WORK PLAN
Unified Planning Work Program:
FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2019
September 20, 2018
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) reviews this work plan.
Boston Region MPO
Principal: Alexandra Kleyman
Manager: Sandy Johnston
MPO Planning Contract #105757, MPO §5303 Contract #102694, and subsequent MPO §5303 contract
Schedule and budget details are shown in Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively.
The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is the MPO’s framework for the planning processes and activities that support the achievement of the MPO’s vision, goals, and objectives. The document has two main purposes:
Work related to developing the upcoming FFY 2020 UPWP and supporting implementation of the current FFY 2019 UPWP will be conducted on an ongoing basis and in compliance with all aspects of the continuous, comprehensive, cooperative (3C) transportation-planning process.
In coordination with the Public Participation Program Manager, the UPWP Manager will prepare new outreach materials for the current year.
In coordination with the Public Participation Program Manager and other program managers, the UPWP Manager will attend meetings held by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council, Metropolitan Area Planning Council subregional groups, municipal planners, and other stakeholder groups. The purpose of attendance at these meetings will be to answer questions about the FFY 2019 UPWP and gather ideas for new studies and programs for the MPO to conduct in FFY 2020.
Staff will investigate opportunities to improve the UPWP document and process on an ongoing basis by identifying key themes for UPWP development and investigating ways to improve the UPWP document and process, including by reviewing any available federal guidance on the UPWP and on the planning focus areas defined by federal agencies. Staff will be attentive to the vision, goals, and objectives established in Charting Progress to 2040, the MPO’s current Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP); emerging priorities from the development process for Destination 2040, the upcoming LRTP; developments in the MPO’s performance-based planning practice and its information needs; and any other priorities that may emerge.
Staff will compile ideas for study proposals in order to develop a Universe of Proposed Studies from which to select new UPWP efforts.
Staff will gather ideas for UPWP study proposals from both internal and external sources, including public input received during the FFY 2019 UPWP development process. Staff will also develop study proposals based on priority planning topics, the content of major planning documents (such as the LRTP), and staff-identified information needs.
The UPWP’s Universe of Proposed Studies is organized in a table that includes study description, estimated costs, study evaluation criteria, and notes and comments. The UPWP Manager will coordinate with Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) directors and group managers to host meetings to discuss all of the study ideas in the Universe and form a more focused Universe from which to develop a recommendation for new discrete studies to fund in the following FFY (see Task 4).
Once the Universe is narrowed down to studies that the MPO could appropriately fund through the UPWP, the UPWP Manager will coordinate with appropriate CTPS directors, group managers, and the LRTP Manager to conduct qualitative reviews of the proposals for transportation-planning studies using evaluation criteria based on the goal areas established in the current LRTP, Charting Progress to 2040.
Staff will develop a recommended list of new transportation-planning studies to be conducted in FFY 2020. These recommendations will be based on several factors, which include, but are not limited to, the following:
The UPWP Committee will consider the staff recommendation and develop its own recommended list for the MPO board.
Staff will develop a proposed budget for the FFY 2020 UPWP based on financial information from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on 3C funding for the upcoming FFY. Staff will identify the 3C funds available for new discrete planning studies, ongoing programs, and those discrete studies that will carry over into FFY 2020.
The UPWP also documents the budget information for studies that are funded by other entities, such as the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, for work conducted by CTPS. Thus, all work conducted by CTPS for the MPO and for transportation agencies is documented in the UPWP.
Staff will create drafts of all UPWP chapters that were not completed as part of Task 3 through Task 5, along with UPWP appendices.
After receiving MPO approval to release the draft FFY 2020 UPWP for public review, staff will post the document on the MPO’s website.
Staff will summarize the written and verbal comments received and propose responses from the MPO, which the UPWP Committee and MPO will review. Responses from the MPO will be sent to the commenters. As necessary, based on feedback from the public and MPO, the UPWP document may be modified (see subtask 6.3).
Staff will incorporate final changes, including the documentation of public comments (and the MPO’s responses to the comments), into the UPWP for the MPO’s vote to endorse the document.
To respond to new federal guidance or requirements, or new direction from the MPO board, staff may need to modify elements of the FFY 2019 UPWP.
For minor changes or budget adjustments, staff will produce a memorandum and supporting documentation on the proposed changes to the UPWP and submit these items to the UPWP Committee for approval. For amendments, staff will submit documentation to both the UPWP Committee and MPO for approval.
Staff will coordinate all of the meetings that are related to the UPWP and will develop materials, as needed, to support UPWP Committee and MPO discussions about changes to the UPWP. In the case of UPWP amendments, staff will support the public review process, summarize public comments for the MPO, and submit the endorsed amendments to the FHWA and FTA for final approval.
The UPWP Committee will meet several times during FFY 2019 to review and discuss the status of FFY 2019 UPWP study spending, scheduling, and staff assignments and provide guidance and make recommendations on the development of the FFY 2020 UPWP, as described in the above tasks. Staff will prepare materials to support the committee’s discussions and decision making.
In addition to coordinating with the UPWP Committee, staff will keep the MPO briefed on UPWP development and implementation.
Staff will continue to develop and maintain the UPWP Study Recommendation Tracking Database, including inputting additional data into the database; generating reports of interest to the MPO; supporting other MPO analyses and activities; and providing tracking data to other staff. As resources allow, this work may include developing a public-facing graphic/map-based interface for exploration of the data contained in the database.
1 Certain outreach activities will be funded as part of the 3C Planning and MPO Support Program. The UPWP budget will support the development of informational materials for outreach activities.
Task |
Month | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|
1.
Conduct Outreach to Municipalities and Other Groups |
From month 0.8 to 4.
Deliverable A, New or revised public involvement materials delivered by Month 1.2
Deliverable B, Contact information and documentation about new stakeholder relationships delivered by Month 1.7
Deliverable C, Documentation of issues and study ideas identified at the meetings delivered by Month 4
| |||||||||||
|
2.
Establish the FFY 2020 UPWP Development Framework and Identify Areas for Improvement |
From month 0.8 to 4.
| |||||||||||
|
3.
Develop the FFY 2020 Universe of Proposed Studies |
From month 3.5 to 4.9.
Deliverable D, Universe of Proposed Studies document featuring proposed studies rated according to selection criteria and related internal memoranda delivered by Month 4.9
| |||||||||||
|
4.
Develop Recommended List of New Studies for FFY 2020 |
From month 4.9 to 8.2.
Deliverable E, Presentations and documents detailing staff and UPWP Committee recommendations for new studies and budgets for the FFY 2020 UPWP delivered by Month 7.2
Deliverable F, Draft chapters that describe the status of FFY 2019 studies and the new studies that will be carried out in FFY 2020 delivered by Month 8.2
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|
5.
Develop the FFY 2020 UPWP Budgets for New Studies, Ongoing Programs, and Administrative and Resource Activities |
Deliverable G, Proposed FFY 2020 UPWP budget tables delivered by Month 6.3
From month 6.3 to 8.2.
Deliverable H, Presentations and documents detailing staff and UPWP Committee recommendations on the FFY 2020 UPWP budget for funding new studies, ongoing programs, and administrative and resource activities delivered by Month 7.2
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|
6.
Develop the Draft and Final FFY 2020 UPWP Documents |
From month 6.3 to 10.
Deliverable I, Draft FFY 2020 UPWP delivered by Month 8.6
Deliverable J, Table documenting public comments and the MPO’s responses delivered by Month 9.5
Deliverable K, Final FFY 2020 UPWP delivered by Month 9.8
Deliverable L, Correspondence to members of the public who provided comments delivered by Month 10
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|
7.
Manage the Administration of the FFY 2019 UPWP |
From month 0.8 to 12.8.
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|
8.
Support Ongoing Coordination between MPO Staff, the UPWP Committee, and the MPO |
From month 0.8 to 12.8.
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|
9.
Maintain and Update the UPWP Study Recommendation Tracking Database |
From month 0.8 to 12.8.
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Task |
Person-Weeks | Direct Salary |
Overhead (99.00%) |
Total Cost |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | P-5 | P-3 | P-2 | Temp | Total | ||||
|
1.
Conduct Outreach to Municipalities and Other Groups
|
0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 3.6 | $4,532 | $4,486 | $9,018 |
|
2.
Establish the FFY 2020 UPWP Development Framework and Identify Areas for Improvement
|
0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.8 | $1,111 | $1,100 | $2,210 |
|
3.
Develop the FFY 2020 Universe of Proposed Studies
|
1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | $5,268 | $5,216 | $10,484 |
|
4.
Develop Recommended List of New Studies for FFY 2020
|
1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | $5,047 | $4,996 | $10,043 |
|
5.
Develop the FFY 2020 UPWP Budgets for New Studies, Ongoing Programs, and Administrative and Resource Activities
|
1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.5 | 0.0 | 7.0 | $9,045 | $8,954 | $17,999 |
|
6.
Develop the Draft and Final FFY 2020 UPWP Documents
|
1.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 9.5 | $13,481 | $13,346 | $26,827 |
|
7.
Manage the Administration of the FFY 2019 UPWP
|
1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | $5,268 | $5,216 | $10,484 |
|
8.
Support Ongoing Coordination between MPO Staff, the UPWP Committee, and the MPO
|
1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | $6,411 | $6,346 | $12,757 |
|
9.
Maintain and Update the UPWP Study Recommendation Tracking Database
|
0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | $4,577 | $4,531 | $9,108 |
|
Total
|
7.8 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 29.2 | 0.0 | 41.5 | $54,739 | $54,191 | $108,930 |