MPO Meeting Minutes
Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting
July 15, 2021, Meeting
10:00 AM–11:15 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform
David Mohler, Chair, representing Jamey Tesler, Secretary of Transportation and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) agreed to the following:
See attendance on pages 5–7.
D. Mohler said that MassDOT submitted three Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grants through the United States Department of Transportation for discretionary federal highway funding, two of which are in the MPO’s planning area: 1) creation of a center running bus lane on the Lynnway in Lynn, MA, and 2) creation of a bicycle-pedestrian connection between the Assembly Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) station and the Northern Strand path in the cities of Everett and Somerville.
T. Teich introduced Steven Andrews as the new Data Strategist at CTPS. She announced the success of two recent events: the pilot transit working group meeting and the American Planning Association (APA) Massachusetts Transportation Committee event. T. Teich said the next Inner Core Committee (ICC) Transportation meeting will be held on October 13, 2021, and the UPWP virtual open house will be held July 20, 2021.
There were none.
Benjamin Muller (MassDOT), UPWP Committee Chair, said that the UPWP committee voted to recommend the MPO board vote to release the draft FFY 2022 UPWP for public comment. The committee met immediately prior to the MPO board meeting.
Eric Bourassa (Metropolitan Area Planning Council [MAPC]), TIP Project Costs Ad Hoc Committee Chair, said that the committee met on July 8, 2021, to discuss issues with project cost increases at each design stage and to develop a potential policy to address them.
L. Diggins said that Emily Torres-Cullinane (MAPC) and Anne McGahan (MPO staff) spoke about the MetroCommon 2050 plan and the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, respectively.
A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of June 3, 2021, was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (Brian Kane) and seconded by MAPC (E. Bourassa). The motion carried.
S. Johnston said that this year’s UPWP programs total approximately $5.5 million in federal funding to CTPS and MAPC, and approximately $1.6 million for contract work. He said the FFY 2022 UPWP has the same organizational pattern as last year’s document. He noted two changes: 1) a new “MPO Resiliency Program” task listed in the Certification Requirements section, and 2) Appendix A now contains only the federally required elements: federally funded studies and those of “regional significance.”
S. Johnston provided an overview of the FFY 2022 UPWP discrete studies, which are posted to the MPO meeting calendar. He noted there are fewer discrete studies than what were proposed at the May 6, 2021, UPWP Committee meeting. S. Johnston said MPO staff is hosting a Zoom-based open house during the 30-day comment period. The public is invited to comment on the UPWP’s content within the 30-day comment period.
S. Johnston requested that the MPO vote to release the FFY 2022 UPWP for a 30-day public comment period, with the anticipation of final endorsement of the document in August.
There was none.
A motion to release the FFY 2022 UPWP for a 30-day public comment period was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the North Suburban Planning Council (City of Woburn) (Tina Cassidy). The motion carried.
1. Work Plan: Cedar Street Ramp to Interstate 93 Study
B. Dowling said that MPO staff will work with the City of Woburn to examine the potential addition of a new ramp onto Interstate 93 southbound from Cedar Street in Woburn, MA. The project will take eight weeks to complete and is estimated to cost $39,996. The project does not use MPO funds; it is contract work.
Steve Olanoff (Three Rivers Interlocal Council [TRIC] Alternate) asked who the client is and the funding source. T. Teich said MPO staff is working with the consultants on behalf of the City of Woburn and the funding aspect is being finalized. T. Cassidy (North Suburban Planning Council [City of Woburn]) said it is a privately-funded project and will not use MPO funds. Brian Murrihy (Cummings Properties) said that the Cummings Organization, a private organization, has provided a grant to the City of Woburn to fund the scope of work. He expressed support for the project.
L. Diggins requested the final technical memorandum and asked if there would be a presentation to the MPO board. B. Dowling said MPO staff can fulfill both requests.
Rich Benevento (WorldTech Engineering) said WorldTech Engineering consultants are working on the project with the City of Woburn. CTPS’s contribution will be incorporated into the Interchange Justification Report, which is required by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
A motion to approve the work plan for the Cedar Street Ramp to Interstate 93 Study was made by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins) and seconded by the North Suburban Planning Council (City of Woburn) (T. Cassidy). The motion carried.
K. Dumas presented the main features of the new online interactive application “Mapping Major Infrastructure Milestones.” He said that the project was inspired by a poster first created by MPO staff over 20 years ago. The “Mapping Major Infrastructure Milestones” application displays information on the major multimodal transportation infrastructure milestones within the Boston region from 1800 to the present. The project was funded through the FFY 2021 UPWP as a discrete study.
L. Diggins asked whether the application will be kept up to date. K. Dumas said there have not been discussions on the matter.
Brad Rawson (ICC [City of Somerville]) suggested incorporating land use patterns and social implications into the application in the future.
Matt Moran (City of Boston [Boston Transportation
Department]) asked how users can navigate to the
application on the MPO website. K. Dumas said it will
be added to the “Interactive Applications” section of the MPO website.
B. Kane introduced the MBTA Advisory Board’s new transportation planner, Amira Patterson, to the MPO board. A. Patterson expressed appreciation for the introduction and new role.
A motion to adjourn was made by the MBTA
Advisory Board (B. Kane) and seconded by the Regional Transportation 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) |
|
|
At-Large Town (Town of Brookline) |
Todd Kirrane |
|
City of Boston (Boston Planning &
Development Agency) |
Joe Blankenship |
|
City of Boston (Boston Transportation
Department) |
Matt Moran |
|
Federal Highway Administration |
Ken Miller |
|
Federal Transit Administration |
|
|
Brad Rawson |
|
|
Massachusetts Department of Transportation |
David Mohler |
|
MassDOT Highway
Division |
John Bechard |
|
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
(MBTA) |
Josh Klingenstein |
|
Massachusetts Port Authority |
|
|
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) |
|
|
North Shore Task Force (City of Beverly) |
Darlene Wynne |
|
Tina Cassidy |
|
|
Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
Lenard Diggins |
|
South Shore Coalition (Town of Rockland) |
Jennifer Constable |
|
South West Advisory Planning Committee
(Town of Medway) |
|
|
Three Rivers Interlocal
Council (TRIC) (Town of Norwood/Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce) |
Tom O’Rourke |
|
Other
Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Aleida Leza |
Belmont resident |
|
Ali Kleyman |
City of Somerville |
|
Amira Patterson |
MBTA Advisory Board |
|
Benjamin N.W. Muller |
MassDOT |
|
Brian Murrihy |
Cummings
Properties |
|
C Senior |
MassDOT |
|
Chase Modestow |
|
|
Darlene Bruen |
|
|
Emily V |
MetroWest Regional
Transit Authority (MWRTA) |
|
Gus Norrbom |
|
|
Johannes Epke |
Conservation Law Foundation |
|
John Casey |
|
|
Jon Seward |
|
|
Joy Glynn |
MWRTA |
|
Matthew Petersen |
TransitMatters |
|
Mike Garrity |
MassDOT |
|
Michaela Boneva |
|
|
Michelle Ho |
MassDOT |
|
Nick Mellis |
|
|
Rich Benevento |
WorldTech Engineering |
|
Steven Olanoff |
TRIC Alternate |
|
Todd Baldwin |
Town of Saugus |
|
Wesley Lickus |
|
|
MPO
Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Tegin Teich,
Executive Director |
|
Mark Abbott |
|
Steven Andrews |
|
Matt Archer |
|
Annette Demchur |
|
Ben Dowling |
|
Ken Dumas |
|
Róisín Foley |
|
Hiral Gandhi |
|
Matt Genova |
|
Betsy Harvey |
|
Sandy Johnston |
|
Anne McGahan |
|
Marty Milkovits |
|
Rebecca Morgan |
|
Ariel Patterson |
|
Gina Perille |
|
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 By Telephone: For people with hearing or speaking difficulties,
connect through the state MassRelay service: ·
Relay Using
TTY or Hearing Carry-over:
800.439.2370 ·
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Voice Carry-over: 866.887.6619 ·
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Text to Speech: 866.645.9870 For more information, including numbers for Spanish
speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay |