Contents

Unified Planning

Work Program

Federal Fiscal Year 2015

Endorsed by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

June 26, 2014

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Staff

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

Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

MBTA Advisory Board

Massachusetts Port Authority

Regional Transportation Advisory Council

City of Boston

City of Beverly

City of Everett

City of Newton

City of Somerville

City of Woburn

Town of Arlington

Town of Bedford

Town of Braintree

Town of Framingham

Town of Lexington

Town of Medway

Town of Norwood

Federal Highway Administration (nonvoting)

Federal Transit Administration (nonvoting)

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (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 on the basis of race, color, national origin, English proficiency, income, religious creed, ancestry, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or military service. Any person who believes herself/himself or any specific class of persons to have been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI, ADA, or other nondiscrimination statute or regulation may, herself/himself or via a representative, file a written complaint with the MPO. A complaint must be filed no later than 180 calendar days after the date on which 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 617-973-7100 (voice), 617-973-7089 (TTY), 617-973-8855 (fax), or publicinformation@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 (“Unified Planning Work Program” link).   

Contact MPO staff:                                                                       

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 policies of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

List of Exhibits

Executive Summary

This Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) contains information about surface-transportation planning projects that will be conducted in the Boston metropolitan region from October 1, 2014, through September 30, 2015 (federal fiscal year 2015). The UPWP is an essential transportation-planning tool for the region and often a first step in determining whether or not a project will be implemented. It is integrally related to other planning initiatives conducted by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), as well as by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport).

The projects in this UPWP will be funded from federal, state, and local sources. This UPWP has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act” (MAP-21) and with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant application requirements, planning factors, and other guidance. This UPWP contains 82 projects and programs, of which 63 will be carried out by the Central Transportation Planning (CTPS) staff and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) on behalf of the MPO, MassDOT, the MBTA, Massport, and other entities. The remaining 19 projects will be carried out by individual transportation agencies, municipalities, and academic institutions.

The majority of the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2015 UPWP projects have been ongoing since FFY 2014 (or earlier). However, there are several new projects. Those to be undertaken on behalf of the MPO are:

• Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways: FFY 2015
• Bicycle Network Gaps: Feasibility Evaluations
• Core Capacity Constraints
• Fairmount Line Station Access Analysis
• Household-Survey-Based Travel Profiles and Trends: Selected Policy Topics
• Low-Cost Improvements to Freeway Bottleneck Locations: FFY 2015
• Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment: FFY 2015
• Safety Analysis at Intersections near MAGIC Schools
• Title VI Service Equity Analyses: Methodology Development

CTPS also will continue to support projects that are being conducted by MassDOT, the MBTA, and other entities. Examples of these are:

• Green Line Extension: Completion of New Starts Analysis
• Massachusetts Turnpike Allston Interchange Traffic Study
• South Station Expansion Project: Support

The UPWP is intended to serve two purposes: First, to provide information to government officials, local communities, and the general public about surface-transportation planning projects expected to be undertaken in the Boston region. Second, to supply complete budget information to federal and state officials about expenditure of federal metropolitan planning funds for those projects carried out on behalf of the Boston Region MPO. These funds include FHWA metropolitan planning (PL) funds and FTA Section 5303 metropolitan planning funds, which are used to support the MPO’s continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive, or “3C,” planning process. 

The UPWP document is structured as follows. Chapter 1 provides general information about the Boston Region MPO, the transportation-planning process, and the sources of funding for UPWP projects. In addition, it explains the MPO’s role in programming these funds, and the process the MPO followed to select the projects it was responsible for programming. Chapter 1 includes a chart depicting the organizational structure of the MPO, a map showing the municipalities that are members of each MAPC subregional group, and a table citing the relationship between MPO-funded UPWP projects and federal planning factors. It also includes a figure showing the UPWP’s relationship to other MPO planning documents, current feasibility studies, and other visioning processes.

Chapter 2 provides a status report on the FFY 2014 UPWP projects that were conducted by CTPS and MAPC. It also includes a list of products and activities related to those projects, and information about how to obtain copies of reports, memoranda, and certification documents.

Chapter 3 includes an index of the FFY 2015 UPWP projects, which are organized by the agency responsible for conducting them.

Chapters 4 through 7 contain project and program descriptions and detailed budget information for all work being conducted by CTPS and MAPC on behalf of the MPO, and for work conducted by CTPS on behalf of other transportation-planning entities.

Chapter 8 gives budget summaries of the projects and programs included in Chapters 4 through 7 and other information about the federal funding allocated to projects and programs in this UPWP. This chapter is intended to provide federal and state officials with information necessary for approving the use of funds as documented in the UPWP and for administering contracts.

Appendix A presents brief summaries of project information for other, non-MPO transportation-planning projects that will be conducted in the Boston region. These projects have separate review and approval processes and are outside the purview of the MPO. They are included in the UPWP to provide a more comprehensive picture of what is being planned in the region and to ensure that MPO planning efforts in the region are coordinated with other ongoing work.

Appendix B will be completed following the close of the 30-day public review period and before the final document is presented to the MPO for adoption. It will describe the public participation process used for the development of the draft UPWP and the public workshops that were held during its public review period. It also will present a summary of written comments on the draft UPWP that were received during its review period and the MPO’s responses to them.

Appendix C contains the document that was developed by staff to catalog and rate proposed UPWP projects. This document was used by the MPO UPWP Committee and the MPO as a guide in selecting new projects.

 1   The Transportation Planning and Programming Process in the Boston Region MPO Area

This chapter is intended to give the reader an understanding of how the transportation-planning process is conducted in the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) area, including the federal requirements that govern the process, the funding sources used to carry it out, and the implementation of the process from conception to completion.

1.1     The Transportation Planning Process

Decisions about how to spend transportation funds in a metropolitan area are guided by information and ideas garnered from a broad group of people, including elected officials, municipal planners and engineers, transportation advocates, and other interested people. 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—also known as an urbanized area—has an MPO, which decides how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects and planning studies for the area.

Section 134 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act and Section 5303 of the Federal Transit Act, as amended, require that urbanized areas, to be eligible for federal funds, conduct a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process (3C process) resulting in plans and programs consistent with the planning objectives of the metropolitan area. The Boston Region MPO is responsible for carrying out the 3C planning process in the Boston region and has established the following objectives for the process:

• To identify transportation problems and develop possible solutions to them
• To strike a balance between short-range and long-range considerations, so that beneficial incremental actions undertaken now reflect an adequate understanding of probable future consequences and possible future options
• To take into account both regional and local considerations, and both transportation and non-transportation objectives and impacts, in the analysis of project issues
• To assist implementing agencies in putting policy and project decisions into effect in a timely fashion, with adequate consideration of environmental, social, fiscal, and economic impacts and with adequate opportunity for participation by other agencies, local governments, and the public
• To assist implementing agencies in assigning priorities to transportation activities in a manner consistent with the region’s needs and resources
• To maintain MPO compliance with the requirements of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (MAP-21), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 12898 (regarding environmental justice), Executive Order 13166 (regarding outreach to populations with limited English-language proficiency), and Executive Order 13330 (regarding the coordination of human-services transportation)

1.2     The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

The Boston Region MPO is a 22-member board consisting of state agencies, regional organizations, and municipalities, and its jurisdiction consists of the 101 cities and towns shown on the map that follows the title page of this document. The permanent MPO voting members are the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the MBTA Advisory Board, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), the City of Boston, and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council. The elected MPO voting members are municipalities. A municipality from each of the eight MAPC subregions has a seat, and there are four at-large municipal seats. The current elected members are:

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

In addition, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participate in the MPO as advisory (nonvoting) members. Figure 1-1 on the following page shows MPO membership and organization of the Central Transportation Planning Staff (staff to the MPO).  

Details about MPO voting members are provided below:

• The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was established under Chapter 25 (“An Act Modernizing the Transportation Systems of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts”) of the Acts of 2009. It includes four Divisions: Highway, Rail and Transit, Aeronautics, and Registry of Motor Vehicles.

• The Highway Division has jurisdiction over the roadways, bridges, and tunnels of the former Massachusetts Highway Department and Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. The Division also has jurisdiction over many bridges and parkways previously under the authority of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Highway Division is responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of the Commonwealth's state highways and bridges. The Division 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 is responsible for all rail and transit initiatives, and it oversees the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and all Regional Transit Authorities of the Commonwealth. The MassDOT Board of Directors also serves as the governing board of the MBTA.

MassDOT has three seats on the MPO, including one for the Highway Division.

• The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning agency for the 101 cities and towns in the MAPC/MPO region. It is composed of the chief executive (or her/his designee) of each of the 101 cities and towns in the MAPC region, 21 gubernatorial appointees, and 12 ex officio members. It has statutory responsibility for comprehensive regional planning in its region under Chapter 40B of the Massachusetts General Laws (MGL). 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. Also, its region has been designated 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 responsibilities in the areas of technical assistance to communities, transportation planning, and the development of zoning, land use, demographic, and environmental studies.
• The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has the statutory responsibility within its district, under the provisions of Chapter 161A of the MGL, of operating the public transportation system, preparing the engineering and architectural designs for transit development projects, and constructing and operating transit development projects. The MBTA district comprises 175 communities, including all of the 101 cities and towns of the Boston Region MPO area. A seven-member board of directors was appointed by the Governor to be the governing body of both MassDOT and the MBTA, which is part of MassDOT but retains a separate legal existence. The MBTA provides general transit-planning support for projects in this UPWP.
• The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Advisory Board was created by the Legislature in 1964 through the same legislation that created the MBTA. The Advisory Board consists of representatives of the 175 cities and towns that compose the MBTA district. Cities are represented by either the city manager or mayor, and towns by the chairperson of the board of selectmen. Specific responsibilities of the Advisory Board include review of and comment on the Program for Mass Transportation (PMT), proposed fare increases, and the annual MBTA Capital Investment Program; review of the MBTA’s documentation of net operating investment per passenger; and review of the MBTA’s operating budget.
• The Massachusetts Port Authority (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 the development and improvement of commerce in Boston and the surrounding metropolitan area. Massport owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, Conley Terminal, Cruiseport Boston, Hanscom Field, Worcester Regional Airport, and various maritime/waterfront properties, including parks, in East Boston, South Boston, and Charlestown.
• The City of Boston, six elected cities (currently Beverly, Braintree, Everett, Newton, Somerville, and Woburn), and six elected towns (currently Arlington, Bedford, Framingham, Lexington, Medway, and Norwood) represent the 101 municipalities in the Boston Region MPO area. The City of Boston is a permanent MPO member and has two seats. There is one elected municipal seat for each of the eight MAPC subregions and four seats for at-large elected municipalities (two cities and two towns). The elected at-large municipalities serve staggered three-year terms, as do the eight municipalities representing the MAPC subregions.
• The Regional Transportation Advisory Council, the MPO’s citizen advisory group, provides the opportunity for transportation-related organizations, agencies, and municipal representatives to become actively involved in the decision-making processes of the MPO in the planning and programming of transportation projects in the region. The Advisory Council reviews, comments on, and makes recommendations regarding certification documents. It also serves as a forum for providing information on transportation topics in the region, identifying issues, advocating for ways to address the region’s transportation needs, and generating interest among members of the general public in the work of the MPO.

As noted above, two members participate in the Boston Region MPO in an advisory (nonvoting) capacity, reviewing the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the UPWP, and other facets of the MPO’s planning process to ensure compliance with federal planning and programming requirements:

• The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) oversee the highway and transit programs, respectively, of the U.S. Department of Transportation under pertinent legislation and the provisions of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).

Two other entities assist MPO members in carrying out the responsibilities of the MPO’s 3C planning process through policy implementation, technical support, and public participation:

• The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) was created by the MPO to carry out general and 3C transportation-planning activities on behalf of the MPO and to provide agencies with analyses required for the work described in this document and other agency initiatives.
• The MAPC subregional groups bring together representatives (usually appointed or elected officials or their staff) of the communities within a subregion of the MAPC region to address shared concerns regarding transportation and land use. MAPC has promoted and supported the formation of subregional groups in order to foster better communication and cooperation among communities. They have played an important role in the MPO’s participatory process, including the development of TIP and UPWP project priorities. The MAPC subregional groups and their member municipalities are shown in Figure 1-2.

1.3          The Unified Planning Work Program          

This Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) contains information about surface-transportation planning projects that will be conducted in the Boston metropolitan region. It is updated annually; this UPWP reflects projects that will be conducted during the period October 1, 2014, through September 30, 2015 (federal fiscal year 2015). The UPWP is an essential transportation-planning tool for the region and often a first step in determining whether or not a project will be implemented. It is integrally related to other planning initiatives conducted by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), as well as by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport).

1.3.1    Consistency with Federal Planning Regulations

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (MAP-21)

This legislation requires all MPOs to carry out the 3C process (see page 1-1). Activities the MPOs must perform to meet this requirement include producing the Long-Range Transportation Plan, the Transportation Improvement program, and the UPWP.

• The Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) guides investment in the transportation system of the Boston metropolitan region over at least the next 20 years. It defines an overarching vision of the future of transportation in the region, establishes policies that will lead to the achievement of that vision, and allocates projected revenue to transportation programs and projects consistent with the policies. Boston Region MPO produces an LRTP every four years. The current LRTP, Paths to a Sustainable Region, commits future transportation investments that advance the MPO’s goals for the region to the end of 2035.
• The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a staged, multiyear, intermodal program of transportation improvements that is consistent with the LRTP. It describes and prioritizes transportation projects that are expected to be implemented during a four-year period, and contains a financial plan that shows the revenue source or sources, current or proposed, for each project. The TIP serves as the implementation arm of the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, and the Boston Region MPO updates the TIP annually.

MPOs also are responsible for conduct an inclusive public participation process, and for maintaining transportation models and data resources to support air quality conformity determinations, as well as long-range and short-range planning work and initiatives.

The MAP-21 legislation establishes national goals for federal highway programs. These goals include:

1. Safety—To achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads
2. Infrastructure condition—To maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair
3. Congestion reduction—To achieve a significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System
4. System reliability—To improve the efficiency of the surface transportation system
5. Freight movement and economic vitality—To 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—To enhance the performance of the transportation system while protecting and enhancing the natural environment
7. Reduced project delivery delays—To reduce project costs, promote jobs and the economy, and expedite the movement of people and goods by accelerating project completion through eliminating delays in the project development and delivery process, including reducing regulatory burdens and improving agencies’ work practices

MAP-21 also establishes performance-based planning as an integral part of the metropolitan planning process. Performance-based planning and programming refers to practices that apply performance-management principles to transportation system policy and investment decisions. In other words, a system-level, data-driven process is used to make decisions about strategies and investments. 1 MAP-21 requires that each MPO establish performance measures and targets that track progress toward attainment of critical outcomes for its region and stipulates that these targets should be coordinated with those of relevant state agencies and public transportation providers to ensure consistency. 2 The Boston Region MPO has begun formalizing the framework of its performance-based planning process, and information about the MPO’s work with respect to performance measures is detailed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan, the Transportation Improvement Program, and the Congestion Management Process  project descriptions.

Consistency with Other Federal Legislative Requirements

The 1990 Clean Air Act

Conformity determinations must be performed for capital improvement projects that receive federal funding and for those that are considered regionally significant, regardless of the funding source. These determinations must show that the MPO’s 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 the air quality standards in any area.

Transportation control measures (TCMs) identified in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the attainment of air quality standards are federally-enforceable and must be given first priority when using federal funds. Such projects include the parking-freeze program in Boston, the statewide rideshare program, rapid transit and commuter rail extension programs, park-and-ride facilities, residential parking-sticker programs, and the operation of high-occupancy-vehicle lanes. MPO activities related to air quality are detailed in the Air Quality Conformity and Support Activities description.

Non-discrimination Mandates

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other federal and state non-discrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, English proficiency, income, religious creed, ancestry, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or military service. The major federal requirements are discussed below.

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act

This statute requires that no person be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be 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 federally-conducted and federally-assisted programs and activities and requires MPOs to develop and implement a system by which LEP persons can meaningfully participate in the transportation-planning process.

MPO activities that meet these requirements are discussed in the Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting, the MassDOT Title VI Program, and the MBTA Title VI Program Monitoring project descriptions listed in chapters 5, 6, and 7.

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, including interrelated social and economic effects, of its programs, policies, and activities on minority or low-income populations.

On April 15, 1997, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued its Final Order to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations. Among other provisions, this order requires programming and planning activities to:

• 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

MPO activities that meet these requirements are discussed in the Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program description.

The Americans with Disabilities Act

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all transportation projects, plans, and programs to be accessible to people with disabilities. At the MPO level, this means that public meetings must be held in accessible buildings and be conducted in a manner that provides for accessibility. MPO materials must also be made available in accessible formats. MPO activities that meet these requirements are discussed in Chapter 5.

Executive Order 13330

This executive order, dated February 26, 2004, calls for the establishment of the Interagency Transportation Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility under the aegis of the 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, low-income persons, and older adults. MPO activities related to the above federal requirements are detailed in Chapter 5.

Consistency with Federal Planning Factors and Other Federal Guidance

Federal Planning Factors

MAP-21 maintains the federal planning factors that were included in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). These planning factors are:

1. Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency
2. Increase the safety of the transportation system for all motorized and nonmotorized users
3. Increase the ability of the transportation system to support homeland security and to safeguard the personal security of all motorized and nonmotorized users
4. Increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight
5. Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and state and local planned growth and economic development patterns
6. Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight
7. Promote efficient system management and operation
8. Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system

These planning factors are reflected in the LRTP visions described below and were incorporated in the rating of projects for this UPWP (see Section 1.4.3 of this chapter). Projects specifically relating to these planning factors are detailed in Chapters 4 through 7. A summary of the amount of money being spent for these projects can be found in Chapter 8. Table 1-1 provides a summary of how projects and programs in this UPWP that receive federal formula grant funding to carry out the 3C process address the federal planning factors.

TABLE 1-1: UPWP Project and Program Relationship to Federal Planning Factors

Other Federal Guidance

In addition, this year the FHWA asked MPOs to pay particular attention to the following areas in their UPWPs:

• Continuing support for performance-based practices in metropolitan planning
• Addressing bicycle and pedestrian safety concerns
• Supporting the efficient movement of goods throughout each region and the commonwealth
• Addressing climate change concerns
• Continuing to focus on Title VI, Environmental Justice (EJ), and Limited-English-Proficiency (LEP) programs and requirements, and working to ensure that all members of the community have access
• Making updates to Coordinated Public Transit–Human Service Transportation plans to reflect the current transit network status and MAP-21 requirements
• Continuing to implement recommendations from recent metropolitan transportation planning certification reviews
• Ensuring that at least a third of metropolitan planning funding is spent on activities resulting in tangible products
• Supporting training and professional development of staff on transportation planning topics

The MPO has programmed or otherwise incorporated initiatives into the FFY 2015 UPWP in compliance with this federal guidance; these are included in Chapters 4 through 7.

Continued Support for Performance-Based Planning

The Boston Region MPO is incorporating formalized performance-based planning activities into the development of its Long- Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). In FFY 2014, MPO staff developed recommendations related to performance-based planning and coordinated with MassDOT and other entities on this topic. Anticipated FFY 2015 activities related to performance-based planning are included in the LRTP and TIP descriptions. The MPO coordinates performance-based planning activities in these certification documents with performance monitoring carried out through the Congestion Management Program (CMP) and through the LRTP and TIP reporting on the MPO’s performance goals. The MPO will continue to coordinate with MassDOT, the MBTA, MAPC, and other entities as part of its performance-based planning process, and will address performance management requirements once the final rule on metropolitan and statewide planning is published.

The MPO also considers performance-based planning needs and issues when deciding what activities to fund through the UPWP. The process for selecting new projects for the UPWP, which is discussed in detail in Section 1.4.3, “New Study Selection Process,” included an effort to rate proposed projects by focus areas that highlight the MPO’s goals, visions, and policies. These focus areas, which were used to support the development of staff and the MPO’s UPWP Committee recommendations for new projects for FFY 2015, include an area titled “Supports Performance-Based Planning.” Of the new projects recommended for inclusion in this UPWP, one project received a “major consideration” rating in this area and another received a “minor consideration” rating in this area.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety

The MPO addresses the safety needs of active transportation modes, such as bicycling and walking, throughout its planning activities. Bicycle and pedestrian safety criteria are used in the TIP project evaluation process, and bicycle and pedestrian needs are considered as part of corridor studies, Community Transportation Technical Assistance projects, Livable Community Workshop Program projects, and bicycle and pedestrian planning work conducted under the Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination program (see Chapters 6 and 7).

The MPO’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities program specifically targets this issue; activities planned for this program in FFY 2015 include continuing to examine bicycle and pedestrian crash data and continuing to coordinate with state agencies, MAPC, and other entities on bicycle and pedestrian planning for the region. During FFY 2015, the MPO may consider developing future possible strategic bicycle and pedestrian safety plans as part of this program. Several new studies in this UPWP, including Bicycle Network Gaps: Feasibility Evaluations  and the Fairmount Line Station Access Analysis will also recommend improvements that address bicycle and pedestrian safety needs.

Movement of Goods

The FFY 2015 UPWP includes a Freight Planning Support: FFY 2015 program to support the efficient movement of goods. The focus areas used to rate new discrete projects for the FFY 2015 UPWP also include an area called “Support Economic Vitality,” which accounts for whether a planning project might support the movement of goods. Of the new projects recommended for inclusion in this UPWP, three projects received a “minor consideration” rating in this area.

Freight elements were also incorporated into Paths to a Sustainable Region, the MPO’s current Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), and will be addressed in the next LRTP update. In addition, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council has an ongoing freight committee that is supported by the MPO in order to maintain awareness of freight issues and to provide input to the MPO on freight-related matters.

Addressing Climate Change Concerns

The MPO continues to consider climate change in transportation planning through its ongoing work. Through the Air Quality Conformity and Support Activities program, the MPO integrates climate-change concerns and emission-reduction opportunities into the LRTP, the TIP, and other activities and continues to coordinate with MassDOT on implementing its GreenDOT policy. MPO staff supports all-hazards planning as part of 3C Planning and MPO Support Activities and has continued to update its all-hazards data resources.

During FFY 2015, MPO staff will continue to monitor MassDOT vulnerability assessments—including results of the 2013-2014 FHWA-funded climate resilience pilot focused on the Central Artery—and consider opportunities to incorporate findings into the MPO’s planning for climate change. As part of its Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies work, MAPC will be conducting mapping to identify roadway segments in environmentally sensitive areas that may need improvements; these improvements could be incorporated into roadway reconstruction projects, such as climate adaption projects. In addition, the MPO will continue to work on its Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy Alternatives: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, which aims to identify transportation investments that are the most cost-effective in reducing GHG emissions.

Civil Rights Programs and Requirements

The MPO’s ongoing and continuing projects and programs include elements that address the needs and participation of Title VI, Environmental Justice (EJ), Limited-English-Proficient (LEP), and elderly populations and people with disabilities. The MPO’s Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program  is specifically focused on the transportation needs of these populations. Other programs, including 3C Planning and MPO Support, Access Advisory Committee Support, and Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats, include activities that support and encourage the participation of these populations in the transportation decision-making process. In all of these transportation-planning activities, the MPO staff, frequently in collaboration with MAPC, assesses and seeks to improve processes to provide access to both the region’s transportation system and the decision-making process for people throughout the MPO region. CTPS also conducts Title VI analysis for the MPO, MassDOT, and the MBTA, as described in Chapters 5 and 7. While conducting all of these activities, the MPO works in consultation with MassDOT’s Office of Diversity and Civil Rights.

The focus areas used to rate new discrete projects for the FFY 2015 UPWP included an area called “Consider Transportation Equity and Accessibility.” Criteria for this focus area included not only improvements to transportation service and infrastructure serving these populations, but also an element for strengthening the role of these populations in transportation decision making. Of the new projects selected for FFY 2015, the Title VI Service Equity Analyses: Methodology Development and the Fairmount Line Station Access Analysis projects particularly address the participation and needs of these populations.

Updates to Coordinated Human–Services Transportation Plans

In FFY 2015, MPO staff will complete the update of the MPO’s Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (CHSTP), which was begun in FFY 2013. More details are included in the Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Program description. MPO staff will develop the CHSTP in accordance with MAP-21 requirements and will coordinate with applicable Regional Coordinating Councils, MassDOT, and other entities as part of the planning process.

Recommendations from Recent Metropolitan Transportation Planning Certification Reviews

The MPO has implemented the recommendations from its 2011 Transportation Planning Certification Review by the FHWA and FTA in the development of its certification documents, public outreach processes, and other transportation-planning activities. Chapters 4 through 7 detail the initiatives taking place in various MPO programs and projects. The MPO expects to undergo its next Transportation Planning Certification Review in early FFY 2015; the 3C Planning and MPO Support program descriptions describe activities that will support this review.

Tangible Products of Planning Activities

The MPO meets and exceeds federal guidelines for the expenditure of metropolitan planning funds on tangible products. The MPO considers planning-project feasibility and implementation factors when selecting projects to fund with 3C dollars, including particular locations to study. The MPO maintains a practice of coordinating with MassDOT and other entities, where possible, if there is an opportunity to advance the recommendations developed from studies into tangible products.

Staff Training and Professional Development

The MPO, through its ongoing 3C-funded programs, makes resources available for the MPO staff to maintain its transportation-planning expertise by participating in courses, programs, and workshops offered by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Transportation Research Board, and other entities. More information on these topics is available in the Direct Support and 3C Planning and MPO Support project descriptions.

1.3.2 Coordination with Other Planning Activities

The MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)

The MPO considered the degree to which a proposed UPWP project would further the visions, policies, objectives, and planning emphasis areas of the MPO’s current Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Paths to a Sustainable Region, which was adopted in 2011. The LRTP visions include:

System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency

The regional transportation system will be maintained to a state of good repair and will operate with maximum efficiency. It will be reliable and modern and will provide improved mobility regionwide. Automobile dependency will be reduced, and the transit system will serve more people. Modernization of the existing system will provide access and accessibility throughout for all; additions to the transportation system will also be fully accessible for persons of all abilities.

Efficiencies and operational improvements will come through ongoing system preservation, use of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and other technologies, management and operations strategies, and a balanced program of strategic investments. Innovative approaches will reduce auto dependency and actively promote other modes of transportation.

Expansion of the system will come through strategic investments.

Livability

All residents will have the capability of moving affordably between where they live, work, get services, and play using healthy transportation options that promote a healthy lifestyle. Multimodal transportation will serve business, residential, and mixed-use centers. Transportation investments will focus on existing activity centers, including sites of economic activity and adequate public infrastructure, where density will be encouraged. These centers of community activity will grow in population density and diversity of uses. This density and mixed-use activity will better support new and increased transit services. Investments in bicycle and pedestrian facilities and in accessibility improvements will support healthy lifestyle choices and increase mobility for everyone, including people with disabilities. Community centers will thrive with the implementation of “complete streets” and context-sensitive design principles; urban design changes in community centers will create more human-scale and aesthetically pleasing community environments. The design of the transportation network will protect cultural, historical, and scenic resources, community cohesiveness, and quality of life.

The transportation network will play its part as a foundation for economic vitality. Energy use will be managed efficiently and alternative energy sources used.

Mobility

People in most areas of all corridors in the region will have access to transportation to jobs, education and training, health services, and social and recreational opportunities. This includes persons with disabilities, the elderly, youth, minorities, and persons with low incomes or with limited English proficiency. More communities will have more transportation options, both motorized and nonmotorized. The transportation infrastructure will accommodate freight and commercial activity as well as passenger needs. Freight will be moved efficiently by all freight modes.

The transportation system and services will be reliable. Delays, congestion, and travel time will be reduced. Transit ridership and use of sustainable options will be increased. The system will meet people’s needs; funding decisions will be guided by attention to customer service. Existing transit, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities will be linked in a network.

Environment

Human and environmental health will be considered in transportation decision making. With transportation investments targeted to areas of existing development, many greenfields will be preserved, many brownfields will be restored and reused, and water and sewer infrastructure and other utilities will be more cost-effectively maintained. Air quality will be improved as the full range of regulated vehicle emissions (carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulates) and carbon dioxide are reduced to required and/or targeted levels. The transportation project design process will avoid or minimize negative impacts to wetlands, soil, water, and other environmental resources. Context-sensitive design principles will be implemented to protect communities’ cultural, historical, and scenic resources, community cohesiveness, quality of life, and aesthetic environments.

Transportation Equity

Low-income and minority residents, as well as the elderly, youth, and persons for whom English is a second language (ESL populations), will enjoy, on a level equitable with others, mobility and access to affordable transportation options that connect them with jobs, educational institutions, and services. Environmental burdens from transportation facilities and services (existing and future) will be minimized for these persons; low-income and minority persons will not be inequitably burdened. Expansion projects will address regional needs.

Climate Change

The production of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the transportation sector in this region will be reduced to levels that contribute appropriately to the statewide targets set by the Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Act. The MPO region will have joined with other entities in Massachusetts and the Northeast to slow and perhaps prevent the onset of serious climate change effects. The MPO, in consultation and cooperation with state and federal agencies planning action on GHG reduction, will have adopted GHG reduction goals and taken the steps necessary to meet them. Critical elements of the region’s transportation infrastructure that may be vulnerable to the impacts of climate change will have been identified and protected.

Safety and Security

All modes of the transportation network, passenger and freight, will provide transportation that is safe, personally and operationally, to the maximum feasible degree. The number and severity of crashes will have been reduced. State-of-the practice ITS measures and surveillance communication systems will have been deployed on the transit system to minimize vulnerability to security breaches. Transit malfunctions will have been reduced.

Steps will have been taken to protect the viability of transportation infrastructure critical to emergency response and evacuations necessitated by natural hazards and man-made threats.

These visions, along with MPO policies documented in the LRTP, also have been incorporated in the UPWP focus areas detailed in Section 1.4.3. Work being done to support the LRTP is detailed in Chapter 5.

The MPO’s Congestion Management Process (CMP)

The purpose of the CMP is to 1) monitor and analyze the performance of facilities and services; 2) develop strategies for the management of congestion based on the results of monitoring; and 3) move those strategies into the implementation stage by providing decision makers in the region with information and recommendations for the improvement of transportation system performance. The CMP monitors roadways and park-and-ride facilities in the MPO region for safety, congestion, and mobility, and identifies “problem” locations. Projects that help address problems identified in the most recent CMP monitoring were considered for inclusion in this UPWP. Work being done in the FFY 2015 UPWP to support the CMP is detailed in Chapter 6.

The MBTA’s Program for Mass Transportation (PMT)

In 2009, the MBTA adopted its current PMT, which is the MBTA’s long-range capital plan. The PMT was developed with extensive public involvement and was approved by the MBTA Advisory Board. The PMT informs the selection of projects for the UPWP and work included in the UPWP will support the PMT planning process.

MetroFuture

MetroFuture, which was developed by MAPC and adopted in 2008, is the long-range plan for land use, housing, economic development, and environmental preservation in the Boston region. It includes a vision for the region’s future and a set of strategies for achieving that future, and it was adopted as the future land use scenario for the MPO LRTP, Paths to a Sustainable Region. Work being done to support MetroFuture implementation and updates is detailed in the MetroFuture Implementation project description. MetroFuture’s goals, objectives, and strategies were considered in the development of this UPWP, including in the UPWP focus areas used to rate proposed new projects.

You Move Massachusetts and We Move Massachusetts

You Move Massachusetts, a statewide initiative designed as a bottom-up approach to transportation planning, developed 10 core themes derived from a broad-based public participation process that articulated the expressed concerns, needs, and aspirations of Massachusetts residents that are related to their transportation network. These themes were considered in the development of this UPWP.

We Move Massachusetts (WMM) is MassDOT’s statewide strategic multimodal plan. The initiative is a product of the transportation reform legislation of 2009, You Move Massachusetts civic engagement process, wider outreach to environmental justice and Title VI communities, and other outreach activities. In December 2013, MassDOT released We Move Massachusetts: Planning for Performance (WMM), a single, multimodal Long-Range Transportation Plan for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. WMM identifies high-level policy priorities, which were considered in the development of this UPWP. WMM also incorporates performance management into investment decision-making to calculate the differences in performance outcomes resulting from different funding levels available to MassDOT. In the future, MassDOT will use the scenario tool, described in WMM, to update and refine investment priorities.

GreenDOT and MassDOT’s Statewide Mode-Shift Goal

GreenDOT, an initiative that MassDOT launched in June 2010, is a comprehensive environmental responsibility and sustainability policy that has three primary objectives: 1) reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; 2) promoting the healthy transportation options of walking, bicycling, and public transit; and 3) supporting smart-growth development. GreenDOT applies to MassDOT divisions and contractors, as well as to Massachusetts’s MPOs and regional transit authorities (RTAs).

The GreenDOT Implementation Plan serves as the framework for incorporating the sustainability principles of GreenDOT into MassDOT’s core business practices. The plan details 16 broad sustainability goals and related measurable tasks and performance indicators. These goals include MassDOT’s statewide mode-shift goal, which aims to triple the current mode shares of bicycling, public transit, and walking by 2030. The statewide mode-shift goal is an important part of MassDOT’s strategy for meeting the Commonwealth’s commitments under the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008. In 2013, MassDOT built upon the mode‑shift goal by passing the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive to formalize its commitment to the implementation and maintenance of transportation networks that serve all modes. The directive will ensure that all MassDOT projects are designed and implemented in a way that provides all customers access to safe and comfortable walking, bicycling, and transit options.

 The goals outlined in the GreenDOT Implementation Plan, including the statewide mode-shift goal, were considered in the development of this UPWP. Multiple projects in this UPWP address GreenDOT sustainability goals, such as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy Alternatives: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Barriers and Opportunities Influencing Mode Shift  projects.

Healthy Transportation Compact

The Healthy Transportation Compact (HTC) is a key requirement of the Massachusetts landmark transportation reform legislation that took effect on November 1, 2009. It is an interagency initiative that will help ensure that the transportation decisions the Commonwealth makes balance the needs of all transportation users, expand mobility, improve public health, support a cleaner environment, and create stronger communities.

The agencies work together to achieve positive health outcomes through the coordination of land use, transportation, and public health policy. HTC membership is made up of the Secretary of Transportation or designee (co-chair), the Secretary of Health and Human Services or designee (co-chair), the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs or designee, the MassDOT Highway Administrator or designee, the MassDOT Transit Administrator or designee, and the Commissioner of Public Health or designee. The HTC will also promote improved coordination among the public sector, private sector, and advocacy groups, as well as among transportation, land use, and public health stakeholders. The charges of the Healthy Transportation Compact were considered in the development of this UPWP, and MPO activities that relate to the Healthy Transportation Compact are discussed in the MetroFuture Implementation (page 6-29), Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination (7-3), and Livable Community Workshop Program (page 7-19) descriptions. MPO staff has also supported health impact assessments and addressed health-related topics through analysis for MassDOT-funded transportation- planning projects, such as the Grounding McGrath: Determining the Future of the Route 28 Corridor project. This work has enabled MPO staff to develop expertise in health impact assessments, and to better understand the relationship between public health and transportation, which the MPO can use to inform its transportation planning process.

Figure 1-3 shows the relationship of the UPWP to other transportation-planning documents, including those described above.

1.4       The UPWP Development Process

Each year the MPO considers projects for the annual update of the UPWP through its UPWP Committee, which was established by the MPO. The UPWP documents new projects and projects that are continuing from previous UPWPs, and it provides updates on the MPO’s ongoing programs that fulfill the 3C process outlined above.

1.4.1    Updates for Ongoing and Continuing Activities

As part of developing the upcoming UPWP, the MPO reviews activities for 1) ongoing projects and programs and 2) discrete (or limited-term) projects that began as part of previous UPWPs. Collectively, these projects and programs include both 3C-funded activities and projects completed on behalf of transportation agencies that serve the Boston region. As part of this process, the MPO staff identifies and develops budgets for continuing activities that will be carried out in the upcoming federal fiscal year.

In addition, MPO staff reviews and revises descriptions of activities to be conducted through the ongoing programs conducted as part of the 3C planning process. If there are changes to the budget of any program as a result of revisions to the planned activities, these are proposed. This annual project and program review and budget development process defines the amount of 3C funding (from federal grants that support the 3C process) that is available for new projects in the UPWP. After accounting for 3C-funded continuing and ongoing programs, the remaining funding is available for new projects.

To provide a comprehensive perspective of transportation-planning activity occurring in the region, MPO staff members also develop a list of other major transportation-planning activities occurring in the Boston region. This list includes projects that are not funded with MPO funding, but which are being implemented by individual transportation agencies, municipalities, or academic institutions. In some cases, these projects may receive support from MPO staff.

Additional information on funding sources for UPWP projects and programs is available in section 1.5: Funding the Projects.

1.4.2    FFY 2015 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects

To develop new planning projects for the FFY 2015 UPWP, the MPO drew from the following sources to generate a universe of proposed new projects for evaluation by MPO staff and the MPO’s UPWP Committee:

1. Existing planning documents: the Congestion Management Process (CMP) reports; the Program for Mass Transportation (PMT), the MBTA’s long-range capital plan; Paths to a Sustainable Region, the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP); MetroFuture; and recent studies
2. Past guidance received from the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration on addressing planning emphasis areas
3. FFY 2014 UPWP comment letters and project proposals
4. Consultations with MassDOT, MAPC, and the MBTA
5. MPO staff-identified needs

MPO staff also requested planning project suggestions through outreach at MAPC subregional group meetings, at Regional Transportation Advisory Council meetings, and through outreach to the general public at Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)- and UPWP-Development Sessions and at the MPO’s “Be Informed, Be Involved” information sessions and workshops. Proposed planning projects are documented in the FFY 2015 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects, which is available in Appendix C of this UPWP.

1.4.3    New Planning Project Selection Process

After generating a universe of new proposed planning projects, MPO staff rated each proposed project in 16 focus areas in order to assess what visions, goals, policies, factors, and priorities the project would be likely to advance. These focus areas are based on the MPO’s visions and policies, national goals and planning factors, federal guidance, and other state and regional priorities, including those outlined in other regional planning documents. The focus areas include:

1. Link Land Use and Transportation: Considers whether the proposed project could support coordination with local and regional land use planning efforts, including MAPC’s MetroFuture plan.
2. Work with Limited Financial Resources: Considers whether the proposed project could support project prioritization, low-cost transportation improvement strategies, or innovative resource management approaches.
3. Use a Management and Operations Approach: Considers whether the proposed project could support management and operations improvements, which might be physical or technology-based. It also considers whether the project could support transportation demand management, or other strategies that provide low-cost, easy-to-implement solutions, which help avoid the need for capacity expansion.
4. Protect Air Quality and the Environment: Considers whether the proposed project could support improvements to air quality, other ecological functions, or energy conservation.
5. Increase Transit and Healthy-Transportation Mode Share: Considers whether the proposed project could support increased access and connectivity to bicycle, pedestrian, or transit options, promoting mode share or mode shift where possible.
6. Encourage Sustainability and Livable Communities: Considers whether the proposed project could support Complete Streets, context-sensitive transportation project implementation, or the preservation of community resources and cohesiveness.
7. Advance Mobility and Access, and Reduce Congestion: Considers whether the proposed project could help close gaps for one or more modes in the transportation network, or could support reductions in delays, congestion, or travel time.
8. Increase System Reliability: Considers whether the proposed project could support improvements to transit reliability or nonrecurring roadway congestion.
9. Increase Transportation Safety and Security: Considers whether the proposed project could support improved safety for one or more modes, or whether it supports responses to natural or man-made hazards.
10. Support Economic Vitality: Considers whether the proposed project could support freight movement or local or regional economic development.
11. Preserve and Maintain the Transportation System: Considers whether the proposed project could support bringing one or more modes into a state of good repair or making these modes more efficient.
12. Consider Transportation Equity and Accessibility: Considers whether the proposed project could support access, mobility, or participation in decision making for those with disabilities, those in low-income households, minorities, the elderly, youth, or those with limited English proficiency.
13. Support MetroFuture Implementation: Considers whether the proposed project could address MAPC’s MetroFuture Implementation Strategies.
14.  Support Statewide and Regional Transportation Initiatives: Considers whether the proposed project could address MassDOT’s We Move Massachusetts and GreenDOT Implementation plans, the Healthy Transportation Compact, and other plans and initiatives.
15.  Enhance Technical Capacity, Knowledge, and Insights: Considers whether the proposed project could support the MPO’s understanding of transportation issues and innovations or improves the MPO’s planning capacity.
16. Support Performance-Based Planning: Considers whether the proposed project could support the MPO’s performance-based planning process, including data collection and monitoring.

In addition to conducting focus area reviews, MPO staff defined general scopes and estimated costs for proposed planning projects and considered potential study feasibility issues. MPO staff also noted how the proposed project might support MPO visions and policies, as described in the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, Paths to a Sustainable Region, and the functions that proposed projects might perform to support transportation planning in the region. These various factors, along with the availability of funds for new studies, were considered as staff identified a recommended set of new proposed planning projects for review by the UPWP Committee. These proposed projects, their estimated costs, their focus area rating results, their potential relationships to MPO visions and policies, their potential transportation-planning functions, their relationship to the staff recommendation, and supporting comments are all documented in the FFY 2015 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects in Appendix C.

The UPWP Committee met six times to consider and provide guidance on the development process, new study ideas, idea ratings, and the staff recommendation for new projects. As part of this series of meetings, the Committee developed its recommendation for a public review Draft FFY 2015 UPWP. The Committee selected a program of studies that was based on the availability of funding and the factors described above, including planning priorities and state and federal guidelines. The MPO approved the UPWP Committee’s recommendations for the public review of Draft FFY 2015 UPWP on May 15, 2014.

1.4.4    Finalizing the UPWP

Descriptive and financial information about ongoing, continuing, and new UPWP projects, along with information about the UPWP development process and other major transportation-planning projects occurring in the region, is incorporated into the public review Draft UPWP. Once the MPO votes to release the draft for public review, MPO staff posts the document for downloading from the MPO website (www.bostonmpo.org) and provides notice of its availability through various media and MPO communication outlets. The public review and comment period lasts 30 days, during which time MPO staff members conduct workshops and make presentations at meetings to discuss and collect feedback on the draft document. Comments provided through other venues, including the MPO website, are also compiled during this time and presented to the MPO. Information about the public review process for Draft FFY 2015 UPWP is available in Appendix B.

1.5     Funding the Projects

The funding for the projects included in this UPWP (presented in Chapters 4 through 7) comes from a variety of federal and state sources, as described below. The source of funds has important implications with regard to which agency or organization is responsible for programming them, as well as the MPO’s vote to approve both the UPWP and the subsequent work scopes for the projects included in it. The purview of the MPO is included in each of the funding descriptions.

• FHWA 3C Planning (PL)/MassDOT Local Match – These are FHWA planning funds distributed to MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning (OTP), according to an allocation formula established by federal legislation, to carry out the 3C planning process. OTP distributes these funds to Massachusetts MPOs according to a formula based on population. The FFY 2015 3C PL funding allocation for the Boston Region MPO is $2,759,060 which includes $551,812 in state matching funds. The MPO votes on both the use of funds and the use of MPO staff for projects in this funding category.
• FHWA Statewide Planning and Research (SPR)/MassDOT Local Match – As in the case of 3C PL funds, FHWA provides SPR funds to OTP according to a distribution formula. OTP uses these funds to carry out planning and research projects throughout the state. This UPWP describes only the SPR projects that will be conducted in the Boston Region MPO area; however, OTP provides a complete listing of how these funds are distributed statewide in a document called the SPR Transportation-Planning Work Program. SPR funds in the amount of $577,000 (including $115,400 in state matching funds) are programmed in this UPWP for projects to be conducted by MPO staff. The MPO’s role is to approve the use of MPO staff for projects in this category and to make recommendations on work scopes for implementing them. The MPO’s role in these projects is crucial to the 3C process because it provides an opportunity to coordinate projects with other related transportation work efforts that may be planned for the same area.
• FTA/MassDOT 3C Planning (§5303) and MAPC Local Match – FTA provides 3C planning funds for transit projects to MPOs under Section 5303 of the Federal Transit Act. These funds require a local match, are distributed according to an allocation formula, and are administered by MassDOT. The FFY 2015 FTA allocation, including a total local match for FFY 2015, is $2,195,360. The total amount programmed in this UPWP for projects to be conducted by MPO staff, MassDOT, and MAPC on behalf of the MPO is $1,879,670. As is the case for FHWA 3C PL funds, the MPO votes on both the use of these funds and the use of MPO staff on projects in this category.
• MassDOT – Funds in the amount of $298,100 for MassDOT projects are included in this UPWP. The MPO’s role is to approve the use of MPO staff time for these projects and to make recommendations on the work scopes for implementing them.
• MBTA – The MBTA provides $463,720 in funding for this UPWP for transit projects to be conducted by MPO staff. As is the case of the SPR and MassDOT funds described above, the MPO’s role is to approve the use of MPO staff time for these projects and to make recommendations on the work scopes for implementing them.
• Other – This UPWP also includes $63,000 in funding provided by Massport and the Town of Foxborough for work being conducted by MPO staff on behalf of these entities. The MPO’s role is to vote on the use of MPO staff time for these projects and to make recommendations on the work scopes for implementing them.

1.6     Monitoring the Projects

The following procedures for monitoring the projects in this UPWP were approved by the MPO:

• Project work scopes supported by federal 3C planning funds must be approved by the MPO prior to the start of any CTPS activity.
• Monthly progress reports on all active projects must be submitted to the respective funding agency by CTPS and/or MAPC. The reports must include the following information for each project:
• Brief narrative describing the work accomplished by task
• Key personnel attendance at meeting(s) held each week
• Objectives/planned activities for the next month
• Percent of work completed by task
• Some measure of actual resources (hours, funds, etc.) charged to the contract over the past month
• Comparison of actual cumulative resources expended compared to the contract budget
• A quarterly report is presented by CTPS comparing the UPWP project budgets with the actual project spending.
• MPO approval for release of a 3C-funded project’s work products is based on whether the objectives stated in the work scope were met and whether the stated deliverables were produced.

1.7     Amendments and Administrative Modifications to the UPWP

Amendments and administrative modifications may be made to the UPWP, when necessary, throughout the year. If an amendment is under consideration, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council and other interested parties, including any affected communities, are notified. The MPO follows the procedures specified in the MPO’s Public Participation Plan. Members of the public may attend and present comments at UPWP Committee meetings and MPO meetings at which amendments and administrative modifications are discussed. Administrative modifications may be made by the MPO without legal notice or a public review period, although these may be provided at the MPO’s discretion.

2   Status of the Federal Fiscal Year 2014 UPWP Projects Conducted By Boston Region MPO Staff

2.1     Introduction to FFY 2014 Projects

During federal fiscal year (FFY) 2014, numerous projects were conducted by the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) on behalf of the MPO. For the purpose of reporting here on the status of these projects, they have been divided into three categories:

• Completed – These projects are either already completed or expected to be complete by October 1, 2014, when this document goes into effect.
• Ongoing – These projects and programs support and continue the transportation-planning process from year to year.
• Continuing Discrete – These projects are also continuing from FFY 2014 into FFY 2015. However, they have a specific, limited duration, unlike ongoing activities, which are refreshed each federal fiscal year. The projected percentage completed as of October 1, 2014, for each of these projects is included in the project descriptions presented in Chapters 6 and 7.

2.2     FFY 2014 Project and Budget Tables AND WORK PRODUCTS

This chapter includes four tables that describe the status of FFY 2014 projects. Tables 2-1 through 2-3 group the projects according to the “completed,” “continuing discrete,” and “ongoing” categories described above and provide FFY 2014 budget information, while Table 2-4 summarizes the funding associated with projects in each of the three categories. This chapter also contains Table 2-5, which lists the projects that were expected to be completed in FFY 2013 but that actually were completed in FFY 2014. The FFY 2013 budgets for these projects are provided in this table.

Following these five tables is a listing of work products and activities resulting from FFY 2014 UPWP projects, along with work products from previous fiscal years, where applicable. Information is provided on how to obtain copies of reports that were approved by the MPO.

TABLE 2-1: Completed FFY 2014 UPWP Projects with FFY 2014 UPWP Budgets

TABLE 2-2: Continuing Discrete FFY 2014 UPWP Projects with FFY 2014 UPWP Budgets

TABLE 2-3: Ongoing FFY 2014 UPWP Projects with FFY 2014 UPWP Budgets (continued)

TABLE 2-4: FFY 2014 UPWP Project Status and Funding Summary

TABLE 2-5: FFY 2013 UPWP Projects Completed in FFY 2014 with FFY 2013 UPWP Budgets

2.3     Work Products of the FFY 2014 UPWP

Listed below are reports, memoranda, and other work products and activities associated with the projects in the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2014 UPWP. These products and activities are either complete or expected to be complete by the end of FFY 2014. Please note that some titles may change as products are finalized. All certification documents and many other work products are or will be available for downloading from the MPO website, www.bostonmpo.org . Work products not found on the MPO website may be requested by contacting CTPS at 617-973-7100 (voice), 617-973-7089 (TTY), or bostonmpo@ctps.org (email). MAPC work products can be found at www.mapc.org .

This list also includes products that were expected to be completed in FFY 2013 or earlier, but were completed or are expected to be complete in FFY 2014. These products are flagged with an asterisk (*).

2.3.1    CTPS Work Products

Certification Documents

• Amendment 3 to Paths to a Sustainable Region, the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Long-Range Transportation Plan
• Federal Fiscal Years 2014–17 Transportation Improvement Program Amendments and Administrative Modifications
• Federal Fiscal Years 2015–18 Transportation Improvement Program and Determination of Air Quality Conformity
• Federal Fiscal Year 2015 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)
• Update to the Public Participation Program of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization*

CTPS Reports

• Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization 2014 Triennial Title VI Report
• Environmental Justice and Title VI Analysis Methodology Review: Final Report
• Exploring the 2011 Massachusetts Travel Survey: Focus on Journeys to Work
• MBTA 2014 Triennial Title VI Report
• Potential MBTA Fare Changes in SFY 2015: Impact Analysis
• Proposed Freight Planning Action Plan for the Boston Region MPO: Meeting the Goals and Addressing the Issues (replaced the MPO Freight Study, Phase II Report)*

CTPS Technical Memoranda

• 2012 Inventory of Bicycle Parking Spaces and Number of Parked Bicycles at MBTA Stations
• 2012-2013 Inventory of Park-and-Ride Lots at MBTA Facilities
• 2013-2014 I-93 North and Southeast Expressway HOV Lane Monitoring – memoranda for fall 2013, winter 2014, spring 2014, and summer 2014
• A Preferential Lane on I-93 North: A Conceptual Plan*
• Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Corridors: Washington Street, Newton
• Bicycle Network Evaluation*
• Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program: Main Street (Route 28) from South Street to Washington Street, Reading
• Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program – Town of Milford
• Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013 Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program: Safety Improvements for Pedestrians and Bicyclists at Glendale Square (Ferry Street and Elm Street)
• Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013 Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program: Safety Improvements for Pedestrians and Bicyclists at Park Avenue and Dale Street Intersection in Revere
• Ridership and Passenger-Mile Estimates for SFY 2013 NTD: Directly Operated Services
• Ridership and Passenger-Mile Estimates for SFY 2013 NTD: Purchased Motor Bus
• Methodology for Evaluating the Potential for Limited-Stop Service on Transit Routes – technical memoranda documenting literature review, evaluation criteria, and study results and recommendations
• Next Steps in the Development of Performance Measures
• Pedestrian Signal Phasing Study – technical memoranda summarizing literature review, case studies, and analysis results
• Performance Measures – Goals and Objectives and Additional Framework
• Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment – technical memorandum documenting analysis and recommendations for sections of Route 140 in Franklin
• Recommended Local Bus Routes at Commuter Rail Station (for the MetroWest RTA Transit Planning Assistance II Project)
• Roadway Network Inventory for Emergency Needs: A Pilot Study
• Route 3A Subregional Priority Roadway Study in Cohasset and Scituate*
• Route 30 Arterial Segment Study in Framingham and Natick*
• Routes 127A/127 Subregional Priority Roadway Study in Gloucester and Rockport
• Safety and Operations Analyses at Selected Intersections, FFY 2013: Lexington Street at Beaver Street in Waltham*
• Safety and Operations Analyses at Selected Intersections, FFY 2013: North/South Franklin Street (Route 37) at Union Street/Plymouth Street (Route 139) in Holbrook*
• Safety and Operations Analyses at Selected Intersections, FFY 2013: Western Avenue (Route 107) at Washington Street (Route 129) in Lynn*
• Safety and Operations Analyses at Selected Intersections, FFY 2013: Franklin Street (Route 37) at West Street and Granite Street, Braintree*
• Safety and Operations Analyses at Selected Intersections – FFY 2014 memoranda for selected locations in Milford, Weymouth, and Westwood
• TIP Project Impact Before-After Evaluations: FFY 2014 – technical memoranda documenting project evaluations
• Traffic Signal Retiming Program – technical memoranda for selected locations
• Traffic Signal-Retiming Study for Route 2 in Concord and Lincoln
• Transportation Investments for Economic Development – technical memorandum

Other CTPS Work Products and Activities

• Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA (AACT) Support – Materials, coordination, and administrative support for the Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA. Support includes meeting agendas, notices, minutes, correspondence, mailing lists, databases, meeting scheduling and planning, and services for the AACT Board of Directors. Accessibility checklist for MPO meetings and distribution of MPO notices to other entities to facilitate outreach. Forum on Transit Accessibility, including planning, coordination, preparation of materials, outreach, logistics, and implementation.
• Air Quality Support Activity – Coordination and inputs related to the implementation of GreenDOT and the Global Warming Solutions Act. Development of Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) emission factors. Preliminary work pursuing the pilot program Travel Efficiency Assessment Method (TEAMS) in conjunction with MassDOT. Air quality analyses and evaluations of requested projects for various pollutants. Individual project analyses for use in Green DOT implementation.
• All-Hazards Planning – Participation in regional meetings focused on planning for climate-change impacts. Maintenance MPO’s All-Hazards Planning data set for use in TIP and LRTP development. Preparation of briefings and memoranda for internal or MPO communications, as needed.
• Barriers and Opportunities Influencing Mode Shift – Analysis for quantifying the impacts of various factors on mode shift.
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities – Updates to MPO bicycle and pedestrian traffic count interactive database. Review of opportunities to improve the MPO’s bicycle and pedestrian data collection program.
• Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program – Site visits to municipalities, consultations, recommendations for improvements, and reporting.
• Computer Resource Management – Maintenance and enhancements of CTPS’s desktop and server computer systems, computer network, and peripheral devices such as printers, plotters, and mass-storage devices.
• Congestion Management Process – Analysis of purchased speed and travel time data for freeways and arterials. Data collection, analysis, and documentation of park-and-ride lots at MBTA stations. Data collection, analysis, and documentation of bicycle parking at MBTA stations. Support of the CMP Committee, development and application of CMP performance measures for use in the long-range transportation plan, support for the Intersections Improvement Program for the retiming of traffic signals.
• Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program analyses and consultation.
• Data Resources Management – Maintenance and enhancement of CTPS’s database of standard reference geographic information system (GIS) layers and GIS layers required to carry out particular projects. Database updates with new versions of standard reference GIS layers as released by MassGIS, the MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning, and other agencies. GIS maps, computer map files, tables of socioeconomic and travel-related data, databases, and data analyses.
• Diesel Multiple Unit Feasibility Study – Preparation of model networks and inputs for project analysis.
• Ferry Compact Technical Assistance – Technical assistance to the newly established Massachusetts Ferry Transportation Compact, including memoranda on trends in ferry service and demand estimation techniques used in the ferry industry.
• Green Line Extension Completion of New Starts Analysis – Support to the MBTA on the Green Line Extension FTA New Starts application. Memoranda documenting the model methodology and base-year model calibration. Spreadsheet summaries to support the MBTA in filing New Starts application updates.
• Green Line Extension Delay: SIP Mitigation – Continuing evaluation of mitigation projects for the MBTA.
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy Alternatives: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis – Research on greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies, inventory of past and current MPO programming within these strategies, and calculations of the cost-effectiveness of various strategies based on cost and projected GHG impact.
• Livable Community Workshop program – Updated Web-based data and maps for the MPO’s livability index. Livable Community Workshops and Walkable Community Workshops in MPO municipalities, including research, site visits, and preparation of materials and memoranda to support and document workshop discussions.
• Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Needs Assessment Updates – Data gathering and incorporation into the LRTP Needs Assessment databases, tables, and maps. Summary of identified needs to inform scenario planning and LRTP development. Provision of further details on and analysis of information in the current Needs Assessment to provide the most up-to-date information for the MPO and the public; this will include incorporating the MPO regional travel demand model set’s new base year of 2012, which was developed using new census data and updated data sets, and a 2040 no-build scenario.
• Massachusetts Turnpike Allston Interchange Traffic Study – Preparation of model inputs and networks for project analysis.
• Massachusetts Turnpike Boston Ramps Study Technical Support – Review of existing data and analysis, updates to existing conditions analysis, and analysis of future-year project alternatives, as well as model runs to support project team.
• MassDOT Accelerated Bridge Program Project Support – Data analysis and preparation of graphic summaries.
• MassDOT Diversity Posters – Design and production of a series of seven Diversity posters including the following topics: Asian Pacific Islanders; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender; Disability Awareness; Hispanic Heritage; Native American; Black History; and Women’s History.
• MassDOT Road Inventory File – Assistance to MassDOT, including updates to MassDOT Road Inventory line work and attributes and other inventory enhancements.
• MassDOT Road Inventory Supplemental Grant – Update of street names and aliases for roads in 205 cities and towns, and activity to update and standardize ramp names statewide.
• MassDOT Title VI – Ongoing technical support to the MassDOT Office of Civil Rights to assist in compliance with FHWA and FTA Title VI requirements and response to reporting deficiencies. Support to MassDOT in the preparation of its 2014 Title VI program for the FTA; in the development of MassDOT’s public participation plan including its public outreach policies and procedures; and in monitoring the compliance of its subrecipients, among other activities.
• Massport Technical Assistance – Spreadsheet summaries of MBTA Silver Line passenger counts to monitor implementation of free fares at Logan Airport.
• MBTA 2015 Title VI Program Monitoring – Service monitoring to support the MBTA’s ongoing Title VI Program.
• MBTA Bus Service Data Collection VIII – MBTA bus trip pointchecks and passenger counts on selected routes. Support to the MBTA in service planning.
• MBTA Fiscal Year 2014 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis – Sampling of passenger boardings and alightings on randomly selected directly-operated and purchased-services bus trips; survey of a sampling of rail rapid transit passengers’ trips.
• MBTA Fiscal Year 2015 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis – Sampling of passenger boardings and alightings on randomly selected directly-operated and purchased-services bus trips; survey of a sampling of rail rapid transit passengers’ trips.
• MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Support – Technical assistance to the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee and attendance at committee and subcommittee meetings.
• MBTA Service Standards and Service Delivery Policy: Phase I – Update of existing CTPS database that houses MBTA ridership data to incorporate data from automatic passenger counters (APC). Expansion of existing origin-destination model developed by CTPS to create transit trip tables using automated-fare-collection (AFC) data. Development of a system for regularly downloading, analyzing, and summarizing data from the MBTA’s automated-fare-collection (AFC) system. Development of cost-allocation models for all MBTA modes for use in determining the cost of various MBTA services to aid the service planning process.
• MBTA Service Standards and Service Delivery Policy: Phase II – Technical memorandum documenting recommended service standards and thresholds. Technical memorandum documenting the methodology for evaluating service using the metrics developed.
• Modeling Support: I-93/I-95 Interchange Improvements North of Boston – A memorandum documenting the methodology and results of the license plate survey of that interchange. A memorandum documenting the data analyses and results to support the MassDOT Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
• MPO Public Participation Program – Planning and conducting public outreach activities, including the production of materials that support the development of certification documents and other MPO programs and all other public involvement activities conducted by the MPO. Translation of key documents. Preparation, publication and posting of MPO notices and informational materials. Soliciting and responding to public comments on documents under review and gathering and responding (year-round) to other comments, questions, and requests for information from members of the public. Preparation of press releases and website news flashes.
• MPO Support (including support for the Congestion Management Program Committee, the UPWP Committee, and the Administration and Finance Committee) – Preparation of the FFY 2014 and the 2015 MPO Certification Activities Schedules; meeting planning; communications and coordination with MPO members and interested parties; preparation of meeting agendas, minutes, other meeting materials and informational materials, and various memoranda and presentations; staff support; and database maintenance. Planning for the MPO’s recertification review and preparation of related materials.
• MPO Website Development – Posting meeting materials and minutes for all MPO meetings. Deployed Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Emissions data browser. Updated data for interactive TIP database and bicycle/pedestrian traffic count Web application. Adding entries to regional data catalog.
• Other Accessibility Initiatives – Ensuring that all meeting locations are free of physical barriers for people with limited mobility through the use of a meeting checklist and other means; and training staff to raise awareness of why accessibility is important and how it can be achieved.
• Other State Planning and Research (SPR) Graphics – Created a DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) map and a new MBTA Rapid Transit Map. Designed and produced Technical Assistance to the Statewide Planning Unit: On-The-Job Support Services posters.
• Performance Measures and Performance-Based Planning Process – Development of staff recommendation for performance measures and performance-based planning process.
• Planning Topics – Notes documenting research and pertinent information for MPO consideration on topics such as health impacts, all-hazards planning, and economic analyses.
• Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats – Accessible formatting of the Long-Range Transportation Plan, the Transportation Improvement Program and amendments, the Unified Planning Work Program, and meeting agendas, minutes and materials for the MPO, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council, the Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA (AACT), and other materials on request.
• Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats, Accessibility Initiatives – Development and implementation of procedures to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are accommodated so that they can participate in the MPO’s transportation-planning and decision-making processes. Work includes documenting internal accessibility policies and procedures; maintaining and updating document-production standards and templates that allow materials to be easily translated onto paper or into electronic formats that are accessible to people with limited vision; and maintaining an accessible website.
• Regional Model Enhancement, Land Use Enhancements –Began integration of a land-use allocation model (Cube-Land) into the MPO’s model suite. Updated land use information in the model set based on latest MAPC data. Coordinated with MAPC to develop accessibility measures needed by Cube Land software; over 40 accessibility metrics have been computed.
• Regional Model Enhancement, Model Updates – Updated the MPO’s regional travel demand model set using data from the 2011 Massachusetts Statewide Household Travel Survey. Updates included building separate models for households with autos and for zero-auto households; creating a new transit skimming process that allows separate skims for transit submodes; expanding the model set’s school trip purposes; and reestimating the trip generation, trip distribution, and mode choice models within the model set. Fully reprogrammed travel demand model set in TransCAD. Developed coded highway and transit networks of all appropriate TIP projects. Calibrated the model to be consistent with FTA and FHWA guidelines. Improved the Boston Region MPO’s regional model set’s external travel pattern forecasting.
• Regional Model Enhancement – Production of memoranda describing regional travel demand model set development and updates.
• Regional Transit Service Planning Technical Support – Technical assistance was provided to regional transportation authorities to promote best practices and to Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) and municipalities to improve transit services. This included production of a memorandum for the Three Rivers Interlocal Council that documented the analysis of transit-related issues in the Route 1/1A corridor in the towns of Dedham, Norwood, Walpole, and Westwood.
• Regional Transportation Advisory Council Support (including the Freight Committee, Program Committee, Membership Committee, LRTP Committee, TIP and UPWP committees, and ad hoc committees) – Support includes meeting planning; scheduling speakers; coordinating with the MPO, conducting the Advisory Council election process; preparing meeting agendas, minutes, materials, and various memoranda; conducting outreach for new members; coordinating the process for the review and revision of the bylaws; providing staff support; database maintenance and meeting preparations for ADA compliance.
• Roadway Safety Audits – Participation in audit teams for roadway safety audits.
• Section 408 Supplement – Developed tools to generate database tables for the RMV’s Crash Data System from the Road Inventory. Trained MassDOT OTP staff to perform Road Inventory street name updates from MassGIS/Navteq data. Updated street names and aliases for roads in six cities and towns.
• Socioeconomic projections for future analysis years for the LRTP.
• South Boston Waterfront Transportation Plan: Modeling Support – Data analysis and preparation of electronic data files.
• South Coast Commuter Rail Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) – Memoranda documenting the ridership forecasts, mode shift, station activities, and air quality impacts for the FEIR study.
• South Station Expansion – Memoranda documenting CTPS’s data-collection work and transfer activities at South Station, Dorchester Avenue sensitivity analysis, market analysis, air quality analysis, environmental justice analysis, and economic impact analysis.
• Statewide Travel Model Assistance – Made updates to various network components in the statewide model in the context of improving the Boston Region MPO’s regional model’s external travel pattern forecasting, which will be shared with MassDOT. These include updates to network components and inputs relating to roadways, transit, and land use, and network components for areas outside of the boundaries of Massachusetts, including Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
• Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Program – Transportation needs assessment outreach (including meetings) to organizations and agencies familiar with the needs of environmental justice areas, and memoranda to document the results of the outreach activities. A Human Services and Equity in Transportation Forum, conducted in collaboration with MAPC, was held in January 2014; attendees included members of the public, social service agencies, regional transportation authorities (RTAs), and other transportation agencies. Information was gathered on transportation gaps and needed services during the forum. Other work in this program includes: Continuous updates to transportation equity and environmental justice contact database. Planning for 2015 Forum. Support for MassDOT Division of Rail and Transit Community Transit Grant program, including solicitation notices and project evaluations. Outreach to update the Coordinated Human-Services Transportation Plan, including preparation of maps showing existing transportation infrastructure and services and preparation of an updated Plan. Updates to information on available TMA and private carrier services.
• Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – Updates for the Project Funding Application Form in the TIP Interactive Database, evaluation criteria and results, and staff recommendation for the FFYs 2015–18 TIP. Analysis of impacts of TIP projects for performance measure development and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Development and circulation of amendments to the FFYs 2014–17 TIP.
• TRANSreport, the MPO’s bimonthly newsletter.
• Travel Data Forecasts – Travel data forecasting.
• Travel Operations Analyses – Responses to requests for transit data.
• Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) – Development of outreach materials, evaluation criteria and process, staff recommendation for the FFY 2015 UPWP, FFY 2014 UPWP quarterly reports, and research to improve the UPWP development and monitoring process.
• Development of work scopes for MPO evaluation and approval and, where applicable, transmission to the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration.

2.3.2    MAPC Work Products

MAPC Reports

Priority Development Areas and Priority Preservation Areas in the Metro North Communities of Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Chelsea, and Revere

Framingham Tech Park Sustainable Retrofit

Sullivan Square Land Use Vision and Development Guidelines*

Transit-Oriented-Development Opportunities and Impediments at Gloucester MBTA Station

Wollaston MBTA Station Parking Study

Downtown Foxborough Parking Analysis

Reading Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

Quincy Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

Danvers Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

Beverly Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

Marlborough Downtown Parking Analysis

Holliston Downtown Parking Analysis

Transportation Demand Management Best Practices and Model Municipal Bylaw

Other MAPC Work Products and Activities

• Comment letters analyzing major development projects across the region, including:

• Proposed Suffolk Downs Casino and Hotel Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)
• Proposed Wynn Everett Casino DEIR
• Proposed Milford Casino DEIR
• Proposed Plainridge Slot Parlor DEIR
• Harvard Master Plan for Allston expansion
• Genzyme Master Plan for Framingham expansion
• Mass Central Rail Trail Environmental Notification Form (ENF)
• South Coat Rail Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR)

3     Index of Projects by Agency

This index of projects is intended both to facilitate finding specific projects in this document and to provide a summary of the various parts of this UPWP for which each agency is responsible.

          Central Transportation Planning Staff

              City of Boston  

          City of Somerville  

          Colleges and Universities  

          FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION

          Greater Lynn Senior Services    

          MassDOT  

          MassDOT/MBTA

          MBTA

              Metropolitan Area Planning Council   

          town of foxborough

          Various AGENCIES

4  Administration and Resource Management Projects

Chapters 4 through 7 of the UPWP present project descriptions and budget information for transportation-planning work that will be carried out between October 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015. The activities described in these chapters will be conducted by the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). acting on behalf of the MPO. 

The projects in the UPWP are funded by a variety of federal and state sources. Each project description identifies the project’s funding source or sources. With respect to funding, there are two types of projects:

• Projects funded with federal 3C planning funds, to be carried out by CTPS and MAPC. The MPO programs these funds and approves the use of staff time.
• Projects funded from other sources (federal, state, and local), to be carried out by CTPS for an individual transportation agency. The MPO approves the use of staff time for these projects and provides guidance to the implementing entities on coordinating them with other planning efforts.

In reviewing the project listings, it is important to remember that the 3C transportation-planning process is a coordinated effort that is often fulfilled simultaneously by several agencies. For example, when the MBTA hires a consultant to prepare an environmental impact report for a transit project, CTPS may provide the travel-demand and air-quality modeling for the consultant and MAPC may perform land-use analysis. Thus, if the same project is mentioned in more than one place in this UPWP, it is because of this kind of interagency coordination. To help clarify the distinctions between various work activities, cross-referencing is provided, where appropriate, to show the interrelationship between projects.

The administration and resource management projects, presented in this chapter are:           

TABLE 4-1: Administration and Resource Management Projects

5 Certification Requirements

The projects in this chapter are categorized as certification requirements because they include work that the Boston Region MPO must do to maintain its certification by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. The projects also include activities that are necessary to comply with federal and state laws, such as the federal Clean Air Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The projects in this chapter are:

TABLE 5-1: Certification Requirements

  6   Planning Studies

The projects in this chapter are planning studies that will be conducted during federal fiscal year 2015. They are technical in nature and may include support for larger projects that are described in Appendix A: Other Boston Region Transportation-Planning Projects.The projects in this chapter are:

TABLE 6-1: Planning Studies

7   Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects

The projects in this chapter will be conducted during federal fiscal year 2015. They are technical in nature and may include support for larger projects, which are described in Appendix A: Other Boston Region Transportation-Planning Projects. The projects in this chapter are:

TABLE 7-1: Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects

8  Boston Region MPO Budget and Operating Summaries

This chapter contains overall budget information by recipient agency and funding source for the projects listed in Chapters 4 through 7. The information is presented according to the same UPWP categories used in those chapters.

The funding for the projects listed in Chapters 4 through 7 comes from the following sources, which are described in Chapter 1:

On the following pages, the funding information presented in the preceding chapters is summarized in four tables, one for each UPWP category. These tables are followed by a one-page summary showing the entire budget by recipient agency and funding source, and a table showing the federally designated elements and tasks for projects utilizing Section 5303 funding. The purpose of these summaries is to assist federal and state contract administrators in reviewing the overall work program in detail. Charts presenting schedules and staff assignments for CTPS projects in this UPWP will be included in the finalized UPWP.

TABLE 8-1: FFY 2015 Unified Planning Work Program Budget Summary — Administration and Resource Management Projects

TABLE 8-2: FFY 2015 Unified Planning Work Program Budget Summary — Certification Requirements

TABLE 8-3: FFY 2015 Unified Planning Work Program Budget Summary — Planning Studies

Table 8-4: FFY 2015 Unified Planning Work Program Budget Summary —Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects

TABLE 8-5: FFY 2015 UPWP Budget by Recipient Agency

TABLE 8-6: FFY 2015 UPWP Budget by Funding Source