This document contains the individual proposed project descriptions submitted by Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) staff for the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2016 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), along with proposed project descriptions created in response to suggestions from various regional transportation stakeholders and members of the public. These descriptions are preceded by an index. The individual project descriptions contain:
Updates have been made throughout this document since February 19, 2015.
For the past several years, the UPWP project selection process has made use of focus areas as a way of examining how proposed projects could advance the visions, goals, and/or policies of the MPO, federal and state agencies, and MAPC. MPO staff conduct a focus area review for each proposed project, which is a qualitative assessment based on the content of the proposals. Each project description includes a list of the 14 focus areas and indicates whether the project gives “primary” or “secondary” consideration to a focus area or if the focus area is not addressed (“not applicable”). When MPO staff and the UPWP Committee develop recommendations for proposed new projects for the next UPWP, the results of these focus-area reviews are considered, along with a number of other factors, including survey feedback from MPO staff and UPWP Committee members, guidance from federal and state agencies, and study feasibility and implementation factors.
The focus areas for FFY 2016 UPWP proposed new projects are:
| Universe ID | Proposed Project Name | Proposed Project Group | Proposed Project Staff | Estimated Project Cost | FFY 2016 UPWP Staff Evaluation | Selected for FFY 2016 UPWP | Proposed FFY 2016 UPWP Budget | Project Description | Project Comments | Concept Source | LRTP Vision Topics Addressed by the Proposed Project | Project Functions Addressed by the Proposed Project | UPWP Focus Area: Supports Performance-Based Planning | UPWP Focus Area: Links Land Use and Transportation | UPWP Focus Area: Helps Maximize Limited Financial Resources | UPWP Focus Area: Protects Air Quality and the Environment | UPWP Focus Area: Preserves, Maintains, and Modernizes the Transportation System | UPWP Focus Area: Increases Transit and Active Transportation Modes | UPWP Focus Area: Advances Mobility, Access, and/or Congestion Reduction | UPWP Focus Area: Encourages Sustainable, Livable, and Healthy Communities | UPWP Focus Area: Increases Transportation Safety and Security | UPWP Focus Area: Supports Economic Vitality | UPWP Focus Area: Considers Transportation Equity and Accessibility | UPWP Focus Area: Supports MetroFuture Implementation | UPWP Focus Area: Supports Statewide and Regional Transportation Inititatives | UPWP Focus Area: Enhances Technical Knowledge, Capacity and Insights | Last Update for Proposed Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 | Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways: FFY 2016 |
Roadway Network Performance | CTPS | $110,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | When the MPO staff meets with MAPC subregional groups, those groups identify transportation problems and issues that concern them. Often these issues are related to roadway bottlenecks or the lack of safe access to transportation facilities in their area. These issues can affect livability, quality of life, crash incidence, and air quality along an arterial and its side streets. If problems are not addressed, mobility, access, safety, economic development, and air quality are compromised. To address feedback from the MAPC subregional groups, MPO staff would identify priority arterial bottleneck locations (or a series of locations) in the MPO region, with an emphasis on the issues identified by the relevant subregional groups, and would develop recommendations for low-cost improvements. Special attention would be paid to the need for and feasibility of bus service along these arterial segments. Staff would consider numerous strategies to improve arterials, including examining and evaluating any or all of the following factors: traffic signals (equipment, retiming, redesign, and coordination); bus stop locations; processing buses through traffic lights; the location and management of pedestrian crossings and signals, taking into account Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements; travel lane utilization by motorized and bicycle traffic; speed-limit assessment; and access management. These corridor improvements could be recommended to implementing agencies and funded through various federal, state, and local sources, separately or in combination. |
The MPO has conducted corridor studies for its Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways project as part of the FFY 2013, FFY 2014, and FFY 2015 UPWPs. The locations studied in the past are Routes 127/127A in Gloucester and Rockport, Route 3A in Cohasset and Scituate, and Washington Street in Newton. |
CTPS staff suggested this project. | Environment; Livability; Mobility; Safety and Security; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| A-2 | Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment: FFY 2016 | Roadway Network Performance | CTPS | $110,000 | Medium | To be determined | To be determined | Studying a roadway corridor or corridor segment is a logical way to address regional multimodal transportation needs, including needs that are expected to arise from potential future developments. This type of study is a multimodal, comprehensive evaluation of a corridor: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public-transportation users all are considered, using a holistic approach to analyze the problems and recommend improvements. This study involves addressing issues, analyzing services, and making recommendations for areas within the roadway’s right-of-way, while accounting for the needs of abutters and other users. Through this project, staff would recommend conceptual improvements for one or more corridors, or several small sections and within a corridor, that are identified by the Congestion Management Process (CMP) and the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) as being part of the needs-assessment process. Staff would select locations for study—while considering municipal, subregional, and other public feedback—and would collect data, conduct technical analyses, and develop recommendations for improvements. The recommendations would be forwarded to implementing agencies, which may choose to fund improvements through various federal, state, and local sources, separately or in combination. |
The MPO has conducted Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment studies through the FFY 2012, FFY 2013, FFY 2014, and FFY 2015 UPWPs. The locations that were previously studied are Route 203 (Gallivan Boulevard and Morton Street) in Boston, Route 114 in Danvers, Route 2 in Concord and Lincoln, Route 30 in Framingham and Natick, and Route 140 in Franklin. |
CTPS staff suggested this project. | Environment; Livability; Mobility; Safety and Security; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency (Updated March 19, 2015) |
Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders; Support MPO Planning | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| A-3 | Safety and Operations at Selected Intersections: FFY 2016 | Roadway Network Performance | CTPS | $65,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | The purpose of this project is to examine mobility and safety issues at major intersections on the region’s arterial highways, where, according to the MPO’s crash database, many crashes occur. These locations are also congested during peak traffic periods. The resulting bottlenecks can occur only at single large intersections, but usually spill over to a few adjacent intersections along an arterial. These intersections may also accommodate multiple transportation modes, including buses, bicyclists, and pedestrians. This study would build directly on the results of the monitoring of delays and safety along arterial roadways that the Congestion Management Process (CMP) produces, and the resulting recommendations would be “management and operations” improvements. Municipalities in the region are very receptive to this type of study, as these studies give them an opportunity to begin looking at the needs of these locations, starting at the conceptual level, before they commit funds for design. Eventually, if a project qualifies for federal funds, the study’s documentation is also useful to Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). |
The MPO has conducted Safety and Operations at Selected Intersections studies as part of the FFY 2011, FFY 2012, FFY 2013, and FFY 2014 UPWPs. |
CTPS staff suggested this project. | Environment; Mobility; Safety and Security; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency (Updated April 30, 2015) |
Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| A-4 | Low-Cost Improvements to Express-Highway Bottleneck Locations |
Roadway Network Performance | CTPS | $40,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | In this study, MPO staff would coordinate with MassDOT to identify one or more express-highway locations in the region, and would examine low-cost countermeasures to reduce congestion at that location. This study would support efforts to minimize congestion while maximizing the effectiveness of limited financial resources. In FFY 2016, staff would identify one or more study locations, utilizing the Congestion Management Process and professional judgment when evaluating the potential for low-cost improvements. Staff would research and brainstorm about low-cost countermeasures for these locations. Some possible countermeasures are using the shoulder as a peak-hour lane, restriping travel lanes in merge areas to improve traffic flow, implementing ramp metering, improving traffic-signal timing, and improving methods of communicating traffic information to drivers. |
MPO staff conducted studies, programmed in previous UPWPs, that focused on identifying low-cost improvements to express-highway bottleneck locations. In the FFY 2010 UPWP, MPO staff analyzed I-95 ramps at interchanges in Weston and Burlington, and locations along Route 3 in Braintree and at the Hingham-Weymouth town line. Through the Low-Cost Improvements to Bottleneck Locations: Phase II study, which was included in the FFY 2011 UPWP, MPO staff analyzed a section of I-95 between Waltham and Lexington, and an additional portion of I-95 near Burlington. Bottleneck locations are also being studied as part of the FFY 2015 UPWP. |
CTPS staff suggested this project. | Environment; Mobility; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency (Updated April 30, 2015) | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration (Updated) | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| A-5 | Safety Improvements at Express-Highway Interchanges |
Roadway Network Performance | CTPS | $55,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | This study would evaluate safety at high-crash interchange locations and propose low-cost safety and operational improvements. Interchange collision diagrams would be prepared to identify areas that have crash clusters to aid in developing effective countermeasures. The countermeasures could include providing standard acceleration and deceleration areas, wider lanes and shoulders, better signage and lighting, and pavement markings; lengthening or eliminating existing short weaving sections; increasing the curve radii on ramps, and other improvements. Project deliverables could include memoranda describing recommendations that could be implemented using federal or state funding. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Mobility; Safety and Security System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders; Support MPO Planning | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| A-6 | Analyzing the Impacts of Expanded All-Electronic Tolling | Roadway Network Performance | CTPS | $70,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | MassDOT is currently working to implement all-electronic tolling on the Massachusetts Turnpike, and may explore electronic-tolling options for other parts of the express-highway system. Through this study, MPO staff would conduct a scenario analysis to examine the impacts of expanding all-electronic tolling to express highways throughout the region. A combination of analysis approaches—such as using both the regional travel demand model and other techniques—could be used to examine the impacts of expanded electronic tolling on congestion, air quality, and potential transportation revenues. The deliverable could be a memorandum documenting the results of the study, and the results could be used to inform MPO and state policy decisions and future MPO planning activities. The memorandum could also describe potential uses for the revenue that might be generated by increased tolling. |
None |
Eric Bourassa of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) suggested this project. |
Environment; Mobility; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency |
Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration (Updated) | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| A-7 | Planning for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles | Roadway Network Performance | CTPS | $25,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | Through this project, MPO staff would produce a white paper describing planning considerations related to autonomous- and connected-vehicle technologies, which are continually evolving. Connected-vehicle technology focuses in on vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication over a wireless Internet connection. This connection helps cars “talk” to one another to exchange information about speed, and direction, and to nearby infrastructure to get information about potential hazards. Autonomous, or “self-driving,” cars are vehicles that use the Global Positioning System (GPS), cameras, computer processing, and other technology to sense the surrounding environment and navigate. Autonomous cars are designed to reduce, and potentially even eliminate, the need for driver input. These types of technologies may have considerable implications for transportation planning and are of interest to the Federal Highway Administration, which is beginning to inquire into how MPOs are considering these technologies in transportation-planning activities. In this white paper, MPO staff could include a literature review, discuss how these technologies might function as part of the Boston region’s unique transportation system, and identify considerations for future MPO planning activities. |
None. | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Mobility; Safety and Security; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| B-1 | Bicycle Network Gaps: Feasibility Evaluations: FFY 2016 | Active Transportation | CTPS | $55,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | The MPO's regional Bicycle Network Evaluation, which was completed in 2014, identified a list of “high priority” gaps in the region’s bicycle network. MPO staff ranked the identified gaps using criteria that assessed their potential to improve bicycle connectivity. This project would follow up on that study by conducting more detailed feasibility evaluations of up to three identified high-priority gaps. Deliverables would include one or more memoranda documenting the results of the study and recommendations for the selected locations. The identified recommendations could ultimately become projects that are funded by federal, state, local, or other sources. |
This project constitutes an additional phase of the Bicycle Network Gaps: Feasibility Evaluations work, the first phase of which is being conducted during federal fiscal year (FFY) 2015. |
CTPS staff suggested this project. | Livability; Mobility; Safety and Security | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders; Support MPO Planning | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| B-2 | Pedestrian Level-of-Service Metric Development | Active Transportation | CTPS | $30,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | Currently, there are several new metrics available for measuring the extent to which infrastructure supports pedestrian travel and pedestrian comfort, also known as “pedestrian level of service.” It has yet to be seen, however, if these existing metrics are applicable to the Boston region. In this project, MPO staff will formulate a plan for developing and implementing a pedestrian level of service index. This index might consist of information collected from intersection surveys and pedestrian counts, among other possible sources. This information could help transportation planners and government officials make decisions about pedestrian programs, including prioritizing projects and allocating funding. MPO staff would analyze the potential structure and needs of a pedestrian level of service index for the region and would produce a white paper of the results. The steps for formulating a plan include: 1. Researching criteria that already exist, such as criteria in the 2010 Highway Capacity Manual (a publication of the Transportation Research Board) and criteria that other entities have applied to specific projects. 2. Interviewing local and state entities to determine what data are already available or could be readily obtained. 3. Developing a plan to aggregate any data that can be obtained, and refining data collection processes that would be beneficial. 4. Determining what criteria are best for evaluating pedestrian facilities in the Boston Region MPO area. In the long term, beyond this initial project, MPO staff seek to create a pedestrian level-of-service index for the MPO region and an interactive tool that would be nested in the applications section of the Boston Region MPO’s website that could analyze the pedestrian facilities in the region. |
CTPS staff reorganized material in this description on April 30, 2015. | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Livability; Mobility; Safety and Security | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| B-3 | Municipal Pedestrian Network Studies | Active Transportation | CTPS | $40,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | MPO staff would provide support to several municipalities in the MPO region that are interested in exploring opportunities to improve their communitywide pedestrian network. MPO support could include, for example, assisting municipalities with the process of becoming certified by MassDOT’s Active Streets Certification Program (for Complete Streets implementation). Using municipal inventories of sidewalks and other data resources, MPO staff would work with communities to conduct an assessment of existing pedestrian transportation connections, including sidewalks, paths, and crosswalks, and would identify opportunities to improve these connections. These analyses would be coordinated with work done by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), MassRIDES (through the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Program), and other stakeholders, when appropriate. MPO staff could also work in partnership with MAPC staff to provide technical assistance needed for certification. Deliverables could include reports or memoranda documenting pedestrian network inventories, coordination with municipal officials and residents, analysis results, and recommendations for improvement; and in collaboration with MAPC, a draft of municipal bylaws and policies that support Complete Streets initiatives. The results of these pedestrian network assessments and recommendations could be used to support community-level Complete Streets improvement programs and projects, which could be funded with federal, state, local, or other funding. For example, the results of these studies could be a resource for a municipality when it is applying for or maintaining certification under MassDOT’s Active Streets Certification Program. |
The state transportation bond bill that was passed in April 2014 included an Active Streets Certification Program. Communities that are certified are eligible to receive funding to regularly and routinely include Complete Streets design elements and infrastructure on locally funded roads. Later in 2014, MassDOT announced an initial investment of up to $5 million in funding for the program. The certification requirements for municipalities include: • Filing of an application with MassDOT • Adoption of a Complete Streets bylaw, ordinance, or administrative policy • Coordination with MassDOT to confirm the accuracy of a baseline pedestrian and bicycle accommodations inventory in order to identify priority projects • Development of procedures to follow to incorporate Complete Streets elements when conducting municipal road repair, upgrades, or expansion projects on public rights-of-way • Establishment of a municipal review process for all private development proposals to ensure that Complete Streets components are incorporated into new construction • Establishment of a municipal goal for an increased mode share for walking, cycling, and public transportation, where applicable, to be met within five years, and development of a program to reach that goal • Annual progress reporting to MassDOT |
CTPS proposed this project. This project was included in the FFY 2015 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects, but was not funded. |
Livability; Mobility; Safety and Security; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| C-1 | MPO Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Planning | Safety and Security | CTPS | $45,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | The MPO is studying, as it has for several years, the relationship between transportation and climate change with respect to emissions reduction and all-hazards planning. MPO staff see value in continuing their work in providing information to planners and decision-makers about potential problems that result from climate change. They realize, however, that their next steps should focus on providing information that advances or builds on the work being undertaken by other agencies, such as MassDOT, that are, or may be, addressing climate vulnerability assessment and adaptation. Going forward, the MPO could supplement its previous work, and work conducted by others, with research, planning, and programming that focuses on these issues. This project would support the MPO’s exploration of relevant vulnerability assessment and adaptation topics. This project could include the following tasks: 1) Review and document of actions and strategies being taken by municipalities in the MPO region and by other MPOs in Massachusetts to support climate change vulnerability assessments and adaptation activities (including both planning and implementation). This analysis could also utilize information about work that MPOs or comparable agencies in other states are doing in this area. This research could help to identify specific actions that could be taken by the Boston Region MPO. These actions might include the inclusion of additional data into the All-Hazards Planning application; establishing standards that could be used to identify priority projects to receive funding for climate adaptation improvements; and the development of an MPO Climate Change Action Plan, similar to the MPO’s Freight Planning Action Plan that is part of the Freight Planning Support Program. 2) Review proposed adaptation strategies that have been developed through studies that are taking place at universities in the region, such as Tufts University and Boston University. MPO staff could map and analyze these proposals with respect to the locations of transportation infrastructure (such as tunnels and coastal roadways) to see what portions of the transportation system these proposals might address. |
MPO staff are continuing to coordinate with MassDOT, MAPC, and other entities that are working on climate change adaptation and vulnerability assessment topics. |
CTPS staff suggested this project, and are awaiting feedback from MassDOT. |
Climate Change; Mobility; Safety and Security; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency (Updated March 19, 2015) | Support MPO Planning | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable (Updated) | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| C-2 | Improvements to MPO All-Signals Database | Safety and Security | CTPS | $30,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | This project would build on the outcomes of the MPO’s “Roadway Network Inventory for Emergency Needs: A Pilot Study” (January 8, 2015), and would focus specifically on improving data on traffic signals on key routes in the study area. If study resources allow, attention could be expanded to include signals on key routes in environmental justice areas outside the study area. This project would develop common standards for MPO staff to use to classify signal types and characteristics. With these standards, staff would work with municipal officials in the areas that were in the pilot study, and possibly officials in other parts of the MPO region, to accurately inventory all of the signals on key routes; the inventory would include descriptions of signal equipment and other information. The signal data collection would likely focus on major arterials to support evacuations and emergency response activities. The work might also include site visits to gather accurate data for signals at key locations if no current municipal data are available. In the “Roadway Network Inventory for Emergency Needs: A Pilot Study” (2015), MPO staff determined that a comprehensive traffic signal database for the region’s core would be beneficial for various MPO planning activities. The data from such a database could be used in the MPO’s All-Hazards Planning application. The signal data could also be used as part of air quality analyses, along with information on congestion and emissions at intersections. It could also be incorporated into the MPO’s regional travel demand model to better understand why delays occur at particular intersections. In the course of the study, staff found variations in the signal data that municipalities maintained, along with variations in the terminology these municipalities used to describe signal characteristics. MPO staff used available information from municipalities to create a database of information on traffic signal locations and characteristics for later use in the All-Hazards Planning application, but have not yet made the data signal layer available to the public. Some of the reasons for not making that layer publically available are: • Descriptions of signal equipment have not been standardized within the all-signals database because those who provided data often used varying nomenclature when describing equipment, particularly for types of signals and controllers. • Some signal records lack descriptions altogether or have only partial information. • Signal data for some municipalities may not be current. MPO staff would continue work on the all-signals data layer to address the issues mentioned above. After establishing standardized terminology and common standards to classify signal types and document signal characteristics, staff would complete the signals layer for the pilot study area. The roadways and signals outside of the pilot study area that would be studied first are those that are located in areas containing environmental justice communities. The signal data collection would likely focus on major arterials to support evacuations and emergency response activities. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Environment; Mobility; Safety and Security; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency (Updated March 19, 2015) |
Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders Support MPO Planning |
Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| D-1 | Systemwide Title VI/Environmental Justice Assessment of TIP Projects |
Transportation Equity and Accessibility | CTPS | $75,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | The intent of this project is to develop best practices for a systemwide analysis of the benefits and burdens of Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) investments. This project could build on a number of existing activities that relate to anticipating or measuring the benefits and burdens of transportation investments. Currently, anticipated impacts on Title VI/Environmental Justice (EJ) populations are captured on a project-by-project basis through the TIP project evaluation process. Individual projects can earn points by improving transit service for an identified EJ population, by developing a Complete Streets–oriented project in an EJ area, or by addressing an MPO-identified EJ transportation issue. The Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) includes an environmental justice assessment of its package of investments that examines the accessibility, emissions, mobility, and congestion impacts of these investments on EJ communities. The metrics for these factors in the “build” scenarios are compared to the same metrics in the “no-build” scenario. The MPO’s Title VI reporting currently describes the locations of recent TIP projects, and their associated funding amounts, and indicates which projects are located in EJ and Title VI communities. MPO staff have recently explored the existing methods used to capture the benefits and burdens of TIP highway and transit projects on different populations, but found that these methods may not sufficiently capture those impacts. This project would include documenting the current state of the practice of analyzing the equity implications of highway and transit investments made through Transportation Improvement Programs, after which staff would do a pilot study of a methodology that could improve these practices. This may involve analyzing TIP projects through the MPO’s regional travel demand model and using methods developed during the MPO’s LRTP scenario-planning process. These activities and the results of the pilot study would be documented in a memorandum for MPO consideration. In future years, this methodology and the results of analyses that used the methodology could be incorporated into MPO Title VI reporting. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Regional Equity | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| D-2 | Community and Human-Services Transportation Support | Transportation Equity and Accessibility | CTPS | $45,000 | Medium | To be determined | To be determined | This project would provide information that municipalities, Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), and social- and human-services organizations could use to plan new community transportation services or improve existing services. It could also help to identify areas where community transportation would be feasible, if agencies were interested in starting new services. This study would examine practices that successful community and human-services agencies (such as social-services agencies that provide transportation and councils on aging) use to plan, coordinate, and manage their transportation services. It could include exploring programs and projects, operational practices, or software or other technology. It could also include documentation of successful Transportation Management Association (TMA) service-planning and delivery practices. This project would also look at issues such as who participates and who pays for or subsidizes the services. This project would include a literature review, information gathering through the Massachusetts Regional Coordinating Councils in the MPO region, and, consultations with transportation service providers. Documentation of these successful practices would include case studies. Materials produced by MPO staff would not only suggest practices, but would also provide some guidance to service providers on how to apply for grants from MassDOT’s Community Transit Grants Program or from the MPO’s Clean Air and Mobility Program. The deliverables could include: • A white paper, report, or guidebook for municipal officials, community transit proponents, and community and human-services transportation providers (such as councils on aging and others), which would document practices and provide guidance. • Other guidance materials to support transportation service providers in completing Community Transit Grant applications. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. It was included in the FFY 2015 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects, but was not funded. This project description was updated for FFY 2016. |
Livability; Mobility;Regional Equity | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| D-3 | Emergency Transportation Planning for Vulnerable Populations | Transportation Equity and Accessibility | CTPS | $40,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | This study would survey and document planning activities completed in the Boston region by transportation agencies, planning agencies, and service providers to identify and address the emergency transportation services needs of vulnerable populations, including Title VI populations, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and those with limited English proficiency. It would also examine whether such planning activities are taking place in other metropolitan regions in the United States. The findings from this survey could be made available to local and regional agencies that provide services to these populations and that are responsible for transportation infrastructure and services for them. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. |
Mobility; Regional Equity; Safety and Security (Updated April 30, 2015) | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| D-4 | Temporal Changes in Demographic Data: Effects on Title VI Analyses |
Transportation Equity and Accessibility | CTPS | $65,000 | Medium | To be determined | To be determined | Like many transportation planning activities, the results of MPO analyses of the level of equity in the region’s transportation system are dependent on the demographic data that staff use. This is especially true for Title VI analyses, because the results of these analyses are used to assess the potential disparate impacts of past investment decisions and to inform planning activities and decisions that may result in future impacts on Title VI populations. However, these analyses generally rely on demographic data that represent a particular point in time, usually within a year prior to the analysis, but sometimes from an even earlier period (depending on the availability and quality of data). Because populations sometimes shift throughout the region, there can be discrepancies between the results of the equity analysis and the level of benefits and burdens that would be realized once the transportation project or policy has been implemented. Therefore, a project or policy that is expected to benefit minority and/or low-income populations in the region could produce very different results from what the equity analysis indicates. MPO staff would investigate the effect of the geographic movement of minority and low-income populations on how they are affected by the benefits and burdens of transportation projects or policies. To do this, staff would revisit Title VI analyses of previous major transit service changes, first using demographic data that were available during the planning time frame, and then using current demographic data. MPO staff would compare the outcomes of these analyses and review how decisions might have been made differently if demographic projections were examined at the time of the project or policy planning. This study would also investigate procedures for projecting changes in demographic data by analyzing demographic data in the region for statistically significant trends in minority and low-income population migration. This analysis could support the development of a consistent procedure to generate demographic projections for Title VI analyses in order to recognize the future benefits and burdens of a transportation project or policy. The work products of this study would be two white papers, one reviewing the results of using two different sets of demographic data in the equity analyses, and one documenting the procedures for projecting demographic data. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Regional Equity | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base |
Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-1 | MBTA Parking Lots: Price Sensitivity Analysis | Land Use, Environment, and Economy | CTPS | $30,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | Many MBTA stations have parking lots nearby. Some of the parking lots are operated by the MBTA and some are privately owned. The privately owned lots vary in price, often undercutting the price of nearby MBTA-owned lots. The MBTA lots charge $4.00 for daily parking in commuter rail lots, and between $4.00 and $7.00 per day for rapid transit parking, regardless of the utilization or the location of the lots. Monthly parking passes are also available. This study would follow up on the “2012–13 Inventory of Park-and-Ride Lots at MBTA Facilities” memorandum (May 1, 2014), which was developed as part of the Congestion Management Process, and would include a study of the price elasticity of MBTA parking lots. If it is determined that a significant elasticity exists between the price of parking and parking utilization, it might be worthwhile to adjust the MBTA parking lot prices to account for parking demand. |
None | CTPS suggested this project and have forwarded the proposal it to the MBTA to get their feedback. The MBTA has indicated an interest in this study topic. (Updated ) |
Livability; Mobility (Updated April 30, 2015) | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-2 | Analyzing the Transportation Impacts of Travel to and from Medical Facilities |
Land Use, Environment and Economy | CTPS | $85,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | This project would support the potential development of medical “special generators” that could be used in the MPO’s regional travel demand model set. Special generators are locations or zones that exhibit unique trip rates or travel patterns compared to other land uses that are reflected in the model set; separate models are typically used to estimate the trips that are generated by or attracted to these locations since the standard trip generation models do not fully capture their trip-making characteristics. It may be appropriate to create special generator models for hospitals and medical centers because travel to and from these places does not follow typical peak-period patterns. The Boston region is home to a number of medical centers, including the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, which is located along the C Branch of the Green Line. These locations generate a substantial number of trips by employees, medical students, and patients. As part of this project, MPO staff would collect and analyze data on travel to and from hospitals and medical centers; the results of that analysis may help to determine the feasibility of developing special generators for these land uses. |
It may be difficult to get the data needed for conducting this study. Some possible options for collecting data include working through the Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization (MASCO) or other Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), mining speed data (available from the MPO’s INRIX data set), or using data from traffic counts on local roads. |
CTPS staff suggested this project. | Mobility | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-3 | Analyzing the Transportation Impacts of Travel Generated by Universities | Land Use, Environment and Economy | CTPS | $85,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | This project would examine travel patterns for universities to support the development of university “special generators” that could be included in the MPO’s regional travel demand model set. Special generators are locations or zones that exhibit unique trip rates or travel patterns compared to other land uses that are reflected in the model set; separate models are typically used to estimate the trips that are generated by or attracted to these locations since the standard trip generation models do not fully capture their trip making characteristics. The Boston region is home to a large number of universities, and these institutions exhibit different travel patterns from other developments, both in terms of the mix of students, faculty, and staff living on or commuting to college campuses, and differences in the times of day when peak travel is occurring. These characteristics may make universities appropriate land uses for special generators. As part of this project, MPO staff would collect and analyze data on travel to and from universities, which may help to determine the feasibility of developing special generators for these uses. |
None. | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Mobility | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-4 | Methodologies and Tools for Understanding the Relationship of Transportation to Gentrification and Displacement |
Land Use, Environment, and Economy | CTPS | $85,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | MPO staff would work on developing methodologies or approaches that the MPO could use to better understand and project the gentrification and displacement that would result from transportation projects. Some MPOs and regional planning agencies around the country, such as the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), are accounting for gentrification and displacement in their planning and performance reporting. Staff would identify, through a literature review and other methods, techniques for accounting for gentrification and displacement through the MPO’s regional travel demand model set, the land use model, or other approaches. These techniques could be tested on a project that is programmed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (which would serve as a hypothetical example). MPO staff could also do some before-and after comparisons on a past large-scale transportation project to better understand gentrification and displacement. Deliverables may include a memorandum documenting the techniques used and the results of the analyses. Ultimately, these results could inform MPO project selection and performance-based planning. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Livability; Regional Equity | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-5 | Analyzing the Impacts of Special Events on the Region’s Transportation System |
Land Use, Environment, and Economy | CTPS | $85,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | Anyone who has spent any time in Boston realizes how much special events influence travel patterns in the region’s transportation system. Recurring special events include sporting events, concerts, and conventions. Travel patterns are disrupted during these events because the number of attendees on the MBTA’s transit system and the regional roadway network may exceed their respective capacities. This phenomenon is especially pronounced along the Green Line corridor, along which lie the majority of Boston’s special events venues. However, there has never been a concerted effort to measure or analyze the millions of annual trips in the Boston Region MPO area that are generated by the hundreds of special events that occur in the Boston area (for example, the MPO regional travel demand model is presently designed to predict only the travel behavior for an average weekday). For this project, staff would conduct surveys at selected Boston special events with an emphasis on more accurately representing the effects of special events on the region’s transportation system. Priority should be given to events at the TD Garden and Fenway Park because they draw the majority of the attendees of annual special events and because some of their patrons arrive from places other than nearby housing. Other data sources, such as the MPO’s INRIX speed data set, MassDOT’s Bluetooth travel-time database, and MBTA data, would be scrutinized to ascertain the operations of the transportation system when these special events occur. These data collection and analysis activities would provide the MPO with information on the extent to which special events have an impact on transit use and traffic flow on roadways. The results of this study could inform the identification of transportation choke points and needs, which could in turn inform future project evaluation and selection. |
None |
CTPS staff suggested this project. | Mobility | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-6 | Transportation Mitigation of Major Developments: Review of Existing Strategies |
Land Use, Environment, and Economy | CTPS | $60,000 | Medium | To be determined | To be determined | This project would build on the MPO’s Core Capacity Constraints study (included in the FFY 2015 UPWP), which focuses on examining strategies for mitigating the impacts that new developments may have on the region’s transportation system. Through this particular study, which was inspired by the discussion of transportation mitigation strategies at the January 8, 2015, MPO meeting, MPO staff would explore major land use developments that have occurred in the recent past (perhaps 15 years), along with transportation mitigation measures that were incorporated into the development process. These mitigation measures would include those that address the impacts that that the new development would have on the transportation system, such as the increased travel demand on nearby transit routes. MPO staff would then track the implementation of these measures and assess the results. Through this process, MPO staff may make recommendations for improvements to processes and regulations related to transportation mitigation and recommendations for changing which types of mitigation measures are required by permitting agencies. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Livability; Mobility; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders; Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base (Updated March 19, 2015) | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-7 | Assessment of Past Transportation Investments for Economic Development in the Boston Region |
Land Use, Environment, and Economy | CTPS | $55,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | Every transportation investment generates economic activity by affecting travel costs and thereby influencing the behaviors of businesses and households as they attempt to improve their economic efficiencies. However, economic activity generated by transportation investment alone is not sufficient to guarantee the conditions for economic growth and improved quality of life that define economic development. To realize regional economic development, there must be an underlying need for transportation investment because of poor mobility, connectivity, accessibility, or reliability, as well as a confluence of other non-transportation-related factors such as idle or underutilized workers and resources, or a potential ability to attract more workers or resources. Recent studies have shown a trend toward declining returns in transportation investment over time and have found that there is s sometimes long-term regional economic development in areas where there is an absence of any significant transportation investment. Because the Boston region’s transportation system is mature, it is increasingly important to understand the rate at which different types of transportation projects might facilitate the greatest economic growth in the region. By understanding how economic development indicators fluctuate in response to transportation improvements and policies in our region, the MPO would be better able to prioritize projects in its Long-Range Transportation Plan. The MPO would also be better able to develop economic performance metrics, which would support the performance-based planning processes required by MAP-21, the federal transportation funding authorization legislation. As part of this study, MPO staff would conduct before-and-after studies of the region’s past transportation projects, in which they would examine the changes in economic indicators over time. The project deliverable would be a memorandum describing the analysis of past transportation projects (and the surrounding geographic areas), and key findings on economic indicators that are relevant to MPO decision-making about projects to include in future transportation plans and performance-based planning. |
None. |
CTPS staff suggested this project. | Livability | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base |
Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-8 | Energy and Electric Vehicle Use in the MPO Region |
Land Use, Environment, and Economy | CTPS | $35,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | MPO staff would gather information and develop a profile of energy use for transportation in the MPO region, with a particular focus on energy use trends that pertain to electric vehicles. This project would inventory the distribution and location characteristics of charging stations, the characteristics of the electric vehicle fleet in the Boston region (such as the proportions of electric vehicles that are owned by households compared to the proportion owned by institutions), and analyze trends in the availability and use of these vehicles. Other activities may include an analysis of levels of consumption for different fuel types. This information may be useful to the MPO in future Long-Range Transportation Plan development and performance-based planning activities. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Environment; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-9 | Regional Air Quality Profiles | Land Use, Environment, and Economy | CTPS | $35,000 | Medium | To be determined | To be determined | This project would use the “congestion scan” graphical approach to illustrate the locations of air-quality hot spots in the MPO region. Congestion scans are used to display the extent of congestion along a particular corridor through variations in colors or patterns that indicate different congestion levels. These scans enable commuters, planners, and engineers to visualize where and at what time of day a particular corridor is congested, and can be used more broadly to illustrate variations across different corridors. Using congestion-related inputs, such as the MPO’s INRIX speed data, and Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) air quality factors, MPO staff would create air quality scans to illustrate where pollutants are concentrated near roadways around the region and the time periods when they are most concentrated. These scans may benefit MPO planning and decision making, particularly with respect to performance-based planning and addressing transportation equity. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Environment; Regional Equity | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-10 | Tools and Methodologies for Analyzing Transportation and Urban Sprawl |
Land Use, Environment, and Economy | CTPS | $75,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | MPO staff would explore tools and methodologies for measuring urban sprawl and its relationship to transportation. Ideally, this research would identify techniques or standards that could be used to identify and quantify sprawl, based on outputs from the MPO’s regional travel demand model set and its land use model. Other analytical approaches could also be explored; these could potentially be used in smaller-scale corridor or subarea studies. This study may also evaluate how to estimate the current levels of sprawl in the MPO region. This project’s deliverable would be a white paper describing techniques for analyzing sprawl that might be useful for MPO planning. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Environment; Livability | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration (Updated) | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| E-11 | Alewife Transportation Community Study | Land Use, Environment, and Economy | CTPS | $75,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | The Fresh Pond Residents’ Alliance requests that the MPO develop a scenario study for the area they refer to as the “Alewife Transportation Community” to evaluate mobility, especially by bus service, walking, and biking, in the Alewife area. The Alliance characterizes the “Alewife Transportation Community” as a roughly pie-shaped area that is aligned with the major radial streets that run through it. It includes adjacent parts of Watertown, Belmont, Arlington, and Cambridge, and covers an approximately 5.5-square-mile area. The Alliance indicates that this transportation community includes commuters who work in Kendall Square, Harvard Square, and numerous other neighborhoods. Near the center of this area are what the Alliance refers to as the Alewife “Quadrangle” and “Triangle” areas (roughly 190 acres), located between Concord Avenue and Route 2, which are expected to experience tremendous growth in residential and commercial space over the next 10 years. Though the Quadrangle and Triangle development subareas are within a half mile of the Alewife MBTA Red Line station, the walking distance is actually longer, and during rush hour, the walking route, which is next to four lanes of rush-hour traffic, can seem unpleasant and dangerous. The Alliance is concerned about what their members predict will be a large number of vehicle trips generated by the area’s growth in what is already a severely congested area with high volumes of traffic. The study would provide the information necessary for understanding and planning for the transportation demands generated by this growth, in order to avoid or mitigate negative impacts, and to create a future in which there is higher utilization of an on-time MBTA bus service and improved mobility for bicyclists and pedestrians. |
MPO staff are continuing to refine this project concept in coordination with members of the Fresh Pond Residents Alliance. Past CTPS projects in this area have included the Alewife Phase I (2007) and Phase II (2009) studies. The topics covered through these studies include traffic patterns on Route 2/Route 16 (Alewife Brook Parkway) and parking utilization of the Alewife Garage; recommended improvements to MBTA feeder bus service to Alewife Station aimed at increasing ridership of the feeder bus to the Red Line (Alewife Station); identifying improvements to MBTA feeder bus access and egress between the Alewife Garage and Route 2; and recommended operational improvements to the Route 2/Alewife Brook Parkway (Route 16) intersection. The City of Cambridge has provided comment on this proposal. The City requested that this proposed study be funded, and suggested that if limited funding were available, near term work include follow-up on specific recommendations from 2009 CTPS studies, which focused on traffic operations and bus access and egress around Route 2 and Route 16. The City suggests that a good focus for a CTPS study would be to take the jug-handle recommendations for bus priority to the next level of feasibility and preliminary design based on up-to-date development and traffic data. The Project Functions (listed on the following page) were updated on March 19, 2015. The LRTP Vision Topics Addressed (listed on the following page) were updated on April 30, 2015. |
This project was suggested by the members of the Fresh Pond Residents’ Alliance. | Environment; Mobility; Safety and Security; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency (Updated April 30, 2015) | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders (Updated March 19, 2015) | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration (Updated) | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration (Updated) | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| F-1 | First-Mile-and-Last-Mile Transit Connections Studies |
Transit | CTPS | $55,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | One topic that was raised repeatedly during the MPO’s outreach for its Long-Range Transportation Plan in the fall of 2014 was how to find ways to address “first-and-last-mile” connections to and from the region’s transit system, particularly in suburban areas. People expressed interest in strengthening links, for example, by providing or increasing shuttle service shuttle (including increasing the frequency and expanding the hours of existing services) to link MBTA commuter rail stations and suburban communities, or identifying existing stations that would make optimal multimodal hubs for Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), regional transportation authorities (RTAs), and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. MPO staff would provide assistance to municipalities that request planning support for addressing last-mile connections to transit in their communities. Candidate locations might be identified through outreach to MAPC subregions and through other MPO outreach activities. MPO staff would document the existing conditions of connections linking residential, commercial, and employment areas to transit services and stations, and propose recommendations for improvements. These recommendations could be implemented by TMAs, municipalities, or other transit service providers. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Livability; Mobility |
Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| F-2 | Non-Fixed-Route Transportation Services: Opportunities for Transit Agencies |
Transit | CTPS | $90,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | Non-fixed-route services, such as taxis, THE RIDE, and other human-service-transportation providers, take people where they want to go when they want to go there. Data about the origins and destinations of customers using these services could provide useful information for transit service planners. The MPO may also benefit from more detailed information about the region’s new point-to-point services, including Uber, Lyft, and private transit services, such as Bridj. In a past study, CTPS used taxi origin-destination data, along with other data, to determine how transit dollars might be best spent to improve the MBTA’s early-morning service. This proposed study would go beyond the scope of the aforementioned study to include all-day taxi data and other origin-destination data for non-fixed-route service to determine the locations for which the fixed-route transit system is inadequately serving potential riders and where improvements could be made. This study would focus on areas with concentrated origins and destinations of taxi or other point-to-point services, as these are the areas with the most potential for expanding supporting fixed-route transit service. This study might include some or all of the following tasks: 1) Some people with disabilities can use fixed-route bus and rail public transportation services for some or all trips. Building on the concept described above, origin-destination data from THE RIDE could reveal possible changes to fixed-route service that would help increase some of the current RIDE users’ abilities to live independently by using the fixed-route system. MPO staff could investigate the question: Could the MBTA eliminate geographic barriers to using the fixed-route system by filling gaps in existing service? This analysis would take into account the fact that even if a fixed-route service were available, some RIDE customers may be unable to use the fixed-route system and would therefore require paratransit service. The results from this portion of the study could generate recommendations for additional transit stops, modifications to routes during certain hours, and new routes or route variations. 2) MPO staff might also explore the history of non-fixed-route transportation services in the region and might create an inventory of agencies or organizations that maintain non-fixed-route origin-destination data, including documentation of the licensing agreements of service providers, the current state of non-fixed-route services, and new trends in flexible-route transportation. This information could be used to evaluate potential fixed-route and flexible-route options for providing service. 3) MPO staff might study the role of point-to-point services in the region’s transportation system, including whether those services support a mode shift away from single-occupant vehicles. Some possible subtasks of this study are: a) conducting a review of the synergies between these services and more traditional modes; b) reviewing where trips made using these modes replace auto and transit trips or enable new travel patterns; c) reviewing how the availability of these modes allows people to live a less car-dependent lifestyle, and d) reviewing existing regulations pertaining to the provision and operation of transportation services in each of the MPO municipalities, with particular attention paid to how these regulations could affect start-up transportation companies. Overall, this project would address the MPO’s vision and goals by supporting transportation access for underserved populations, particularly people with disabilities, as well as supporting a mode shift in general. It could also provide information to support transit service planning by the region’s regional transportation authorities (RTAs). This project would make use of taxi origin-destination data (for Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) which might not be available for areas outside of Boston; and origin-destination data for the RIDE (for Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). MPO staff may also use datasets that might be available for new point-to-point services, such as Uber. This project’s findings would be in the form of a report. The report could contain: · Maps depicting current origin-destination data · Maps depicting where current transit services fail to meet demand · A review of the characteristics of locations with significant non-fixed-route demand · A dataset of taxi stands, taxi pickup and drop-off locations, and other taxi-related data · Information about new point-to-point services and their current and potential impacts on car ownership and mode shift, as well as their regulatory environment |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. A version of this project was included in the FFY 2015 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects, but was not funded. This project description was updated for FFY 2016. |
Mobility; Regional Equity | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base |
Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| F-3 | Opportunities for New Community Transit Services | Transit | CTPS | $50,000 | Medium | To be determined | To be determined | MPO staff would analyze the population and travel characteristics of the MPO region to identify a set of optimal “microregions” for establishing new Transportation Management Association (TMA) servicers or community transit services. MPO staff would establish a set of criteria for identifying and prioritizing these microregions, and potentially recommend three to five locations for more detailed feasibility analyses. MPO staff could then conduct these feasibility analyses for future UPWP studies. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Mobility | Support MPO Planning; Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders |
Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| F-4 | Potential Uses for Unused and Underused Rights-of-Way | Transit | CTPS | $55,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | MPO staff would inventory and map the unused and underused rail rights-of-way (ROWs) in the region, and would then suggest possible transportation uses for the ROWs. Some of the options for alternative uses would be the creation of bicycle and/or pedestrian routes, or routes for new transit service. The deliverable could be a memorandum describing the study process, recommendations for a few specific locations, and maps of the region describing the unused and underused ROWs. |
None. |
CTPS staff suggested this project. | Mobility; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency |
Support MPO Planning; Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | 04/30/2015 |
| F-5 | Identifying Opportunities to Alleviate Bus Delay | Transit | CTPS | $65,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | Access to reliable public transit provides mobility, access, and livability benefits to residents throughout the region and provides additional transportation capacity on congested roadways. Transit priority, operational, and infrastructure upgrades—such as bus queue jumps, transit signal priority, and bus-only lanes—have been considered in the Boston MPO region, and some have been implemented.1 Increasing the use of such measures would be likely to decrease delay, increase on-time performance, improve travel times for transit passengers, and, finally, potentially increase the transit mode share in the region. MPO staff would use automatic passenger counter (APC) and automatic vehicle location (AVL) data to identify locations where bus routes regularly experience significant delays. Further analysis using roadway geometry, roadway congestion, passenger boarding, and/or fare payment data sets would be performed to identify the cause of delay by the type of delay. The types include operational issues related to fare payment queues, large passenger volumes, stop location, and roadway design and congestion issues. MPO staff would then identify sections of the routes may benefit from the introduction of transit-priority, operational, or infrastructure upgrades. Staff would identify low-, medium-, and high-cost transit priority strategies that would best respond to the needs on these segments. Staff would also compare the recommended upgrades and rank them in terms of their effects on delay, on-time performance, travel time, and potential operational cost savings. The project deliverable could be a memorandum describing priority locations for transit-priority upgrades (with maps), and suggested strategies at those locations. 1 A bus queue jump refers means a change in roadway geometry that allows transit vehicles to bypass cars that are queued up at an intersection. |
None. | CTPS staff suggested this project. | Environment; Mobility; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency (Updated April 30, 2015) | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders; Support MPO Planning; Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders (Updated March 19, 2015) |
Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| F-6 | Feasibility of Coordinating Ferry Services for Inner Core Communities |
Transit | CTPS | $45,000 | Low | To be determined | To be determined | Several Inner Core municipalities requested a study about the potential of coordinated ferry service in Boston Harbor. This request was initially provided by municipal representatives from Winthrop and Quincy. Other Inner Core municipalities, including Chelsea, Revere, and Medford have expressed interest in this topic as well. Some of the topics of interest to these communities are: · An analysis of existing conditions and future needs of Boston Harbor ferry service · A review of how the operations of ferry systems in other parts of the country work and how they are funded. · An analysis comparing the ferry trips made for work commutes to recreational trips. |
The Quincy representative also suggested that Plymouth and Provincetown (both of which are located outside of the Boston Region MPO area) be invited to participate in this study because they are vacation destinations and have ferry service, and that the Boston Harbor Islands Advisory Council (whose members are appointed by the National Park Service) also be involved. MPO staff propose to continue to work with these municipalities to refine the project concept and to ensure that the project would support the work of the Ferry Compact. CTPS has been providing ongoing technical assistance to the Massachusetts Ferry Compact through the SPR contract, and has produced a number of products for the Ferry Compact, including memoranda on the following topics: 1) an inventory of ferry and water transportation service in Massachusetts as of 2013; 2) a literature review of the techniques used for estimating the demand for ferry services; and 3) and a literature review of recent trends in US passenger ferry systems. The most recent Ferry Compact meeting took place in mid-January 2015, and the Compact plans to reconvene in March. Some of the future CTPS tasks for the Compact that are under consideration are 1) analyzing the potential economic development impacts of ferries; 2) developing a risk management strategy for starting service, including the factors to consider when developing a business plan; and 3) identifying opportunities and priorities for exploring potential new services. |
This study was proposed by several members of the Inner Core Committee (an MAPC subregional group). |
Mobility; System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency (Updated March 19, 2015) | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable (Updated) | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration (Updated) | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| F-7 | Transit Options to Reduce Congestion on Tolled Facilities (study added April 30, 2015) | Transit | CTPS | $75,000 or greater | Not evaluated | To be determined | To be determined | In a written comment, Somerville resident Joel Weber II asked the Massachusetts legislature, MassDOT, and the Boston MPO to work together, adjusting toll policies inside Route 128 to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. His request included four components: · Vehicles with two or more occupants should be exempt from tolls. · Electric vehicles should be exempt from tolls inside Route 128 until a certain percentage of the vehicles on the road qualify for this exemption. · Tolls for single-occupancy vehicles with internal combustion engines should be raised during peak weekday travel times as a disincentive to operate such vehicles on toll roads at those times. The raised tolls would offset the lost toll revenue from exemptions for electric vehicles and carpools and would fund expanded public transit. · The Boston MPO's Unified Planning Work Program should determine what transit improvements would reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles on tolled highways during peak travel times in the most cost-effective way. Increased toll revenues would fund these improvements. He proposes that a UPWP-funded study of this issue could explore reducing express-bus and commuter- rail fares, operating additional trips on existing transit services, or creating new express bus services. He recommends that when examining different strategies, MPO staff consider the impact of transit services (such as express buses) on parking. He suggests exploring options that don’t require the creation of new park-and-ride facilities or that can be reached by walking or biking. He suggests an origin-destination travel study, using license-plate data from the existing Tobin Bridge toll-collection system and information from the Registry of Motor Vehicles, to clarify where people are commuting from and whether transit is adequately serving those locations. |
In addition to suggesting features for a UPWP study, Mr. Weber provided additional comments on tolling alternatives, including on how long to keep electric vehicles exempt from tolls; adjusting tolls for the time of day, the direction of traffic, and supporting free flowing traffics on other roadway; the importance of promoting transit to address congestion. He notes that it may be most effective to adjust tolling schemes on facilities that are already tolled, but that opportunities to implement these schemes on other roadways should eventually be explored. MPO staff recommends that, if such a study were to be undertaken, that it examine all major roadways. Mr. Weber also recommends studying the effects that Massachusetts Turnpike toll policies may have on Route 16 and other additional secondary highways. |
Joel N. Weber II, a Somerville resident, suggested this project. |
Environment; Mobility |
Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Primary Consideration | Secondary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| G-1 | Research Topics Generated by MPO Staff | Other Technical Support | CTPS | $30,000 | High | To be determined | To be determined | This program would support work by MPO staff members on topics: 1) that relate to the Boston Region MPO’s metropolitan transportation-planning process; 2) that staff members have expressed interest in; and 3) that are not covered by an ongoing UPWP program or discrete project. Interested MPO staff members would complete an application, which would be reviewed by MPO managers and directors, for MPO funding to do independent research on a topic of professional interest and potential use in the metropolitan transportation-planning process. This research program could produce valuable information for the MPO’s consideration and would support the staff members’ professional development. This program could yield highly creative solutions to transportation-planning problems. |
None | CTPS staff suggested this project. This project was included in the FFY 2015 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects but was not funded. |
None | Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base (Updated April 30, 2015) | Secondary Consideration (Updated) | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |
| G-2 | Future of Transportation Data Collection | Other Technical Support | CTPS | $55,000 | Medium | To be determined | To be determined | MPO staff would review the transportation data traditionally obtained manually, and would explore whether there are cost-effective ways to automate those processes. To complement this review, staff would also explore areas in the transportation field where human-based data collection is more beneficial than machine-based data collection. The study would explore areas where automated data-collection methods cannot or should not be used. |
None | CTPS staff proposed this project. | None | Serve Regional Transportation Stakeholders; Support MPO Planning; Contribute to Transportation Knowledge Base |
Secondary Consideration | Not Applicable | Primary Consideration | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Secondary Consideration | Primary Consideration | 04/30/2015 |