MPO Meeting Minutes
Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting
January 7, 2021, Meeting
10:00 AM–11:18 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform
Steve Woelfel, 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:
· Approve Amendment Two to the Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) 2021–25 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
See attendance on pages 7–9.
There was none.
T. Teich introduced two newly hired members of the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS), Deputy Executive Director Gina Perille and Julie Dombroski, a member of the Traffic Analysis and Design group.
T. Teich noted that MPO staff are working to update the language of the MPO’s Transportation Equity goal in advance of the adoption of a new Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) in 2023. Betsy Harvey and Kate White, MPO staff, are also working to form an Equity Task Force to engage stakeholders in the MPO’s equity work.
T. Teich stated that MPO staff would hold the winter Inner Core Committee (ICC) Transportation meeting on January 13, 2021. This will be a virtual session in addition to the regularly scheduled ICC subregional meeting. She also encouraged new and existing board members to attend the virtual MPO 101 orientation session held directly following this board meeting.
T. Teich mentioned that she had been quoted in the Wall Street Journal regarding the future of commutes post-pandemic. Her quote highlighted the importance of investing in alternative modes to driving.
T. Teich stated that there would be an Administration and Finance Committee meeting at 9:00 AM on January 21, 2021, in advance of the next MPO meeting.
T. Teich provided an update on the CTPS Strategic Planning process, noting that the next step is to develop objectives and actions.
Janie Dretler (Sudbury Select Board) stated that the Town of Sudbury recently voted to acquire CSX (a supplier of rail-based freight transportation) right-of-way in order to extend the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail from north of Route 20 through South Sudbury to the Framingham line. The Town has also contracted with a consultant to produce 75 percent design plans for this section of the trail.
There were none.
L. Diggins stated that the Advisory Council would next meet on January 13, 2021. Kate Fichter, MassDOT, was scheduled to speak about the Shared Streets program.
1.
November
19, 2020, MPO Meeting Minutes
2.
December
3, 2020, MPO Meeting Minutes
3.
December
17, 2020, MPO Meeting Minutes
A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of November 19, 2020, was made by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Advisory Board (Brian Kane) and seconded by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) (Eric Bourassa). The motion carried.
A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of December 3, 2020, was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the North Suburban Planning Council (City of Woburn) (Tina Cassidy). The South Shore Coalition (Town of Rockland) (Jennifer Constable) abstained. The motion carried.
A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of December 17, 2020, was made by the Suburban Planning Council (City of Woburn) (T. Cassidy) and seconded by the MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of Framingham) (Thatcher Kezer III). The motion carried.
1.
FFYs 2021–25 TIP Amendment Two
M. Genova stated that Amendment Two includes the reallocation of transit capital funds to cover operating expenses as part of the MBTA’s Forging Ahead initiative. These changes are in response to the disruption in system ridership caused by COVID-19 and the resulting drop in fare revenue. He noted that Amendment Two was released for a 21-day public review period on December 7, 2020. The comment period closed on December 28, 2020, and no public comments were submitted during that time.
Samantha Silverberg (MBTA) stated that the most recent federal COVID-19 Relief Bill includes relief for transit agencies, and the MBTA is awaiting Federal Transit Administration guidance on the precise amounts the agency will receive. The MBTA plans to discuss the strategy for these funds with the Fiscal & Management Control Board on Monday, January 11, 2021. S. Silverberg requested that the MPO approve this amendment to allow the MBTA maximum flexibility to maintain and restore service by using federal formula funds for preventative maintenance. Any further changes would be presented and discussed during the annual MassDOT MBTA Capital Investment Plan and TIP development processes later in the spring.
E. Bourassa asked S. Silverberg to clarify that the MBTA is seeking maximum flexibility, but is still developing the exact plans for service changes. S. Silverberg agreed.
A motion to endorse Amendment Two to the FFYs 2021–25 TIP was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried.
A motion to endorse the Providence UZA MOU was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (B. Kane). The motion carried.
1.
Worcester
Urbanized Area MOU
The Worcester UZA abuts the western
part of the Boston Region MPO area and the MPO is named as a signatory on that
MOU. This vote is similar to that taken regarding the Providence UZA MOU.
A motion to endorse the Worcester UZA MOU was made by the MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of Framingham) (T. Kezer III) and seconded by MAPC (E. Bourassa). The motion carried.
1. Using United States Census Data as a Proxy for Transit Rider Survey Data
E. Domanico stated transit rider demographic data are important for analyzing transit system use and are especially helpful in service equity analyses. This staff-generated research project looked at whether gaps in passenger survey data could be compensated for with United States Census demographic data to predict ridership trends. The data were split into two categories, transit riders and nontransit riders. MPO staff looked for demographic trends in known rider demographics to predict ridership in a new service area. The study found that there were not sufficient data to predict likely transit riders in a new, unstudied service area. The major finding of the study is that while the MBTA passenger ridership survey is representative of riders, it is an imbalanced dataset of overall MBTA service area residents. E. Domanico stated that a possible path forward is to conduct a future demographic survey of both transit riders and nontransit riders for a defined service area designed to quantify that relationship to census demographic data.
Daniel Amstutz (At-Large Town) (Town of Arlington) asked for clarification on the definition of riders versus nontransit riders. E. Domanico agreed that the distinction is a little synthetic. For the study, staff looked to the MBTA ridership, specifically the most recent MBTA service used during a specific timeframe. E. Domanico added that it is important to know that there is no direct information on nontransit riders.
S. Silverberg asked if MPO staff coordinated with the MBTA’s Office of Performance Management & Innovation (OPMI) survey team and if so, what the response was to the analysis. E. Domanico responded that the project team had not contacted OPMI but agreed that would be a good next step. S. Silverberg suggested using this work as a point of collaboration between CTPS, the MBTA, and MassDOT.
David Koses (At-Large City) (City of Newton) asked how it might be possible to account for people who use transit by choice, as long as it remains convenient for them, and at what point ridership breaks down when convenience is reduced. E. Domanico agreed that demographics may play a role, but do not replace route planning or service reliability as predictors of ridership.
Ken Miller (Federal Highway Administration [FHWA]) stated that the federal COVID-19 relief measure passed at the end of the year amounted to $1.4 trillion in total, with $10 billion allocated to state Departments of Transportation through FHWA. FHWA has 30 days to allocate the funding. The funding will be available for four years and can be used for capital projects, maintenance, operations, and other projects not normally eligible for federal capital funding.
L. Diggins asked that MPO staff provide more information on how the collaboration laid out in the MOUs approved earlier takes place.
A motion to adjourn was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the ICC (City of Somerville) (Tom Bent). 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 ( Town of Brookline) |
Todd Kirrane Heather Hamilton |
|
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 |
Steve Woelfel |
|
MassDOT Highway Division |
John Romano |
|
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
(MBTA) |
Samantha Silverberg Jillian Linnell |
|
Massachusetts Port Authority |
|
|
MBTA Advisory Board |
Brian Kane |
|
Metropolitan Area Planning Council |
Eric Bourassa |
|
MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of
Framingham) |
Thatcher Kezer III Erika Oliver-Jerram |
|
Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal
Coordination (Town of Acton) |
|
|
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 Valley Chamber of Commerce) |
Tom O’Rourke Steve Olanoff |
|
Other
Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Rich Benevento |
WorldTech Engineering |
|
Joe Blankenship |
City of Boston |
|
Andreae Downs |
City of Newton |
|
Janie Dretler |
Sudbury |
|
Joy Glynn |
MetroWest Regional Transit Authority |
|
Kristen Guichard |
Town of Acton |
|
Michelle Ho |
MassDOT |
|
Erika Oliver Jerram |
MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of Framingham) |
|
Kristina Johnson |
Town of Hudson |
|
Ali Kleyman |
City of Somerville |
|
Ben Muller |
MassDOT |
|
Bryan Pounds |
MassDOT |
|
C. Senior |
MassDOT |
|
Jeanette Rebecchi |
Town of Bedford |
|
Constance Raphael |
MassDOT |
|
Angela Servello |
MBTA |
|
Frank Tramontozzi |
City of Quincy |
|
Amber Vaillancourt |
MassDOT |
|
Eric Waaramaa |
MBTA |
|
MPO
Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Tegin Teich, Executive Director
|
|
Steven Andrews |
|
Matt Archer |
|
Jonathan Church |
|
Paul Christner |
|
Emily Domanico |
|
Annette Demchur |
|
Róisín Foley |
|
Hiral Gandhi |
|
Matt Genova |
|
Betsy Harvey |
|
Sandy Johnston |
|
Anne McGahan |
|
Roger Roy |
|
Barbara Rutman |
|
Michelle Scott |
|
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 |