TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
AND AIR QUALITY CONFORMITY DETERMINATION:
FEDERAL FISCAL YEARS
2019–23

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Staff

Directed by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is composed of the following:

The Boston Region MPO complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal and state nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), religion, creed, gender, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran’s status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background. Any person who believes herself/himself or any specific class of persons to have been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI, ADA, or another nondiscrimination statute or regulation may, herself/himself or via a representative, file a written complaint with the MPO. Complaints filed under federal law (based on race, color, national origin [including limited English proficiency], sex, age, or disability) must be filed no later than 180 calendar days after the date the person believes the discrimination occurred. Complaints filed under Massachusetts General Law (based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry) or Governor's Executive Order 526, Section 4 (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) must be filed no later than 300 calendar days after the date the person believes the discrimination occurred. A complaint form and additional information may be obtained at www.bostonmpo.org or by contacting the MPO staff at 857.702.3700 (voice), 617.570.9193 (TTY), 617.570.9192 (fax), or eharvey@ctps.org.

To request additional copies of this document or to request it in an accessible format, please contact MPO staff using the methods described below. It is also possible to download the document by visiting www.bostonmpo.org.

Mail                      Boston Region MPO

                             Certification Activities Group

                             10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150

                             Boston, MA 02116-3968

Telephone:          857.702.3700

TTY:                     617.973.7089

Fax:                      617.570.9192

Email:                  publicinfo@ctps.org

This document was funded in part through grants from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the USDOT.

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY                                                                                                               ES-1

CHAPTER ONE – THE 3C PROCESS                                                                                             1-1

CHAPTER TWO – THE TIP PROCESS                                                                                           2-1

CHAPTER THREE – HIGHWAY AND TRANSIT PROGRAMMING                                                  3-1

            Project Tables FFYs 2019 – 23                                                                                        3-3

CHAPTER FOUR – TIP PERFORMORNACE MONITORING                                                          4-1

CHAPTER FIVE – DETERMINATION OF AIR QUALITY CONFORMITY                                         5-1

APPENDICES                                                                                                                                      

         A    Universe of Unprogrammed Projects                                                                            A-1

         B    Greenhouse Gas Monitoring and Evaluation                                                                  B-1

         C    Public Outreach and Comments                                                                                    C-1

         D    Glossary of Acronyms                                                                                                D-1

         E    Geographic Distribution of TIP Funding                                                                         E-1

Executive Summary

Federal Fiscal Years 2019–23 Transportation Improvement Program

introduction

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) five-year transportation capital investment plan, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), is the near-term investment program for the region’s transportation system. Guided by the Boston Region MPO’s vision, goals, and objectives, the TIP prioritizes investments that preserve the current transportation system in a state of good repair, provide safe transportation for all modes, enhance livability, and improve mobility throughout the region. These investments fund major highway reconstruction, arterial roadway and intersection improvements, maintenance and expansion of the public transit system, bicycle path construction, and improvements for pedestrians.

The Boston Region MPO is guided by a 22-member board with representatives of state agencies, regional organizations, and municipalities; its jurisdiction extends roughly from Boston north to Ipswich, south to Marshfield, and west to municipalities along Interstate 495. Each year, the MPO conducts a process to decide how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects. The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS), which is the staff to the MPO, manages the TIP-development process.

MPO staff coordinates the evaluation of project requests, proposes programming of current and new projects based on anticipated funding levels, supports the MPO in developing a draft TIP document, and facilitates a public review of the draft before the MPO endorses the final document.

Federal fiscal years 2019–23 Tip overview

The federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2019–23 TIP consists of transportation investments programmed in the Highway Program and Transit Program with funding sources from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), respectively.

These investments reflect the MPO’s goal of targeting a majority of transportation resources toward preserving and modernizing the existing roadway and transit systems and maintaining them in a state of good repair. This TIP also devotes a portion of funding for expanding the rapid transit system and new shared-use paths.

In addition, a number of the infrastructure investments in this TIP address needs identified in the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Charting Progress to 2040; or they implement recommendations from past studies and reports that were funded through the MPO’s Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) (www.bostonmpo.org/upwp).

The TIP also supports the three strategic priorities of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT):

• Reliability: Maintain and improve the overall condition and reliability of the transportation system
• Modernization: Modernize the transportation system to make it safer and more accessible and to accommodate growth
• Expansion: Expand diverse transportation options for communities throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

FFYs 2019–23 TIP investments

The complete TIP program is available in Chapter 3 of this document and online at www.ctps.org/tip. The TIP tables provide details of how funding is allocated to each programmed project and capital investment program. These tables are organized by federal fiscal year, and are grouped according to the transit program and the highway program.

Transit Program

The Transit Program of the TIP provides funding for projects and programs that address the capital needs prioritized by the three transit authorities in the region: the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA), and the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA). The Transit Program is predominantly dedicated to achieving and maintaining a state of good repair for all assets throughout the transit system. The FFYs 2019–23 TIP includes $3.2 billion in transit investments that will support state of good repair, modernize transit systems, and increase access to transit. The Green Line Extension project is a major project programmed in this TIP that will expand transit service.

Highway Program

The Highway Program of the TIP funds the priority transportation projects advanced by MassDOT and the cities and towns within the MPO region. The program is devoted primarily to preserving and modernizing the existing roadway network by resurfacing highways, replacing bridges, and reconstructing arterial roadways.

In Massachusetts, Federal-Aid Highway Program funding is apportioned by MassDOT, which allocates funding to Grant Anticipation Notes (GANs) payments, various statewide programs, and Regional Targets for the state’s MPOs. In the FFYs 2019–23 TIP, roadway, bridge, and bicycle and pedestrian programs account for $1.4 billion in funding to the Boston region. The Regional Target funding provided to the MPOs may be programmed for projects at the discretion of each MPO, whereas MassDOT has discretion to propose its recommended projects for statewide programs, such as those related to bridge repairs and interstate highway maintenance.

REGIONAL TARGET PROGRAM DETAILS

During FFYs 2019–23, the Boston Region MPO plans to fund 38 projects and programs with its Regional Target funding:

• 22 Complete Streets projects, such as the reconstruction of Route 139 in Holbrook
• Five Major Infrastructure projects, such as the reconstruction of Rutherford Avenue in Boston
• Eight Intersection Improvements projects, such as improvements to the intersection of Route 28 and Hopkins Street in Reading
• Two Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Connections projects, such as Phase 2D of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
• A Community Transportation Program, which will support projects that provide first-mile/last-mile connections in the region

Figure ES-1 shows how the Regional Target funding for FFYs 2019–23 is distributed across the MPO’s investment programs. As the chart shows, the Boston Region MPO’s Regional Target Program is devoted primarily to modernizing and expanding the transportation network through Major Infrastructure and Complete Streets investments.

FIGURE ES-1

FFYs 2019-23 TIP Regional Target Funding
by Investment Program

 

^{Data Source: Boston Region MPO.}

These investments will be implemented in 37 cities and towns throughout the MPO region, ranging from high-density, built-out inner core communities to developing suburbs. Figure ES-2 identifies the type of communities—as defined by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)—that will receive these investments.

FIGURE ES-2

MPO Municipalities containing FFYs 2019–23 TIP Program Projects by Community Type

• Developing suburb investments include roadway reconstruction and corridor improvements in Bellingham, Cohasset, Hopkinton, Ipswich, and Walpole; and intersection improvements in Littleton and Wrentham.
• Regional urban center investments include intersection improvements in Beverly and Norwood; and roadway reconstruction and corridor improvements in Beverly, Framingham, Lynn, Milford, Peabody, Quincy, and Woburn.
• Inner core investments include corridor reconstructions in Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Newton, Watertown, and Winthrop; and the Green Line Extension in Cambridge, Medford, and Somerville.
• Maturing suburb investments include intersection improvements in Acton, Marblehead and Reading; bikeway extensions in Bedford and Sudbury; and corridor improvements in Ashland, Dedham, Holbrook, Hull, Natick, Needham, and Scituate.

financing the ffys 2019–23 tip

Transit Program

The FTA allocates the funds programmed in the TIP Transit Program according to formula. The three regional transit authorities in the Boston Region MPO area that are recipients of these funds are the MBTA, CATA, and MWRTA. The MBTA, with its extensive transit program and infrastructure, is the recipient of the preponderance of the region’s federal transit funds.

Under the federal transportation legislation, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), funding is allocated by the following categories:

• Section 5307 (Urbanized Area Formula Grants): Provides grants to urbanized areas to support public transportation based on levels of transit service, population, and other factors
• Section 5337 (Fixed Guideway/Bus): Seeks to maintain public transportation systems in a state of good repair through replacement and rehabilitation capital projects
• Section 5339 (Bus and Bus Facilities): Provides funding to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment, and to construct bus-related facilities
• Section 5309 (Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grants): Provides grants for new and expanded rail, bus rapid transit, and ferry systems that reflect local priorities to improve transportation options in key corridors
• Section 5310 (Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities): Provides funding to support transportation to meet the special needs of older adults and persons with disabilities

Highway Program

The TIP Highway Program was developed with the assumption that federal funding for the state would range between $661 million and $726 million annually over the next five years (these amounts include the funds that would be set aside as payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program, and exclude required matching funds).

The process of deciding how to use this federal funding in the Boston region follows several steps. First, MassDOT reserves funding for GANs debt service payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program; annual GANs payments range between $66 million and $94 million annually over the five years of this TIP.

The remaining Federal-Aid Highway Program funds are budgeted to support state and regional (that is, MPO) priorities. In this planning cycle, $734 million to $782 million annually was available statewide for programming (these amounts include both federal dollars and the local match). MassDOT customarily provides the local match (which can also be provided by other entities); thus, projects are typically funded with 80 percent federal dollars and 20 percent state dollars, depending on the funding program.

MassDOT allocates approximately one-third of the total available federal funding among the state’s MPOs for programming. This discretionary funding for MPOs is suballocated by formula to determine the Regional Target amounts. MassDOT develops these targets in consultation with the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA).

MassDOT then finalizes the statewide program targets. Funding is allocated across the following funding categories:

• Reliability Programs: These programs include the Bridge Program—comprising inspections, systematic maintenance, and National Highway System (NHS) and non-NHS improvements—the Pavement Program, the Roadway Improvements Program, and the Safety Improvements Program.
• Modernization Programs: These programs include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Retrofit Program, the Intersection Improvement Program, the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Program, and the Roadway Reconstruction Program.
• Expansion Programs: These programs include the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program and the Capacity Program.

This TIP assumes that the Boston Region MPO will have between $98 million and $109 million annually for Regional Target amounts (which consist of federal funding and state funding for the local match).

Each MPO may decide how to prioritize its Regional Target funding. Given that the Regional Target funding is a subset of the Highway Program, the MPO typically programs the majority of funding for roadway projects; however, the MPO has flexed portions of its highway funding to the Transit Program for transit expansion projects. The TIP Highway Program details the projects that will receive Regional Target funding from the Boston Region MPO, as well as statewide infrastructure projects within the Boston region.

the tip development process

Overview

When determining which projects to fund through the Regional Target funding process, MPO members collaborate with municipalities, state agencies, members of the public, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders. The MPO uses evaluation criteria in its project selection process to help identify and prioritize projects that advance the MPO’s goals, which are categorized as follows:

• Safety
• System Preservation
• Capacity Management/Mobility
• Clean Air/Clean Communities
• Transportation Equity
• Economic Vitality

Additionally, the MPO has established investment programs, which are designed to direct Regional Target funding towards MPO priority areas over the next 25 years:

• Intersection Improvements
• Complete Streets
• Major Infrastructure
• Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Connections
• Community Transportation/Parking/Clean Air and Mobility

Projects that the MPO selects to receive Regional Target funding through the TIP development process are included in one of the five programs listed above.

In recent years, the MPO has been incorporating performance-based planning and programming (PBPP) practices into its TIP development and other processes. These practices are designed to help direct MPO funds towards achieving specific outcomes for the transportation system. The MPO’s goals and investment programs are key components of its PBPP framework. In FFY 2018, the MPO began to set targets for specific performance measures. Over time, the MPO will more closely link its performance targets, investment decisions, and monitoring and evaluation activities. See Chapter 4 for more information on PBPP.

Outreach and Data Collection

The outreach process begins early in the federal fiscal year, when cities and towns designate TIP contacts and begin developing a list of priority projects to be considered for federal funding. The MPO staff asks the staffs of cities and towns in the region to identify their priority projects.

MPO staff compiles the project funding requests into a Universe of Unprogrammed Projects, a list of all projects identified as potential candidates to receive funding through the TIP. The Universe includes projects that are fully designed and ready to be advertised for construction, those that are undergoing preliminary engineering and design, and projects still in the conceptual or planning stage. MPO staff also collects data on each project in the Universe so that the projects may be evaluated.

Project Evaluation

MPO staff evaluates projects based on how well they address the MPO’s goals. In order for MPO staff to conduct a complete project evaluation, the project must have a functional design report or be at a 25-percent design stage; or its plans must include the level of detail defined in a functional design report. The evaluation results are posted on the MPO’s website where project proponents, municipal officials, and members of the public may review them and provide feedback.

TIP Readiness Day

An important step toward TIP programming takes place midway through the TIP development cycle at a meeting—referred to as TIP Readiness Day—that both MassDOT and MPO staff attend. At this meeting, MassDOT Highway Division provides updates about cost and schedule changes related to currently programmed projects. These cost and schedule changes must be taken into account as MPO staff helps the MPO board consider updates to the already programmed years of the TIP, as well as the addition of new projects in the outermost year of the TIP.

Staff Recommendation and Draft TIP

Using the evaluation results and information about project readiness (that is, when a project likely would be fully designed and ready for advertisement), staff prepares the First-Tier List of Projects. This list contains those projects that are supported by a project proponent (a municipality or MassDOT) and that could be made ready for advertising within the TIP’s time horizon—the next five federal fiscal years. The projects are ranked based on the evaluation results.

MPO staff then prepares a recommendation or a series of programming scenarios for how to program the Regional Target funding in the TIP based on the First-Tier List of Projects and other considerations, such as whether a project was included in the LRTP, addresses an identified transportation need, or promotes distribution of transportation investments across the region.

The staff recommendation is always financially constrained—meaning, subject to available funding. There was approximately $521 million of Regional Target funding available to the Boston Region MPO for FFYs 2019–23. This year, the MPO discussed the staff recommendation and programming scenarios for the Regional Target Program for highway projects and selected a preferred program in April.

In addition to prioritizing the Regional Target funding, the MPO also reviews and endorses the Statewide Infrastructure Items and Bridge Programs that MassDOT recommends for programming. The MPO also reviews and endorses programming of funds for the MBTA’s, CATA’s, and MWRTA’s capital programs.

approving the tip

After selecting a preferred programming scenario in April 2018,  the MPO voted to release the draft TIP for a 30-day public review period, during which the MPO invited members of the public, regional and local officials, and other stakeholders in the Boston region to review the proposed program. During the public review period, MPO staff hosted extended Office Hours—open-house style public meetings—and a TIP-specific open house event, to discuss the draft TIP document and elicit additional comments.

After the public review period concluded, the MPO reviewed all municipal and public comments and made changes to the document as appropriate.  The MPO then endorsed the TIP and submitted it to the FHWA and the FTA for approval. MassDOT incorporates the MPO-endorsed TIP into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The FHWA, FTA, and US Environmental Protection Agency review the STIP for certification by September 30, the close of the federal fiscal year.

Updates to the TIP

Even after the TIP has been finalized, administrative modifications, amendments, and adjustments often must be introduced because of changes in project status, project cost, or available revenues. This may necessitate reprogramming a project in a different funding year or programming additional funds for a project.

Notices of administrative modifications and amendments are posted on the MPO’s website. If an amendment is necessary, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council—the public advisory board to the MPO—is informed, and the MPO notifies affected municipalities and other stakeholders via email. The MPO typically holds a 30-day public review period before taking final action on an amendment. In extraordinary circumstances, the MPO may vote to shorten the public comment period to a minimum of 15 days. Administrative modifications and adjustments are generally minor and usually do not warrant a public review period.

stay involved with the Tip

Public input is an important aspect of the transportation planning process. Please visit www.bostonmpo.org for more information about the MPO, to view the entire TIP, and to submit your comments. You also may wish to sign up for email news updates and notices by contacting publicinfo@ctps.org or signing up at www.ctps.org/subscribe.

To request a copy of the TIP in accessible formats, please contact the MPO staff by any of the following means:

Mail:               Boston Region MPO c/o CTPS

                        Certification Activities Group

                        10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150

                        Boston, MA  02116-3968

Telephone:    857.702.3700

TTY:                617.973.7089

Fax:                617.570.9192

Email:             publicinfo@ctps.org

Chapter One

The 3C Process

introduction to the 3C process

Decisions about how to spend transportation funds in a metropolitan area are guided by information and ideas from a broad group of people, including elected officials, municipal planners and engineers, transportation advocates, and other interested individuals. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are the bodies responsible for providing a forum for this decision-making process. Each metropolitan area in the United States with a population of 50,000 or more has an MPO, which decides how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects and planning studies.

In order to be eligible for federal funds, metropolitan areas are required to maintain a continuous, comprehensive, and cooperative (3C) multimodal, performance-based transportation planning process that results in plans and programs consistent with the objectives of the metropolitan area.1 The 3C planning process in the Boston region is the responsibility of the Boston Region MPO, which has established the following objectives for the process:

• Identify transportation problems and develop possible solutions
• Balance short- and long-range considerations so that decisions that lead to beneficial, incremental actions adequately reflect an understanding of probable future consequences and possible future options
• Represent both regional and local considerations as well as both transportation and non-transportation objectives and impacts when analyzing project issues
• Assist agencies responsible for implementing projects in effecting timely policy and project decisions with adequate consideration of environmental, land use, social, fiscal, and economic impacts, and with adequate opportunity for participation by other agencies, local governments, and members of the public
• Help implementing agencies to prioritize transportation activities in a manner consistent with the region’s needs and resources
• Comply with the requirements of Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act); Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); Clean Air Act; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations; Executive Order 13330: Human Services Transportation Coordination; and Executive Order 13166: Improving Access to Services for Persons With Limited English Proficiency

The Boston Region MPO

The Boston Region MPO is a 22-member board consisting of state agencies and regional and municipal organizations. Its jurisdiction extends from Boston north to Ipswich, south to Marshfield, and west to Interstate 495. There are 97 cities and towns that make up this area. Those municipalities are divided into eight subregional areas (as shown in Figure 1-1).

As part of its 3C planning process, the Boston Region MPO annually produces the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). These documents, along with the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), are required for the MPO to be certified as meeting federal requirements, which in turn is a prerequisite for receiving federal transportation funds. These three plans and programs are often referred to as certification documents.

This TIP was developed and approved by the permanent and elected MPO voting members. The following are permanent voting members:

• Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
• Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
• MBTA Advisory Board
• Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)
• City of Boston
• Regional Transportation Advisory Council (Advisory Council)

Municipal MPO members are elected by chief elected officials of the municipalities in the MPO region to represent the interests of the entire region. There are seats designated for at-large cities and at-large towns—which, respectively, may be filled by any city and town in the region—as well as seats for cities and towns within specific subregions. The current elected municipal MPO voting members are listed below (with their subregional affiliations noted):

• Town of Arlington: At-Large Town
• Town of Bedford: Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination
• City of Beverly: North Shore Task Force
• Town of Braintree: South Shore Coalition
• City of Everett: At-Large City
• City of Framingham: MetroWest Regional Collaborative
• Town of Lexington: At-Large Town
• Town of Medway: SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee
• City of Newton: At-Large City
• Town of Norwood: Three Rivers Interlocal Council
• City of Somerville: Inner Core Committee
• City of Woburn: North Suburban Planning Council

Figure 1-1

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participate in the MPO as advisory (nonvoting) members. Figure 1-2 is an organization chart of MPO membership and of the MPO’s staff, the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS).

More details about the MPO’s members are cited below. All members—except for MassDOT and the City of Boston—hold one seat on the MPO board. MassDOT has three seats, including one for the Highway Division. The City of Boston has two seats.

MassDOT was established under Chapter 25 of the Acts of 2009, An Act Modernizing the Transportation Systems of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. MassDOT has four divisions: Highway, Rail and Transit, Aeronautics, and the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The MassDOT Board of Directors, comprised of 11 members appointed by the governor, oversees all four divisions and all MassDOT operations, including the MBTA.

• The MassDOT Highway Division has jurisdiction over the roadways, bridges, and tunnels formerly overseen by the Massachusetts Highway Department and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. It also has jurisdiction over many bridges and parkways previously under the authority of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The Highway Division is responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of the Commonwealth’s state highways and bridges. It is also responsible for overseeing traffic safety and engineering activities for the state highway system. These activities include operating the Highway Operations Control Center to ensure safe road and travel conditions.
• The Rail and Transit Division oversees MassDOT’s freight and passenger rail program and provides oversight of Massachusetts’ 15 regional transit authorities (RTAs), as well as intercity bus services, MBTA paratransit service (THE RIDE), and the Massachusetts Mobility Management Center, a resource that helps communities develop the capacity to better serve people with mobility challenges.

The MBTAhas the statutory responsibility within its district, under the provisions of Chapter 161A of the Massachusetts General Laws (MGLs), for preparing the engineering and architectural designs for transit development projects, constructing and operating transit development projects, and operating the public transportation system. The MBTA district comprises 175 communities, including all of the cities and towns of the Boston Region MPO area. As a result of an action plan to improve the MBTA, a five-member Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) was created in April 2015 to oversee the MBTA’s finances and management and to increase accountability, initially over a three-to-five-year period. By statute, the FMCB consists of five members, one with experience in transportation finance, one with experience in mass transit operations, and three who are also members of the MassDOT Board of Directors.

The MBTA Advisory Board was created by the state legislature in 1964 through the same legislation that created the MBTA. The Advisory Board consists of representatives from the 175 cities and towns that compose the MBTA district. Cities are represented by either the city manager or mayor, and towns are represented by the chairperson of the board of selectmen. Specific responsibilities of the Advisory Board include providing public oversight of MBTA expenditures; reviewing and offering advice on the MBTA’s long-range plan; evaluating the MBTA’s annual budget; evaluating proposed fare changes and substantial changes in transit service; and consulting with the MBTA about service quality standards.

Massport has the statutory responsibility under Chapter 465 of the Acts of 1956, as amended, of planning, constructing, owning, and operating such transportation and related facilities as may be necessary for developing and improving commerce in Boston and the surrounding metropolitan area. Massport owns and operates Boston’s Logan International Airport, Conley Freight Terminal, Cruiseport Boston, Hanscom Field, Worcester Regional Airport, and various maritime and waterfront properties, including parks in East Boston, South Boston, and Charlestown.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council is the regional planning agency for 101 cities and towns in the Boston region. MAPC is composed of the chief executive officer (or designee) of each city and town in the region, 21 gubernatorial appointees, and 12 ex-officio members. MAPC has statutory responsibility for comprehensive regional planning in the region under Chapter 40B of the MGLs. It is the Boston Metropolitan Clearinghouse under Section 204 of the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966, and Title VI of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968. MAPC’s planning area also has been designated as an economic development district under Title IV of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended. MAPC’s responsibilities for comprehensive planning include providing technical assistance to communities, transportation planning, and the development of zoning, land use, and demographic and environmental studies.

This work is facilitated by municipal subregional groups that foster better communication and cooperation among member communities. These groups have played an important role in the MPO’s participatory process, including by helping to prioritize transportation projects and studies. MAPC staff complements CTPS on supporting the MPO.

The City of Boston and twelve elected cities and towns (currently Arlington, Bedford, Beverly, Braintree, Everett, Framingham, Lexington, Medway, Newton, Norwood, Somerville, and Woburn) represent the region’s municipalities in the Boston region. The City of Boston is a permanent MPO member (with two seats). There is one elected municipal seat for each of the eight MAPC subregions, and there are four at-large elected municipalities (two cities and two towns). The elected municipalities serve staggered three-year terms.

The Regional Transportation Advisory Council, the MPO’s public advisory group, provides the opportunity for transportation-related organizations, agencies, and municipal representatives to become actively involved in the MPO’s decision-making processes for planning and programming transportation projects in the region. The Advisory Council reviews, comments on, and makes recommendations on the MPO’s certification documents. The Advisory Council also provides information about transportation topics in the region, identifies issues, advocates for ways to address the region’s transportation needs, and generates interest in the work of the MPO among members of the general public.

The FHWA and FTA participate in the Boston Region MPO in an advisory (nonvoting) capacity, reviewing the MPO’s certification documents to ensure compliance with federal planning and programming requirements. The two federal agencies oversee the highway and transit programs of the US Department of Transportation under the pertinent legislation and the provisions of the FAST Act.

Staff at CTPS and MAPC assist the MPO board in carrying out the responsibilities of the MPO’s 3C planning process through policy implementation, technical support, and public participation.

Certification Documents

The following section briefly describes the three documents produced by the MPO as part of its federally required 3C planning process:

• The Long-Range Transportation Plan and Air Quality Conformity Determination (LRTP) guides investment in the transportation system of the Boston metropolitan region for the next 20 years. The LRTP defines an overarching vision of the future of transportation in the region, establishes goals and objectives that will lead to achievement of that vision, and allocates projected transportation funds to projects and programs consistent with established goals and objectives. The Boston Region MPO produces an LRTP every four years; Charting Progress to 2040, the current LRTP was endorsed by the MPO in 2015. The LRTP also guides the MPO’s development of the TIP and UPWP.
• The Transportation Improvement Program and Air Quality Conformity Determination (TIP) is a multiyear program of intermodal transportation improvements consistent with the LRTP. The TIP describes and prioritizes transportation projects that are expected to be implemented during a five-year period. (The FHWA and the FTA consider the projects in the fifth year as illustrative only.) The types of projects funded include major highway reconstruction and maintenance, arterial and intersection improvements, public transit expansion and maintenance, bicycle paths and related facilities, and improvements to pedestrian infrastructure. The TIP contains a financial plan that shows the revenue sources, current or proposed, for each project.

The TIP serves as the implementation arm of the LRTP; the Boston Region MPO updates the TIP annually. An MPO-endorsed TIP is incorporated into the State Transportation Improvement Program, which in turn is submitted to FHWA, FTA, and the US Environmental Protection Agency for approval.

• The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) describes all of the supportive planning activities undertaken by the MPO, including data resources management, preparation of the federally required certification documents, and ongoing transportation planning assistance. It contains information about surface transportation planning projects that will be conducted in the Boston metropolitan region. The UPWP has a one-year scope, and is produced annually.

      The studies and work products programmed for funding through the UPWP are integrally related to other planning initiatives conducted by the Boston Region MPO, as well as to initiatives by MassDOT, the MBTA, Massport, MAPC, and the region’s municipalities. The UPWP efforts can be a means to study transportation projects and alternatives before they are advanced for further design, construction, and future programming through the TIP.

Consistency with Federal Planning Regulations

FAST Act Legislation

The FAST Act requires all MPOs to fulfill the 3C planning process. To meet this requirement, MPOs must perform the following activities:

• Produce the certification documents: the LRTP, TIP, and UPWP
• Establish and oversee the public-participation process in the development of those documents
• Maintain transportation models and data resources to support both air quality conformity determinations and long- and short-range planning work

The FAST Act also maintains national goals for federal highway programs, including the following:

1.   Safety: Achieve significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads

2.   Infrastructure condition: Maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair

3.   Congestion reduction: Achieve significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System

4.   System reliability: Improve efficiency of the surface transportation system

5.   Freight movement and economic vitality: Improve the national freight network, strengthen the ability of rural communities to access national and international trade markets, and support regional economic development

6.   Environmental sustainability: Enhance performance of the transportation system while protecting and enhancing the natural environment

7.   Reduced project delivery delays: Reduce project costs; promote jobs and the economy; and expedite movement of people and goods by accelerating project completion, eliminating delays in the development and delivery process, lessening regulatory burdens, and improving the work practices of the agencies involved

In addition, the FAST Act maintains the federal planning factors established in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and adds two new planning factors. In accordance with the legislation, the MPO shall comply with the following factors:

• Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency
• Increase the safety of the transportation system for all motorized and nonmotorized users
• Increase the ability of the transportation system to support homeland security and to safeguard the personal security of all motorized and nonmotorized users
• Increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight
• Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and state and local planned growth and economic development patterns
• Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight
• Promote efficient system management and operation
• Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system
• Improve the resiliency and reliability of the transportation system and reduce or mitigate stormwater impacts of surface transportation
• Enhance travel and tourism

Federal guidance dictates that the 3C planning process should facilitate the safe and efficient management, operation, and development of surface transportation systems that will serve the mobility needs of people and freight. The surface transportation system should foster economic growth and development within and between states and urbanized areas, and take into consideration resiliency needs while minimizing transportation-related fuel consumption and air pollution.

The FAST Act continues to emphasize performance-based planning as an integral part of the metropolitan planning process. States are to develop performance goals, guided by the national goals, and then MPOs will work with state departments of transportation (DOTs) and public transportation providers to develop MPO performance targets. The TIP will integrate the MPOs’ performance measures and link transportation investment decisions to progress toward achieving performance goals.

Consistency with Other Federal Legislative Requirements

The Clean Air Act of 1990

Air quality conformity determinations must be performed for LRTPs and TIPs in areas that are classified as in nonattainment for pollutants controlled by National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Capital improvement projects that receive federal funding and that are considered regionally significant must be analyzed for their effect on air quality. These determinations must show that, collectively, projects programmed in the LRTP and TIP will not cause or contribute to any new air quality violations, will not increase the frequency or severity of any existing air quality violations in any area, and will not delay the timely attainment of air quality standards in any area.

A determination must also be performed if there are transportation control measures (TCMs) identified in the Commonwealth’s State Implementation Plan for the attainment of air quality standards in the region. TCMs are federally enforceable, and projects that address the identified air quality issues must be given first priority when using federal funds. Examples of TCMs that were programmed in previous TIPs include parking-freeze programs in Boston and Cambridge, statewide rideshare programs, rapid-transit and commuter-rail extension programs, park-and-ride facilities, residential parking-sticker programs, and the operation of high-occupancy-vehicle lanes.

Nondiscrimination Mandates

The Boston Region MPO complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the ADA, and other federal and state nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all of its programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), income, religion, creed, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background. The major federal requirements are discussed below.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that no person be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin under any program or activity provided by an agency receiving federal financial assistance.

Executive Order 13166, dated August 11, 2000, extends Title VI protections to persons who, as a result of national origin, have limited English proficiency (LEP). Specifically, it calls for improved access to programs and activities conducted or assisted by federal agencies, and it requires MPOs to develop and implement a system by which LEP persons can meaningfully participate in the transportation planning process.

Environmental Justice Executive Orders

Executive Order 12898, dated February 11, 1994, further expands upon Title VI, requiring each federal agency to achieve environmental justice by identifying and addressing any disproportionately high adverse human health or environmental effects on minority or low-income populations, including interrelated social and economic effects, resulting from its programs, policies, and activities.

On April 15, 1997, the US Department of Transportation issued its Final Order to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations. Among other provisions, this order calls for programming and planning activities to meet the following requirements:

• Explicitly consider the effects of transportation decisions on minority and low-income populations
• Provide meaningful opportunities for public involvement by members of minority and low-income populations
• Gather (where relevant, appropriate, and practical) demographic information such as the race, color, national origin, and income level of the populations affected by transportation decisions
• Minimize or mitigate any adverse impact on minority or low-income populations

The Americans with Disabilities Act

Title III of the ADA requires all transportation projects, plans, and programs to be accessible to people with disabilities. In regard to MPOs, this means that public meetings must be held in accessible buildings and documents must be made available in accessible formats.

Executive Order 13330

Executive Order 13330, dated February 26, 2004, calls for the establishment of the Interagency Transportation Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility, under the aegis of the US Secretary of Transportation. This executive order reinforces both environmental justice and ADA requirements by charging the council with developing policies and methods for improving access for persons with disabilities, persons with low-income, and older adults.

Coordination with Other MPO Planning Activities

Long-Range Transportation Plan

The MPO considers the degree to which a proposed TIP project would advance the goals and objectives of its LRTP. The MPO also reviews TIP projects within the context of the recommended projects already included in the LRTP.

Unified Planning Work Program Studies

The MPO aims to implement the findings and recommendations of past studies and reports conducted through the UPWP when developing the TIP.

Congestion Management Process

The purpose of the Congestion Management Process (CMP) is to monitor and analyze the performance of transportation facilities and services; develop strategies to alleviate congestion; and move these strategies into the implementation stage by providing decision-makers in the region with information and recommendations. The CMP monitors roadways and park-and-ride facilities in the MPO region for safety, congestion, and mobility, and identifies problematic locations. Projects that help address problems identified in the most recent CMP monitoring endeavor were considered for inclusion in this TIP.

CONSISTENCY WITH STATE REQUIREMENTS

Global Warming Solutions Act

The Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) makes Massachusetts a leader in setting aggressive and enforceable greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets and implementing policies and initiatives to achieve these targets. In keeping with this law, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, in consultation with other state agencies and the public, developed the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020. This implementation plan, released on December 29, 2010 (and updated in 2015), establishes the following targets for overall statewide GHG emission reductions:

• 25 percent reduction below statewide 1990 GHG emission levels by 2020
• 80 percent reduction below statewide 1990 GHG emission levels by 2050

In January 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection promulgated regulation 310 CMR 60.05, Global Warming Solutions Act Requirements for the Transportation Sector and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. This regulation places a range of obligations on MassDOT and MPOs to support achievement of the Commonwealth’s climate change goals through the programming of transportation funds. In particular, MPOs must use GHG impact as a selection criterion when they review projects to be programmed in their TIPs. Appendix B of this document includes information about these requirements and how the Boston Region MPO has addressed them in developing the TIP.

GreenDOT Policy

The transportation sector is the single largest contributor of GHGs—accounting for more than one-third of GHG emissions—and, therefore, is a major focus of the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020. MassDOT’s approach to fulfilling its part of the plan is presented in its GreenDOT Policy Directive, a comprehensive sustainability initiative that sets three principal objectives:

• Reduce GHG emissions from the transportation sector. MassDOT will achieve this objective by taking GHG emissions into account in all of its responsibilities, including strategic planning, project design and construction, and system operations.
• Promote the healthy transportation modes of walking, bicycling, and taking public transit. MassDOT will achieve this objective by pursuing multimodal Complete Streets design standards, providing choices in transportation services, and working with MPOs and other partners to balance funding for projects that serve drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit riders.
• Support smart growth development. MassDOT will achieve this objective by working with MPOs and other partners to invest in transportation projects that make possible denser smart growth development patterns, which help reduce GHG emissions.

The Commonwealth’s 10 MPOs and three non-metropolitan planning regions are integrally involved in helping MassDOT achieve its GreenDOT objectives and supporting the GHG reductions mandated under the GWSA. The MPOs seek to realize these objectives by prioritizing projects in the LRTP and TIP that will help reduce emissions from the transportation sector. The Boston Region MPO uses its TIP project evaluation criteria to score projects based on their GHG emissions impacts, multimodal Complete Streets accommodations, and ability to support smart growth development. Tracking and evaluating GHG emissions by project will enable the MPOs to anticipate GHG impacts of the planned and programmed projects.

Coordination with Other Planning Activities

The MBTA’s Program for Mass Transportation

In 2009, the MBTA adopted its current Program for Mass Transportation (PMT). The PMT was developed with extensive public involvement and was approved by the MBTA Advisory Board.

The next PMT, Focus40, is under development (and expected to be released by mid-2018). Focus40 is the 20-year investment plan to position the MBTA to meet the needs of the greater Boston region through 2040. The Focus40 process will create a long-term investment vision that recognizes current infrastructure challenges and the shifting demographics, changing climate, and evolving technology that may alter the role that the MBTA will play in greater Boston in the future. Focus40 will emphasize 1) improving system performance and reliability; 2) supporting economic growth; 3) supporting inclusive growth; 4) mitigating and adapting to climate change; and 5) providing a seamless multimodal experience.

In 2016, the Focus40 team examined the existing conditions and future context for the transit system, developed goals, and collected feedback and ideas for improvements through an extensive public engagement process. During 2017, the team established the plan’s framework and objectives and began to develop a recommended strategy. In 2018, MassDOT and the MBTA will propose programs and strategies that align with that framework and finalize the plan. Recommendations from Focus40 will support MassDOT’s Capital Investment Plan.

The Boston MPO continues to monitor the development of Focus40 to inform its decision making about transit capital investments in the TIP and LRTP.

MetroFuture

MetroFuture, the long-range plan for land use, housing, economic development, and environmental preservation in the Boston region,was developed by MAPC and adopted in 2008. It includes a vision for the region’s future and a set of strategies for achieving that future. Its goals and objectives were used in developing the future land-use scenario for Charting Progress to 2040. MetroFuture’s goals, objectives, and strategies were considered in the development of this TIP. MAPC is working on an update to the plan.

MassDOT Healthy Transportation Initiatives

On September 9, 2013, MassDOT passed the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive to formalize its commitment to implementing and maintaining transportation networks that allow for various mode choices. This directive will ensure that all MassDOT projects are designed and implemented in ways that provide all customers with access to safe and comfortable walking, bicycling, and transit options.

In November 2015, MassDOT released the Separated Bike Lane Planning & Design Guide. This guide represents the next—but not the last—step in MassDOT’s continuing commitment to Complete Streets, sustainable transportation, and the creation of more safe and convenient transportation options for Massachusetts’ residents. This guide may be used by project planners and designers as a resource for considering, evaluating, and designing separated bike lanes as part of a Complete Streets approach.

In Charting Progress to 2040, the Boston Region MPO has established investment programs—particularly its Complete Streets and Bicycle and Pedestrian programs—that support the implementation of Complete Streets projects. These investment programs are reflected in this TIP. The MPO’s TIP project selection criteria also reflect the MPO’s support for the programming of Complete Streets and bicycle and pedestrian investments.

Consistency with MPO goals and objectives

In the development of Charting Progress to 2040, the Boston Region MPO updated its vision, goals, and objectives. These updated goals and objectives, listed on the following pages, guided the 2016 update of the TIP evaluation criteria. As such, the investments in the TIP aim to achieve the following:

• Provide safe transportation for all modes
• Maintain the transportation system
• Use existing facility capacity more efficiently
• Increase healthy transportation options
• Create an environmentally friendly transportation system
• Afford comparable access and service quality among communities, regardless of income level or minority population
• Ensure that our transportation network serves as a strong foundation for economic vitality

Chapter 4 demonstrates in detail how transportation investments over the next five years would advance the MPO’s goals and objectives.

Chapter Two

The TIP Process

INTRODUCTION TO THE TIP Process

When planning for its region’s future, one of the most important decisions a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) faces is deciding how to allocate limited funds for transportation projects and programs. Transportation improvements are part of the solution to many critical regional, state, national, and even global problems, such as traffic congestion, air pollution, fatalities and injuries on roadways, climate change, and environmental injustice. Because there is not nearly enough funding available to build all of the necessary and worthy projects that would address these problems, an MPO’s investment choices must be guided by policies that help identify the most viable and effective solutions.

Thus, the Boston Region MPO develops a long-range regional transportation plan and a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that prioritizes transportation investments and helps the MPO decide how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects. The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS), which is the staff to the Boston Region MPO, manages the annual development process for the TIP. MPO staff helps evaluate project funding requests from municipalities and state transportation agencies, propose programming for new and ongoing projects based on anticipated yearly funding levels, support the MPO by creating a draft TIP document, and facilitate a public involvement process that affords the public an opportunity to review the draft TIP before the MPO endorses the final document.

FINANCING THE PROGRAM

Federal Framework

The first step in allocating federal transportation funds is the passage by the United States Congress of a multi-year act that establishes a maximum level of federal transportation funding per federal fiscal year (FFY).2 The establishment of this level of funding is referred to as an authorization.

Once the authorization level has been established, the United States Department of Transportation annually allocates funding among the states, based on various federal formulas. This allocation is referred to as an apportionment. The annual apportionment rarely represents the actual amount of federal funds that are ultimately committed to a state because of federally imposed limitations on spending in a given fiscal year, referred to as the obligation authority. In Massachusetts, TIPs are developed based on the estimated obligation authority.

Two of the most important distinctions between apportionment and obligation authority are as follows: 1) apportionment is allocated per funding program, while obligation authority is generally allocated as a lump sum; and 2) unused apportionment carries forward into successive FFYs, but unused obligation authority does not. Unused apportionment that is carried forward is referred to as an unobligated balance. Although a state’s unobligated balance can be used to increase the amount of federal aid programmed within a particular funding category in a given FFY, it cannot be used to increase the total amount of the state’s highway apportionment.

Federal Highway Program

Federal regulations require states to “provide MPOs with estimates of federal and state funds which the MPOs shall utilize in developing financial plans” for TIPs.3

The FFYs 2019–23 TIP’s Highway Program was developed with the assumption that federal funding for the state would range between $661 million and $726 million annually over the next five years (these amounts include the funds that would be set aside as payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program and exclude required matching funds).

The process of deciding how to use this federal funding in the Boston region follows several steps. MassDOT first reserves funding for Grant Anticipation Notes (GANs) debt service payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program; annual GANs payments range between $66 million and $94 million annually over the five years of this TIP.

The remaining Federal-Aid Highway Program funds are budgeted to support state and regional (i.e., MPO) priorities. In this cycle, $734 million to $782 million annually was available statewide for programming (these amounts include both federal dollars and the state-provided local match). MassDOT customarily provides the local match (which can also be provided by other entities); thus, projects are typically funded with 80 percent federal dollars and 20 percent state dollars, depending on the funding program.

Next, MassDOT allocates the remaining federal funding into the following categories:

• Reliability Programs: These MassDOT Highway Division programs include the Bridge Program—including inspections, systematic maintenance, and National Highway System (NHS) and non-NHS improvements—the Pavement Program, the Roadway Improvements Program, and the Safety Improvements Program.
• Modernization Programs: These MassDOT Highway Division programs include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Retrofit Program, the Intersection Improvement Program, the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Program, and the Roadway Reconstruction Program.
• Expansion Programs: These Highway Division programs include the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program and the Capacity Program.
• Regional Targets: Projects funded with Regional Target dollars are prioritized by MPOs. (See the next section for more details.)
• Planning/Adjustments/Pass-Throughs: This category includes award adjustments, change orders, and related project expenses. These dollars also support metropolitan planning efforts, MassDOT planning and research activities, the MassRIDES program, MassDOT’s Recreational Trails Program, and improvements to railroad grade crossings.

Regional Targets

The Regional Targets are discretionary funds for MPOs, suballocated by formula to each metropolitan planning region. (The Boston Region MPO receives about 43 percent of the total funds available statewide for Regional Targets.) MassDOT developed the target formula in consultation with the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA).

Each MPO in the state can decide how to prioritize its Regional Target funding. Given that the Regional Target funding is a subset of the Highway Program, the Boston Region MPO typically programs the majority of its target funding on roadway projects; however, the MPO has flexed portions of its Highway Program funding to the Transit Program, as when the MPO gave its support to the Green Line Extension transit expansion project.

The MPO’s discretionary funding typically is used for modernization programs (intersection improvements and roadway reconstruction) and expansion projects (roadway capacity and bicycle and pedestrian facilities), whereas statewide highway items primarily cover the reliability programs (for bridges, pavement, and safety, for example).

During the next five years, the Boston Region MPO’s total Regional Target funding will be approximately $521 million, an average of $104 million per year. To decide how to spend its Regional Target funding, the MPO engages its 97 cities and towns in an annual TIP development process.

Federal Transit Program

Federal aid for public transit authorities is allocated by formula to urbanized areas (UZAs). MassDOT is the recipient of this federal aid in the Boston UZA. In UZAs with populations greater than 200,000, such as the Boston UZA, the distribution formula factors in passenger-miles traveled, population density, and other factors associated with each transit provider. The three regional transit authorities (RTAs) in the Boston Region MPO area are the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA), and Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA). The MBTA, with its extensive transit program and infrastructure, is the recipient of the preponderance of federal transit funds in the region.

Funding Programs

Metropolitan areas utilize many different federal-aid transportation programs, and each program has unique requirements. Federal programs in the FAST Act that fund projects in the FFYs 2019–23 TIP are listed in the following two tables.

developing the tip

Highway Discretionary (Regional Target) Funding Project Selection Process

Overview

The MPO’s process for selecting projects to receive highway discretionary—or Regional Target—funding uses evaluation criteria to help identify and prioritize projects that advance the MPO’s goals. The criteria are based on the MPO’s goals and objectives, which were adopted for its current Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Charting Progress to 2040. All projects are required to show consistency with the LRTP and other statewide and regional plans. Other factors considered include the readiness of a project for construction and municipal support for the project. Background information about the TIP project evaluation process is presented in Appendix B.

Outreach and Data Collection (October–January)

The TIP development process begins early in the federal fiscal year when cities and towns in the region designate TIP contacts and begin developing a list of priority projects to be considered for federal funding. Each fall, the MPO staff asks these TIP contacts to identify their city or town’s priority projects and then staff elicits input from interested parties and members of the general public.

New projects must be initiated by the MassDOT Highway Division before they can be considered for programming in the TIP. MassDOT details the project initiation process and posts relevant documents on its Project Review Committee’s webpage, www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/Departments/ProjectManagement/ProjectReviewCommittee.aspx.  

Municipal TIP Contacts and the MPO staff coordinate to update each project’s Project Funding Application Form through the MPO’s Interactive TIP Database, www.bostonmpo.org/apps/tip11/tip_query.html, which summarizes information about each project's background, infrastructure condition and needs, development status, and ability to help the region attain the MPO’s goals and objectives.

MPO staff compiles the project funding requests into a Universe of Unprogrammed Projects list, which consists of all identified projects being advanced for possible funding. The Universe includes projects that are fully designed and ready to be advertised for construction, those that are undergoing preliminary engineering and design, and projects still in the conceptual planning stage.

The MPO staff also monitors the anticipated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of each project in order to consider these impacts when prioritizing transportation investments. For more information on GHG emission monitoring and evaluation, see Appendix B.

Project Evaluation (December–February)

The MPO uses project evaluation criteria to logically and transparently evaluate and select projects for programming in the TIP that advance the MPO’s vision for transportation. This process favors projects that support the following goals:

• Transportation by all modes will be safe
• Maintain the transportation system
• Use existing facility capacity more efficiently and increase healthy transportation capacity
• Create an environmentally friendly transportation system
• Provide comparable transportation access and service quality among communities, regardless of income level or minority population
• Ensure our transportation network provides a strong foundation for economic vitality

The project evaluation scoring methodology consists of 28 criteria that support the six goals and related objectives of the MPO’s LRTP. A list of the TIP evaluation criteria (on the following pages) provides an overview of the goals, criteria, and scoring values.

In order for MPO staff to conduct a complete project evaluation, the project must have a functional design report or be at a 25 percent design stage, or its plans must include the level of detail defined in a functional design report. See MassDOT’s Project Development and Design Guide for information about the contents of a functional design report. This guide is available at www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/DoingBusinessWithUs/ManualsPublicationsForms/ProjectDevelopmentDesignGuide.aspx.  

The summary of evaluation results for projects considered for programming in this TIP is available in Appendix A. The table contains the total project rating for each project. For more details about the evaluation criteria used to score projects, see Appendix B.

TIP Readiness Day (February)

MPO staff meets with members of the MassDOT Highway Division and MassDOT District project managers to review cost and schedule changes related to currently programmed projects, which are undergoing design review, permitting, and right-of-way acquisition. The MPO board then considers these updated project construction costs and changes to the expected dates for construction advertisement when making decisions about changes to TIP programming. These changes have an impact on the ability of the MPO to program its target funds for new projects in the five-year TIP.

Staff Recommendation and Project Selection (March–April)

Using the evaluation ratings and information gathered about project readiness (when a project likely would be fully designed and ready for construction), staff prepares a First-Tier List of Projects. This list cites the projects that both earned the highest ratings in the MPO’s evaluation process and that could be made ready for advertising within the TIP’s time horizon—the next five FFYs.

The MPO staff strongly considers the First-Tier List of Projects when preparing a recommendation to the MPO for projects to program in the TIP. Other factors considered for project selection include whether a project was programmed in the LRTP, investment program funding targets, distribution of investments across the region, and whether sufficient funding is available for the proposed projects.

Figure 2-1

TIP Evaluation Criteria

Selection Process for State Prioritized Projects

The selection of transit, bridge, and statewide infrastructure projects for programming in the TIP draws primarily from MassDOT’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP), which is a fully integrated capital plan produced by all MassDOT divisions and the MBTA.

Projects in the CIP are selected from MassDOT’s Universe of Projects. They are prioritized based on a process recommended by the independent Project Selection Advisory Council (PSAC) and on data from asset management systems maintained by MassDOT divisions.

Projects that receive the highest priority are those that meet MassDOT’s goals for maintaining and improving the overall condition and reliability of the system; modernizing the system to make it safer and more accessible and to accommodate growth; and expanding and diversifying transportation options for communities. The following criteria guide project selection:

• System Preservation: Projects should contribute to a state of good repair on the system.
• Mobility: Projects should provide efficient and effective modal options.
• Cost Effectiveness: Projects should result in benefits commensurate with costs and should be aimed at maximizing the return on the public’s investment.
• Economic Impact: Projects should support strategic economic growth in the Commonwealth.
• Safety: Projects should contribute to the safety and security of people and goods in transit.
• Social Equity and Fairness: Projects should equitably distribute both the benefits and the burdens of investments among all communities.
• Environment and Health Impacts: Projects should maximize the potential positive health and environmental aspects of the transportation system.
• Policy Support: Projects should get credit if they support local or regional policies or plans or state policies not addressed through the other criteria.

The transit element of the TIP also includes the federal-aid programs of the other two RTAs in the region, CATA and MWRTA. CATA and MWRTA coordinate with the MassDOT Rail and Transit Division to develop their capital programs.

approving the tip

Approval of the Draft TIP for Public Review

The MPO considers the project evaluation results, First-Tier List of Projects, and staff recommendation when prioritizing projects for Regional Target funding. The body also considers public comments, the regional importance of projects, and other factors. In addition to prioritizing the Regional Target funding, the MPO reviews statewide infrastructure items, the Bridge Program, and the capital programs for the MBTA, CATA, and MWRTA before voting to release a draft TIP for public review.

The MPO votes to release the draft document for public review and invites members of the public, municipal officials, and other stakeholders in the Boston region to review the proposed TIP. MPO staff hosts outreach events, including its Office Hours and similar open-house events, during the public comment period to elicit comments on the draft document (summarized in Appendix C).

Approval of the Draft TIP

After the public review period ends, the MPO reviews all municipal and public comments and may change the programming or the document as appropriate. Then the MPO endorses the TIP. MassDOT incorporates the MPO-endorsed TIP into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and submits it to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for approval. The FHWA, FTA, and US Environmental Protection Agency review the STIP for certification by September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.

Updating the TIP

The TIP is a dynamic program that may be amended and adjusted throughout the year. Administrative modifications and amendments are often introduced because of changes in project status (advertisement readiness), project cost, project design scope, or available revenues. An amendment is a revision that requires public review and a demonstration of fiscal constraint.

Consistent with federal guidelines, the Boston Region MPO must release an amendment if there is (1) a change in project cost of $500,000 or more, for projects valued at $5 million or less, or (2) a change of 10 percent or more of the project cost, for projects valued greater than $5 million. Cost changes that are less than these threshold amounts may be considered in the form of administrative modifications or adjustments, which must still undergo MPO action for approval. Although a public review period is not required for administrative modifications or adjustments, one may be offered at the MPO’s discretion.

Any proposed amendments are presented in a public setting at an MPO meeting, and details are posted on the MPO’s website, bostonmpo.org. Public notices are distributed through the MPO’s email contact list, which members of the public may join by signing up on the MPO’s website. TIP contacts at the affected municipalities and the public are notified of pending amendments at the start of an amendment’s public review period.

Public Notice

Notices of draft TIP amendments include a summary of the amendment’s contents, dates of the public review period, contact information for submitting a comment to the MPO, and the date, time, and location that the MPO will vote on that amendment. Also during the public review period, the MPO staff notifies and briefs the Regional Transportation Advisory Council about the amendment and relays comments from the Advisory Council, if any, to the MPO board. Municipal representatives and members of the public are invited to submit written or oral testimony at the MPO meetings at which amendments are discussed or voted upon.

The MPO typically holds a 30-day comment period before taking final action on an amendment. In extraordinary circumstances, the MPO may vote to shorten the public comment period to a minimum of 15 days. (These circumstances are detailed in the MPO’s Public Participation Plan.)

The MPO’s website is the best place to find current information about the TIP. All changes to the draft TIP and changes to the endorsed TIP, such as amendments and modifications, that have been approved by the MPO are available on the TIP webpage on the MPO’s website, bostonmpo.org/tip.

Comments or questions about the draft TIP materials may be submitted directly through the website, via email, voiced at MPO meetings and other public MPO events, or submitted via US mail.

Chapter Three

Highway and Transit Programming

This chapter contains the TIP tables, a listing of all the projects and programs funded with federal highway and transit funding in the Boston region during federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2019–23 (Tables 3-2 to 3-4). These tables are also included as part of the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). Section 1A in each annual element of the TIP table (Table 3-2) includes the regionally prioritized projects funded during a given federal fiscal year. The other sections of the table (sections 1B, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3, and 4) list the following:

• Projects funded with earmarks or discretionary grant funds

• State prioritized bridge, pavement maintenance, safety improvements, retrofits for accessibility (as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act), intersection improvements, roadway reconstruction, and bicycle and pedestrian projects

• Projects funded by sources other than federal aid

Each annual element of Table 3-2 also lists the federally funded transit projects and programs in the Boston region that the MBTA, MetroWest Regional Transit Authority, and Cape Ann Transportation Authority plan to undertake. Tables 3-3 and 3-4 provide additional information related to the MBTA’s programs and projects planned in the region.

The Boston Region MPO has the discretion to allocate its share of funds from the Federal-Aid Highway Program—the MPO’s Regional Targets—to projects identified as regional priorities as it sees fit. However, the allocation of those funds is constrained by projections of available federal aid. As shown in Table 3-1 below, the MPO has programmed its discretionary funds within the limits of projected funding for highway funding programs. As such, the FFYs 2019–23 TIP Regional Target Program complies with financial constraint requirements.

The second part of the chapter includes detailed descriptions of projects, including evaluation ratings (for projects funded by the MPO’s Regional Target Program), length of roadway to be improved, and funding details. The pages are organized alphabetically by municipality.

TABLE 3-1

Boston Region MPO Regional Target Program

MPO Discretionary Funds Sourced from the Federal-Aid Highway Program
(including state matching funds, but excluding earmarked funds)

The second part of the chapter includes detailed descriptions of projects, including evaluation ratings (for projects funded by the MPO’s Regional Target Program), length of roadway to be improved, and funding details. The pages are organized alphabetically by municipality.

TABLE 3-2

FFYs 2019-23 Transportation Improvement Program Draft Highway Funding