MPO Meeting Minutes

Draft Memorandum for the Record

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting

August 4, 2022, Meeting

10:00 AM–10:45 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform

David Mohler, Chair, representing Jamey Tesler, 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:

Meeting Agenda

1.    Introductions

See attendance beginning page 8.

2.    Chair’s Report—David Mohler, MassDOT

David Mohler announced that Jeff McEwen, Division Administrator for the Federal Highway Administration, retired at the end of July. As of August 4, 2022, Ken Miller is the Acting Division Administrator. In addition, MassDOT will be bringing an amendment to the TIP during Members’ Items. This amendment proposes to remove a statewide project from the FFY 202226 TIP.

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

Tegin Teich announced another staff departure from the MPO. Mark Abbott will be leaving Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) on August 19, 2022, to take a role with MassDOT. M. Abbott joined CTPS in 2001 and has been leading the Traffic Analysis and Design group for many years. M. Abbott has always been a team player and played a fundamental part to the development of the MPO’s corridor and intersection studies. There are also several jobs posted, including a Senior Transportation Planner position and a Data Scientist position for the Travel Demand Model.

T. Teich announced plans to present on the structure of the MPO during the next MPO meeting on August 18, 2022. T. Teich reminded MPO members that there are still opportunities to provide input on the visions and goals of the next long-range plan through the MPO member survey, and that the survey will be open through August 5, 2022.

MPO staff hosted an open house for the FFY 2023 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) on August 2, 2022. MPO staff answered several questions about the proposed discrete studies. Engagement opportunities continue through the public comment period, which ends on August 12, 2022. After the FFY 2023 UPWP is endorsed, the MPO will continue engagement on these topics while staff shifts to developing the work scopes and beginning work on the projects. T. Teich announced that MPO staff would be hosting a Transit Working Group Coffee Chat on August 23, 2022, at 4:00 PM to discuss the shortage in the bus driver workforce.

At the July 21 meeting, Brian Kane, MBTA Advisory Board, asked MPO staff to research procuring licenses for MPO meetings to be run in a Zoom Webinar format. The MPO received one public comment from a resident of Concord that stated the webinar format would be less supportive of public participation. MPO staff believes that the webinar format can similarly engage and MPO staff have seen many examples of other municipalities and agencies who use the format. MPO staff will listen to these concerns and address any issues as they explore this item.

4.    Public Comments  

There were none.

5.    Committee Chairs’ Reports

B. Kane stated that the Administration and Finance Committee had met in the morning of August 4, 2022, to continue discussions of the Operations Plan and how the MPO itself is organized. The next meeting of the Administration and Finance Committee is scheduled for August 18, 2022, at 9:00 AM.

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

Lenard Diggins announced that the Advisory Council had not met since the last MPO Meeting but will hold a meeting on August 10, 2022. The Advisory Council plans to discuss the Safe Streets for All Grant application. L. Diggins expressed appreciation for M. Abbott and all his work supporting the MPO.

7.    Action Item: Approval of June 16, 2022, MPO Meeting Minutes

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.     June 16, 2022, MPO Meeting Minutes (pdf)

2.     June 16, 2022, MPO Meeting Minutes (html)

Vote

A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of June 16, 2022, was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) (Eric Bourassa) and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (Brian Kane). The motion carried.

8.    Action Item: Work Scope: MBTA Bus Network Redesign Map Support—Ken Dumas, Lead Graphic Designer/Cartographer

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.     MBTA Bus Network Redesign Work Plan (pdf)

2.     MBTA Bus Network Redesign Work Plan (html)

Ken Dumas presented the work scope for MBTA Bus Network Redesign Map Support. The MBTA is about to start the redesign of its bus network with the goal to improve overall service for all its customers. This project would include the changing of schedules, which may include an increase in frequency and, in many cases, changing the routes of the buses. As a result of these changes, many of the MBTA’s maps will require updating. The MPO Graphics department has been asked by the MBTA to support this effort. The maps in this work scope include the spider map, the system map, all the bus maps, and many of the neighborhood maps. The next stage of this work scope is to use this updated information as requested by the MBTA for the creation of additional materials. The budget for this work scope is $31,755 and the work will take approximately eight months from the notice to proceed to completion.

Discussion

B. Kane asked about the sequencing of the work scope and if the work would begin before the MBTA Board of Directors approved the new Bus Network Redesign routes. K. Dumas responded that after the vote by the MBTA Board of Directors, the MPO Graphics department will make changes supplied by the MBTA to be completed in the upcoming fiscal year.

Vote

A motion to approve the MBTA Bus Network Redesign Map Support work scope was made by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (Lenard Diggins) and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (Brian Kane). The motion carried.

9.    Action Item: FFYs 2022–26 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Amendment Seven—Jonathan Church, Manager of Certification Activities

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.     FFYs 2022–26 TIP Amendment Seven (pdf)

Jonathan Church introduced FFYs 2022–26 TIP Amendment Seven. The amendment proposes the addition of eight new projects awarded to various recipients under MassDOT’s FFY 2022 Community Transit Grant Program. The funding sources for the Community Transit Grant Program are from Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 formula funds, as well as State Mobility Assistance Program funds. J. Church presented the following table of proposed changes.

 


 

Table 1
Amendment Seven Proposed Changes

Project Name

Change

Amount

RTD0010442: Mystic Valley Elder Services, Inc. – Coordination of Non-Emergency Human Service Transportation

Add Project (FFY 2022 Transit Program)

$132,750

RTD0010456: CATA – Cape Ann TA Dialysis and Medical Van

Add Project (FFY 2022 Transit Program)

$109,850

RTD0010508: Hull Council on Aging – Buy Replacement Van

Add Project (FFY 2022 Transit Program)

$66,489

RTD0010511: City of Revere – Mobility Management

Add Project (FFY 2022 Transit Program)

$62,120

RTD0010541: City of Newton - NewMo Senior Transportation 3

Add Project (FFY 2022 Transit Program)

$250,000

RTD0010549: MWRTA – MAP Replacement Vehicle Capital Request

Add Project (FFY 2022 Transit Program)

$668,706

BCG0010486: SCM Community Transportation, Inc. – Buy Replacement Vans

Add Project (FFY 2022 Transit Program)

$195,037

BCG0010510: Town of Arlington – Buy Replacement Van

Add Project (FFY 2022 Transit Program)

$63,323

CATA = Cape Ann Transportation Authority. FFY = Federal Fiscal Year. MWRTA = MetroWest Regional Transit Authority.

The comment period for Amendment Seven closed on July 29, 2022, at 5:00 PM. Two comments were received. MPO staff request that the MPO vote to endorse Amendment Seven.

Vote

A motion to approve FFYs 202226 TIP Amendment Seven was made by the At-Large Town, Town of Arlington (Daniel Amstutz) and seconded by the MAPC (Eric Bourassa). The motion carried.

10.Members’ Items

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.     FFYs 2022–26 TIP Amendment Eight (pdf)

David Mohler introduced FFYs 202226 TIP Amendment Eight. D. Mohler stated that Amendment Eight proposes to remove project #609090: Boston-Milton-Quincy - Highway Lighting System Replacement on I-93, from Neponset Avenue to the Braintree Split from the State Prioritized Reliability Projects (Safety Improvements) section of the FFYs 2022–26 TIP and reduce the project’s budget from $12,658,545 to $0.

B. Kane asked about the project proposed for removal in TIP Amendment Eight and what the amendment was intending to do. John Romano, MassDOT, responded that project #609090: Boston-Milton-Quincy - Highway Lighting System Replacement on I-93, from Neponset Avenue to the Braintree Split is a lighting system replacement project along Interstate 93, replacing the center median barrier lighting along that section of the corridor. The main reason for removing this project from the FFYs 2022–26 TIP is that MassDOT has several projects in the area and having all of these projects under construction simultaneously would create significant challenges specifically with Project #609119: Boston-Milton-Quincy - Southeast Expressway/Interstate 93 Replacement of Barriers for High Occupancy Vehicle Lane (HOV) moving forward. Funding for Project #609119 was recently awarded through the MassDOT Board of Directors and the design accelerated for supply and installation using funding from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) of 2021. These funds were not originally anticipated to be available this fiscal year however MassDOT accelerated the design to secure the CRSSAA funding. Along with resurfacing along Interstate 93, it is not feasible for these projects to occur simultaneously. MassDOT will consider funding of #609090: Boston-Milton-Quincy - Highway Lighting System Replacement on I-93 for funding in the future.

B. Kane asked if one of the reasons for this amendment was sequencing of projects. J. Romano answered yes, and that Project #609119: Boston-Milton-Quincy - Southeast Expressway/Interstate 93 Replacement of Barriers for High Occupancy Vehicle Lane (HOV) was accelerated while Project #609090: Boston-Milton-Quincy - Highway Lighting System Replacement on I-93 was undergoing the final design process. Project #609119 is a higher priority for safety.

Vote

A motion to release FFYs 202226 TIP Amendment Eight for a 21-day comment period was made by MassDOT (John Romano) and seconded by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (Lenard Diggins). The motion carried.

E. Bourassa, MAPC, announced updated MPO elections procedures for the subregional seats that are currently up for election, the Inner Core Committee seat, the MetroWest Regional Collaborative seat, the Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination seat, and the South Shore Coalition seat. The largest change to the procedures is that subregional members will vote for only those in their subregion, and a municipality must have three nominations from municipalities within their subregion to be nominated. The nomination form and more information about the elections is available on the MPO website.

D. Mohler stated that every year the Federal Highway Administration solicits redistribution requests for unused obligation authority. MassDOT has requested an additional $152.2 million in federal funding this year. This is also known as the August distribution, and MassDOT will know sometime this month whether all or part of the requested funding is granted.

11.Adjourn

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


 

Attendance

Members

Representatives

and Alternates

At-Large City (City of Everett)

Eric Molinari

At-Large City (City of Newton)

David Koses

At-Large Town (Town of Arlington)

Daniel Amstutz

At-Large Town (Town of Brookline)

Heather Hamilton

City of Boston (Boston Planning & Development Agency)

Jim Fitzgerald

City of Boston (Boston Transportation Department)

Jen Rowe

Federal Highway Administration

Cassandra Ostrander

Federal Transit Administration

 

Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville)

Tom Bent

Massachusetts Department of Transportation

David Mohler

Steve Woelfel

MassDOT Highway Division

John Romano

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)

Jillian Linnell

Massachusetts Port Authority

Sarah Lee

MBTA Advisory Board

Brian Kane

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Eric Bourassa

MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of Framingham)

Dennis Giombetti

Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (Town of Acton)

North Shore Task Force (City of Beverly)

Darlene Wynne

North Suburban Planning Council (Town of Burlington)

Regional Transportation Advisory Council

Lenard Diggins

South Shore Coalition (Town of Rockland)

Jennifer Constable

South West Advisory Planning Committee (Town of Medway)

Peter Pelletier

Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood/Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce)

Tom O’Rourke

Steve Olanoff

 

 

Other Attendees

Affiliation

Moiz Abdul Majid

 

Sarah Bradbury

MassDOT District 3

Paul Cobuzzi

 

Margo Costigan

MassDOT

Jon Fetherston

MWRTA

JR Frey

Town of Hingham

Michael Garrity

MassDOT

Dennis Giombetti

 

Joy Glynn

MWRTA

John Goggin

 

John Gonzalez

 

Josh Klingenstein

MBTA

Derek Krevat

MassDOT

Jeanette Rebecchi

 

C Senior

MassDOT District 5

Jon Seward

 

Ishmael Sharif

 

Tyler Terrasi

MWRTA

Charlie Ticotsky

 

Frank Tramontozzi

 

 

MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff

Tegin Teich, Executive Director

Mark Abbott

Logan Casey

Jonathan Church

Annette Demchur

Kenneth Dumas

Adriana Fratini

Betsy Harvey

Sandy Johnston

Stella Jordan

Martin Milkovits

Rebecca Morgan

Meghan O'Connor

Gina Perille

Sean Rourke

Michelle Scott

Judy Taylor

 


 

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166.

The Boston Region MPO also complies with the Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a, which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor's Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities, and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful discrimination 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.

A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination. To request this information in a different language or in an accessible format, please contact

Title VI Specialist
Boston Region MPO
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116
civilrights@ctps.org

By Telephone:
857.702.3700 (voice)

For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service:

·        Relay Using TTY or Hearing Carry-over: 800.439.2370

·        Relay Using Voice Carry-over: 866.887.6619

·        Relay Using Text to Speech: 866.645.9870

For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay.