Draft Memorandum for the Record

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

Meeting Minutes

August 7, 2025, Meeting

10:00 AM–11:10 AM Zoom Video Conferencing Platform

Steve Woelfel, Chair, representing Monica Tibbits-Nutt, 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:

• Approve the minutes of the meeting of June 5, 2025
• Approve the Work Scope: Interagency Transit Connections
• Approve the Work Scope: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Transit Data Collection Federal Fiscal Years (FFYs) 2026–28
• Endorse the FFYs 2025–29 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment 12
• Endorse the FFYs 2025–29 TIP Amendment 13 and waive the public comment period

Meeting Agenda

Introductions

See attendance on page 6.

Chair’s Report—Steve Woelfel, MassDOT

There was none.

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

T. Teich reported on the AMPO/AASHTO peer exchange, sharing how Minnesota’s MPO interacts differently with the state. Some lessons shared were the importance of communication between states and MPOs and coming up with a common narrative. Another interesting process shared was Minnesota MPO’s investment prioritization studies, where studies are done to explicitly lead to funding projects.

T. Teich announced that the Safe Streets and Roads for All FFY 2022 grant, associated with the development of the Vision Zero action plan, has been received and an extension has been signed to June 30, 2026. This allows for added flexibility and the possibility of bringing back elements previously removed for streamlining.

T. Teich announced a staffing update. Bohui Liang is joining as a new manager of travel demand modeling.

Public Comments  

There were none.

Committee Chairs’ Reports

Jen Rowe, City of Boston, shared updates from the TIP Process, Engagement, and Readiness Committee. The committee is supportive of MPO staff’s proposal to rescore a set of 12 projects in the Regional Target program. The committee also discussed readiness guidelines and will continue to do so over the next few months.

Action Item: Approval of June 5, 2025, MPO Meeting Minutes

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• June 5, 2025 Minutes (pdf) (html)

Rachel Benson, South West Advisory Planning Committee (SWAP), noted a minor revision given to staff to be incorporated into the minutes.

Vote

A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of June 5, 2025, with a minor revision, was made by SWAP (R. Benson) and seconded by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) (Eric Bourassa). The motion carried. The following member abstained: Minuteman Advisory Council on Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC) (Nate Ryan).

Action Item: Work Scope: Interagency Transit Connections—Bradley Putnam, MPO Staff     

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• Interagency Transit Connections (pdf) (html)

B. Putnam introduced a work scope for Interagency Transit Connections, funded using $35,000 of Section 5303 planning funds. The work will conduct field assessments on a set of transit connection points to understand the state of rider ease in connecting between the MBTA and other providers, and provide recommendations for an ongoing program of evaluation and improvement.

Vote

A motion to approve the Work Scope: Interagency Transit Connection, was made by the Town of Arlington (Lenard Diggins) and seconded by MAPC (E. Bourassa). The motion carried.

Action Item: Work Scope: MBTA Transit Data Collection Federal Fiscal Years (FFYs) 2026-28—Jonathan Belcher, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• MBTA Transit Service Data Collection (pdf) (html)

J. Belcher introduced a work scope for MBTA Transit Data Collection in FFYs 2026–28. He stated three primary objectives: data collection for the MBTA, analysis of that data, and ongoing support to the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee.

Discussion

L. Diggins shared his appreciation as a part of the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee for J. Belcher’s work.

Vote

A motion to approve the Work Scope: MBTA Transit Data Collection FFYs 2026–28, was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the Town of Arlington (L. Diggins). The motion carried.

Action Item: FFYs 2025-29 TIP Amendment 12—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• TIP Amendment 12 (pdf) (html)

E. Lapointe presented Amendment 12 to the FFYs 2025–29 TIP, which includes changes to transit and statewide highway programs in FFY 2025. During the public comment period staff received a letter of support from Malden Safe Streets with 49 signatures for continued funding for the Spot Pond Brook Greenway Project. The project was not included in the amendment and is still funded.

Vote

A motion to endorse the FFYs 2025–29 TIP Amendment 12 was made by the North Suburban Planning Council (John Strauss) and seconded by the City of Boston (J. Rowe). The motion carried.

Action Item: FFYs 2025-29 TIP Amendment 13—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• TIP Amendment 13 (pdf) (html)

E. Lapointe presented Amendment 13 to the FFYs 2025–29 TIP, which includes changes to transit and statewide highway programs in FFY 2025. The Wilmington Bridge Replacement project has seen an overall increase of $12.3 million and is expected to advertise in two weeks. Staff requested a waived public comment period to ensure the new cost estimate can be reflected in the TIP prior to advertising.

Discussion

L. Diggins asked for an explanation of the cost increase. John Bechard, MassDOT, responded that groundwater contamination was discovered at the site and was a major driver of the increase.

J. Strauss asked if there would be cost increases if the public comment period was not waived. J. Bechard explained that it was more of a complexity issue in ensuring delivery in FFY 2025.

Vote

A motion to endorse the FFYs 2025–29 TIP Amendment 13 and waive the public comment period was made by the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (Tyler Terrasi) and seconded by MAPC (E. Bourassa). The motion carried.

Community Advisory Council Membership Update—Stella Jordan, MPO Staff

S. Jordan provided background on the advisory council and staff’s work on its restructuring. She explained the member solicitation process and shared the list of members. She provided updates from the kickoff meeting held on July 31, 2025, including a draft charter summary. She stated the new Community Advisory Council representative will join the MPO board in September.

Discussion

Sarah Lee, Massachusetts Port Authority, expressed an interest in having freight’s perspective represented on the council. S. Jordan agreed and stated it would be incorporated into the group’s onboarding.

Steve Olanoff, Three Rivers Interlocal Council, asked about an organization that will be represented on the council, Town Green. S. Jordan explained that Town Green is an environmental advocacy organization in Cape Ann, involved in environmental communications and conservation. S. Olanoff also asked about the number of cities and towns on the council. S. Jordan replied that there were not many applications from municipalities, but that they are an important part of the conversations and are always welcome at the council’s public meetings.

T. Teich emphasized the governance on the policy board is structured in a way for municipalities to have more direct input in the process.

J. Rowe thanked staff for their work.

Members’ Items

Tom Bent, Inner Core Committee (ICC), thanked E. Bourassa for sending out an upcoming election notice and notified the board that the City of Somerville will be running again for the ICC seat.

E. Bourassa announced that materials for the upcoming election will be sent out shortly.

J. Rowe said that the City of Boston received a letter from the US Department of Transportation concerning the rescission of funding for the Greening Chelsea Creek project, which was to be funded by a Reconnecting Communities Pilot Grant.

Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by the Town of Arlington (L. Diggins) and seconded by MAPC (E. Bourassa). The motion carried.

Attendance