June 15, 2017 Meeting

9:15 AM to 9:45 AM, State Transportation Building—10 Park Plaza, Central Transportation Planning Staff Conference Room, Boston, MA

Bryan Pounds, Chair, representing the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

Decisions

The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Committee agreed to the following:

• Approve the Meeting Summaries from the April 20, 2017, and May 4, 2017, UPWP Committee meetings

• Submit the final FFY 2018 UPWP to the full MPO for a vote to endorse.

Materials

Materials for this meeting included the following:

1. April 20, 2017, UPWP Committee Meeting Summary

2. May 4, 2017, UPWP Committee Meeting Summary

3. Final Draft Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2018 UPWP Document, including Appendix B (Public Comments)

Draft FFY 2018 UPWP Document Meeting Agenda and Summary of Discussion

1. Introductions

Bryan Pounds (MassDOT), Chair of the UPWP Committee, called the meeting to order at approximately 9:15 AM. UPWP Committee members and MPO staff introduced themselves. (For attendance list, see page 4.)

2. Vote to approve April 20, 2017, UPWP Committee Meeting Summary

(Conducted after finishing Agenda Item 4b.) B. Pounds called for a motion and a second to approve the meeting summary. Eric Bourassa (MAPC) made a motion and several members seconded it. The Committee voted unanimously to approve the summary.

3. Vote to approve May 4, 2017, UPWP Committee Meeting Summary

B. Pounds called for a motion and a second to approve the meeting summary. E. Bourassa made a motion and several members seconded it. The Committee voted unanimously to approve the summary.

4. Presentation of Final Draft FFY 2018 UPWP Document

a. Overview of Public Comments

Sandy Johnston (MPO Staff/UPWP Manager) introduced the public comments received on the draft UPWP, as summarized in Appendix B, and in a handout containing the full text of the comments. S. Johnston noted that although the full text of the comments would not be included in the final document, they would be preserved as a PDF available on the MPO website. S. Johnston summarized the number and variety of types of comments received. He stressed to the committee that many of the comments were related to Appendix A of the UPWP, which contains information on studies ongoing around the region, but not those studies funded by the MPO. Staff is considering involving the Committee in a process to put Appendix A information on the MPO website, which would make it more accessible, instead of creating a self-contained appendix to the document.

B. Pounds asked how response letters to people who provided comments have been handled in the past. Lourenço Dantas (MPO Staff/Certification Activities Manager) replied that staff would likely send out email messages, but possibly also mail physical letters to those who submitted comments in that form.

B. Pounds asked S. Johnston if in reviewing the comments anything had jumped out at him as something the Committee needs to review. S. Johnston replied that many people seem to be using the MPO as an avenue to comment on transportation studies being done around the region, even those that the MPO is not involved in. In addition, S. Johnston noted that there is interest in data-driven and equity-related concepts.

Steve Olanoff (Norwood/TRIC) asked how staff would respond to comments that are “off topic” and unrelated to the UPWP specifically. B. Pounds noted that staff has put forward strategies for forwarding comments to relevant stakeholders. Tom Kadzis (City of Boston) referenced comment 13.1, noting that there had been an FHWA initiative some years ago to conduct traffic crash investigation on-site and on the shoulder, and suggested forwarding that information along with the comment to relevant staff.

b. Vote to Recommend Document Endorsement by the MPO

B. Pounds asked for and received a motion and second to open discussion on approving the full final document. E. Bourassa asked if there were any major changes to this version of the document. S. Johnston ran down a few minor changes from the draft that was released for public review, noting those changes to content in Appendix A and the addition of Appendix B.

B. Pounds observed that the MPO has asked for reports on projects generated through the Staff-Generated Research Projects, and staff responded that they will present those at a future MPO meeting.

B. Pounds congratulated S. Johnston on his work developing the UPWP. He asked for a vote on the document. The vote to recommend document endorsement carried unanimously, with no abstentions.

5. Member Items

There were none.

6. Next Meeting: July 20, 2017

L. Dantas noted that staff would like to hold a meeting on July 20 to discuss quarterly updates and fourth-quarter budget adjustments.

E. Bourassa asked if CTPS staff had connected with MAPC subregional staff to develop an outreach calendar. Jen Rowe (MPO Staff/Public Participation Process Manager) and L. Dantas responded that such discussions are underway. B. Pounds urged all involved to be clear on the schedule.

7. Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made and seconded by another member. The motion carried unanimously.

Attendance

Organization	Name
Massachusetts Department of Transportation	Bryan Pounds
Metropolitan Area Planning Council	Eric Bourassa
City of Boston	Tom Kadzis
At-Large Town (Town of Arlington)	Laura Wiener
At-Large City (City of Newton)	David Koses
Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville)	Tom Bent
Three Rivers Interlocal Council	Steve Olanoff

MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff

Elizabeth Moore, Director of Policy and Planning Lourenço Dantas, Certification Activities Group Manager
Sandy Johnston, UPWP Manager Jen Rowe, Public Participation Process Manager