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Mobility Monitoring – Regional Trends
OVERVIEW • REGIONAL TRENDS • ROADWAYS • INTERSECTIONS • TRANSIT
BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN • HOV LANES • TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT • PARK-AND-RIDE
Arterial Roadways
Arterial roadways were monitored twice since the Congestion Management Process (CMP) began in the mid-1990s. Arterial roadway data and analysis have shown that, between the two monitoring periods, average peak-period speeds dropped and delay increased. Average peak-period speeds are now below the posted speed limit on about 40 percent of the monitored network. Of the two peak periods, the evening is worse, with 15 percent of the monitored signalized intersections having at least two approaches at an unacceptable level of service.
Limited-Access Highways
Travel speed data show that during the latest monitoring period, 10 percent more of the region´s expressway network had average morning peak-period speeds of less than 50 mph than during the preceding monitoring period five years earlier. However, for the evening peak period, the findings do not indicate that speeds have changed significantly between the two monitoring periods, possibly because deterioration of speeds during the evening peak period is harder to detect and measure, as the network is more congested at the outset of the evening peak period than at the outset of the morning peak period.
Public Transit
The performance measures of schedule adherence and passenger crowding offer a glimpse into the performance of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) transit system. In the case of bus performance, these measures are an indication of roadway congestion encountered by the buses. On average, of the morning peak-period bus trips, 36 percent arrive more than five minutes late; of the evening peak-period trips, 39 percent arrive more than five minutes late. The MBTA standard for passenger crowding is violated by 5 percent of the morning peak-period bus trips and 4 percent of the evening peak-period bus trips.
Park-and-Ride Lots
Since the preceding monitoring period, fewer park-and-ride lots at MBTA stations filled during the morning peak period, and the percentage of parking utilization also decreased. With regard to the five MassHighway park-and-ride lots in the MPO region, only one (Milton) reached capacity, and three of them were underutilized.
Freeway Vehicle Occupancy Counts
Vehicle-occupancy count data are collected as part of the CMP. The purpose of this monitoring is to provide data for future HOV system planning and transportation demand management (TDM). Vehicle occupancy data were most recently collected between June 15 and July 7, 2010, at seven locations throughout the greater Boston region.
High-Occupancy-Vehicle Lanes
The I-93/Southeast Expressway HOV lane carries a daily average of about 8,700 vehicles, which corresponds to an estimated daily average of 33,660 persons. Approximately 95 percent of the vehicles are automobiles with carpooling passengers; the remainder of the vehicles are vanpool vans, public and private transit buses, and motorcycles. The I-93 North inbound HOV lane, during the hours that it is restricted to HOV use (Monday to Friday, 6:00–10:00 AM), carries a daily average of about 3,106 vehicles and 8,142 persons; about 79 percent of the vehicles are automobiles with carpooling passengers.

A user of the I-93/Southeast Expressway HOV lane saves up to 10 minutes on the morning-peak-period, downtown-bound approach, and approximately 5 minutes on the evening-peak-period, southbound approach, compared to the general-purpose lanes, according to 2010 monitoring data. On the I-93 North HOV lane heading southbound, the morning-peak-period travel-time savings are nearly 5 minutes.
Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
The Congestion Management Program (CMP) documents key TDM activities in the region, largely performed by MassRIDES and transportation management associations (TMAs). For example, 40 vanpools are currently in operation; the vans originate in or are destined for urban and suburban locations in the Boston region, and they have an average daily round-trip mileage of 113 miles. Significant markets include commuters traveling from Cape Cod, southern New Hampshire, Worcester, and areas west of Worcester.
Bicycle and Pedestrian
Three pedestrian and bicycle transportation elements were examined: (1) pedestrian and bicycle access to transit, (2) the suitability of the CMP´s monitored arterial roadway network (all principal/major arterials in the MPO area and some selected minor arterials) for on-street bicycle use, and (3) the off-street bicycle network. The CMP identifies stations where safer street crossings for pedestrians could be provided and stations that lack minimal bicycle parking facilities. In terms of the suitability of CMP-monitored roadways for use by bicyclists during peak travel periods, the analysis indicates that only 14 percent of the network miles (directional*) can be rated "medium" or "best." A bicycle suitability index was developed for rating the CMP-monitored roadways.
* Directional miles: One mile of a two-way roadway equals two directional miles.

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