MPO Meeting Minutes

Draft Memorandum for the Record

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting

May 18, 2023, Meeting

10:00 AM–11:25 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform

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

Decisions

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

• Approve the minutes of the April 13, 2023, MPO meeting
• Endorse the Federal Fiscal Years (FFYs) 2023–27 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment Four
• Release the FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Six for its 21-day public review period
• Waive the 21-day public review period and endorse the FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Seven

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 Sarah Philbrick will join CTPS as the manager of Policy and Planning. T. Teich shared four additional job opportunities.

4.    Public Comments  

Tom Devine, City of Salem Department of Planning and Community Development, stated that the city has a ferry retrofit project included in the FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Six and offered to answer any questions that may arise.

5.    Committee Chairs’ Reports

Brian Kane, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Advisory Board, stated that the Administration and Finance Committee met prior to this meeting to begin finalizing the Operations Plan, which will be shared with the board in June.

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

L. Diggins stated that the May 10, 2023, meeting of the Advisory Council included a discussion of the MPO’s Resilience Program.

7.    Action Item: Approval of April 13, 2023, MPO Meeting Minutes

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.    April 13, 2023, Meeting Minutes (pdf)

2.    April 13, 2023, Meeting Minutes (html)

Vote

A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 13, 2023, was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) (Eric Bourassa) and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (Brian Kane). The motion carried through roll call vote.

8.    Action Item: FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Four—Ethan Lapointe

E. Lapointe stated that the FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Four proposes

·       Programming of a Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation Grant Award for the MetroWest Regional Transportation Authority;

·       two cost increases for Highway projects;

·       MBTA Capital Investment Plan updates; and

·       MBTA Grant Awards

The amendment was released for a 21-day public comment period from April 14 to May 5, 2023. No comments were received at this time.

Vote

A motion to endorse the FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Four was made by the MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried through roll call vote.

9.    Action Item: FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Six—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.    FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Six (pdf)

2.    FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Six (html)

E. Lapointe stated that the FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Six proposes the changes found in Tables 1 through 3.

Table 1

FFY 2023 Transit Program

Project Name	Change Type	Description	New Value
MBTA011496: Salem – Retrofit of an Existing Ferry	New Project	This project programs a USDOT Passenger Ferry Grant program grant to retrofit an existing ferry for the City of Salem.	$4,000,000

FFY = Federal Fiscal Year. USDOT = United States Department of Transportation.

Table 2

FFY 2023 Regional Target Highway Program

Project Name	Change Type	Description	Budget
S12705: Lynn Station Improvements Phase II	Funding Source Adjustment	The funding source for this project has been adjusted based on state guidance. The overall budget for this project remains the same.	$13,600,000
S12706: Forest Hills Improvement Project	Funding Source Adjustment	The funding source for this project has been adjusted based on state guidance. The overall budget for this project remains the same.	$6,400,000

FFY = Federal Fiscal Year.

 

 

 

 

 

Table 3

FFY 2023 Statewide Highway Program

Project Name	Change Type	Description	Former Value	New Value	Delta
610919: Lynn– Nahant– Northern Strand Extension	Cost Increase	Explanation forthcoming from MassDOT	$9,363,750	$10,939,360	$1,575,610
S12640: Framingham – High Risk At-Grade Railroad Crossing Countermeasures on Route 126	New Start Year	This project is being accelerated from FFY 2024 into FFY 2023	$3,500,000	$3,500,000	$0

FFY = Federal Fiscal Year. MassDOT = Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Vote

A motion to release the FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Six for a 21-day public review period was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the MetroWest Regional Collaborative, City of Framingham (Dennis Giombetti). The motion carried through roll call vote.

10.Action Item FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Seven—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.    FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Seven (pdf)

2.    FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Seven (html)

E. Lapointe stated that the FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Seven proposes Ferry Boat Capital allocations for an MBTA Catamaran Overhaul for the FFY 2023 Program. This project uses funding from the FFY 2020 Ferry Boat Program funding, which is being carried forward to FFY 2023 to support the overhaul. The changes must be executed before the MBTA can apply for additional discretionary funding, and before this formula funding expires in FFY 2023. As a result, staff are requesting for the board to vote to waive the 21-day public review period and vote to endorse the amendment.

Discussion

L. Diggins asked for additional information about the funding from FFY 2020. D. Mohler stated that the funding was made available in FFY 2020 and went unprogrammed. If the funding is not programmed now, it will expire without being used.

B. Kane encouraged board members to support this amendment and spoke about the MBTA’s public review process.

Vote

A motion to waive the 21-day public review period and endorse the FFYs 2023–27 TIP Amendment Seven was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (B. Kane) and seconded by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried through roll call vote.

11. Summary of Needs Assessment Findings—Betsy Harvey, MPO Staff

B. Harvey stated that the Needs Assessment documents the transportation needs of the Boston region, including how people travel, conditions of transportation facilities, interaction of the transportation system with the built and natural environment, and how these could change in the future. The Needs Assessment provides context to support decision-making in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The Needs Assessment to support the Destination 2050 LRTP is organized by goal area and contains existing needs and travel projections, using 2019 as the base year. It will be released as a series of StoryMaps, which will allow for the inclusion of interactive maps and charts, regular updates, and more accessible access for the public.

In the previous Needs Assessment, Transportation Equity was analyzed as a stand-alone chapter. In the current Needs Assessment, equity is analyzed through the perspective of the different goal areas and most maps and charts contain an equity component.

The Needs Assessment findings can be found in Table 4.

 

 

Table 4

Summary of Needs Assessment Findings

Goal Area	Emphasis Area	Need
Safety	Facilities and Serious Injuries	Invest in safety interventions in areas with the most vulnerable road users •       Equity populations •       Bicyclists and pedestrians Invest in preventative countermeasures on roadways that have been identified as high risk before severe crashes happen
Safety	Crash Clusters	Invest in interventions in locations with the worst crash clusters •       Crashes are most frequent •       Crashes are most severe
Mobility and Reliability	Mobility	Improve mobility of buses on high-delay corridors Increase mode shift from SOVs to public transit and active transportation Improve bicycle mobility by expanding the bicycle network and Bluebikes Address congested corridors through strategies such as mode shift, parking demand management, and TOD
Mobility and Reliability	Infrastructure Condition	Upgrade and modernize public transit facilities and rolling stock Improve state of good repair for transit facilities, especially tracks
Access and Connectivity	Access to Transportation	Continue expanding access to non-SOV transportation, especially for equity populations •       High-frequency transit •       Bicycle network and bikeshare
Access and Connectivity	Access to Destinations	Address disparities in access to destinations for minority and low-income communities

 

Goal Area	Emphasis Area	Need
Access and Connectivity	Connectivity	Better data on quality and presence of pedestrian facilities Close gaps in bicycle network, focusing on roads with a high propensity for bicycling Improve coordination between transit services
Resiliency	Flooding	Adapt infrastructure to minimize flooding impacts, prioritizing equity areas
Resiliency	Extreme Heat	Adapt infrastructure to withstand extreme heat Use nature-based solutions to reduce flooding and impacts of heat, focusing in areas with populations sensitive to heat
Resiliency	Regional Coordination	Increase engagement between the MPO and municipalities on climate resilience
Clean Air and Healthy Communities	Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) Emissions	Reduce SOV travel, such as through mode shift, travel demand management, and roadway pricing Electrify the transportation network, such as by expanding EV charging stations and electrifying the public transit and freight networks
Clean Air and Healthy Communities	Health Impacts	Prioritize air quality improvements in equity communities and in areas that bear a disproportionate burden of air quality impacts

EV = electric vehicle. SOV = single-occupancy vehicle. TOD = transit-oriented development.

B. Harvey stated that the StoryMaps will be released online all at the same time. They will be completed shortly after the LRTP is released for its public review period.

Discussion

L. Diggins stated that an additional emphasis area for the resiliency goal should be on extreme cold.

L. Diggins asked if different scenarios were explored in development. B. Harvey stated that scenarios relating to the projects in the LRTP were not explored and mentioned that there is interest in exploring scenarios in greater detail in the future.

B. Kane stated that the Needs Assessment should include the following context: the region’s high congestion and the legal requirements that agencies must operate under.

12. Sumner Tunnel Project—John Romano and Michael Drew, MassDOT Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.    Sumner Tunnel Virtual Public Meeting Information (pdf)

2.    Sumner Tunnel Newsletter Information (pdf)

3.    Sumner Tunnel Newsletter Information (html)

J. Romano stated that the Boston Region MPO contributed $22 million to the Sumner Tunnel Restoration Project in FFYs 2022 and 2023. M. Drew stated that the project is a full restoration of the tunnel. JF White in Framingham is the contractor, the projected cost is $135 million plus ancillary expenses, major construction is projected to end on September 1, 2024, and the contract is projected to be completed in December 2024.

M. Drew discussed the project scope and explained how the tunnel’s structure necessitates a full closure to traffic. Weekend closures began in spring 2022. Full closures will occur from July 5, 2023, through August 31, 2023, which will be followed by periodic weekend closures until another full closure in July and August 2024, and weekend closures through October 2024.

M. Drew shared travel options during the shutdown for the ferry, Blue Line, Silver Line, buses, commuter rail, and car travelers. The tunnel construction has been coordinated with adjacent projects to mitigate the total impact of the closure. M. Drew discussed the Mitigation Working Group structure, designed to address any potential impacts of the work.

Efforts to reduce impacts include the following measures:

·       Ambulatory Service with Boston Emergency Medical Services

o   Two additional ambulances during day shift

o   Two additional ambulances during evening shift

o   One additional ambulance during overnight shift

·       MBTA Service

o   East Boston/North End

§  Discounted tolls for the Tobin Bridge and Ted Williams Tunnel (must be in the Resident Discount Program)

§  Free MBTA Ferry service from East Boston to Downtown

§  Free monthly passes for July and August for residents enrolled in the Resident Discount Program

§  Additional parking near Wood Island Station

§  Signal phasing and timing changes

§  Field Monitoring Units

o   North Shore

§  Zone 1A fares for Salem and Swampscott inbound and outbound

§  Salem, Swampscott, Beverley Depot and Rowley Commuter Rail parking lots reduced to $2/day

§  Discounted parking at all Blue Line lots ($2/day)

§  Real Time information

§  Travel Time Dashboard

§  Transit passes

o   Logan Airport

§  Logan Express—25 percent discount and kids younger than 12 years of age are free

§  Real-time data for shuttles from Airport Station to Logan

§  “Skip the Line” Logan for all water transportation users

§  Real-time information on Silver Line shuttles

§  Use of the I-90 Eastbound Emergency Ramp

·       Contract Protections

o   Isolated intersection improvements—Signal phasing and timing changes, turn restrictions, lane utilization/lane changes

o   Disposal of runoff and materials offside

o   Field Monitoring Units—dust, water, noise, pest control, etc.

o   Real-Time Traffic Information

o   Incentives/Disincentives for Design-Build team to ensure compliance with contract timelines

Gary McNaughton, McMahon Associates, discussed MassDOT’s traffic monitoring capabilities and shared the 13 intersections being monitored for traffic impacts. Travel times will be shown on Mass511’s Project Specific Information page. M. Drew summarized public outreach efforts.

Additional information about the closure can be found at https://Mass.Gov/Sumner-Tunnel.

Discussion

B. Kane spoke of the signage and ornamentation outside of the Sumner Tunnel and encouraged project work to include restoration efforts. M. Drew confirmed that a restoration specialist is working to protect and refurbish the portals of Sumner Tunnel.

L. Diggins spoke of the opportunity to encourage mode shift from increased ridership of the Blue Line while the tunnel is closed.

Sarah Lee, Massachusetts Port Authority, spoke of the impact of the project and encouraged anyone traveling to Logan Airport to avoid personal drop-offs whenever possible.

13. Members’ Items

There were none.

14. Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (B. Kane). The motion carried.

 

Attendance

Members	Representatives and Alternates
At-Large City (City of Everett)
At-Large City (City of Newton)	David Koses
At-Large Town (Town of Arlington)	John Alessi
At-Large Town (Town of Brookline)
City of Boston (Boston Planning & Development Agency)	Jim Fitzgerald
City of Boston (Boston Transportation Department)	Matthew Moran
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
Massachusetts Port Authority	Sarah Lee
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)
North Suburban Planning Council (Town of Burlington)
Regional Transportation Advisory Council	Lenard Diggins
South Shore Coalition (Town of Hull)	Chris DiIorio
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
Rich Benevento
Sarah Bradbury	MassDOT District 3
Miranda Briseño	MassDOT
Jean Charles	HSH
Tom Devine	City of Salem
Michael Drew	MassDOT
Dan Fielding	MassDOT
Amy Getchell	MassDOT
Joy Glynn	MetroWest Regional Transit Authority
Michelle Ho	MassDOT
Sandy Johnston	MBTA
Gary McNaughton	McMahon Associates
Ben Muller	MassDOT
Chris Kivior
Chris Klem	MassDOT
Josh Klingenstein	MBTA
Raissah Kouame	MassDOT
Derek Krevat	MassDOT
Erin Reed	Howard Stein Hudson
Michelle Scott	MassDOT
Derek Shooster	MassDOT
Juan Taveras
Tyler Terrasi	MWRTA
Andrew Wang	MassDOT
Andrew Wiley

 

MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff
Tegin Teich, Executive Director
Silva Ayvazyan
Logan Casey
Annette Demchur
Hiral Gandhi
Betsy Harvey
Ryan Hicks
Heyne Kim
Ethan Lapointe
Erin Maguire
Marty Milkovits
Rebecca Morgan
Srilekha Murthy
Gina Perille
Bradley Putnam
Judy Taylor
Sam Taylor