Draft Memorandum for the Record

Regional Transportation Advisory Council Meeting

October 13, 2021, Meeting Minutes

2:30 PM–4:15 PM, Zoom

Lenard Diggins, Chair, representing the MBTA Ridership Oversight Committee (ROC)

Meeting Agenda

Introductions

Lenard Diggins called the meeting to order at 2:30 PM. Members and guests attending the meeting introduced themselves. (For attendance list, see page three.)

Addressing the Needs of Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs)—Alexis Walls, Massachusetts Public Health Association, and Enrique Pepen, Transportation for Massachusetts

Enrique Pepen and Alexis Walls discussed the goals of the Regional Transit Authority Advocates Coalition (RTAAC), which provides a strong, unified voice for transit users in RTA service areas across Massachusetts. They presented data on the sources of funding to various RTAs in Massachusetts. They discussed how unpredictable and inadequate annual state funding levels have made it challenging for RTAs to innovate, expand, and improve to meet demonstrated community needs.

Alexis Walls discussed how the Task Force on RTA Performance and Funding made 24 recommendations toward increasing regional transit access, only one of which had been adopted. She discussed bill S.2277/H.3413, under consideration in the Massachusetts legislature, which aims to improve and expand regional transit accessibility.

Discussion

L. Diggins and A. Walls discussed how RTAs can help move the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) toward the goals outlined by RTAAC by focusing on increased and reliable funding for RTAs and prioritizing interregional connectivity.

Andy Reker, City of Cambridge, and A. Walls discussed whether bill S.2277/H.3413 has provisions that heavily encourage tangible results through cooperation between RTAs.

Draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Policies—Lenard Diggins, Chair

Lenard Diggins presented key elements of the Technical Memorandum “Draft Programming Policies to Address TIP Project Cost Increases,” which was prepared by the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Project Cost Ad Hoc Committee. The document, which was presented to the Boston Region MPO board at its September 23, 2021, meeting, recommends three main policy interventions in response to significant cost increases for projects previously selected for funding by the MPO in the TIP:

• Require more advanced design status at project programming
• Create additional touch points between project proponents, MPO staff, the MPO board, and MassDOT staff
• Rescore projects when costs increase beyond a specified threshold

L. Diggins discussed the problem areas that were identified in the Technical Memorandum; he presented some of the data that informed its recommendations; and he also discussed the specific policies changes recommended under each intervention category.

Discussion

Jon Seward, MoveMassachusetts, A. Reker, and L. Diggins discussed the use of “two Tier 2s” to organize the data in Figure 1 of the Technical Memorandum.

Advisory Council Election—Matt Archer, MPO Staff

Matt Archer explained that the current Chair, L. Diggins, and Vice-Chair, Scott Zadakis, National Rural Transit Assistance Program, had both expressed a high likelihood of standing for re-election to the Advisory Council. M. Archer called for other self-nominations to the same offices in the upcoming election. No self-nominations were made. M. Archer then asked L. Diggins and S. Zadakis, to each present a statement of their goals and priorities prior to the next Advisory Council meeting.

Old Business, New Business, and Member Announcements

There were no items.

Adjourn 

A motion to adjourn was made by the City of Cambridge (A. Reker) and seconded by MoveMassachusetts (J. Seward). The motion carried without objection.

Attendees