MPO Meeting Minutes

Memorandum for the Record

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting

April 20, 2023, Meeting

10:00 AM–12:00 PM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform

David Mohler, Chair, representing Gina Fiandaca, Secretary of Transportation and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

Eric Bourassa, Vice-Chair, presided over the meeting until D. Mohler’s arrival at 11:10 AM.

Decisions

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

• Approve the minutes of the meeting of March 16, 2023
• Approve the work scope for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Sources of Community Value
• Endorse the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2023 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Amendment One
• Release the draft FFYs 2024–28 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) document for a 21-day public review period
• Include the Framingham and Lexington projects, as well as the six required projects, in the draft Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Destination 2050
• Add the Bikeshare Support Investment Program to the LRTP
• Broaden the Transit Modernization Investment Program to a Transit Transformation Investment Program
• Adopt staff recommended funding allocations to the LRTP investment programs

Meeting Agenda

1.    Introductions

See attendance on page 11.

2.    Chair’s Report—David Mohler, MassDOT

There was none.

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

T. Teich stated that there will be a workshop to support the development of the Coordinated Human Services Plan on April 27, 2023, from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. The workshop will discuss strategies for improving the coordination and delivery of human services transportation. T. Teich stated that there is an active survey, which will be shared with members, to gather information about the needs and priorities for human services transportation for seniors and people with disabilities.

4.    Public Comments  

Ed Nardi, a resident of the Town of Lexington, spoke in support of the inclusion of the Route 4/225 (Bedford Street) and Hartwell Avenue project in the LRTP. E. Nardi discussed the importance of pedestrian safety on Bedford Street and Hartwell Avenue and opportunities for greater bicycle and pedestrian connectivity in the project area.

Sheila Page, Town of Lexington, spoke in support of including the Route 4/225 Bedford Street and Hartwell Avenue project in the LRTP. S. Page discussed the context of the project for Lexington's development and benefits of the project and suggested moving the project to the TIP in FFY 2025, once its 25-percent design is complete.

Rick DeAngelis, Chris Carr, and Michael Johnson, Boston Properties, spoke in support of the Route 4/225 Bedford Street and Hartwell Avenue project's continued inclusion in the LRTP.

Teri Ford, Great Land Realty Partners, spoke in support of the Route 4/225 Bedford Street and Hartwell Avenue project's continued inclusion in the LRTP.

5.    Committee Chairs’ Reports

Derek Krevat, MassDOT, stated that the UPWP Committee will meet following this meeting, beginning at 1:00 PM.

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

There was none.

7.     Action Item: Approval of March 16, 2023, MPO Meeting Minutes

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1. March 16, 2023, MPO Meeting Minutes (pdf)
2. March 16, 2023, MPO Meeting Minutes (html)

Vote

A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of March 16, 2023, was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (Brian Kane) and seconded by the Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) (Tom Bent). The motion carried through a roll call vote.

8.    Action Item: Work Scope: MBTA Fare Equity Analysis for Low-Income Fares and Ancillary Changes—Emily Domanico, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1. Work Scope: MBTA Fare Equity Analysis (pdf)
2. Work Scope: MBTA Fare Equity Analysis (html)

E. Domanico stated that the work scope for the MBTA Fare Equity Analysis for Low-Income Fares and Ancillary Changes has a budget of $95,000, funded by an MBTA contract.

The MBTA has requested CTPS to analyze equity impacts for potential changes to its fare structure in SFY 2025, including the low-income fare program. The work scope contains six tasks. In Task One, CTPS will attend meetings related to the low-income fare program. In Task Two, CTPS will update its agent-based model to analyze fare equity. In Tasks Three and Four, CTPS will model and document the Title VI and Environmental Justice impacts of potential changes to fare structures and prepare a draft memo on the fare equity analysis and a one-page executive summary of the Fare Equity Analysis Results. In Task Five, CTPS will analyze any additional ideas presented during the public process. In Task Six, CTPS will finalize the fare equity analysis memo and one-page executive summary.

Discussion

L. Diggins asked the MBTA for additional information about the potential ancillary changes. Steven Povich, MBTA, stated that there are potential ancillary changes that are still in the planning phase that could make sense to be included with the low-income fare equity analysis.

Brian Kane, MBTA Advisory Board, stated the importance of CTPS, a third-party agency, completing the fare-equity analysis for the MBTA.

Vote

A motion to approve the work scope for MBTA Sources of Community Value was made by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins) and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (B. Kane). The motion carried through a roll call vote.

9.     Action Item: FFY 2023 UPWP Amendment One—Srilekha Murthy, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1. FFY 2023 UPWP Redlined (pdf)
2. FFY 2023 UPWP Updated (pdf)
3. FFY 2023 UPWP Updated (html)
4. FFY 2023 UPWP Appendix A Redlined (pdf)
5. FFY 2023 UPWP Appendix A Updated (pdf)
6. FFY 2023 UPWP Appendices Updated (html)

S. Murthy stated that Amendment One of the FFY 2023 UPWP was released for a 14-day public review period on March 31, 2023, and proposes the inclusion of the MBTA’s project for the Federal Transit Administration’s Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning. Staff received and responded to two public comments, both indicating that the studies the MPO undertakes are a drain on resources.

Vote

A motion to endorse the FFY 2023 UPWP Amendment One was made by the Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) (T. Bent) and seconded by the MBTA (Ali Kleyman). The motion carried through roll call vote.

10. Action Item: FFYs 2024–28 TIP Document—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

3.    Draft FFYs 2024–28 TIP (pdf)

4.    Draft FFYs 2024–28 TIP (html)

5.    Draft FFYs 2024–28 TIP Appendix (pdf)

6.    Draft FFYs 2024–28 TIP Appendix (html)

7.    Draft FFYs 2024–28 TIP Highway Programs (html)

E. Lapointe reviewed the development timeline for the FFYs 2024–28 TIP, beginning in October 2022. The FFYs 2024–28 TIP contains $150 million in funding allocated to 21 new projects including three new Transit Modernization projects, the introduction of the FFY 2025 Project Design Pilot, and a Bikeshare Support Program. Eight projects were delayed. A summary of regional target programming and remaining funds can be found below.

 

Table 1
FFYs 2024–28 Regional Target Program Funding Summary

 

E. Lapointe discussed how the programmed funding compares to target funding allocations, outlined in the Destination 2040 LRTP. E. Lapointe reviewed the geographic distribution of programmed regional target funds.

Vote

A motion to release the draft FFYs 2024–28 TIP Document for its 21-day public review period was made by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins) and was seconded by the Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) (T. Bent). The motion carried through a roll call vote.

11. Action Item: LRTP Investment Program Allocations and Projects—Bradley Putnam, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.    Draft Destination 2050 Universe of Roadway Projects (pdf)

2.    Draft Destination 2050 Universe of Roadway Projects (html)

3.    March 16, 2023, Proposed Investment Programs Memo (pdf)

4.    March 16, 2023, Proposed Investment Programs Memo (html)

5.    January 26, 2023, Adopted Policies for the LRTP Memo (pdf)

6.    January 26, 2023, Adopted Policies for the LRTP Memo (html)

7.    Link to recording of the January 26, 2023, MPO Meeting (pdf)

8.    Link to recording of the January 26, 2023, MPO Meeting (html)

9.    Public Comment Letters (pdf)

B. Putnam stated that staff have received three public comment letters, which all advocate for the inclusion of Lexington’s Route 4/225 (Bedford Street) and Hartwell Avenue project in the Destination 2050 LRTP.

B. Putnam stated that on October 1, 2020, the MPO adopted a policy to only list projects in the LRTP that are federally required to be included. Projects that meet the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) definition of regionally significant projects and projects under National Environmental Policy Act review are required to be listed in the LRTP. In addition, projects will only be programmed in the first two five-year time bands of the LRTP.

There were 18 projects included in the 2019 LRTP, Destination 2040. Seven of those projects are complete, two are under construction, four are required to be listed in Destination 2050, per FHWA guidance, three are not required to be listed in Destination 2050, and there is not enough information to determine if two additional projects are required to be listed. The following projects are required to be listed in the Destination 2050 LRTP: the Allston Multimodal project in Boston, the reconstruction of Rutherford Avenue in Boston, the I-495 and I-90 interchange reconstruction in Hopkinton, and McGrath Boulevard in Somerville. The Allston Multimodal project is included due to the necessity of environmental reviews and is not included in the fiscally constrained portion of the LRTP. The following projects are not required to be listed in the LRTP: the Route 27 and Route 9 interchange improvements in Natick, the reconstruction of Western Avenue in Lynn, and the rehabilitation of Mount Auburn Street in Watertown. It is unclear if the intersection improvements at Route 126, Route 135, and MBTA and CSX railroads in Framingham and the Routes 4 and 225 (Bedford Street), Hartwell Avenue, and I-95 interchange in Lexington are required to be listed.

Staff proposed two alterations to the LRTP from Destination 2040: the addition of a Bikeshare Support program and the broadening of the Transit Modernization program into a Transit Transformation program. Potential investment program allocations can be found below.

 

Table 2
MPO Staff Recommended Investment Program Allocations

 

Discussion

L. Diggins asked if projects are scored before they are included in the LRTP. B. Putnam stated that in October 2020, the board adopted a policy to make the TIP the primary document where projects are scored.

E. Bourassa asked if a project is programmed in a time band with associated cost estimates when included in the LRTP. B. Putnam stated that the LRTP is a fiscally constrained document, so estimated project costs and time bands should be considered when deciding which projects to include in the plan.

Kenneth Miller, FHWA, spoke in support of the MPO including projects beyond the first two five-year time bands to indicate support to the public about future transportation investments.

Steve Olanoff, Three Rivers Interlocal Council (TRIC), spoke in support of the inclusion of the Lexington and Framingham projects in the LRTP.

Dennis Giombetti, MetroWest Regional Collaborative, spoke in support of the inclusion of the Lexington and Framingham projects in the LRTP.

B. Kane spoke about the limitations of creating a fiscally constrained long-range plan without understanding future funding levels. D. Mohler stated that funding estimates are made for each of the five-year time bands included in the LRTP. B. Kane suggested using the LRTP as a policy document to indicate the gap between available funds for transportation projects across the Boston region and the improvements that the region deems important.

D. Mohler stated that the MPO must decide if it should follow previously adopted policies stating that the only programmed projects will appear in the first two five-year time bands and require air quality conformity requirements, which would exclude the Lexington and Framingham projects.

E. Bourassa asked what the implications are of including the Allston Multimodal project in the LRTP. B. Putnam stated that FHWA guidance indicates that the LRTP is required to list qualifying projects, even if they are not funded by the MPO, so the inclusion of the Allston Multimodal project does not inherently commit the MPO to funding the project. K. Miller stated that FHWA is proceeding with the understanding that the state is working on a funding plan for the project. K. Miller stated that the project must be included in the LRTP to begin to undergo environmental review.

S. Olanoff asked why the Canton Interchange and Red-Blue Connector projects would not be included in the list of LRTP projects. D. Mohler stated that the Lexington and Framingham projects were included in the Destination 2040 LRTP but are not ready to be programmed in the TIP, nor the second time band. The only communities from the previous LRTP that are incentivized to advocate for their projects to continue to be listed are Lexington and Framingham.

Vote

A motion to include the Lexington project for $40 to $50 million and the Framingham project for $115 million in the second five-year time band, along with the six projects required to be in the Destination 2050 LRTP, was made by the MetroWest Regional Collaborative (D. Giombetti) and seconded by the TRIC (S. Olanoff). The motion carried through a roll call vote.

Vote

A motion to include the Canton interchange project in the first five-year time band of the LRTP was made by the TRIC (S. Olanoff) and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (B. Kane). The motion failed.

Vote

A motion to add the Bikeshare investment program to the Destination 2050 LRTP was made by the City of Boston, Boston Planning and Development Agency (Jim Fitzgerald) and seconded by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried through a roll call vote.

Vote

A motion to broaden the Transit Modernization investment program into a Transit Transformation program was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (B. Kane) and seconded by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried through a roll call vote.

Discussion

B. Kane stated his desire for the MPO to discuss processes from a high level to capture the implications of funding decisions.

D. Mohler asked if the Major Infrastructure investment program is at the 30 percent funding level after the inclusion of the Lexington and Framingham projects in the LRTP. B. Putnam stated that if the Major Infrastructure program is funded at 30 percent, the program will have approximately $250 million to spend in the second time band. The projects that the board has voted to include in the LRTP cost approximately $319 million.

J. Fitzgerald asked if the McGrath Boulevard and Rutherford Avenue projects are considered Complete Streets projects. B. Putnam stated that both projects appear in the FFYs 2024–28 TIP as Major Infrastructure projects.

Vote

A motion to adopt staff-recommended allocations for the LRTP investment programs was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins).

12. TIP Development: Capital Investment Plan (CIP) Update—Highway and Transit Project Selection Process—Michelle Scott, MassDOT Staff, and Jillian Linnell, MBTA Staff

M. Scott stated that the CIP is a financially constrained budget and policy document that programs state and federal funds for all capital expenditures. The CIP is a rolling five-year plan and is updated annually. The CIP is developed concurrently with the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and all projects in the STIP are included in the CIP.

The FFYs 2024–28 CIP is funded from sources such as federal formula funds, federal discretionary funds, state bonds or Grant Anticipation Notes, MassDOT sources such as tolls, and other sources including municipal and local funds. The strategic goals of the FFYs 2024–28 CIP are to improve safety, climate stewardship, equity, and responsible asset management.

J. Linnell stated that the MBTA has invested unprecedented levels of capital over the last three years, focused on safety and reliability, modernization, and expansion of the MBTA system and network. The proposed policy objectives in the MBTA’s FFYs 2024–28 CIP are prioritizing safety and reliability investments, building toward enhanced and improved system accessibility, and promoting system sustainability and resiliency.

J. Linnell stated that the MBTA receives federal funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s Section 5307, Section 5339, and Section 5337 formula funds as well as competitive discretionary funds. State funding sources include general obligation bonds and special obligation/revenue bonds for specific programs such as the Green Line Extension. MBTA funding sources include bonds, Build America Bureau loans, operating budget transfers, and the Capital Maintenance Fund. Other funds include funds from partnerships and formal agreements. The proposed CIP programs $3,782 million in federal funds, $4,434 million in MBTA funds, $889 million in state funds, and $103 million in reimbursable funds.

Discussion

B. Kane stated that the MBTA Advisory Board will be analyzing the CIP in depth and commended the MBTA for its investments in system safety and reliability.

13.Members’ Items

There were none.

14. Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (B. Kane) and seconded by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried.

 

Attendance

Members	Representatives and Alternates
At-Large City (City of Everett)	Eric Molinari
At-Large City (City of Newton)	David Koses
At-Large Town (Town of Arlington)
At-Large Town (Town of Brookline)	Robert King
City of Boston (Boston Planning & Development Agency)	Jim Fitzgerald Joseph Blankenship
City of Boston (Boston Transportation Department)
Federal Highway Administration	Kenneth 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)	Ali Kleyman Jillian Linnell
Massachusetts Port Authority
MBTA Advisory Board	Brian Kane Amira Patterson
Metropolitan Area Planning Council	Eric Bourassa
MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of Framingham)	Dennis Giombetti
Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (Town of Acton)	Kristen Guichard
North Shore Task Force (City of Beverly)	Dylan Lukitsch
North Suburban Planning Council (Town of Burlington)
Regional Transportation Advisory Council	Lenard Diggins
South Shore Coalition (Town of Hull)
South West Advisory Planning Committee (Town of Medway)
Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood/Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce)	Tom O’Rourke Steve Olanoff

 

 

Other Attendees	Affiliation
Karl Allen	City of Chelsea
Miranda Briseño	MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning (OTP)
Rick DeAngelis	Boston Properties, Inc.
Teri Ford	Great Land Realty Partners
Joy Glynn	MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA)
Michelle Ho	MassDOT
Sandy Johnston	MBTA
Chris Klem	MassDOT
Josh Klingenstein	MBTA
Raissah Kouame	MassDOT
Derek Krevat	MassDOT OTP
Abby McCabe	Town of Lexington
Jen Mecca
Ben Muller	MassDOT District 6
Ed Nardi	Town of Lexington Resident
Sheila Page	Town of Lexington
Robert Peters
Steven Povich	MBTA
Michelle Scott	MassDOT OTP
Cheryll-Ann Senior	MassDOT District 5
Jon Seward	MoveMass
Derek Shooster	MassDOT
Tyler Terrasi	MWRTA
Jeremy Thompson
Andrew Wang	MassDOT OTP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff
Tegin Teich, Executive Director
Logan Casey
Annette Demchur
Emily Domanico
Betsy Harvey
Stella Jordan
Heyne Kim
Ethan Lapointe
Erin Maguire
Marty Milkovits
Rebecca Morgan
Srilekha Murthy
Gina Perille
Bradley Putnam
Sean Rourke
Judy Taylor
Sam Taylor