Draft Memorandum for the Record
Community Advisory Council Meeting
January 12, 2026, Meeting Minutes
2:00 PM–3:30 PM, Zoom
Caitlin Allen-Connelly, Chair, representing TransitMatters
Meeting Agenda
1. Introductions
Caitlin Allen-Connelly called the meeting to order at 2:00 PM. Members and guests attending the meeting introduced themselves. (For attendance list, see page 4.)
2. Chair’s Report—Caitlin Allen-Connelly, TransitMatters
Caitlin Allen-Connelly shared takeaways from the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Annual Meeting and committee meetings, which included discussion on the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Readiness Guidelines and two Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) studies on roadway pricing and on the connections between BlueBikes and transit.
3. Public Comments
There were no public comments.
4. Approval of October 6, 2025, and November 3, 2025, Meeting Minutes
A motion to approve the minutes of October 6, 2025, and November 3, 2025, meeting was made by 495/MetroWest Partnership (Jason Palitsch) and seconded by A Better City (Scott Mullen). The minutes were approved.
5. Advisory Council Member Information Sharing
Members from LivableStreets Alliance, the City of Chelsea, and Mystic Valley Elder Services shared projects or initiatives with the Advisory Council.
Discussion
Maha Aslam (LivableStreets Alliance) shared an overview of the LivableStreets Alliance, which works at the intersection of transit, community engagement, greenways, safety, and environmental justice. M. Aslam discussed two initiatives, the Street Ambassadors Program and a collaboration with the Harvard Urban Planning and Design program to explore gaps in biking and greenway access. James Fuccione (Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative) shared support in helping with engagement opportunities with older adults. Karl Alexander (Mystic River Watershed Association) discussed the Mystic River Watershed Association’s role in bringing together regional greenway groups. Galen Mook (MassBike) shared that MassBike is developing an etiquette toolkit to help the expanded usage of regional trails. S. Mullen discussed A Better City’s Guide Ride Series, which seeks to help confidence for people biking.
Sara Han (City of Chelsea) shared an overview of the City of Chelsea’s Vision Zero Safety Action Plan, including public engagement, the Priority Investment Network, and recommendations.
Meg Von Lossnitzer (Mystic Valley Elder Services) and Sheila Buckland (Mystic Valley Elder Services) shared an overview of the Mystic Valley Elder Services and highlighted two transportation programs, the Mobility Management Program and the Trip Metro-North Program. C. Allen-Connelly and S. Buckland discussed how the organization supports members in accessing the RIDE.
6. Freight and Active Transportation Program Discussion—Shravanthi Gopalan Narayanan and Kyle Casiglio, MPO Staff
Shravanthi Gopalan Narayanan (MPO staff) shared a presentation on the Freight Planning Program and current programmatic work that includes an update to the Critical Urban and Rural Freight Corridors and the development of the FFY 2026 Freight Action Plan.
S. Gopalan Narayanan highlighted key focus areas for Freight Action Plan including
· understanding freight activity and community impacts;
· engaging public, private, and community stakeholders;
· exploring freight data and identifying data gaps;
· identifying regional freight challenges, needs, and priorities; and
· developing actionable recommendations and next steps.
Kyle Casiglio (MPO staff) shared a presentation on the Active Transportation Program and current programmatic work, which includes the Automated Bicycle-Pedestrian Count Program, the Regional Needs and Gaps Analysis, and the Active Transportation Steering Committee. K. Casiglio provided an overview of the Regional Needs and Gaps Analysis, including the background, process, and different typologies.
Discussion
S. Gopalan Narayanan facilitated a discussion with members on the Freight Action Plan. G. Mook and S. Gopalan Narayanan discussed exploring emerging technologies and regulations to improve roadway safety. M. Aslam and S. Gopalan Narayanan discussed the MPO’s freight stakeholder engagement, specifically with vulnerable road users.
K. Casiglio facilitated a discussion with members on the Active Transportation Program. C. Allen-Connelly highlighted the Community Advisory Council as a resource to provide feedback on the Active Transportation Program. S. Mullen shared support for the Parking in the Bike Lane study. J. Fuccione and K. Casiglio discussed infrastructure assets such as benches, which support people walking and biking. G. Mook and K. Casiglio discussed the effects of climate hazards such as extreme heat and flooding and strategies to support people walking and biking. M. Aslam and K. Casiglio discussed financial access as a barrier to active transportation. G. Mook shared that MPO staff should engage youth in the Active Transportation Steering Committee.
G. Mook, K. Casiglio, and Tegin Teich (Executive Director, MPO staff) discussed the MPO’s mode shift goals, while not specified explicitly, are embedded within other MPO goals.
7. Member Items
There were no member items.
8. Adjourn
A motion to adjourn was made by Mystic River Watershed Association (Karl Alexander) and seconded by the Watertown Transportation Management Association (Sophia Galimore). The motion carried.
Attendees
|
Member
Municipalities |
Representatives
and Alternates |
|
Chelsea |
Sara Han |
|
Natick |
Morgan Griffiths |
|
Community-Based
Organizations |
Attendees |
|
495/MetroWest Partnership |
Jason Palitsch |
|
A Better City |
Scott Mullen, Amir Wilson |
|
Abundant Housing MA |
Jesse Kanson-Benanav |
|
Bike to the Sea |
Patrick Bibbins |
|
Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (CSNDC) |
Jacynda Epenshade |
|
Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) |
Paulina Muratore |
|
Livable Streets Alliance |
Maha Aslam |
|
MA Healthy Aging Collaborative |
James Fuccione |
|
MassBike |
Galen Mook, Alexis Hosea-Abbott |
|
Mystic River Watershed Association |
Karl Alexander |
|
Mystic Valley Elder Services |
Meg von Lossnitzer, Sheila Buckland |
|
Prevention Research Center (PRC) on Nutrition and Physical Activity,
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health |
Angie Cradock |
|
Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) |
Reggie Ramos, Pete Wilson |
|
Transit Matters |
Caitlin Allen-Connelly, Will Palmer |
|
Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA) |
Sophia Galimore |
|
Other
Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
JR Frey |
Town of Hingham |
|
Maria Foster |
MassDOT |
|
Allison Lenk |
|
|
Richard Murphy |
|
|
Robert Warren |
|
|
MPO
Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Tanner Bonner |
|
Kyle Casiglio |
|
Annette Demchur |
|
Shravanthi Gopalan Narayanan |
|
David Hong |
|
Jia Huang |
|
Elena Ion |
|
Meghan O’Connor |
|
Ibbu Quraishi |
|
Sean Rourke |
|
Tegin Teich |
|
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