Draft Memorandum for the Record
Regional Transportation Advisory Council Meeting
March 8, 2023, Meeting Minutes
2:30 PM–4:15 PM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform
Lenard Diggins, Chair, representing the MBTA Ridership Oversight Committee (ROC)
Meeting Agenda
1. Introductions
L. Diggins called the meeting to order at 2:15 PM. (For attendance list, see page 5.)
2. Chair’s Report—Lenard Diggins, Chair
There was none.
3. Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2024 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Raw Universe of Proposed Studies—Srilekha Murthy, MPO Staff
S. Murthy stated that the FFY 2024 UPWP Raw Universe of Proposed Studies contains 80 studies, which primarily came from public survey submissions. Proposed studies have been categorized into the following categories: Active Transportation, Land Use, Multimodal Mobility, Transit, Technical Assistance/Other, and Transit Equity.
The Regional Transportation Advisory Council was asked to create a list of recommended studies for the April 12, 2023, Advisory Council meeting.
Discussion
Andy Reker, City of Cambridge, and Franny Osman, Acton Transportation Advisory Committee, suggested methods to organize the discussion of proposed studies.
S. Murthy summarized studies in each of the six study categories and noted areas that overlap with existing MPO programs.
John McQueen, WalkBoston, asked what the discrete study budget is for the FFY 2024 UPWP. S. Murthy stated that the budget is still being developed but is expected to be in the range of the FFY 2023 UPWP’s budget of $300,000.
L. Diggins asked if the Advisory Council could recommend elements of studies to be combined. S. Murthy stated that this is valuable feedback.
J. McQueen recommended combining the studies T-8, Station Access Prioritization and Guidance, with A-3, a study exploring MBTA stations and opportunities to improve the pedestrian and bicycle network in the stations and their surrounding areas.
F. Osman asked what will happen with studies that are not selected. S. Murthy responded that MPO staff shares the project proposals with relevant partner agencies such as MassDOT, the MBTA, and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC).
F. Osman suggested that the Advisory Council should provide short, qualitative commentary on the proposed studies.
A. Reker highlighted studies M-6, Identifying Transportation Infrastructure Impacts from Managed Retreat, and M-7, Opportunities for Highway Removal in the Boston Region, and discussed their connection to climate change adaptation and Boston’s history of development, respectively.
4. FFYs 2024–28 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Overview—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff
E. Lapointe discussed the projected Regional Highway Target Funds available to the MPO for programming within the FFYs 2024–28 TIP. E. Lapointe stated that in FFYs 2027 and 2028 the MPO is expected to have approximately $25 million more to program than originally projected in the FFYs 2023–27 TIP, due to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s expected completion of Grant Anticipation Note repayments.
E. Lapointe stated that the Community Connections program has a $2.5 million set aside each FFY. In FFY 2024, there is $641,495 remaining and in FFY 2025 there is $1,075,304 remaining.
E. Lapointe stated that there were 19 projects scored in this TIP cycle—18 new projects and one returning from last cycle—including 11 Community Connections projects, five Complete Streets projects, one Intersection Improvement project, and two Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Connections applications. Primary funding of new projects will occur in FFY 2028. Project scores can be found below:
· Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Connections
o Spot Pond Brook Greenway in Malden: 73
o Cochituate Rail Trail Extension in Natick: Score to be determined due to late submission
· Complete Streets
o Roadway Rehabilitation of Route 126, Hartford Road in Bellingham: 51.8
o Bridge Preservation, Cambridge Street over MBTA in Boston: Score to be determined due to late submission
o Argilla Roadway Reconstruction and Adaptation (Crane Estate to Crane Beach) in Ipswich: 37.1
o Envision Wakefield Main Street Improvements in Wakefield: 61.8
o Reconstruction of Canton Street (East Street Rotary to University Avenue) in Westwood: 52.8
· Intersection Improvements
o Signal Installation at Randolph and York Street Intersection in Canton: N/A, project not far enough in project initiation process to be funded through the TIP
· Community Connections
o Broad Street Corridor Transit Signal Priority in Lynn: 88
o Boston Electric BlueBikes Adoption: 84
o Cambridge Electric BlueBikes Adoption: 81
o Medford BlueBikes Expansion: 78
o Medford Bicycle Parking—Tier 1: 84
o Canton Center Bicycle Racks: 72
o Canton Public Schools Bike Program: 38
o Concord Workforce Shuttle: 71
o MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA): CatchConnect Microtransit Expansion Phase 2: 90
o North Reading Demand-Response Shuttle Pilot Program: 77.25
o Revere On-Demand Shuttle Service: 57
Discussion
J. McQueen asked if the Envision Wakefield project will connect to the rail station on North Avenue. E. Lapointe stated that there are ongoing efforts in Wakefield to add bicycle lanes on locally owned roads in the town.
F. Osman asked if there are equity issues contributing to whether or not municipalities apply for TIP funding. E. Lapointe discussed the geographic distribution of rail trail projects and referenced MAPC’s Trail Map Application to identify existing bicycle connections in the region.
F. Osman discussed how the Concord Workforce Shuttle connects to similar services in neighboring municipalities and its ability to address first- and last-mile connections.
5. Approval of Meeting Minutes
A motion to approve the minutes of the December 14, 2022, meeting was made by the Acton Transportation Advisory Committee (F. Osman) and seconded by the Boston Society of Civil Engineers (BSCES) (AnaCristina Fragoso). The minutes were approved.
6. Old Business, New Business, and Member Announcements
There were no items.
7. Adjourn
A motion to adjourn was made by the BSCES (AC Fragoso) and seconded by WalkBoston (J. McQueen). The motion carried.
Attendees
|
Member Municipalities |
Representatives and Alternates |
|
Town of Needham |
David Montgomery |
|
City of Cambridge |
Andy Reker |
|
Citizen Advocacy Groups |
Attendees |
|
Acton Transportation Advisory Committee |
Franny Osman |
|
American Council of Engineering Companies |
Fred Moseley |
|
Boston Society of Civil Engineers (BSCES) |
AnaCristina Fragoso |
|
MBTA Ridership Oversight Committee (ROC) |
Lenard Diggins, Chair |
|
MoveMassachusetts |
Jon Seward |
|
National Rural Transit Assistance Program |
Scott Zadakis |
|
WalkBoston |
John McQueen |
|
Agencies (Non-Voting) |
Attendees |
|
MBTA Advisory Board |
Amira Patterson |
|
MetroWest Regional Transit Authority |
Tyler Terrasi |
|
Other Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Andrew Jennings |
Town of Billerica |
|
Daniel Martin |
Town of Brookline |
|
Marc Older |
|
|
Scott Peterson |
HDR |
|
MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Logan Casey |
|
Stella Jordan |
|
Ethan Lapointe |
|
Srilekha Murthy |
|
Sean Rourke |
|
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 · Relay Using Voice Carry-over: 866.887.6619 · Relay Using Text to Speech: 866.645.9870 For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay. |