Draft Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Unified Planning Work Program Committee Meeting Summary
August 19, 2021, Meeting
9:00 AM–9:20 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform, recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzMG54MCOgM
Benjamin Muller and Derek Shooster, Chair, representing Jamey Tesler, Secretary of Transportation and Chief Executive Officer of the 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. Summary of the August 5, 2021, meeting
2. Final FFY 2022 UPWP
3. Appendices to the FFY 2022 UPWP
4. Public comments on the public review draft of the FFY 2022 UPWP
B. Muller introduced the meeting and read the guidelines and accessibility statement. He introduced D. Shooster (MassDOT), who assumed Chair responsibilities for the remainder of the meeting and going forward. D. Shooster called the roll.
There were none.
A motion to approve the summary was made by Eric Bourassa (Metropolitan Area Planning Council [MAPC]) and seconded by Daniel Amstutz (Town of Arlington). The motion carried.
S. Johnston presented the final FFY 2022 UPWP. On July 15, 2021, the UPWP Committee voted to recommend that the MPO board release the public review draft of the FFY 2022 UPWP for a 30-day public comment period. The public comment period ended on August 13, 2021. MPO staff received five comments, which are included in Appendix B.
S. Johnston provided an overview of the public comments. MassDOT gave a variety of recommendations on the FFY 2022 UPWP and future UPWPs. The 495/MetroWest Partnership supported several studies included in the document and identified their subregional priorities for future UPWPs. Julia Wallerce, on behalf of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, supported two studies and provided suggestions on project scoping. John McQueen (WalkBoston and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council [Advisory Council]) requested restoring the study on congestion pricing, which was removed from the draft list of MPO staff recommended studies due to budget constraints. Susan Barrett (Transportation Manager, Town of Lexington) asked about the relationship between the various task items in the UPWP and the goals and objectives outlined in the Long-Range Transportation Plan and Chapter One of the UPWP document.
S. Johnston stated that differences between the public review draft and the final draft of the FFY 2022 UPWP are limited to the correction of typos and minor content changes. He asked for a vote to recommend the document for endorsement by the MPO.
A motion to approve the FFY 2022 UPWP was made by E. Bourassa and seconded by Lenard Diggins (Advisory Council).
L. Diggins complimented the appendices of the document. He stated that the inclusion of the Universe of Proposed New Studies (Appendix C) provides transparency in study selection. D. Amstutz complimented the information provided in the Geographic Distribution of UPWP Studies and Technical Analyses (Appendix D).
The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote.
Tom O’Rourke (Town of Norwood/Three Rivers Interlocal Council) praised S. Johnston and MPO staff for making UPWP development easier for UPWP Committee members with each iteration of the document.
S. Johnston announced that Kate White (Public Outreach Coordinator, MPO staff) has taken a job with the City of Somerville. He praised her work facilitating UPWP Committee meetings and coordinating outreach and engagement for the UPWP.
B. Muller stated that he is joining MassDOT Highway District 6. L. Diggins thanked B. Mueller for his work as Chair of the UPWP Committee.
The next meeting was scheduled for September 2, 2021. This meeting will include approval of Amendment One to the FFY 2021 UPWP, which will allow reallocation of funds in the last month of the FFY and make minor content adjustments for MAPC work. Details of the amendment were provided at the August 5, 2021, MPO meeting.
A motion to adjourn was made by D. Amstutz and seconded by E. Bourassa. The motion carried.
|
Members |
Representatives
and
Alternates |
|
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (Office of Transportation
Planning [OTP]) |
Ben Muller |
|
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (OTP) |
Derek Shooster |
|
Metropolitan Area Planning Council |
Eric Bourassa |
|
Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
Lenard Diggins |
|
At-Large City (City of Newton) |
Nicole Freedman |
|
At-Large Town (Town of Arlington) |
Daniel Amstutz |
|
City of Boston (Boston Transportation
Department) |
Bill Conroy |
|
Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) |
Tom Bent |
|
Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood/Neponset Valley
Chamber of Commerce) |
Tom O’Rourke |
|
Three Rivers Interlocal Council alternate
(Town of Westwood) |
Steve Olanoff |
|
City of Framingham (Metrowest Regional
Collaborative) |
Erika Oliver Jerram |
|
Other
Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Derek Krevat |
MassDOT (OTP) |
|
Michael Garrity |
MassDOT (District 6) |
|
Amira Patterson |
MBTA Advisory Board |
|
MPO
Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Tegin Teich, Executive Director |
|
Annette Demchur, Director of Policy and Planning |
|
Mark Abbott, Traffic Analysis and Design Group Manager Jonathan Church, Certification Activities Manager |
|
Sandy Johnston, UPWP Manager |
|
Kate White, Public Outreach Coordinator |
|
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 By Telephone: For people with hearing or speaking difficulties,
connect through the state MassRelay service: ·
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