MPO Meeting Minutes
Draft Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting
December 17, 2020, Meeting
10:00 AM–10:53 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform
David Mohler, Chair, representing Stephanie Pollack, Secretary, and Chief Executive Officer, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) agreed to the following:
See attendance on pages 4–6.
There was none.
1. Memorandum FFY 2021 LRTP Priority Corridor Locations
2. Memorandum Subregional Priority Roadways Selection
3. Subregional Priority Roadway Selection Comment Letter
T. Teich stated that due to an unstable internet connection she asked Jonathan Church and Kate White, MPO Staff, to provide updates. J. Church noted that MPO staff have chosen locations for the FFY 2021 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Priority Corridor and Subregional Priority Roadways studies. K. White provided an overview of recent MPO staff outreach activities.
There were none.
J. Monty stated that the CMP committee met prior to the MPO to approve the FFY 2021 work plan. Ryan Hicks, MPO staff, also presented the Park-and-Ride dashboard.
L. Diggins provided a summary of the last Advisory Council meeting.
1. FFYs
2021–25 TIP Amendment One
Simplified
M. Genova stated that Amendment One was released for a 21-day public review period at the meeting on November 19, 2020. MPO staff received one comment from MassDOT. Amendment One includes cost and funding source changes for three MassDOT-funded highway projects in FFYs 2021, 2022, and 2023.
M. Genova stated that MassDOT had requested an additional minor adjustment to the MPO funds allocated to the Green Line Extension (GLX) project in FFY 2021. Less than $20,000 has been added to the MPO’s funding allocation. This adjustment will not affect the funding schedules for any other MPO projects. FFY 2021 is the final year of GLX funding and ends the MPO’s commitment to this project. This change does not meet the threshold for a full TIP amendment and does not need to be released for a 21-day public review period.
A motion to approve Amendment One to the FFYs 2021–25 TIP was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) (Eric Bourassa) and seconded by the Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) (Tom Bent). The motion carried.
1. Memorandum: Trucks at the Southampton Street Bottleneck
B. Kuttner stated that Southampton Bypass Road is a key freight network junction where congestion during the afternoon and evening peak impacts all vehicles. B. Kuttner stated that there are several merging areas on Interstate 93 (I-93) that contribute to congestion. B. Kuttner stated that Bypass Road northbound is currently unrestricted and MassDOT plans to ask that the restriction be lifted indefinitely, but southbound traffic is forbidden to private automobiles. B. Kuttner concluded that unrestricted use of the Bypass Road northbound is not a concern, but removing the southbound Bypass Road restriction on private automobiles would exacerbate the congestion during the PM peak. B. Kuttner stated that queues at this location will be a problem unless capacity is added to I-93 in some manner.
Brian Kane (MBTA Advisory Board) questioned the finding of adding capacity to I-93, asking whether adding more capacity would add more cars to the roadway. B. Kuttner stated that heavy traffic on the expressway encourages drivers to use surface roads, causing congestion, and it is preferable to keep traffic moving on premium roads.
Laura Gilmore (Massport) noted that this location has been cited by the trucking industry as a significant bottleneck that impacts freight movements. L. Gilmore noted that travel time is a more important factor for truckers.
B. Kane expressed support for improved signage on Cypher Street and the access road.
Jim Fitzgerald (City of Boston) (Boston Planning & Development Agency) asked if there were any short-term improvements that might be implemented. B. Kuttner stated that all the options are costly and would require rebuilding bridges, stating that without adding capacity, the only option is managing the queues. Any improvements should prevent queues from reaching Melnea Cass Boulevard and blocking key intersections.
L. Gilmore announced that she would be leaving Massport to take a position at the Volpe Center, and thus stepping down from the board. D. Mohler and Ken Miller (Federal Highway Administration) offered congratulations.
A motion to adjourn was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried.
|
Members |
Representatives
and
Alternates |
|
At-Large City (City of Everett) |
Jay Monty
|
|
At-Large City (City of Newton) |
David Koses |
|
At-Large Town (Town of Arlington) |
Daniel Amstutz |
|
At-Large Town (Brookline) |
Todd Kirrane |
|
City of Boston (Boston Planning &
Development Agency) |
Jim Fitzgerald |
|
City of Boston (Boston Transportation
Department) |
Tom Kadzis |
|
Federal Highway Administration |
Ken Miller |
|
Federal Transit Administration |
|
|
Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) |
Tom Bent
|
|
Massachusetts Department of Transportation |
David Mohler John Bechard |
|
MassDOT Highway Division |
John Romano |
|
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
(MBTA) |
Samantha Silverberg |
|
Massachusetts Port Authority |
Laura Gilmore |
|
MBTA Advisory Board |
Brian Kane
|
|
Metropolitan Area Planning Council |
Eric Bourassa |
|
MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of Framingham) |
Thatcher Kezer III |
|
Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal
Coordination (Town of Acton) |
Austin Cyganiewicz |
|
North Shore Task Force (City of Beverly) |
Darlene Wynne |
|
North Suburban Planning Council (City of
Woburn) |
Tina Cassidy |
|
Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
Lenard Diggins |
|
South Shore Coalition (Town of Rockland) |
Jennifer Constable |
|
South West Advisory Planning Committee
(Town of Medway) |
Peter Pelletier |
|
Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of
Norwood/Neponset River Regional Chamber) |
Tom O’Rourke |
|
Other
Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Aleida Leza |
|
|
Ben Muller |
MassDOT |
|
Rachel Benson |
Town of Wrentham |
|
Rich Benevento |
World Tech Engineering |
|
Sarah Bradbury |
MassDOT Division 3 |
|
Joe Collins |
|
|
Johannes Epke |
Conservation Law Foundation |
|
Joy Glynn |
MetroWest Regional Transit Authority |
|
Michelle Ho |
MassDOT |
|
Jeff McEwen |
|
|
Erika Oliver-Jerram |
City of Framingham |
|
Constance Raphael |
MassDOT Highway Division 4 |
|
Steve Olanoff |
TRIC Alternate |
|
Jon Seward |
|
|
Darin Takemoto |
|
|
Frank Tramontozzi |
City of Quincy |
|
MPO
Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Tegin Teich, Executive Director |
|
Mark Abbott |
|
Blake Acton |
|
Matt Archer |
|
Seth Asante |
|
Jonathan Church |
|
Annette Demchur |
|
Julie Dombroski |
|
Róisín Foley |
|
Matt Genova |
|
Betsy Harvey |
|
Sandy Johnston |
|
Bill Kuttner |
|
Anne McGahan |
|
Marty Milkovits |
|
Ariel Patterson |
|
Scott Peterson |
|
Barbara Rutman |
|
Michelle Scott |
|
Chen-Yuan Wang |
|
Kate White |
|
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in
compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987,
and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination in
federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United States
of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin
(including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in,
denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any
program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal
nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration,
Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis
of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected
populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation
and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful
access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited
English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation
policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166. The Boston Region MPO also complies with the
Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a,
which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in
admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race,
color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability,
or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor's
Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities,
and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or
contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful
discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry,
national origin, disability, veteran's status (including Vietnam-era
veterans), or background. A complaint form and additional information can be
obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination. To request this
information in a different language or in an accessible format, please
contact Title VI Specialist |