Destination 2040
Adopted August 2019
Fall 2022
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) envisions a modern, well-maintained transportation system that supports a sustainable, healthy, livable, and economically vibrant region. To achieve this vision, the transportation system must be safe and resilient; incorporate emerging technologies; and provide equitable access, excellent mobility, and varied transportation options.
In recognition of the diversity of transportation needs throughout the Boston region and to fulfill this vision, the MPO’s 2019 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Destination 2040, prioritizes spending on transportation projects that are shaped by six goals areas:
These goal areas include specific objectives to mark progress toward goals.
While Destination 2040 guides the MPO in organizing the types of projects funded over a 20-year period, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the implementation arm of the LRTP, designating construction funding for projects over a five-year period. The MPO has approximately $110 million annually to complement state and local investments in transportation infrastructure in the 97 cities and towns in the Boston region. Funding is categorized into six investment programs that are designed to move the MPO toward its transportation goals.
The following pages describe in more detail the types of projects funded in each investment program and how those projects meet MPO goals.
The MPO looks at areas with the highest needs for safety, system preservation, and access to different modes of travel among other priorities when deciding which projects to fund in the TIP. The MPO uses project evaluation criteria linked to each MPO goal area to incorporate these priorities. After the MPO’s endorsement of Destination 2040, the MPO voted to revise the project evaluation criteria. The new criteria better reflects the vision and investments outlined in Destination 2040.
A major theme that emerged from Destination 2040 is the need to address the imminent and future issues surrounding climate change. The MPO is addressing the need for resiliency planning on multiple fronts; first by encouraging resilient design of projects and second by funding a new Unified Planning Work Program study titled, “Exploring Resilience in MPO-Funded Corridor and Intersection Studies.” The MPO explored the creation of more specific criteria to address resiliency in project design. To minimize the negative impacts of climate change, the MPO is taking steps to decrease the Boston region’s carbon footprint while simultaneously adapting the transportation system to minimize damage from natural hazards.
Another major MPO goal emphasized in Destination 2040 is access to equitable transportation services across the region, which includes providing transportation options to low-income and minority communities for travel to jobs, services, and more. The MPO explored additional issues as part of the reimagining of the project evaluation criteria.
More information on the new TIP project evaluation criteria can be found at
https://www.ctps.org/data/pdf/plans/TIP/FFYs-2021-2025-TIP-Criteria-Guidebook-February-2021-v2.pdf
The Investment Programs
The Major Infrastructure program invests in projects that modernize or expand expressways, major arterials, or transit systems to reduce congestion and improve safety. In Destination 2040, the Boston Region MPO defined a major infrastructure project as one
In Destination 2040, the MPO decided that no more than 30 percent of available funding in each five-year LRTP time band would be allocated to major infrastructure projects—approximately $1.8 billion over 20 years—and if one major infrastructure project required more than 30 percent of funding in a particular time band, it would not be programmed. The following table lists the major infrastructure projects programmed in Destination 2040 from 2020 to 2040. Some funding was left unallocated in the later time band of the LRTP to allow for cost overruns or projects that may emerge in the future.
| Project Name |
Cost* |
|---|---|
Reconstruction of Rutherford Avenue, from City Square to Sullivan Square (Boston) |
$140,748,052 |
Roadway, ceiling and wall reconstruction, new jet fans, and other control systems in Sumner Tunnel (Boston) |
$126,544,931 |
Intersection improvements at Route 126 and Route 135/MBTA and CSX Railroad (Framingham) |
$115,000,000 |
Route 4/225 (Bedford Street) and Hartwell Avenue (Lexington) |
$30,557,000 |
Bridge replacement, Route 27 (North Main Street) over Route 9 (Worcester Street) and interchange improvements (Natick) |
$45,097,350 |
McGrath Boulevard (Somerville) |
$66,170,710 |
Reconstruction of Route 1A (Main Street) (Walpole) |
$25,653,571 |
* Costs estimates are based on those included in Amendment One to Destination 2040 (April 30, 2020). See "Current Cost" field in Table A-1.
MBTA = Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
Source: Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization.
The Intersection Improvements investment program supports projects that enhance intersections for pedestrians, bicyclists, cars, and buses. Projects can include the following:
| MPO Goal Area |
Specific Goals of Intersection Improvement Projects |
|---|---|
Safety |
Improve safety at high-crash locations for motorists, trucks, pedestrians, and bicyclists through changes like upgraded geometry, shortened crossing distances, and enhanced signage and lighting. |
System Preservation and Modernization |
Improve pavement condition and modernize signal equipment. |
Capacity Management and Mobility |
Reduce congestion, improve mobility and accessibility for all modes, and reduce emissions. |
Clean Air and Sustainable Communities |
Reduce emissions because of enhanced operations for all vehicles and through mode shift, accompanied by improvements in transit reliability and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. |
Transportation Equity |
Enhance transit services through improved operations and provide improved bicycle and pedestrian connections to make more opportunities for multimodal transportation. |
Economic Vitality |
Reduce congestion by improving signal timings, which will improve mobility and access to centers of economic activity. Include pedestrian and bicycle elements that will improve mobility for bicyclists and mobility and accessibility for pedestrians in centers of economic activity. |
The Complete Streets investment program funds projects to modernize roadways and improve safety and mobility for all users. Improvements can consist of the following elements:
| MPO Goal Area |
Specific Goals of Complete Streets Projects |
|---|---|
Safety |
Modernize the roadway network to provide safe conditions for all modes of travel along the corridor. Improvements could consist of lane reconfiguration, traffic signal and access improvements for motorists, new sidewalks, curb ramps, improved roadway crossings for pedestrians, and continuous bicycle facilities to reduce conflicts between bicyclists and motor vehicles. |
System Preservation and Modernization |
Address pavement condition, upgrade sidewalk and bicycle accommodations, and improve bridges and culverts (including adaptations to transportation infrastructure that is vulnerable to climate change and other hazards). |
Capacity Management and Mobility |
Increase transportation options by adding new sidewalks, bus lanes, and bicycle facilities. Improve mobility for transit services through the addition of dedicated bus lanes. |
Clean Air and Sustainable Communities |
Improve bicycle, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure improvements to reduce vehicle-miles traveled through improved operations and mode shift. |
Transportation Equity |
Enhance transit service operations and provide better and more bicycle and pedestrian connections. |
Economic Vitality |
Increase transportation options and access to places of employment and centers of economic activity by improving traffic operations and transit service, and adding sidewalks and bicycle facilities. |
The MPO wants to hear from you about routes or locations to consider for Dedicated Bus Lanes. Submit your comments at bostonmpo.org/comment or email MPO staff at publicinfo@ctps.org.
The Bicycle Networks and Pedestrian Connections investment program will expand bicycle and pedestrian networks to improve safe access to transit, school, employment centers, and shopping destinations. Bicycle and pedestrian connection projects could include elements of the following:
| MPO Goal Area |
Specific Goals of Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Connections Projects |
|---|---|
Safety |
Create a safe pedestrian and bicycle corridor that connects activity centers while avoiding high-crash locations on the roadway system. Implement safety improvements to facilitate pedestrian access to transit or other activity centers. |
System Preservation and Modernization |
Improve bicycle and pedestrian crossings and sidewalks. |
Capacity Management and Mobility |
Increase transportation options, provide access to transit or other activity centers, and support last-mile connections. |
Clean Air and Sustainable Communities |
Help reduce vehicle-miles traveled through mode shift. |
Transportation Equity |
Provide better access to transit and improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. |
Economic Vitality |
Increase transportation options and access to places of employment and centers of economic activity by adding new sidewalks and bicycle facilities and improving operations. |
Community Connections (CC) is the MPO’s funding program for first- and last-mile solutions, community transportation, and other small, nontraditional transportation projects, such as those that update transit technology and improve bicycle facilities. The program is open to municipalities and regional transit authorities (RTAs) within the Boston Region MPO. Other entities are encouraged to apply in partnership with a municipality or RTA.
Examples of projects include:
| MPO Goal Area |
Specific Goals of Community Connections Projects |
|---|---|
Capacity Management and Mobility |
Increase transit ridership by modernizing management of automobile and bicycle parking at commuter rail and rapid transit stations. Start new, locally developed transit services and supporting last-mile connections. Provide mobility options for elderly adults. |
Clean Air and Sustainable Communities |
Improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, locally developed transit services, and first-mile/last-mile connections to help reduce vehicle-miles traveled and emissions through mode shift. |
Transportation Equity |
Start new, locally developed transit services that include transit vehicles and coordination of service to transportation equity populations. |
Economic Vitality |
Increase transportation options and access to places of employment and centers of economic activity by starting new, locally developed transit services; adding bicycle parking; and improving operations. |
This investment program would flex MPO discretionary funding to transit maintenance and modernization projects identified through coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), MetroWest Regional Transit Authority, the Cape Ann Transit Authority, and municipalities. It could also include climate resiliency projects to improve transit infrastructure. Increasing investments in transit modernization and maintenance projects would allow the MPO to use its discretionary funding to augment planned transit improvements throughout the region and help the MPO reach its goals established in the LRTP. The types of projects that could be funded under this program include the following:
| MPO Goal Area |
Specific Goals of Transit Modernization Projects |
|---|---|
System Preservation and Modernization |
|
Capacity Management and Mobility |
|
Clean Air and Sustainable Communities |
|
Transportation Equity |
|
Economic Vitality |
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The MPO wants to hear about your ideas for the types of projects that the Transit Modernization investment program could fund. Submit your comments at
bostonmpo.org/contact or email MPO staff at publicinfo@ctps.org.