MPO Meeting Minutes
Draft Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting
March 31, 2022, Meeting
10:00 AM–1:39 PM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform
David Mohler, Chair, representing Jamey Tesler, Secretary of Transportation and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) agreed to the following:
See attendance beginning on page 7.
D. Mohler stated that the US Department of Transportation has released the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) opportunity, a combined application for applying to receive funds under three grant programs included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: the National Infrastructure Project Assistance grants program (Mega), the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects grants program (INFRA), and the Rural Surface Transportation Grant program (Rural). Applications are due May 23, 2022.
T. Teich stated that during the MPO’s 2019 federal certification review process, it was recommended that MPO staff develop an operations plan to clarify the roles of the Chair and Vice Chair of the MPO; define roles of MPO board subcommittees; and generally enforce collaboration, communication, and work assignments. Further details on the federal recommendation are available in a memorandum available on the MPO website. This memorandum also includes an initial framework for having conversations on topics including the following:
T. Teich stated that the operations plan will address items that are not already codified in the MPO’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
T. Teich, D. Mohler, and Eric Bourassa (Metropolitan Area Planning Council) have discussed this directive with the Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee, chaired by Brian Kane (MBTA Advisory Board). This discussion led to an agreement that the A&F Committee is an appropriate forum for launching the development of an operations plan.
Marc Draisen (Metropolitan Area Planning Council) noted the effort undertaken in developing the outline for the operations plan. He emphasized that the MOU is not being opened at this time. Some issues may be resolved without amending the MPO’s MOU. The above memorandum attempts to address procedural and substantive issues that relate to operations. He noted that members should feel free to express items that should be added or removed from the memorandum.
B. Kane stated that the A&F Committee is prepared to assume the role of spearheading the operations plan. The A&F Committee represents a wide swath of MPO membership, and the committee intends to work collaboratively with all MPO board members. He expressed that the A&F Committee is an appropriate forum for developing a regionally representative operations plan.
T. Teich noted that MPO staff are working with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) to conduct its air passenger survey, which assists in determining the mode share of access to Logan Airport. MPO data collectors will conduct work in April and May, with an anticipated result of approximately six thousand completed surveys of air passengers.
Sarah Lee (Massport) stated that the air passenger survey allows Massport to examine the travel patterns of visitors to Logan Airport. The survey provides important information for Massport’s decision-making and reporting; the survey also informs the CTPS travel model. The previous air passenger survey was conducted in 2019.
Public comments
were stated by various attendees to the meeting. Their public comments can be
viewed here: https://youtu.be/ex7DLcZdAAM?t=1254
D. Krevat stated that the UPWP Committee discussed the requirements surrounding the 21-day public comment period for UPWP amendments, as well as converting corridor studies into recurring projects that CTPS performs. MPO staff will return to the committee with further information based on direction provided by the committee.
Lenard Diggins
stated that the Advisory Council had a meeting last week to talk about the TIP
scenarios with Matt Genova. The meeting was exciting and creates a model to
review the scenarios early in the process before the draft TIP document is
created annually. L. Diggins also commented on the exciting topics highlighted
in the Executive Director’s Report.
A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of February 17, 2022, was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the Inner Core Committee (Tom Bent). The motion carried.
Work Program, MBTA Boston Free Bus Fare Equity Analysis
There was no discussion.
A motion to approve the work program for the Boston Free Bus Fare Equity Analysis was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (Brian Kane) and seconded by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried.
Transit Safety Performance Targets—2022 Update
CATA Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan
Michelle Scott
and Matt DeDonato presented the 2022 Update of Boston Region Transit
Safety Performance Targets. The
presentation and discussion can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/ex7DLcZdAAM?t=3118
A motion to approve the updated Boston Region Transit Safety Performance Targets was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the At-Large Town, Town of Arlington (Daniel Amstutz). The motion carried.
Joy Glynn of
MWRTA presented MWRTA’s five-year Capital Investment Program. The presentation
can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/ex7DLcZdAAM?t=4939
Shona Norman of
CATA presented CATA’s Capital Planning Process. The presentation can
be viewed here: https://youtu.be/ex7DLcZdAAM?t=5477
There was no discussion.
Draft FFYs 2023-27 TIP Scenario 2A Scoring Criteria and MPO Feedback
Draft FFYs 2023-27 TIP Project Descriptions and Scoring Results
Draft FFYs 2023-27 TIP Scoring Summary of All Projects (UPDATED)
Draft FFYs 2023-27 TIP MWRTA Programming
Draft FFYs 2023-27 TIP CATA Programming
Draft FFYs 2023-27 TIP Public Comments Received as of March 29, 2022
Matt Genova, MPO staff,
presented the FFYs 2023-27 TIP Final Programming Scenario. The presentation and
discussion can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/ex7DLcZdAAM?t=5744
A motion to release the FFYs 2022-26 TIP Amendment Three for a 21-day public review period was made by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins) and seconded by the MassDOT, Highway Division (John Romano). The motion carried.
A motion to approve the FFYs 2023-27 TIP scenario was made by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins) and seconded by the MassDOT, Highway Division (J. Romano). The motion carried.
Jillian Linnell (MBTA) stated that the MBTA released its proposed FYs 2023-2027 Capital
Investment Plan (CIP) last week. It is available on the MBTA’s website. Public
meetings for the CIP start this evening at 6:00 PM. Additional public meetings
will be scheduled over the next two weeks for the public to participate. The
MBTA will also be coming before the MPO in mid-April to present the CIP.
A motion to adjourn was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (B. Kane) and seconded by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (E. Bourassa). The motion carried.
|
Members |
Representatives
and Alternates |
|
At-Large City (City of Everett) |
Jay Monty |
|
At-Large City (City of Newton) |
David Koses |
|
At-Large Town (Town of Arlington) |
Daniel Amstutz |
|
At-Large Town (Town of Brookline) |
Todd Kirrane |
|
City of Boston (Boston Planning &
Development Agency) |
Jim Fitzgerald |
|
City of Boston (Boston Transportation
Department) |
Bill Conroy |
|
Federal Highway Administration |
Kenneth Miller |
|
Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) |
Tom Bent |
|
Massachusetts Department of Transportation |
David Mohler John Bechard |
|
MassDOT Highway Division |
John Romano |
|
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
(MBTA) |
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) |
Austin Cyganiewicz |
|
North Shore Task Force (City of Beverly) |
Darlene Wynne |
|
North Suburban Planning Council (Town of Burlington) |
Melissa Tintocalis |
|
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 Steven Olanoff |
|
Other
Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Christine Barber |
State Representative |
|
Tommy Vitolo |
State Representative |
|
Felicia Webb |
Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA) |
|
Shona Norman |
CATA |
|
Richard Benevento |
WorldTech Engineering |
|
Joy Glynn |
MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) |
|
Tyler Terrasi |
MWRTA |
|
Casey Auch |
MassDOT |
|
Sarah Bradbury |
MassDOT District 3 |
|
Cassandra Ostrander |
FHWA |
|
Paul Cobuzzi |
blank |
|
Megan Day |
Stoneham Chamber of Commerce |
|
Erin Wortman |
Town of Stoneham |
|
Sophia Galimore |
TransAction Associates |
|
Steven Povich |
MBTA |
|
Glenn Clancy |
Town of Belmont |
|
Valerie Gingrich |
Town of Wilmington |
|
Dan Hudson |
Office of Representative Day |
|
Derek Krevat |
MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning |
|
Bonnie Friedman |
Belmont Community Path Project Committee (CPPC) |
|
Todd Kirrane |
Town of Brookline |
|
Derek Shooster |
MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning |
|
Ali Kleyman |
City of Somerville |
|
Josh Klingenstein |
MBTA |
|
Derek Krevat |
MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning |
|
Brad Rawson |
City of Somerville |
|
Aleida Leza |
blank |
|
Matthew DeDonato |
MBTA |
|
Benjamin Muller |
MassDOT District 6 |
|
Eva Willens |
|
|
Jack Moran |
MassDOT |
|
Russ Leino |
Belmont CPPC |
|
Makayla Comas |
LivableStreets Alliance |
|
Jon Seward |
Mass Moves / Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
|
Adi Nochur |
MAPC |
|
Colette Aufranc |
Town of Wellesley |
|
Marc Draisen |
MAPC |
|
Bridgette Maynard |
|
|
Jay Carroll |
blank |
|
Erin Chute Gallentine |
|
|
Paula Doucette |
|
|
Robert King |
|
|
Catherine Bowen |
|
|
Laura Castelli |
|
|
Pamela Haznar |
MassDOT District 6 |
|
James Lee |
|
|
Marzie Galazka |
Town of Swampscott |
|
Barbara Lachance |
MassDOT District 5 |
|
John Bowman |
|
|
Laura Wiener |
City of Watertown |
|
Michelle Ho |
MassDOT |
|
Sara Smith |
|
|
Owen MacDonald |
Town of Weymouth |
|
Vincent Stanton |
|
|
Josh Trearchis |
|
|
Mark Kagan |
Belmont CPPC |
|
Chris Klem |
MassDOT |
|
Emily Van Dewoestine |
MWRTA |
|
MPO
Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Tegin Teich, Executive Director |
|
Gina Perille |
|
Annette Demchur |
|
Hiral Gandhi |
|
Matt Genova |
|
Sandy Johnston Silva Ayvazyan |
|
Anne McGahan |
|
Sean Rourke |
|
Michelle Scott |
|
Stella Jordan |
|
Betsy Harvey |
|
Emily Domanico Rose McCarron |
|
Rebecca Morgan |
|
Marty Milkovits |
|
Heyne Kim Paul Christner Srilekha Murthy Matt Archer |
|
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 By Telephone: For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the
state MassRelay service: ·
Relay Using
TTY or Hearing Carry-over:
800.439.2370 ·
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Voice Carry-over: 866.887.6619 ·
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Text to Speech: 866.645.9870 For more information, including numbers for Spanish
speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay. |