Draft Memorandum for the Record

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Meeting Minutes

August 20, 2026, Meeting Minutes

10:00 AM–11:25 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform

David Mohler, Chair, representing Phillip Eng, Interim Secretary of Transportation and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

Decisions

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) agreed to the following:

• Approve the minutes of the meeting of June 18, 2026
• Endorse Federal Fiscal Years (FFYs) 2026–30 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment Eight
• Endorse FFYs 2026–30 TIP Amendment Nine
• Endorse Final Public Engagement Action Plan

Meeting Agenda

1. Introductions

See attendance below.

2. Chair’s Report

D. Mohler announced that Tracie Lenhardt is now the deputy chief for project development at MassDOT.

3. Executive Director’s Report—Tegin Teich, Executive Director, Central Transportation Planning Staff

T. Teich announced that nominations for the MPO election are open and due October 2, 2026. She also provided an update on the congressional Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) continuing resolution.

She shared staffing updates, including the departure of Priyanka Chapekar and the hiring of  Griffin O’Neill and Christine Dimke. She also referenced ongoing recruitment for the director of policy and planning and the director of public affairs and communication.

T. Teich then previewed the upcoming agenda.

4. Public Comments

There were none.                                                                                            

5. Committee Chairs’ Reports

There were none.

6. Community Advisory Council Report—Karl Alexander, Vice Chair, Community Advisory Council

Karl Alexander reported that Advisory Council members and MPO staff attended a walking tour in the City of Malden and that the next council meeting would be held on September 14.

7. Action Item: Approval of June 18, 2026, MPO Meeting Minutes

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• June 18, 2026, Minutes (pdf) (html)

Vote

A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of June 18, 2026, was made by the City of Somerville (Tom Bent) and seconded by the Town of Lexington (Meghan Roche). The motion carried.

8. Action Item: FFYs 2026–30 TIP Amendment Eight—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• Amendment Eight (pdf) (html)

E. Lapointe summarized Amendment Eight, which includes a change in funding source, scope, and cost for early planning activities for improvements to the  Route 4/225 corridor in Lexington as well as a rebalance of advance construction funds for phase one of the Belmont Community Path. Staff received two letters in support of the path project during public comment.

Vote

A motion to endorse the FFYs 2026–30 TIP Amendment Eight was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (Hanna Switlekowski) and seconded by the Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood) (Tom O’Rourke). The motion carried.

9. Action Item: FFYs 2026–30 TIP Amendment Nine—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• Amendment Nine (pdf) (html)

E. Lapointe summarized Amendment Nine, which includes additional federal funding to address a cost increase on electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Cambridge and new funding to construct safety updates at a railroad crossing in Medfield. He stated that MassDOT has requested that the board waive the public comment period as there is insufficient time for MassDOT to conduct a State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) action to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) following a public comment period.

Discussion

Tom Bent, Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville), asked for clarification on the shortened timeline. Derek Shooster, MassDOT, responded that the MassDOT Rail Division discovered that funding for eliminating hazards at rail grade crossings were set to lapse at the end of FFY 2026, and the proposed waiving of the comment period  would allow for those lapsing dollars to be utilized.

Vote

A motion to endorse the FFYs 2026–30 TIP Amendment Nine, was made by the Town of Arlington (Lenard Diggins) and seconded by the South West Advisory Planning Committee (Town of Wrentham) (Rachel Benson). The motion carried.

10. Action Item: Final Public Engagement Plan—Sean Rourke, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• Public Engagement Plan (pdf) (html)

S. Rourke explained that the Public Engagement Plan documents the methods and strategies the MPO uses to engage interested parties in the MPO’s planning process, and the plan is being updated to bring it into alignment with current practices.

Discussion

 K. Alexander expressed his appreciation on behalf of the Community Advisory Council for the MPO’s thoughtful engagement during the plan development.

Vote

A motion to endorse the final Public Engagement Plan, was made by the Town of Arlington (L. Diggins) and seconded by the Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood) (T. O’Rourke). The motion carried.

11. Chapter 90 Program: MPO Relevance and Design Projects—Abby Cutrumbes Heerema, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• Chapter 90 Briefing (pdf) (html)
• Chapter 90 Memo (pdf) (html)

A. Cutrumbes Heerema explained the Chapter 90 program, focusing on how municipalities in the Boston region utilize Chapter 90 funding. She found that funding utilization does not vary significantly by median household income or population size. She recommended that the MPO list Chapter 90 as an eligible funding source for the design of TIP projects when conducting outreach.

Discussion

L. Diggins asked what program this work was completed under. A. Cutrumbes Heerema responded that it was conducted under Support to the MPO’s Policy Analysis line item.

R. Benson shared her thanks for the project and stated that Department of Public Works staff should be encouraged to become more familiar with the Chapter 90 process.

Meghan Roche, Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (Town of Lexington), asked if there would be an update when the Chapter 90 program’s funding expands. A. Cutrumbes Heerema responded that this should be the case.

Noel Mehlo, FHWA, expressed his excitement about the expanded funding conversation.

T. Bent asked that the MPO share broadly that this funding can be used for TIP project planning.

12. Federal Certification Review–Public Participation—Anthony Jones, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

A. Jones summarized what a Transportation Management Area certification review entails. He introduced the federal team responsible for the region and explained the review process. He then asked for public input and explained how it would be incorporated into the review.

Discussion

L. Diggins asked how FHWA would determine the extent to which the MPO’s practices match its plan. A. Jones responded that FHWA looks at previous actions to ensure they have been addressed and examines success metrics.

Wig Zamore, Somerville resident, voiced his concern aboutlow public participation from recent immigrant groups. Rhonda Motley, FHWA, concurred with the need to engage a variety of stakeholders as part of this process.

13. Members’ Items

Sam Taylor, MassDOT, invited members to a Unified Planning Work Program Committee meeting on September 24 at 1:00 PM.

14.  Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by the Town of Arlington (L. Diggins) and seconded by the Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) (T. Bent). The motion carried.

Attendance

Civil Rights Notice to the Public

Welcome. Bem Vinda. Bienvenido. Akeyi. 欢迎. 歡迎

You are invited to participate in our transportation planning process, free from discrimination. The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is committed to nondiscrimination in all activities and complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency). Related federal and state nondiscrimination laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, disability, and additional protected characteristics.

For additional information or to file a civil rights complaint, visit www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination.

To request this information in a different language or format, please contact:

Boston Region MPO Title VI Specialist
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: 857.702.3700
Email: civilrights@ctps.org

For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service, www.mass.gov/massrelay. Please allow at least five business days for your request to be fulfilled.