Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting
May 18, 2017 Meeting
10:00 AM – 11:50 PM, State Transportation Building, Conference Rooms 2&3, 10 Park Plaza, Boston
Steve Woelfel, Chair, representing Stephanie Pollack, Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization agreed to the following:
· approve the work program for Equity Analysis for MBTA Youth Pass Program
· approve the work program for Support for MBTA Service Standards Development
See attendance on page 9.
Carl Seglem (Boston Resident) thanked MPO Staff for hosting two Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Open Houses for the public, in particular Bill Kuttner, Seth Asante, Kathy Jacob, Ali Kleyman, Sandy Johnston, and Jen Rowe.
There was none.
The Advisory Council Advisory Council met May 10 and approved comments on both the Draft FFYs 2018-22 TIP and the Draft FFY 2018. The council was very supportive of the contents of the TIP, the MPO’s process and discussions, and how MPO staff has been communicating during this year’s development.
R. Mannion brought the Board’s attention to the memo Selection of Study Locations for the FFY 2017 Addressing Priority Corridors for the Long-Range Transportation Plan Needs Assessment Study, posted to the MPO’s meeting calendar. Staff, with input from municipalities and MassDOT, has selected segments of Route 138 from Milton to Easton and will present the study recommendations to the board when the study is complete.
Minutes were not presented at this meeting.
The MBTA launched a one-year pilot Youth Pass program in State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2015, offering reduced-fare benefits to qualifying youth without access to a student pass. The MBTA partnered with Boston, Chelsea, Somerville, and Malden to administer the program. The Youth Pass program was initially open to residents of those four municipalities aged 12 to 18 years without a student pass, or aged 19 to 21 years and meeting certain need-based criteria. In 2016, the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) voted to expand the pilot Youth Pass program to extend eligibility in participating municipalities to persons 21 to 25 years old, and to provide half-priced single rides. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requires transit providers to conduct a fare-equity analysis to determine whether proposed fare changes would have a discriminatory impact based on race, color, or national origin and to determine whether low-income populations would bear a disproportionate burden (or benefit, in the case of fare decreases) from proposed changes.
MPO Staff will conduct the required fare-equity analysis of the MBTA’s Youth Pass program using demographic information provided by program participants to estimate the financial impacts of the Youth Pass on each of four groups of riders (minority, nonminority, low-income, and non-low-income). It is estimated that this project will be completed three months after the notice to proceed is received. The total cost of this project is estimated to be $30,000.
A motion to approve the work program for Equity Analysis for MBTA Youth Pass Program Expansion was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (Paul Regan) and seconded by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (Eric Bourassa). The motion carried.
Recently, MPO staff assisted the MBTA in a two-phase study to update the MBTA’s Service Delivery Policy, the primary tool that the MBTA uses to guide the design and evaluation of transit services to meet the needs of the transit-riding public. Some of the service standards and associated metrics and thresholds proposed by the Service Delivery Policy Working Group require further development and refinement. The MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board approved the revised Service Delivery Policy, with the understanding that the Service Delivery Policy is a living document and that work would continue to refine the existing metrics and to develop new metrics. MPO Staff will work with the MBTA and other partners to refine the existing service standards and metrics, develop new metrics, and automate the calculation of service performance on some of the existing metrics. It is estimated that this project will be completed 12 months after work commences. The total cost of this project is estimated to be $30,000.
A motion to approve the work program for Support for MBTA Service Standards Development was made by At-Large Town (Town of Lexington) (Richard Canale) and seconded by the North Suburban Planning Council (City of Woburn) (Tina Cassidy). The motion carried.
A. Kleyman presented a Draft Summary of Public Comments received during the 21-day public review period for the Draft FFYs 2018-22 TIP, which ended on May 15. The MPO received 180 individual comments on the Draft TIP. Commenters included the Advisory Council, subregional groups, regional organizations, state and local elected officials, municipal staff, and local residents.
The Advisory Council’s comments supported this year’s overall TIP development process and requested additional conversation to define the Community Transportation Program. Subregional groups that submitted comments included the Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC), the South Shore Coalition (SSC), and the Three Rivers Interlocal Council (TRIC). These comments supported currently programmed projects in these subregions and requested the programming of as yet un-programmed projects. Regional organizations that submitted comments included A Better City, CrossTown Connect TMA, MASCO, and 495/MetroWest Partnership. The MetroWest Partnership’s comment letter included a request for more conversations at the MPO concerning why certain communities do not have projects in the TIP Universe or programmed on the TIP.
There were approximately 60 individual comments in support of programming the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (Phases 2B & 2D). There was also one comment in opposition to the project. The MPO received approximately 60 comments in opposition to reprogramming in FFY 2019 the project Reconstruction of Highland Avenue, Needham Street, and the Charles River Bridge (Newton and Needham), and also comments against splitting its funding over FFYs 2019 and 2020. A number of comments received were in support of currently programmed projects. Furthermore, one comment opposed the programming of the Reconstruction of Melnea Cass Boulevard (Boston). Finally, approximately 10 comments were received regarding the TIP process and document edits, rather than comments regarding specific projects or programming decisions.
Staff aims to post draft responses to comments before the MPO meeting on May 25, when the MPO will vote to endorse the TIP. Following the vote, staff will work with MassDOT to send responses to commenters and post the final document to the MPO’s website.
T. Bennett asked if staff noticed a difference in the volume of comments compared to last year’s development process. A. Kleyman responded that the MPO received over 400 comments during last year’s process, but that this could be attributed to the discussions surrounding the Green Line Extension (GLX), which generated significant public interest.
Kenneth Miller (Federal Highway Administration), in response to noting that one negative comment was received regarding the programming for Melnea Cass Boulevard, requested that the MPO should receive regular updates on the progress of programmed projects.
State Senator Thomas M. McGee (Third Essex District) addressed the board to request that TIP Amendment Three (which the MPO will also vote to endorse on May 25) include $200,000 for the operation of a commuter ferry between Lynn and Boston for summer 2017. Lynn previously operated this ferry as a pilot program for two summers and has invested several million dollars to build a dock facility. The city would work with Boston Harbor Cruises to use one of their vessels. S. Woelfel noted that MassDOT had communicated to the project proponent that this service isn’t eligible for CMAQ funding [or other MPO discretionary funding sources].
T. Wadsworth presented an overview of MassDOT’s Draft 2018-22 CIP Update. The CIP contains a statement of priorities, financial plan, and a listing of recommended investments for MassDOT and the MBTA over the next five state fiscal years (SFYs). It must be approved by both the MassDOT Board of Directors and the Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) and fits within the Commonwealth’s five-year capital plan. Most of this plan was set in motion last year, with this update adding SFY 2022. In this update, MassDOT staff refined scoring criteria, worked to align the development schedules for the CIP and the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), estimated funding sources, set program budgets, chose projects, and released a draft for public review. The public review period ends on June 2.
The CIP is funded from a mix of federal and state sources. The CIP investment priorities are reliability, modernization, and expansion; as such, 56% of the investments in the plan are focused on reliability, 19% on modernization, and 13% on expansion. Approximately 30% of Highway Division state and federal funds in the plan support municipal roadways and bridges. Some projects highlighted in the plan include the I-90 Allston Viaduct, I-90/I-495 Interchange, GLX, Red Line III cars, South Coast Rail. MassDOT is currently beta testing an online project intake tool to allow municipalities to initiate projects online and allow the Highway Division to automatically capture project data.
The 2018-22 Plan Update presents the CIP as an interactive online “story map. The public may comment on specific projects or the document as a whole. The document can be accessed at mass.gov/massdot/cip.
D. Crowley asked whether a social equity analysis was done and when it would be available.
E. Bourassa asked for clarification on a quoted figure related to the percent of MPO discretionary funds accounted for in the CIP.
V. Gupta presented the Go Boston 2030 Vision and Action Plan, which was released in March. The plan fits into the Mayor’s Imagine Boston comprehensive plan. The mission of Go Boston 2030 is to envision Boston’s long-term transportation future through transformative policies and projects and an inclusive public engagement process. The plan was formulated in response to the growth in jobs and population that is expected over the next fifteen years, as well as the deeply-rooted inequities that remain. For very low-income families in Boston, 1/3 of household income is spent on transportation. Climate change also poses a significant challenge.
The city conducted an extensive visioning process, creating a question campaign that solicited questions from the public. Close to 5,000 questions were submitted. The City identified 9 themes in these questions- access, safety, reliability, experiential quality, innovation and technology, affordability, resiliency, transparent governance, and health. Access, safety, and reliability were the top themes identified. For each theme, City of Boston staff identified key aspirational targets. One example of an aspirational target in the plan is “Every home in Boston within a 10 minute walk of rail station OR key bus route, Hubway Station, and carshare.” Aspirational targets for mode share include increasing transit by a third and bicycling by fourfold. The city then launched a campaign to solicit ideas for projects and policies that would help work towards these targets. The public submitted 3,700 ideas for projects and policies and 4,000 responses to an online survey; 29% of survey responses came from non-Boston residents. In addition to public engagement, the City engaged in technical analysis including projecting population, jobs, and carbon emission reductions.
Key policies identified in the plan include Vision Zero Safety Initiatives, maintaining a State of Good Repair (particular for bridges), restructuring MBTA bus routes, and issues surrounding autonomous vehicles. Key projects include walk and bike-friendly Main Street Districts city-wide, and mobility microHUBs that offer mode options throughout the city. Specific transit projects include North Station to Seaport Rapid Bus, Mattapan to Longwood Medical Area Rapid Bus, and Fairmount Line Service improvements. Advancing the Columbia Road Greenway to connect Franklin Park with the Harbor is also a priority, as well as improving traffic flow with Smart Signals.
To implement Go Boston 2030, the City of Boston is working to ensure interagency review and establish agencies as stewards of the Action Plan. The City hopes to leverage Boston Region MPO and State and Federal Funding as well as seek development mitigation to enhance public investments. The City hopes to create a Go Boston 2030 Mobility Lab in order to track progress towards goals. More information can be accessed at cityofboston.gov/goboston2030.
E. Bourassa expressed an interest in the approach taken in this effort to focus on outcomes-based targets, adding that it’s an approach the MPO could apply in its upcoming long-range transportation plan.
There was some discussion of the number of survey responses that came from non-Boston residents. V. Gupta indicated that there is more data related to this on the Plan’s website.
S. Asante presented Safety and Operations at Selected Intersections, a study examining safety, operations, and mobility issues at Andover Street (Route 114) at Esquire Drive and Violet Road in Peabody and Broadway (Route 99) at Fourth Street, Fifth Street, and Hawthorne Street in Chelsea. The purpose of the study was to examine safety, operations, and mobility issues at major intersections in the MPO area’s arterial highways—where many crashes occur, and which experience congestion during peak traffic periods, or are in need of improvements for bus, bicycle, and pedestrian travel.
In Peabody, staff recommended a total reconstruction of the intersection, offering two alternatives. However, implementing some low-cost, short-term improvements, such as converting standard crosswalk markings to high-visibility markings, reconstructing curb ramps to ADA standards, and clarifying signal control would provide immediate benefits.
In Chelsea, staff recommended reconstructing the Fifth Street intersection with additional pedestrian crossings and a new traffic and pedestrian signal system that is capable of synchronizing, prioritizing, and balancing the various signal locations based on vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle volumes. Staff recommended signalizing and reconstructing the Fourth Street intersection with sidewalk extensions, crosswalk enhancements, and a bus bulb-out. For the entire study area (including downtown), staff recommended developing a systematic plan to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility for all locations of concern, and developing a comprehensive parking- and access-management plan.
E. Bourassa asked whether the Reconstruction of Broadway that was programmed in the MPO’s Draft FFYs 2018-22 TIP includes the two intersections studied here. A. Kleyman responded that it seemed like it did, but S. Asante was not aware of whether or not that project included these intersections.
J. Gillooly reported that a public meeting regarding the Rutherford Avenue/Sullivan Square project was scheduled for May 18 at 6:30 pm at the Knights of Columbus in Charlestown. The City will present a preferred design concept at this meeting.
T. Bennett reported that Livable Streets and the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) will host a panel of speakers from Seattle, San Francisco, and New York on Tuesday, May 23 to discuss how cities are dealing with transportation concerns in their communities. T. Bennett is on the panel.
R. Mannion added that the June 1 MPO meeting is tentative and may be cancelled.
A motion to adjourn was made by the Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) (Tom Bent) and seconded by City of Boston (Boston Transportation Department) (J. Gillooly). The motion carried.
|
Members |
Representatives
and
Alternates |
|
At-Large City (City of Everett) |
Jay Monty |
|
At-Large City (City of Newton) |
Davis Koses |
|
At-Large Town (Town of Arlington) |
Laura Wiener |
|
At-Large Town (Town of Lexington) |
Richard Canale |
|
City of Boston (Boston Planning &
Development Agency) |
|
|
City of Boston (Boston Transportation
Department) |
Jim Gillooly Tom Kadzis |
|
Federal Highway Administration |
Kenneth Miller |
|
Federal Transit Administration |
|
|
Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) |
Tom Bent |
|
Massachusetts Department of Transportation |
|
|
MassDOT Highway Division |
John Romano Marie Rose |
|
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
(MBTA) |
Eric Waaramaa |
|
Massachusetts Port Authority |
Laura Gilmore |
|
MBTA Advisory Board |
Paul Regan |
|
Metropolitan Area Planning Council |
Eric Bourassa |
|
MetroWest Regional Collaborative (Town of
Framingham) |
|
|
Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal
Coordination (Town of Bedford) |
|
|
North Shore Task Force (City of Beverly) |
Denise Deschamps |
|
North Suburban Planning Council (City of
Woburn) |
Tina Cassidy |
|
Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
Tegin Bennett |
|
South Shore Coalition (Town of Braintree) |
Christine Stickney |
|
South West Advisory Planning Committee
(Town of Medway) |
Dennis Crowley |
|
Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of
Norwood/NVCC) |
Tom O’Rourke |
|
Other
Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Christopher Blackler Richard Merson William Paulitz Trey Wadsworth Bryan Pounds Carl Seglem Steve Olanoff |
ACE, TCC etc. Needham DPW City of Peabody, Town of Ipswich MassDOT MassDOT Boston Resident TRIC Alternate |
|
MPO
Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Robin Mannion Mark Abbott Steven Andrews Seth Asante |
|
Lourenço Dantas David Davenport Annette Demchur Róisín Foley Ali Kleyman Anne McGahan Elizabeth Moore Scott Peterson |
|
Jen Rowe Michelle Scott |