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

Decisions

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) agreed to the following:

Meeting Agenda

1. Introductions

See attendance on pages 4–6.

2. Chair’s Report—David Mohler, MassDOT

There was none.

3. Executive Director’s Report—Tegin Teich, Executive Director, Central Transportation Planning Staff

1.    Memorandum FFY 2021 LRTP Priority Corridor Locations

2.    Memorandum Subregional Priority Roadways Selection

3.    Subregional Priority Roadway Selection Comment Letter

T. Teich stated that due to an unstable internet connection she asked Jonathan Church and Kate White, MPO Staff, to provide updates. J. Church noted that MPO staff have chosen locations for the FFY 2021 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Priority Corridor and Subregional Priority Roadways studies. K. White provided an overview of recent MPO staff outreach activities.

4. Public Comments  

There were none.

5. Committee Chairs’ Reports—Jay Monty, At-Large City, City of Everett, Chair, Congestion Management Process (CMP) Committee

J. Monty stated that the CMP committee met prior to the MPO to approve the FFY 2021 work plan. Ryan Hicks, MPO staff, also presented the Park-and-Ride dashboard.

6. Regional Transportation Advisory Council Report—Lenard Diggins, Chair, Regional Transportation Advisory Council

L. Diggins provided a summary of the last Advisory Council meeting.

7. Action Item: FFYs 202125 TIP Amendment One—Matt Genova, MPO Staff

1. FFYs 2021–25 TIP Amendment One Simplified

M. Genova stated that Amendment One was released for a 21-day public review period at the meeting on November 19, 2020. MPO staff received one comment from MassDOT. Amendment One includes cost and funding source changes for three MassDOT-funded highway projects in FFYs 2021, 2022, and 2023.

M. Genova stated that MassDOT had requested an additional minor adjustment to the MPO funds allocated to the Green Line Extension (GLX) project in FFY 2021. Less than $20,000 has been added to the MPO’s funding allocation. This adjustment will not affect the funding schedules for any other MPO projects. FFY 2021 is the final year of GLX funding and ends the MPO’s commitment to this project. This change does not meet the threshold for a full TIP amendment and does not need to be released for a 21-day public review period.

Vote

A motion to approve Amendment One to the FFYs 2021–25 TIP was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) (Eric Bourassa) and seconded by the Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) (Tom Bent). The motion carried.

8. Presentation/Discussion: Trucks at the Southampton Street Bottleneck, Bill Kuttner, MPO Staff

      1. Memorandum: Trucks at the Southampton Street Bottleneck

B. Kuttner stated that Southampton Bypass Road is a key freight network junction where congestion during the afternoon and evening peak impacts all vehicles. B. Kuttner stated that there are several merging areas on Interstate 93 (I-93) that contribute to congestion. B. Kuttner stated that Bypass Road northbound is currently unrestricted and MassDOT plans to ask that the restriction be lifted indefinitely, but southbound traffic is forbidden to private automobiles. B. Kuttner concluded that unrestricted use of the Bypass Road northbound is not a concern, but removing the southbound Bypass Road restriction on private automobiles would exacerbate the congestion during the PM peak. B. Kuttner stated that queues at this location will be a problem unless capacity is added to I-93 in some manner.

Discussion

Brian Kane (MBTA Advisory Board) questioned the finding of adding capacity to I-93, asking whether adding more capacity would add more cars to the roadway. B. Kuttner stated that heavy traffic on the expressway encourages drivers to use surface roads, causing congestion, and it is preferable to keep traffic moving on premium roads.

Laura Gilmore (Massport) noted that this location has been cited by the trucking industry as a significant bottleneck that impacts freight movements. L. Gilmore noted that travel time is a more important factor for truckers.

B. Kane expressed support for improved signage on Cypher Street and the access road.

Jim Fitzgerald (City of Boston) (Boston Planning & Development Agency) asked if there were any short-term improvements that might be implemented. B. Kuttner stated that all the options are costly and would require rebuilding bridges, stating that without adding capacity, the only option is managing the queues. Any improvements should prevent queues from reaching Melnea Cass Boulevard and blocking key intersections.

9. Members Items

L. Gilmore announced that she would be leaving Massport to take a position at the Volpe Center, and thus stepping down from the board. D. Mohler and Ken Miller (Federal Highway Administration) offered congratulations.

10. Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried.


Attendance

Members

Representatives

and Alternates

At-Large City (City of Everett)

Jay Monty  

At-Large City (City of Newton)

David Koses  

At-Large Town (Town of Arlington)

Daniel Amstutz  

At-Large Town (Brookline)

Todd Kirrane  

City of Boston (Boston Planning & Development Agency)

Jim Fitzgerald  

City of Boston (Boston Transportation Department)

Tom Kadzis  

Federal Highway Administration

Ken Miller  

Federal Transit Administration

 

Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville)

Tom Bent  

Massachusetts Department of Transportation

David Mohler  

John Bechard 

MassDOT Highway Division

John Romano 

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)

Samantha Silverberg  

Massachusetts Port Authority

Laura Gilmore   

MBTA Advisory Board

Brian Kane 

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Eric Bourassa   

MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of Framingham)

Thatcher Kezer III 

Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (Town of Acton)

Austin Cyganiewicz

North Shore Task Force (City of Beverly)

Darlene Wynne 

North Suburban Planning Council (City of Woburn)

Tina Cassidy  

Regional Transportation Advisory Council

Lenard Diggins  

South Shore Coalition (Town of Rockland)

Jennifer Constable  

South West Advisory Planning Committee (Town of Medway)

Peter Pelletier 

Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood/Neponset River Regional Chamber)

Tom O’Rourke  

 

 

Other Attendees

Affiliation

Aleida Leza

 

Ben Muller

MassDOT

Rachel Benson  

Town of Wrentham

Rich Benevento 

World Tech Engineering

Sarah Bradbury 

MassDOT Division 3

Joe Collins  

 

Johannes Epke  

Conservation Law Foundation

Joy Glynn  

MetroWest Regional Transit Authority

Michelle Ho 

MassDOT

Jeff McEwen  

 

Erika Oliver-Jerram  

City of Framingham

Constance Raphael 

MassDOT Highway Division 4

Steve Olanoff  

TRIC Alternate

Jon Seward 

 

Darin Takemoto  

 

Frank Tramontozzi 

City of Quincy


 

MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff

Tegin Teich, Executive Director

Mark Abbott 

Blake Acton  

Matt Archer

Seth Asante 

Jonathan Church 

Annette Demchur  

Julie Dombroski 

Róisín Foley

Matt Genova   

Betsy Harvey  

Sandy Johnston    

Bill Kuttner  

Anne McGahan  

Marty Milkovits

Ariel Patterson  

Scott Peterson 

Barbara Rutman   

Michelle Scott

Chen-Yuan Wang   

Kate White 


 

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
Boston Region MPO
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116
civilrights@ctps.org
857.702.3700 (voice)
617.570.9193 (TTY)