Contents

List of Exhibits

Executive Summary

1 The Transportation Planning and Programming Process in the Boston Region MPO Area

2 Status of the Federal Fiscal Year 2015 UPWP Projects Conducted by Boston Region MPO Staff

3 Index of Projects by Agency

4 Administration and Resource Management Projects

5 Certification Requirements

6 Planning Studies

7 Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects

8 Boston Region MPO Budget and Operating Summaries

Appendix A: Other Boston Region Transportation- Planning Projects

Appendix B: Public Participation

Appendix C: Federal Fiscal Year 2016 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects

 

Unified Planning

Work Program

 

Federal Fiscal Year 2016

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

 

Organization Pre-Circulation Draft

June 11, 2015

PRELIMINARY DRAFT

 

 

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Staff

 

Directed by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is composed of the:

 

Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

MBTA Advisory Board

Massachusetts Port Authority

Regional Transportation Advisory Council

City of Boston

City of Beverly

City of Everett

City of Newton

City of Somerville

City of Woburn

Town of Arlington

Town of Bedford

Town of Braintree

Town of Framingham

Town of Lexington

Town of Medway

Town of Norwood

Federal Highway Administration (nonvoting)

Federal Transit Administration (nonvoting)

This image is a map of the Boston Region MPO region. This map includes the boundaries of the 101 cities and towns that are located within the region.

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other federal and state nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, English proficiency, income, religious creed, ancestry, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or military service. Any person who believes herself/himself or any specific class of persons to have been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI, ADA, or other nondiscrimination statute or regulation may, herself/himself or via a representative, file a written complaint with the MPO. A complaint must be filed no later than 180 calendar days after the date on which the person believes the discrimination occurred. A complaint form and additional information may be obtained at www.bostonmpo.org or by contacting the MPO staff at 857-702-3700 (voice), 617-570-9193 (TTY), 617-570-9192 (fax), or publicinformation@ctps.org.

To request additional copies of this document or to request it in an accessible format, please contact MPO staff using the methods described below. It is also possible to download the document by visiting www.bostonmpo.org (“Unified Planning Work Program” link).   

Contact MPO staff:

By mail:

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization,

UPWP Manager, Certification Activities Group

10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150                                   

Boston, MA 02116

By telephone: 857-702-3692 (voice), 617-570-9193 (TTY)

By fax: 617-570-9192

By email: publicinformation@ctps.org

This document was funded in part through grants from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

 

 

Self-Certification Statement

 

Following MPO endorsement of the final FFY 2016 UPWP, this section will include the MPO’s self-certification statement regarding the federal requirements for the metropolitan transportation planning process. This document will be signed by MPO members.

 

 

 

       List of Exhibits

 

Following MPO approval to circulate the draft FFY 2016 UPWP for public review, a list of exhibits will be prepared and included in this section.

 

      

      Executive Summary

 

This Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) contains information about surface transportation planning projects that will be conducted in the Boston metropolitan region from October 1, 2015, through September 30, 2016 (federal fiscal year 2016). The UPWP is an essential transportation-planning tool for the region and is often a first step in determining whether or not a capital project will be implemented. The UPWP relates to other planning initiatives conducted by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport).

The projects and programs will be funded by federal, state, and local sources. This UPWP has been prepared in accordance with Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) provisions and with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant application requirements, planning factors, and other guidance. This UPWP contains (number pending MPO approval) projects and programs, of which (number pending MPO approval) will be performed by the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) on behalf of the MPO, MassDOT, the MBTA and Massport. The remaining (number pending MPO approval) projects will be conducted by individual transportation agencies, municipalities, and academic institutions.

The majority of the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2016 UPWP projects and programs have been ongoing since FFY 2015 (or earlier). However, there are several new projects that the MPO will perform. They are:

CTPS also will continue to support projects that are being conducted by MassDOT, the MBTA, and other entities. Examples of these are:

The UPWP serves two purposes. First, it provides information to government officials, local communities, and the general public about surface transportation planning projects and programs expected to be conducted in the Boston region. Second, it provides budget information to federal and state officials about how the MPO plans to spend federal metropolitan planning funds on projects and programs performed on behalf of the Boston Region MPO. These funds include FHWA metropolitan planning (PL) funds and FTA Section 5303 metropolitan planning funds, which are used to support the MPO’s continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive, or 3C, planning process. 

The UPWP document is structured as follows. Chapter 1 provides general information about the Boston Region MPO, the transportation-planning process, and the funding sources for UPWP projects and programs. In addition, it explains the MPO’s role in programming these funds, and the process the MPO followed to select the projects it was responsible for programming. Chapter 1 includes a chart depicting the MPO’s organizational structure; a map showing the municipalities that are members of each MAPC subregional group; information about the MPO’s vision, goals, and objectives; and a table citing the relationship between MPO-funded UPWP projects and federal planning factors. It also includes a figure showing the UPWP’s relationship to other MPO planning documents, feasibility studies, and other visioning processes.

Chapter 2 provides a status report on the FFY 2016 UPWP projects and programs that were conducted by CTPS and MAPC. It also includes a list of products and activities related to those projects and programs, and information about how to obtain copies of reports, memoranda, and certification documents.

Chapter 3 includes an index of the FFY 2016 UPWP projects and programs, which are organized by the responsible agency.

Chapters 4 through 7 contain project and program descriptions and budget information for MPO work being conducted by CTPS and MAPC, and for work conducted by CTPS on behalf of other transportation-planning entities. Descriptions in these chapters will reflect budget information once the budget has been approved by the MPO.

Chapter 8 provides budget summaries and schedules for the projects and programs included in Chapters 4 through 7, and describes how federal metropolitan planning funds will be spent on projects and programs in this UPWP. Chapter 8 provides federal and state officials with necessary information for approving the use of funds (as documented in the UPWP) and for administering contracts. Budget summary tables will be included in this chapter once the budget has been approved by the MPO. Project schedules will be included in the final FFY 2016 UPWP that is endorsed by the MPO.

Appendix A presents project summaries for other, non-MPO transportation-planning projects, which will be conducted in the Boston region. These projects have separate review and approval processes outside of the MPO’s purview. They are included in the UPWP to provide a comprehensive picture of plans and studies that are expected to take place in the Boston region and to ensure that MPO planning efforts are coordinated with other ongoing work.

Appendix B will be completed after the 30-day public review period and before the final document is presented to the MPO for adoption. It will describe the public participation process used for developing the draft UPWP and the workshops that were held during the public review period. It also will present a summary of written comments on the draft UPWP that were received during the review period, and the MPO’s responses to those comments.

Appendix C contains the document that was developed by staff to catalog and rate proposed UPWP projects. This document was used by the MPO UPWP Committee and the MPO as a guide in selecting new projects.

 

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1     The Transportation Planning and Programming Process in the Boston Region MPO Area

This chapter is intended to give the reader an understanding of how the transportation-planning process is conducted in the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) area, including the federal requirements that govern the process, the funding sources used to carry it out, and the implementation of the process from conception to completion.

1.1     The Transportation Planning Process

Decisions about how to spend transportation funds in a metropolitan area are guided by information and ideas garnered from a broad group of people, including elected officials, municipal planners and engineers, transportation advocates, and other interested people. Metropolitan planning organizations are the bodies responsible for providing a forum for this decision-making process. Each metropolitan area in the United States with a population of 50,000 or more—also known as an urbanized area—has an MPO, which decides how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects and planning studies for the area.

Section 134 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act and Section 5303 of the Federal Transit Act, as amended, require that urbanized areas, to be eligible for federal funds, conduct a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process (3C process) resulting in plans and programs consistent with the planning objectives of the metropolitan area. The Boston Region MPO is responsible for carrying out the 3C planning process in the Boston region and has established the following objectives for the process:

1.2     The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

The Boston Region MPO is a 22-member board consisting of state transportation agencies, regional organizations, and municipalities, and its jurisdiction consists of the 101 cities and towns shown on the map that follows the title page of this document. The permanent MPO voting members are the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the MBTA Advisory Board, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), the City of Boston, and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council. The elected MPO voting members are municipalities. A municipality from each of the eight MAPC subregions has a seat, and there are four at-large municipal seats. The current elected members are:

In addition, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participate in the MPO as advisory (nonvoting) members. Figure 1-1 on the following page shows MPO membership and organization of the Central Transportation Planning Staff (staff to the MPO).

 

This figure shows the membership of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, as described in the chapter, along with the organizational chart of the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) below.

 

Details about MPO voting members are provided below:

MassDOT has three seats on the MPO, including one for the Highway Division.

As noted above, two members participate in the Boston Region MPO in an advisory (nonvoting) capacity, reviewing the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the UPWP, and other facets of the MPO’s planning process to ensure compliance with federal planning and programming requirements:

Two other entities assist MPO members in carrying out the responsibilities of the MPO’s 3C planning process through policy implementation, technical support, and public participation:

This map shows how the 101 municipalities in the Boston Region MPO region are located in eight MAPC subregions, which are represented by subregional groups. These subregional groups include the Inner Core Committee (ICC), the MetroWest Regional Collaborative (MetroWest), the Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC), the North Suburban Planning Council (NSPC), the North Shore Task Force (NSTF), the South Shore Coalition (SSC), the SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee (SWAP), and the Three Rivers Interlocal Council (TRIC). Two communities are represented by more than one subregional group; Dover is in TRIC and SWAP, and Milton is in ICC and TRIC.

 

1.3      The Unified Planning Work Program          

This UPWP contains information about surface-transportation planning projects that will be conducted in the Boston metropolitan region. It is updated annually; this UPWP reflects projects that will be conducted during the period October 1, 2015, through September 30, 2016 (federal fiscal year 2016). The UPWP is an essential transportation-planning tool for the region and often a first step in determining whether or not a project will be implemented. It is integrally related to other planning initiatives conducted by the Boston Region MPO, as well as by MassDOT, the MBTA, and Massport.

1.3.1    Consistency with Federal Planning Regulations

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21)

This legislation requires all MPOs to carry out the 3C process (see page 1-1). Activities the MPOs must perform to meet this requirement include producing the LRTP, the TIP, and the UPWP.

MPOs also are responsible for conducting an inclusive public participation process, and for maintaining transportation models and data resources to support air quality conformity determinations, as well as long-range and short-range planning work and initiatives.

The MAP-21 legislation establishes national goals for federal highway programs. These goals include:

  1. Safety—To achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads

  2. Infrastructure condition—To maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair

  3. Congestion reduction—To achieve a significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System

  4. System reliability—To improve the efficiency of the surface transportation system

  5. Freight movement and economic vitality—To improve the national freight network, strengthen the ability of rural communities to access national and international trade markets, and support regional economic development

  6. Environmental sustainability—To enhance the performance of the transportation system while protecting and enhancing the natural environment

  7. Reduced project delivery delays—To reduce project costs, promote jobs and the economy, and expedite the movement of people and goods by accelerating project completion through eliminating delays in the project development and delivery process, including reducing regulatory burdens and improving agencies’ work practices

MAP-21 also establishes performance-based planning as an integral part of the metropolitan planning process. Performance-based planning and programming refers to practices that apply performance-management principles to transportation system policy and investment decisions. In other words, a system-level, data-driven process is used to make decisions about strategies and investments. 1 MAP-21 requires that each MPO establish performance measures and targets that track progress toward attaining critical outcomes for its region and stipulates that these targets should be coordinated with those of relevant state agencies and public transportation providers to ensure consistency. 2 The Boston Region MPO has begun formalizing the framework of its performance-based planning process, and information about the MPO’s work with respect to performance measures is detailed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (page 5-XX), the Transportation Improvement Program (page 5-XX), and the Congestion Management Process (page 6-XX) project descriptions.

Consistency with Other Federal Legislative Requirements

The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments

Conformity determinations must be performed for capital improvement projects that receive federal funding and for those that are considered regionally significant, regardless of the funding source. These determinations must show that the MPO’s LRTP and TIP will not cause or contribute to any new air quality violations, will not increase the frequency or severity of any existing air quality violations in any area, and will not delay the timely attainment of the air quality standards in any area.

Transportation control measures (TCMs) identified in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for attaining air-quality standards are federally enforceable and must be given first priority when using federal funds. Such projects include the parking-freeze program in Boston, the statewide rideshare program, rapid transit and commuter rail extension programs, park-and-ride facilities, residential parking-sticker programs, and the operation of high-occupancy-vehicle lanes. MPO activities related to air quality are detailed in the Air Quality Conformity and Support Activities (page 5-XX) program description. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 40 CFR Parts 51 and 93—Conformity Regulation established the policy, criteria, and procedures for demonstrating air quality conformity in the MPO region. 

Non-discrimination Mandates

The Boston Region MPO complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ADA, and other federal and state non-discrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, English proficiency, income, religious creed, ancestry, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or military service. The major federal requirements are discussed below.

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act

This statute requires that no person be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, under any program or activity provided by an agency receiving federal financial assistance.

Executive Order 13166, dated August 11, 2000, extends Title VI protections to persons who, as a result of national origin, have limited English proficiency (LEP). Specifically, it calls for improved access to federally-conducted and federally-assisted programs and activities and requires MPOs to develop and implement a system by which LEP persons can meaningfully participate in the transportation-planning process.

MPO activities that meet these requirements are discussed in the Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting, the MassDOT Title VI Program, and the MBTA Title VI Program Monitoring project descriptions listed in chapters 5, 6, and 7.

Environmental Justice Executive Orders

Executive Order 12898, dated February 11, 1994, further expands upon Title VI, requiring each federal agency to achieve environmental justice by identifying and addressing any disproportionately high adverse human health or environmental effects, including interrelated social and economic effects, of its programs, policies, and activities on minority or low-income populations.

On April 15, 1997, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued its Final Order to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations. Among other provisions, this order requires programming and planning activities to:

MPO activities that meet these requirements are discussed in Chapter 5.

The Americans with Disabilities Act

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all transportation projects, plans, and programs to be accessible to people with disabilities. At the MPO level, this means that public meetings must be held in accessible buildings and be conducted in a manner that provides for accessibility. MPO materials must also be made available in accessible formats. MPO activities that meet these requirements are discussed in Chapter 5.

Executive Order 13330

This executive order, dated February 26, 2004, calls for the establishment of the Interagency Transportation Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility under the aegis of the Secretary of Transportation. This executive order reinforces both environmental justice and ADA requirements by charging the Council with developing policies and methods for improving access for persons with disabilities, low-income persons, and older adults. MPO activities related to the above federal requirements are detailed in Chapter 5.

Consistency with Federal Planning Factors and Other Federal Guidance

Federal Planning Factors

MAP-21 maintains the federal planning factors that were included in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). These planning factors are:

  1. Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency

  2. Increase the safety of the transportation system for all motorized and nonmotorized users

  3. Increase the ability of the transportation system to support homeland security and to safeguard the personal security of all motorized and nonmotorized users

  4. Increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight

  5. Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and state and local planned growth and economic development patterns

  6. Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight

  7. Promote efficient system management and operation

  8. Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system

These planning factors are reflected in the LRTP visions described on pages 1-XX through 1- XX and were incorporated in the rating of projects for this UPWP (see Section 1.4.3 of this chapter). Projects specifically relating to these planning factors are detailed in Chapters 4 through 7. A summary of the amount of money being spent for these projects can be found in Chapter 8. Table 1-1 provides a summary of how projects and programs in this UPWP that receive federal formula grant funding to carry out the 3C process address the federal planning factors.

 

Table 1-1: UPWP Project and Program Relationship to Federal Planning Factors

UPWP Project Group Federal Planning Factor 1: Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency. Federal Planning Factor 2: Increase the safety of the transportation system for all motorized and nonmotorized users. Federal Planning Factor 3: Increase the ability of the transportation system to support homeland security and to safeguard the personal security of all motorized and nonmotorized users. Federal Planning Factor 4: Increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight. Federal Planning Factor 5: Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and state and local planned growth and economic development patterns. Federal Planning Factor 6: Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight. Federal Planning Factor 7: Promote efficient system management and operation. Federal Planning Factor 8: Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system. Notes
3C Planning and MPO Support 3C-funded Certification Requirements Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  This general project includes Support to the MPO and its Committees; Planning Topics; Subregional Outreach; Regional Transportation Advisory Council Support; TRANSREPORT; Public Participation Process;  Professional Development; and General Graphics.
Access Advisory Committee Support 3C-funded Certification Requirements Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
Air Quality Conformity and Support Activities 3C-funded Certification Requirements Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting  3C-funded Certification Requirements Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
Long-Range Transportation Plan 3C-funded Certification Requirements Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  None
MPO/MAPC Liaison Support Activities 3C-funded Certification Requirements Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats 3C-funded Certification Requirements Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
Regional Model Enhancement 3C-funded Certification Requirements Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable None
Subregional Support Activities  3C-funded Certification Requirements Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable None
Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support 3C-funded Certification Requirements Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable None
Transportation Improvement Program 3C-funded Certification Requirements Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  None
Unified Planning Work Program (CTPS and MAPC) 3C-funded Certification Requirements Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  None
Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways: FFY 2015 3C-funded Planning Studies Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  None
Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways: FFY 2016 3C-funded Planning Studies Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  The UPWP Committee recommends this project for the FFY 2016 UPWP. 
Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities 3C-funded Planning Studies Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable None
Congestion Management Process 3C-funded Planning Studies Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable None
Core Capacity Constraints 3C-funded Planning Studies Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  None
Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies 3C-funded Planning Studies Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable  This general project includes Opportunities for and Impediments to Creating Transit-Oriented Development; Right Size Parking Calculator; Local Parking Management Plans in Selected Communities, and Corridor Level Transportation and Land-Use Planning.   
Fairmount Line Station Access Analysis 3C-funded Planning Studies Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable None
First-Mile-and-Last-Mile Transit Connections Studies 3C-funded Planning Studies Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable The UPWP Committee recommends this project for the FFY 2016 UPWP. 
Identifying Opportunities to Alleviate Bus Delay 3C-funded Planning Studies Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable The UPWP Committee recommends this project for the FFY 2016 UPWP. 
Land Use Development Project Reviews 3C-funded Planning Studies Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
MetroFuture Implementation 3C-funded Planning Studies Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment: FFY 2015 3C-funded Planning Studies Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  None
Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment: FFY 2016 3C-funded Planning Studies Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  The UPWP Committee recommends this project for the FFY 2016 UPWP. 
Safety and Operations at Selected Intersections: FFY 2016 3C-funded Planning Studies Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  The UPWP Committee recommends this project for the FFY 2016 UPWP. 
Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable  This general project includes Transportation Management Association Support; Bike Share Program Implementation; Local Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans and Technical Assistance in Selected Communities; Electric Vehicle Infrastructure; and Regional Greenway Planning and Mapping.  
Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable None
Freight Planning Support: FFY 2016 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  None
Household-Survey-Based Travel Profiles and Trends: Selected Policy Topics 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
Land Use Data for Transportation Modeling 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
Livable Community Workshop Program 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
MBTA Parking Lots: Price Sensitivity Analysis 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable The UPWP Committee recommends this project for the FFY 2016 UPWP. 
Pedestrian Level-of-Service Metric Development 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable The UPWP Committee recommends this project for the FFY 2016 UPWP. 
Regional Transit Service Planning Techncial Support 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable None
Research Topics Generated by MPO Staff 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable The UPWP Committee recommends this project for the FFY 2016 UPWP. 
Roadway Safety Audits 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable None
Systemwide Title VI/Environmental Justice Assessment of TIP Projects 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable The UPWP Committee recommends this project for the FFY 2016 UPWP. 
Travel Data Forecasts 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  None
Travel Operations Analyses 3C-funded Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Not applicable Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  Project addresses this planning factor  None

 

Other Federal Guidance

In addition, this year FHWA and FTA asked MPOs to consider the following guidance when developing their UPWPs:

Continued Support for Performance-Based Planning

Work to incorporate performance-based planning into Boston Region MPO activities, as required by MAP-21, has been underway for several years. In FFY 2014, MPO staff developed recommendations related to performance-based planning and coordinated with MassDOT and other entities on this topic. During FFY 2015, as part of updating its LRTP, the MPO established goals and objectives that align with national goals. It also developed performance measures and analyzed some performance measure trends over time to identify priorities and demonstrate how MPO investment decisions are making progress toward achieving the MPO goals. To complement this work, The MPO also used scenario planning as part of its LRTP development process in order to refine its goals and objectives, and to see how different combinations of transportation investments might advance performance measures related to MPO goals. During FFY 2015, MPO staff also continued to incorporate performance-based planning into TIP development. MPO staff tracked safety and system preservation measures and established baselines for measures in other goal areas. Staff also reported on how MPO investments through the TIP are making progress toward MPO goals.

In FFY 2016, the Boston Region MPO will continue to incorporate formalized performance-based planning practices in its planning and operations. Anticipated activities related to performance-based planning are included in the Long-Range Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program descriptions (pages 5-XX and 5-XX, respectively). These include monitoring trends, establishing targets, and reporting on the MPO’s performance goals. The MPO also will continue scenario planning on an ongoing basis to explore how various transportation investments may support MPO goals; this is discussed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan program description.

The MPO coordinates performance-based planning activities in the LRTP and TIP with work carried out through the Congestion Management Program (described on page 6-XX). The LRTP, the TIP, and the CMP programs all conduct performance monitoring to support MPO planning. The MPO will continue to coordinate with MassDOT, the MBTA, MAPC, and other entities as part of its performance-based planning process, and will address performance management requirements once the final rule on metropolitan and statewide planning is published.

The MPO also considers performance-based planning needs and issues when deciding what activities to fund through the UPWP. The process for selecting new projects for the UPWP, which is discussed in detail in Section 1.4.3, “New Study Selection Process,” included an effort to rate proposed projects by various UPWP focus areas. These focus areas, which were used to support development of staff and the MPO’s UPWP Committee recommendations for new projects for FFY 2016, include an area titled “Supports Performance-Based Planning.” Of the new projects recommended for inclusion in this UPWP, two gave this focus area primary consideration, and one gave it secondary consideration. (Note: This paragraph will be updated as needed depending on the projects ultimately approved by the MPO.)

Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety

The MPO addresses the safety needs of active transportation modes, such as bicycling and walking, throughout its planning activities. Bicycle and pedestrian safety and access criteria are used in the TIP project evaluation process, and bicycle and pedestrian needs are considered as part of corridor studies, Community Transportation Technical Assistance projects, Livable Community Workshop Program projects, and bicycle and pedestrian planning work conducted under the Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination program (see Chapters 6 and 7).

The MPO’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities program specifically targets this issue; activities planned for this program in FFY 2015 include continuing to examine bicycle and pedestrian crash data and continuing to coordinate with state agencies, MAPC, and other entities on bicycle and pedestrian planning for the region (see page 6-XX). During FFY 2016, the MPO may consider developing possible future strategic bicycle and pedestrian safety plans as part of this program. MPO staff also will continue to monitor bicycle and pedestrian plans being developed by MassDOT and others agencies.

Other studies in this UPWP, including Pedestrian Level-of-Service Metric Development (recommended by UPWP Committee) and the Fairmount Line Station Access Analysis (page 6-XX) will also recommend methodologies or improvements that address bicycle and pedestrian safety needs. (Note: This paragraph will be updated as needed depending on the projects ultimately approved by the MPO.)

Addressing Climate Change Concerns

The MPO continues to consider climate change in transportation planning through its ongoing work. Through the Air Quality Conformity Determinations and Support program (page 5-XX), the MPO integrates climate-change concerns and emission-reduction opportunities into the LRTP, TIP, and other activities, and continues to coordinate with MassDOT to implement its GreenDOT policy (see Section 1.3.2). MPO staff supports all-hazards planning as part of 3C Planning and MPO Support Activities (page 5-XX) and has continued to update its all-hazards data resources and monitor climate change adaptation planning and activities. During FFY 2016, MPO staff also will continue to monitor MassDOT vulnerability assessments—including results of the 2013–14 FHWA-funded climate resilience pilot focused on the Central Artery and its Climate Change Adaptation Plan: Phase I Transportation Asset Vulnerability Assessment—and consider opportunities to incorporate findings into the MPO’s planning for climate change.

Civil Rights Programs and Requirements

The MPO’s ongoing and continuing projects and programs include elements that address the needs and participation of minority, low-income, and LEP populations, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The MPO’s Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program (page 5-XX) is specifically focused on the transportation needs of these populations. Other programs, including 3C Planning and MPO Support (page 5-XX), Access Advisory Committee Support (page 5-XX), and Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats (page 5-XX), include activities that support and encourage participation of these populations in the transportation decision-making process. In all of these transportation-planning activities, MPO staff, frequently in collaboration with MAPC, assesses and seeks to improve processes to provide access to both the region’s transportation system and the decision-making process for people throughout the MPO region. CTPS also conducts Title VI analysis for the MPO, MassDOT, and the MBTA, as described in Chapters 6 and 7. While conducting all of these activities, the MPO works in consultation with MassDOT’s Office of Diversity and Civil Rights. The MPO also will work with Regional Coordination Councils (RCCs) in the Boston region, as described in the Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program (page 5-XX).

The focus areas used to rate new discrete projects for the FFY 2016 UPWP included an area called “Consider Transportation Equity and Accessibility.” Criteria for this focus area included not only improvements to transportation service and infrastructure serving these populations, but also an element for strengthening the role of these populations in transportation decision making. Of the new projects recommended by the UPWP Committee for FFY 2016, the Systemwide Environmental Justice /Title VI Assessment for TIP Projects (7-XX) particularly addresses the needs of these populations. Also, the Fairmount Line Station Access Analysis project, which is continuing from FFY 2015, addresses bicycle and pedestrian access for those living and working in the vicinity of the Fairmount Line, including low-income, minority, and LEP populations. (Note: This paragraph will be updated as needed depending on the projects ultimately approved by the MPO.)

Recommendations from Recent Metropolitan Transportation Planning Certification Reviews

The FHWA and the FTA conducted a Transportation Planning Certification Review of the Boston Region MPO’s transportation planning process in December 2014 and January 2015. As of May 2015, the report of FHWA and FTA findings, which will contain commendations and recommendations for the MPO’s process, was being finalized. Chapters 4 through 7 of this UPWP detail the initiatives expected to take place in various MPO programs and projects during FFY 2016. MPO staff may undertake other activities as part of these programs and projects in response to the final Certification Review report.

Tangible Products of Planning Activities

The MPO meets and exceeds federal guidelines for expenditure of metropolitan planning funds on tangible products. The MPO considers planning-project feasibility and implementation factors when selecting projects to fund with 3C dollars, including particular locations to study. The MPO maintains a practice of coordinating with MassDOT and other entities, where possible, if there is an opportunity to advance the study recommendations into tangible products.

Regional Models of Cooperation

In addition to the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, four other MPOs are in the Boston urbanized area (UZA): the Merrimack Valley, Northern Middlesex, Old Colony, and Southeastern Massachusetts MPOs. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is in place that describes areas of cooperation and coordination among MPOs in the Boston Urbanized area, such as sharing draft certification documents for review, notifications of meetings, and attending one another’s MPO meetings. The Boston UZA MPOs are discussing updating the MOU in FFY 2015 and FFY 2016. The Boston Region MPO meets periodically with the other four MPOs through the Northside UZA Group (Boston Region, Merrimack Valley, and Northern Middlesex) and the Southside UZA Group (Boston Region, Old Colony, and Southeastern Massachusetts MPOs). In these UZA meetings, the MPOs share information on important projects and initiatives, such as cross-border projects in the LRTPs and TIPs of more than one MPO and planning methods and approaches. In addition, all of the five MPOs notify each other about all MPO activities and meeting agendas, and invite mutual participation in development and review of their certification documents. These activities are supported through various programs throughout this UPWP, but most specifically the 3C Planning and MPO Support program (page 5-XX). The MPO staff also regularly participates in monthly meetings of all MPO/Regional Planning Agency (RPA) transportation managers in Massachusetts, which are convened by the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA), which provide opportunities for collaboration.

Access to Essential Services

The MPO monitors and considers access to essential services—such as employment, health care, education, and recreation destinations—through a variety of activities. As part of the Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program (page 5-XX), MPO staff will continue to map and analyze access to key destinations within selected EJ areas of concern in the MPO region, as well as destinations identified in the Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan (CTPHST) and in Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program (5-XX) outreach to MPO communities of concern. This program also supports special studies to examine how to improve access and increase transportation options for transportation disadvantaged communities, among other topics. The Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program, the Access Advisory Committee Support program (page 5-XX), and the MPO’s general public participation program (part of the 3C Planning and MPO support program (page 5-XX)), all support ongoing outreach and provide forums for transportation service providers and others to identify solutions for improving access and connectivity. Finally, ongoing outreach, data collection, and updates to the LRTP Needs Assessment, supported by the Long-Range Transportation Plan program (page 5-XX), will improve the MPO’s understanding of where and how the transportation system can be improved to enhance access to essential services.

Staff Training and Professional Development

The MPO, through its ongoing 3C-funded programs, makes resources available for the MPO staff to maintain its transportation-planning expertise by participating in courses, programs, and workshops offered by the FHWA, the FTA, the Transportation Research Board (TRB), and other entities. More information on these topics is available in the Direct Support (page 4-XX) and 3C Planning and MPO Support project descriptions (page 5-XX).

The MPO also considers opportunities to enhance its and the MPO’ staff’s technical knowledge and planning capacity when deciding what activities to fund through the UPWP. In particular, the MPO anticipates that the  Research Projects Generated by MPO Staff project (page 7-XX) (UPWP Committee-recommended project), which funds staff independent research projects, will support professional development as well as generate valuable information for the region’s transportation planning process. (Note: This paragraph will be updated as needed depending on the projects ultimately approved by the MPO.)

1.3.2 Coordination with Other Planning Activities

The MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)

During the development of this UPWP, Paths to a Sustainable Region, the LRTP approved in 2011, was still in effect, while Charting Progress to 2040, the 2015 update to the LRTP, was in development. MPO staff accounted for the content of both of these LRTPs when developing this UPWP.

Paths to a Sustainable Region

Paths to a Sustainable Region describes the visions and policies that have guided the MPO since its adoption in 2011. While the vision, goals and objectives of Charting Progress to 2040 were still in development,the MPO considered the degree to which a proposed UPWP project would further the visions and policies documented in Paths to a Sustainable Region. MPO staff identified which visions were addressed by each candidate project, and both the visions and policies were incorporated in the UPWP focus areas detailed in Section 1.4.3. The Paths to a Sustainable Region LRTP visions include:

  1. System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency

    The regional transportation system will be maintained to a state of good repair and will operate with maximum efficiency. It will be reliable and modern and will provide improved mobility regionwide. Automobile dependency will be reduced, and the transit system will serve more people. Modernization of the existing system will provide access and accessibility throughout for all; additions to the transportation system will also be fully accessible for persons of all abilities.

    Efficiencies and operational improvements will come through ongoing system preservation, use of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and other technologies, management and operations strategies, and a balanced program of strategic investments. Innovative approaches will reduce auto dependency and actively promote other modes of transportation.

    Expansion of the system will come through strategic investments.

  2. Livability

    All residents will have the capability of moving affordably between where they live, work, get services, and play using healthy transportation options that promote a healthy lifestyle. Multimodal transportation will serve business, residential, and mixed-use centers. Transportation investments will focus on existing activity centers, including sites of economic activity and adequate public infrastructure, where density will be encouraged. These centers of community activity will grow in population density and diversity of uses. This density and mixed-use activity will better support new and increased transit services. Investments in bicycle and pedestrian facilities and in accessibility improvements will support healthy lifestyle choices and increase mobility for everyone, including people with disabilities. Community centers will thrive with the implementation of “complete streets” and context-sensitive design principles; urban design changes in community centers will create more human-scale and aesthetically pleasing community environments. The design of the transportation network will protect cultural, historical, and scenic resources, community cohesiveness, and quality of life.

    The transportation network will play its part as a foundation for economic vitality. Energy use will be managed efficiently and alternative energy sources used.

  3. Mobility

    People in most areas of all corridors in the region will have access to transportation to jobs, education and training, health services, and social and recreational opportunities. This includes persons with disabilities, the elderly, youth, minorities, and persons with low incomes or with limited English proficiency. More communities will have more transportation options, both motorized and nonmotorized. The transportation infrastructure will accommodate freight and commercial activity as well as passenger needs. Freight will be moved efficiently by all freight modes.

    The transportation system and services will be reliable. Delays, congestion, and travel time will be reduced. Transit ridership and use of sustainable options will be increased. The system will meet people’s needs; funding decisions will be guided by attention to customer service. Existing transit, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities will be linked in a network.

  4. Environment

    Human and environmental health will be considered in transportation decision making. With transportation investments targeted to areas of existing development, many greenfields will be preserved, many brownfields will be restored and reused, and water and sewer infrastructure and other utilities will be more cost-effectively maintained. Air quality will be improved as the full range of regulated vehicle emissions (carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulates) and carbon dioxide are reduced to required and/or targeted levels. The transportation project design process will avoid or minimize negative impacts to wetlands, soil, water, and other environmental resources. Context-sensitive design principles will be implemented to protect communities’ cultural, historical, and scenic resources, community cohesiveness, quality of life, and aesthetic environments.

  5. Transportation Equity

    Low-income and minority residents, as well as the elderly, youth, and persons for whom English is a second language (ESL populations), will enjoy, on a level equitable with others, mobility and access to affordable transportation options that connect them with jobs, educational institutions, and services. Environmental burdens from transportation facilities and services (existing and future) will be minimized for these persons; low-income and minority persons will not be inequitably burdened. Expansion projects will address regional needs.

  6. Climate Change

    The production of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the transportation sector in this region will be reduced to levels that contribute appropriately to the statewide targets set by the Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Act. The MPO region will have joined with other entities in Massachusetts and the Northeast to slow and perhaps prevent the onset of serious climate change effects. The MPO, in consultation and cooperation with state and federal agencies planning action on GHG reduction, will have adopted GHG reduction goals and taken the steps necessary to meet them. Critical elements of the region’s transportation infrastructure that may be vulnerable to the impacts of climate change will have been identified and protected.

  7. Safety and Security

    All modes of the transportation network, passenger and freight, will provide transportation that is safe, personally and operationally, to the maximum feasible degree. The number and severity of crashes will have been reduced. State-of-the practice ITS measures and surveillance communication systems will have been deployed on the transit system to minimize vulnerability to security breaches. Transit malfunctions will have been reduced.

    Steps will have been taken to protect the viability of transportation infrastructure critical to emergency response and evacuations necessitated by natural hazards and man-made threats.
Charting Progress to 2040

Development of Charting Progress to 2040 began in FFY 2014 and continued through 2015, and the plan is scheduled to be adopted in July 2015. MPO staff monitored the content and status of the proposed vision, goals, and objectives for Charting Progress to 2040 as they continued to evolve. The finalversions of the visions, goals, and objectives are shown in Figure 1-3. Where applicable, the goals and objectives were incorporated in the UPWP focus areas detailed in Section 1.4.3. Anticipated work to implement Charting Progress to 2040 and to support long-range transportation planning is detailed on page 5-XX. In FFY 2016 and future years, the MPO will further coordinate the development and outputs of the LRTP, the TIP, and the UPWP as it refines the MPO’s performance-based planning framework and practice.

 

 

 

CHARTING PROGRESS TO 2040 ViSION, Goals, and Objectives

 

CENTRAL VISION STATEMENT

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization envisions a modern transportation system that is safe, uses new technologies, provides equitable access, excellent mobility, and varied transportation options—in support of a sustainable, healthy, livable, and economically vibrant region.

Safety Goals

Transportation by all modes will be safe

Safety Objectives

System Preservation Goals

Maintain the transportation system

System Preservation Objectives

Capacity Management/Mobility Goals

Use existing facility capacity more efficiently and increase healthy transportation capacity

Capacity Management/Mobility Objectives

Clean Air/Clean Communities Goals

Create an environmentally friendly transportation system

Clean Air/Clean Communities Objectives

Transportation Equity Goals

Provide comparable transportation access and service quality among communities, regardless of income level or minority population

Transportation Equity Objectives

Economic Vitality Goals

Ensure our transportation network 
provides a strong foundation for economic vitality

Economic Vitality Objectives

The MPO’s Congestion Management Process (CMP)

The purpose of the CMP is to 1) monitor and analyze the performance of facilities and services; 2) develop strategies for the management of congestion based on the results of monitoring; and 3) move those strategies into the implementation stage by providing decision makers in the region with information and recommendations for the improvement of transportation system performance. The CMP monitors roadways and park-and-ride facilities in the MPO region for safety, congestion, and mobility, and identifies “problem” locations. Projects that help address problems identified in the most recent CMP monitoring were considered for inclusion in this UPWP. Examples include Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment: FFY 2016 (page 6-XX), and Safety and Operations at Selected Intersections: FFY 2016 (page 6-XX) (both UPWP Committee-recommended projects). Work being done in the FFY 2016 UPWP to support the CMP is detailed on page 6‑XX. (Note: This paragraph will be updated as needed depending on the projects ultimately approved by the MPO.)

The MBTA’s Program for Mass Transportation (PMT)

In 2009, the MBTA adopted its current PMT, which is the MBTA’s long-range capital plan. The PMT was developed with extensive public involvement and was approved by the MBTA Advisory Board. The PMT informs the UPWP development process and work included in the UPWP will support the PMT planning process. Activities to develop the next PMT are underway, and during FFY 2016 MPO staff will monitor their progress.

MetroFuture

MetroFuture, which was developed by MAPC and adopted in 2008, is the long-range plan for land use, housing, economic development, and environmental preservation in the Boston region. It includes a vision for the region’s future and a set of strategies for achieving that future, and is the foundation for land use projections used in Charting Progress to 2040, Work being done to support MetroFuture implementation and updates is detailed in the MetroFuture Implementation project description on page 6-XX. MetroFuture’s goals, objectives, and strategies were considered in the development of this UPWP, including in the UPWP focus areas used to rate proposed new projects.

You Move Massachusetts and We Move Massachusetts

You Move Massachusetts, a statewide initiative designed as a bottom-up approach to transportation planning, developed 10 core themes derived from a broad-based public participation process that articulated the expressed concerns, needs, and aspirations of Massachusetts residents that are related to their transportation network. These themes were considered in the development of this UPWP.

We Move Massachusetts (WMM) is MassDOT’s statewide strategic multimodal plan. The initiative is a product of the transportation reform legislation of 2009, You Move Massachusetts civic engagement process, wider outreach to environmental justice and Title VI communities, and other outreach activities. In May 2014, MassDOT released We Move Massachusetts: Planning for Performance (WMM), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ 2040 LRTP. WMM identifies high-level policy priorities, which were considered in the development of this UPWP. WMM also incorporates performance management into investment decision-making to calculate the differences in performance outcomes resulting from different funding levels available to MassDOT. In the future, MassDOT will use the scenario tool, described in WMM, to update and refine investment priorities.

GreenDOT and MassDOT’s Statewide Mode-Shift Goal

GreenDOT, an initiative that MassDOT launched in June 2010, is a comprehensive environmental responsibility and sustainability policy that has three primary objectives: 1) reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; 2) promoting the healthy transportation options of walking, bicycling, and public transit; and 3) supporting smart-growth development. GreenDOT applies to MassDOT divisions and contractors, as well as to Massachusetts’s MPOs and regional transit authorities (RTAs). It responds to several critical laws and policies, which include:

The GreenDOT Implementation Plan serves as the framework for incorporating the sustainability principles of GreenDOT into MassDOT’s core business practices. The plan details 16 broad sustainability goals and related measurable tasks and performance indicators. These goals include MassDOT’s statewide mode-shift goal, which aims to triple the current mode shares of bicycling, public transit, and walking by 2030. The statewide mode-shift goal is an important part of MassDOT’s strategy for meeting the Commonwealth’s commitments under the GWSA. In 2013, MassDOT built upon the mode‑shift goal by passing the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive to formalize its commitment to the implementation and maintenance of transportation networks that serve all modes. The directive will ensure that all MassDOT projects are designed and implemented in a way that provides all customers access to safe and comfortable walking, bicycling, and transit options.

The goals outlined in the GreenDOT Implementation Plan, including the statewide mode-shift goal, were considered in developing this UPWP. Multiple programs and projects in this UPWP address GreenDOT sustainability goals, including the mode shift goal. Examples include the Air Quality Conformity and Support Activities (page 5-XX) and Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities (6-XX) programs. MPO staff also will continue to monitor and coordinate with MassDOT programs and initiatives that further GreenDOT goals.   

Healthy Transportation Compact

The Healthy Transportation Compact (HTC) is a key requirement of the Massachusetts landmark transportation reform legislation that took effect on November 1, 2009. It is an interagency initiative that will help ensure that the transportation decisions the Commonwealth makes balance the needs of all transportation users, expand mobility, improve public health, support a cleaner environment, and create stronger communities.

Participating agencies work together to achieve positive health outcomes through the coordination of land use, transportation, and public health policy. HTC membership is made up of the Secretary of Transportation or designee (co-chair), the Secretary of Health and Human Services or designee (co-chair), the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs or designee, the MassDOT Highway Administrator or designee, the MassDOT Transit Administrator or designee, and the Commissioner of Public Health or designee. The HTC will also promote improved coordination among the public sector, private sector, and advocacy groups, as well as among transportation, land use, and public health stakeholders. The charges of the Healthy Transportation Compact were considered developing this UPWP, and MPO activities that relate to the Healthy Transportation Compact are discussed in the Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities (6-XX) MetroFuture Implementation (page 6-XX), Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination (7-XX), and Livable Community Workshop Program (page 7-XX) descriptions. MPO staff has also supported health impact assessments and addressed health-related topics through analysis for MassDOT-funded transportation- planning projects, such as the Grounding McGrath: Determining the Future of the Route 28 Corridor project. This work has enabled MPO staff to develop expertise in health impact assessments, and to better understand the relationship between public health and transportation, which the MPO can use to inform its transportation planning process.

Figure 1-4 shows the relationship of the UPWP to other transportation-planning documents, including those described above.

 

This figure shows how the UPWP relates to the variety of planning documents described in Section 1.3.2, “Coordination with Other Planning Activities.” Some arrows in this figure indicate the flow of support from the UPWP to different documents, and other arrows show the flow of ideas from various documents into the UPWP.

 

1.4     The UPWP Development Process

Each year the MPO considers projects for the annual update of the UPWP through its UPWP Committee. The UPWP documents new projects and projects that are continuing from previous UPWPs, and itprovides updates on the MPO’s ongoing programs that fulfill the 3C process outlined above.

1.4.1    Updates for Ongoing and Continuing Activities

As part of developing the upcoming UPWP, the MPO reviews activities for 1) ongoing projects and programs and 2) discrete (or limited-term) projects that began as part of previous UPWPs. Collectively, these projects and programs include both 3C-funded activities and projects completed on behalf of transportation agencies that serve the Boston region. As part of this process, the MPO staff identifies and develops budgets for continuing activities that will be carried out in the upcoming federal fiscal year.

In addition, MPO staff reviews and revises descriptions of activities to be conducted through the ongoing programs conducted as part of the 3C planning process. If there are changes to the budget of any program as a result of revisions to the planned activities, these are proposed.

This annual project and program review and budget development process defines the amount of 3C funding (from federal grants that support the 3C process) that is available for new projects in the UPWP. After accounting for 3C-funded continuing and ongoing programs, the remaining funding is available for new projects.

To provide a comprehensive perspective of transportation-planning activity occurring in the region, MPO staff members also develop a list of other major transportation-planning activities occurring in the Boston region. This list includes projects that are not funded with MPO funding, but which are being implemented by individual transportation agencies, municipalities, or academic institutions. In some cases, these projects may receive support from MPO staff.

Additional information on funding sources for UPWP projects and programs is available in section 1.5: Funding the Projects.

1.4.2    FFY 2016 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects

To develop new planning projects for the FFY 2016 UPWP, the MPO drew from the following sources to generate a universe of proposed new projects for evaluation by MPO staff and the MPO’s UPWP Committee:

  1. Existing planning documents: the Congestion Management Process (CMP) reports; the Program for Mass Transportation (PMT), the MBTA’s long-range capital plan; the MPO’s long-range planning documents, including Paths to a Sustainable Region, and the LRTP Needs Assessment for Charting Progress to 2040; MetroFuture; and recent studies

  2. Past guidance received from the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration on addressing planning emphasis areas

  3. FFY 2015 UPWP comment letters and project proposals

  4. Consultations with MassDOT, MAPC, and the MBTA

  5. MPO staff-identified needs

MPO staff also requested planning project suggestions through outreach at MAPC subregional group meetings, at Regional Transportation Advisory Council meetings, and through outreach to the public at LRTP-, TIP- and UPWP-Development Sessions, and workshops. Proposed planning projects are documented in the FFY 2016 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects, which is available in Appendix C of this UPWP.

1.4.3    New Planning Project Selection Process

After generating a universe of new proposed planning projects, MPO staff rated each proposed project in 14 focus areas in order to assess what visions, goals, policies, factors, and priorities the project would be likely to advance. These focus areas are based on the MPO’s visions and policies, national goals and planning factors, federal guidance, and other state and regional priorities, including those outlined in other regional planning documents. The focus areas include:

  1. Supports Performance-Based Planning: Considers whether the proposed project could support the MPO’s performance-based planning process, including data collection and monitoring, scenario analysis, and reporting

  2. Links Land Use and Transportation: Considers whether the proposed project could support the coordination of transportation with local and regional land-use planning activities, policies, and plans, including MAPC’s MetroFuture plan

  3. Helps Maximize Limited Financial Resources: Considers whether the proposed project could support transportation needs or project prioritization, low-cost transportation improvement strategies, or innovative resource management approaches

  4. Protects Air Quality and the Environment: Considers whether the proposed project could support improvements to air quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improvements to water systems and other ecological functions, or energy conservation

  5. Preserves, Maintains, and Modernizes the Transportation System: Considers whether the proposed project could support bringing one or more passenger or freight modes into a state of good repair, protecting these modes from natural hazards, or adapting them to withstand anticipated climate change impacts

  6. Increases Transit and Active Transportation Modes: Considers whether the proposed project could support increased access and connectivity for bicycle, pedestrian, or transit options, promoting mode share or mode shift where possible

  7. Advances Mobility, Access, and/or Congestion Reduction: Considers whether the proposed project could contribute to any of the following improvements: closing gaps for one or more passenger or freight modes in the transportation network; supporting reductions in delays, congestion, or travel time for these modes; or increasing access to and between these modes

  8. Encourages Sustainable, Livable, and Healthy Communities: Considers whether the proposed project could support public health, livability, or the preservation of community resources and cohesiveness

  9. Increases Transportation Safety and Security: Considers whether the proposed project could support improved safety for one or more passenger or freight modes, or whether it could support incident and emergency responses to natural or man-made hazards

  10. Supports Economic Vitality: Considers whether the proposed project could support local or regional economic activity or development

  11. Supports Transportation Equity and Accessibility: Considers whether the proposed project could support access, mobility, or participation in decision-making for those with disabilities, those in low-income households, minorities, the elderly, youth, or those with limited English proficiency

  12. Supports MetroFuture Implementation: Considers whether the proposed project could address MAPC’s MetroFuture implementation strategies

  13. Supports Statewide and Regional Transportation Initiatives: Considers whether the proposed project could address MassDOT’s weMove Massachusetts and GreenDOT implementation plans, the Healthy Transportation Compact, and other plans and initiatives

  14. Enhances Technical Capacity, Knowledge, and Insights: Considers whether the proposed project could support the MPO’s understanding of transportation issues and innovations or improves the MPO’s planning capacity

In addition to conducting focus area reviews, MPO staff defined general scopes and estimated costs for proposed planning projects and considered potential study feasibility issues. MPO staff also noted how the proposed project might support Paths to a Sustainable Region visions. Staff mentioned the types of functions that the project might fulfill, including serving regional transportation stakeholders; supporting MPO planning; or contributing to the region’s transportation knowledge base. These various factors, along with the availability of funds for new studies, were considered as staff identified a recommended set of new proposed planning projects for review by the UPWP Committee. These proposed projects, along with their estimated costs, focus area rating results, potential relationships to Paths to a Sustainable Region visions, potential transportation-planning functions, relationship to the staff recommendation, and supporting comments are all documented in the FFY 2016 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects in Appendix C.

The UPWP Committee met five times to consider and provide guidance on the development process, proposed budgets for ongoing and continuing activities, new study ideas, idea ratings, and the staff recommendation for new projects. As part of this series of meetings, the Committee developed its recommendation for a public review Draft FFY 2016 UPWP. For this UPWP, the Committee selected a program of new studies that was based on the availability of funding and the factors described above, including planning priorities and state and federal guidelines. The MPO approved the UPWP Committee’s recommendations for the public review of Draft FFY 2016 UPWP on (Month) (Day), 2015.

1.4.4    Finalizing the UPWP

Descriptive and financial information about ongoing, continuing, and new UPWP projects, along with information about the UPWP development process and other major transportation-planning projects occurring in the region, is incorporated into the public review Draft UPWP. Once the MPO votes to release the draft for public review, MPO staff posts the document for downloading from the MPO website (www.bostonmpo.org) and provides notice of its availability through various media and MPO communication outlets. The public review and comment period lasts 30 days, during which time MPO staff members conduct workshops and make presentations at meetings to discuss and collect feedback on the draft document. Comments provided through other venues, including the MPO website, are also compiled during this time and presented to the MPO. Information about the public review process for Draft FFY 2016 UPWP is available in Appendix B.

1.5     Funding the Projects

The funding for the projects included in this UPWP (presented in Chapters 4 through 7) comes from a variety of federal and state sources, as described below. The source of funds has important implications with regard to which agency or organization is responsible for programming them, as well as the MPO’s vote to approve both the UPWP and the subsequent work scopes for the projects included in it. The purview of the MPO is included in each of the funding descriptions.

1.6     Monitoring the Projects

The following procedures for monitoring the projects in this UPWP were approved by the MPO:

1.7     Amendments and Administrative Modifications to the UPWP

Amendments and administrative modifications may be made to the UPWP, when necessary, throughout the year. If an amendment is under consideration, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council and other interested parties, including any affected communities, are notified. The MPO follows the procedures specified in the MPO’s Public Participation Plan. Members of the public may attend and present comments at UPWP Committee meetings and MPO meetings at which amendments and administrative modifications are discussed. Administrative modifications may be made by the MPO without legal notice or a public review period, although these may be provided at the MPO’s discretion.

 

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2     Status of the Federal Fiscal Year 2015 UPWP Projects Conducted By Boston Region MPO Staff

2.1     Introduction to FFY 2015 Projects

During federal fiscal year (FFY) 2015, numerous projects were conducted by the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) on behalf of the MPO. For the purpose of reporting here on the status of these projects, they have been divided into four categories:

2.2     FFY 2015 Project and Budget Tables AND WORK PRODUCTS

This chapter includes four tables that describe the status of FFY 2015 projects. Tables 2-1 through 2-4 group the projects according to the “completed,” “continuing discrete,” “ongoing,” and “inactive categories described above and provide FFY 2015 budget information, while Table 2-5 summarizes the funding associated with projects in each of the three categories. This chapter also contains Table 2-6, which lists the projects that were expected to be completed in FFY 2014 but that actually were completed in FFY 2015. The FFY 2014 budgets for these projects are provided in this table.

Following these six tables is a listing of work products and activities resulting from FFY 2015 UPWP projects, along with work products from previous fiscal years, where applicable. Information is provided on how to obtain copies of reports that were approved by the MPO.

 

 

Table 2-1: Completed (or Expected Complete) FFY 2015 UPWP Projects with FFY 2015 UPWP Budgets

UPWP Project FFY 2015 UPWP Project ID  FFY 2015 PL Funding FFY 2015 MPO §5303 Funding FFY 2015 SPR Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT §5303 Funding FFY 2015 MBTA Funding FFY 2015 Other Funding FFY 2015 Total Funding Notes
Barriers and Opportunities Influencing Mode Shift 11148 $14,490 $6,210 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $20,700 None.
Bicycle Network Gaps: Feasibility Evaluations 11250 $55,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $55,000 None.
Foxborough JARC Transit Feasibility Study 43321 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $25,000 $25,000 None.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy Alternatives: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis 11151 $5,390 $2,310 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $7,700 None.
Integrating Land Use in Regional Transportation Models 11704 $47,250 $20,250 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $67,500 During FFY 2016, ongoing work conducted as part of the Integrating Land Use in Regional Transportation Models project will be conducted as part of the Regional Model Enhancements project.
Low-Cost Improvements to Freeway Bottleneck Locations: FFY 2015 13268 $40,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $40,000 None.
Massachusetts Turnpike Allston Interchange Traffic Study 53219 $0 $0 $0 $84,000 $0 $0 $0 $84,000 None.
MBTA 2014 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis 14340 $0 $0 $0 $0 $3,000 $0 $0 $3,000 None.
MBTA 2014 Review of Fare Structure, Tariffs and Policy 11378 $0 $0 $0 $0 $60,000 $0 $0 $60,000 None.
Safety Analysis for Intersections Near MAGIC Schools 13269 $14,400 $7,850 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $22,250 None.
South Boston Waterfront Transportation Plan: Modeling Support 23325 $0 $0 $0 $1,500 $0 $0 $0 $1,500 None.
South Station Expansion Project Support 12311, 12320-12323 $0 $0 $0 $20,000 $0 $0 $0 $20,000 None.
Title VI Service Equity Analyses: Methodology Development 11396 $0 $55,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $55,000 None.
Total for Completed FFY 2015 UPWP Projects blank $176,530 $91,620 $0 $105,500 $63,000 $0 $25,000 $461,650 None.

 

 

 

 

Table 2-2: Continuing Discrete FFY 2015 UPWP Projects with FFY 2015 UPWP Budgets

UPWP Project FFY 2015 UPWP Project ID  FFY 2015 PL Funding FFY 2015 MPO §5303 Funding FFY 2015 SPR Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT §5303 Funding FFY 2015 MBTA Funding FFY 2015 Other Funding FFY 2015 Total Funding Notes
Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways: FFY 2015 13266 $66,000 $44,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $110,000 None.
Core Capacity Constraints 23326 $50,000 $70,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $120,000 None.
Fairmount Line Station Access Analysis 11249 $32,000 $8,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $40,000 None.
Green Line Extension: Completion of New Starts Analysis 22336 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $12,000 $0 $12,000 None.
Household-Survey-Based Travel Profiles and Trends: Selected Policy Topics 11152 $48,000 $27,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $75,000 None.
I-93/I-95 Interchange Improvements North of Boston: Modeling Support 73216 $0 $0 $0 $42,500 $0 $0 $0 $42,500 None.
Intercity Bus and Rail Maps 14344 $0 $0 $0 $40,000 $0 $0 $0 $40,000 None.
MassDOT State Planning and Research Program Support Varies by Project $0 $0 $559,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $559,000 This UPWP entry is funded by contracts that support multiple individual projects or tasks. Two contracts support this project; one that began in April 2014 and ended in March 2015, and one that began in April 2015 and will end in March 2016. The dollar amount shown for this project reflects the portions of each contract (salary and overhead costs only) that are applicable to FFY 2015. 
MassDOT Title VI Program: FFY 2014 13154 $0 $0 $0 $70,000 $0 $0 $0 $70,000 None.
MassDOT Title VI Program: FFY 2015 13156 $0 $0 $0 $40,000 $0 $0 $0 $40,000  
MassDOT Transit Planning Assistance Varies by Project $0 $0 $0 $0 $264,770 $0 $0 $264,770 This UPWP entry is funded by contracts that support multiple individual projects or tasks. Two contracts support this project; one that began in July 2014 and will end 2015 , and one that will begin in July 2015 and will end in June 2016. The dollar amount shown for this project reflects the portions of each contract (salary and overhead costs only) that are applicable to FFY 2015. 
Massport Technical Assistance: SFY 2015-17 22125 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $37,500 $37,500 This UPWP entry is funded by contracts that support multiple individual projects or tasks.
MBTA 2015 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis 14341 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $88,000 $0 $88,000 None.
MBTA 2016 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis 14345 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $31,250 $0 $31,250 None.
MBTA 2015 Title VI Program Monitoring  11394 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $49,000 $0 $49,000 None.
MBTA 2016 Title VI Program Monitoring 11395 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $3,500 $0 $3,500 None.
MBTA Bus Service Data Collection VIII 11384 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $110,000 $0 $110,000 None.
MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Support 14339 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $6,000 $0 $6,000 None.
Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment: FFY 2015 13267 $66,000 $44,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $110,000 None.
Total for Continuing Discrete FFY 2015 UPWP Projects blank $262,000 $193,000 $559,000 $192,500 $264,770 $299,750 $37,500 $1,808,520 None.

 

 

 

 

Table 2-3: Ongoing FFY 2015 UPWP Projects with FFY 2015 UPWP Budgets

UPWP Project FFY 2015 UPWP Project ID  FFY 2015 PL Funding FFY 2015 MPO §5303 Funding FFY 2015 SPR Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT §5303 Funding FFY 2015 MBTA Funding FFY 2015 Other Funding FFY 2015 Total Funding None
3C Planning and MPO Support 90011-90900 $406,700 $174,300 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $581,000 None.
Access Advisory Committee Support 90024 $60,340 $25,860 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $86,200 None.
Air Quality Conformity and Support Activities 90061 $36,470 $15,630 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $52,100 None.
Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination MAPC7 $102,600 $67,400 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $170,000 None.
Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities 13208 $28,000 $12,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $40,000 None.
Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting 11355 $12,040 $5,160 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $17,200 None.
Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program 13150, MAPC9 $47,090 $21,610 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $68,700 None.
Computer Resource Management 60405-60492 $309,330 $132,570 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $441,900 None.
Congestion Management Process 11123 $64,400 $27,600 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $92,000 None.
Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies MAPC4 $112,180 $55,300 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $167,480 None.
Data Resources Management  60120-60600 $250,110 $107,190 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $357,300 None.
Direct Support  90000 $37,000 $22,000 $18,000 $100 $3,500 $970 $500 $82,070 None.
Freight Planning Support: FFY 2015a 11145 $41,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0  For FFY 2016, this project is listed as Freight Planning Support: FFY 2016. 
Land Use Data for Transportation Modeling MAPC10 $53,600 $26,400 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $80,000 None.
Land Use Development Project Reviews MAPC5 $59,400 $30,600 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $90,000 None.
Livable Community Workshop Program 13801, MAPC8 $32,720 $21,880 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $54,600 None.
Long-Range Transportation Plan 10101 $189,840 $81,360 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $271,200 None.
MetroFuture Implementation MAPC6 $69,400 $30,600 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $100,000 None.
MPO/MAPC Liaison and Support Activities MAPC1 $109,000 $48,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $157,000 None.
Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats 90028 $50,470 $21,630 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $72,100 None.
Regional Model Enhancement 11244 $489,510 $209,790 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $699,300 None.
Regional Transit Service Planning Technical Support 14342 $0 $12,100 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $12,100 None.
Roadway Safety Audits 11150 $13,100 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $13,100 None.
Subregional Support Activities MAPC2 $109,000 $48,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $157,000 None.
Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support 11147 $78,330 $33,570 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $111,900 None.
Transportation Improvement Program 10103 $122,080 $52,320 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $174,400 None.
Travel Data Forecasts 90080 $5,460 $2,340 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $7,800 None.
Travel Operations Analyses 90040 $0 $7,900 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $7,900 None.
Unified Planning Work Program (CTPS) 10104 $71,540 $30,660 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $102,200 None.
Unified Planning Work Program (MAPC)  MAPC3 $7,000 $3,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $10,000 None.
Total for Ongoing FFY 2015 UPWP Projects blank $2,967,710 $1,326,770 $18,000 $100 $3,500 $970 $500 $4,276,550 None.

 

 

 

 

Table 2-4: Inactive FFY 2015 UPWP Projects with FFY 2015 UPWP Budgets

UPWP Project FFY 2015 UPWP Project ID  FFY 2015 PL Funding FFY 2015 MPO §5303 Funding FFY 2015 SPR Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT §5303 Funding FFY 2015 MBTA Funding FFY 2015 Other Funding FFY 2015 Total Funding Notes
MBTA 2015 Review of Fare Structure, Tariffs, and Policy 11393 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $100,000 $0 $100,000 None.
Total for Inactive FFY 2015 UPWP Projects blank $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $100,000 $0 $100,000 None.

 

 

 

 

Table 2-5: FFY 2015 UPWP Project Status and Funding Summary

UPWP Project FFY 2015 PL Funding FFY 2015 MPO §5303 Funding FFY 2015 SPR Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT Funding FFY 2015 MassDOT §5303 Funding FFY 2015 MBTA Funding FFY 2015 Other Funding FFY 2015 Total Funding Notes
Completed FFY 2015 UPWP Projects $176,530 $91,620 $0 $105,500 $63,000 $0 $25,000 $461,650 None.
Continuing Discrete FFY 2015 UPWP Projects $262,000 $193,000 $559,000 $192,500 $264,770 $299,750 $37,500 $1,808,520 None.
Ongoing FFY 2015 UPWP Projects $2,967,710 $1,326,770 $18,000 $100 $3,500 $970 $500 $4,317,550 None.
Inactive FFY 2015 UPWP Projects $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $100,000 $0 $100,000 None.
Total for FFY 2015 UPWP Projects $3,406,240 $1,611,390 $577,000 $298,100 $331,270 $400,720 $63,000 $6,687,720 None.

 

 

 

 

Table 2-6: FFY 2014 UPWP Projects Completed (or Expected Complete) in FFY 2015 with FFY 2014 UPWP Budgets

UPWP Project FFY 2014 UPWP Project ID  FFY 2014 PL Funding FFY 2014 MPO §5303 Funding FFY 2014 SPR Funding FFY 2014 MassDOT Funding FFY 2014 MassDOT §5303 Funding FFY 2014 MBTA Funding FFY 2014 Other Funding FFY 2014 Total Funding Notes
Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways: FFY 2014 13265 $68,000 $12,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $80,000 None.
Environmental Justice and Title VI Analysis Methodology Review 11389 $36,000 $24,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $60,000 None.
MassDOT Transit Planning Assistance 11380 $0 $0 $0 $0 $256,120 $0 $0 $0 This UPWP entry is funded by a contract that supports multiple individual projects or tasks. The dollar amount shown reflects salary, overhead, and direct costs that were applicable to FFY 2014. 
Methodology for Evaluating the Potential for Limited-Stop Service on Transit Routes 11390 $0 $52,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $52,000 None.
Pedestrian Signal Phasing Study 13264 $30,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $30,000 None.
Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment: FFY 2014 13257 $73,500 $31,500 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $105,000 None.
Safety and Operations Analyses at Selected Intersections: FFY 2014  13261 $45,630 $21,470 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $67,100 None.
TIP Project Impacts Before-After Evaluations: FFY 2014 12203 $40,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $40,000 None.
Traffic Signal Retiming Program 13263 $36,000 $4,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $40,000 None.
Transportation Investments for Economic Development 11149 $39,900 $10,100 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $50,000 None.
Total for FFY 2014 UPWP Projects Completed in FFY 2015 blank $369,030 $140,970 $0 $0 $256,120 $0 $0 $394,100 None.

 

 

 

2.3     Work Products of the FFY 2015 UPWP

Listed below are reports, memoranda, and other work products and activities associated with the projects in the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2015 UPWP. These products and activities are either complete or expected to be complete by the end of FFY 2014. Please note that some titles may change as products are finalized. All certification documents and many other work products are or will be available for downloading from the MPO website, www.bostonmpo.org . Work products not found on the MPO website may be requested by contacting CTPS at 857-702-3700 (voice), 617-570-9193 (TTY), or bostonmpo@ctps.org (email). MAPC work products can be found at www.mapc.org .

This list also includes products that were expected to be completed in FFY 2014 or earlier, but were completed or are expected to be complete in FFY 2015. These products are noted with an asterisk (*).

2.3.1    CTPS Work Products

Certification Documents

CTPS Reports

CTPS Technical Memoranda

Other CTPS Work Products and Activities

2.3.2    MAPC Work Products

MAPC Reports and Technical Memoranda

Other MAPC Work Products and Activities

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3     Index of Projects by Agency

Following MPO approval to circulate the draft FFY 2016 UPWP, an index of the projects by the agency responsible for leading the work effort will be prepared and included in this section. 

 

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4   Administration and Resource Management Projects

Chapters 4 through 7 of the UPWP present project descriptions and budget information for transportation-planning work that will be carried out between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2016. The activities described in these chapters will be conducted by the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) acting on behalf of the MPO. 

The projects in the UPWP are funded by a variety of federal and state sources. Each project description identifies the project’s funding source or sources. With respect to funding, there are two types of projects:

  1. Projects funded with federal 3C planning funds, to be carried out by CTPS and MAPC. The MPO programs these funds and approves the use of staff time.

  2. Projects funded from other sources (federal, state, and local), to be carried out by CTPS for an individual transportation agency. The MPO approves the use of staff time for these projects and provides guidance to the implementing entities on their coordination with other planning efforts.

In reviewing the project listings, it is important to remember that the 3C transportation-planning process is a coordinated effort that is often carried out simultaneously by several agencies. For example, when the MBTA hires a consultant to prepare an environmental impact report for a transit project, CTPS may provide the travel-demand and air-quality modeling for the consultant and MAPC may perform land-use analysis. Thus, if the same project is mentioned in more than one place in this UPWP, it is because of this kind of interagency coordination. To help clarify the distinctions between the various work activities, cross-referencing is provided, where appropriate, to show the interrelationship between projects.

The administration and resource management projects, presented in this chapter, are listed in the table below. Budget information for these projects will be added once the MPO has approved a draft FFY 2016 UPWP budget for public review.        

    

 

TABLE 4-1: Administration and Resource Management Projects

Project Name General Project Name UPWP Chapter/Project Group Project ID Staff Client Status (Percent Complete) Total Project Budget General Project Description Project Description General Project FFY 2016 Activities and Expected Work Products Project FFY 2016 Activities and Expected Work Products Relationship to Other UPWP Projects General Project FHWA/FTA Grant Application Task and Element Project FHWA/FTA Grant Application Task and Element FFY 2016 Project Budget FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by CTPS FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by MAPC FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by MassDOT FFY 2016 Budget: PL Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MPO Section 5303 Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: SPR Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MassDOT Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MassDOT Section 5303 Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MBTA Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: Other Funding for Project
System Administration and Computer Room Management   Computer Resource Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects  60405
 Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  In order to carry out its functions, the MPO staff, CTPS, maintains state-of-the-practice computer resources through the following tasks: Manage and maintain hardware and software for all CTPS computer systems to ensure that staff has maximum access to the computing resources required for its work, including an intranet site. Increased emphasis will be given to the security and integrity of all hardware, software, and data resources. Plan, monitor, and maintain CTPS’s server room and computing facilities. Work on these tasks will continue as described above. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Boston Region MPO Website  Computer Resource Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects  60406
 Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  In order to carry out its functions, the MPO staff, CTPS, maintains state-of-the-practice computer resources through the following tasks: Develop and maintain a website that provides information regarding the MPO’s activities, reports, and studies produced by MPO staff, a data catalogue, and several interactive-mapping applications. Continue to improve the site’s design, information provided, and accessibility of this communication tool to those who are visually impaired. The website plays a critical role in the MPO’s public-participation program by providing information and eliciting public comment. All MPO and Regional Transportation Advisory Council meetings, committee meetings, and their related materials are posted on the website. Work on these tasks will continue as described above. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Software Development  Computer Resource Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects  60430
 Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  In order to carry out its functions, the MPO staff, CTPS, maintains state-of-the-practice computer resources through the following tasks:  Develop computer software to support CTPS’s analytical, administrative, and documentation requirements. Maintain and enhance software developed by CTPS and/or others when program maintenance is no longer available from the original vendor. Work on these tasks will continue as described above. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Staff Assistance and Training   Computer Resource Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects  60465
 Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  In order to carry out its functions, the MPO staff, CTPS, maintains state-of-the-practice computer resources through the following tasks: Assist staff in using computer resources; organize and distribute vendor-supplied documentation, and, where appropriate, provide written and online user guides for particular resources. Work on these tasks will continue as described above. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Liaison with Other Agencies   Computer Resource Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects  60470
 Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  In order to carry out its functions, the MPO staff, CTPS, maintains state-of-the-practice computer resources through the following tasks: Work with other public agencies, including MAPC and the Commonwealth’s Office of Geographic Information (MassGIS), to encourage sharing of computer and data resources and techniques
Work on these tasks will continue as described above. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Computer Resource Purchasing and Maintenance   Computer Resource Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects  60475
 Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  In order to carry out its functions, the MPO staff, CTPS, maintains state-of-the-practice computer resources through the following tasks: Purchase and maintain CTPS’s computing resources. These include in-house assets such as servers, desktop and laptop computers, tablet and handheld computers, mass-storage devices, networking and communications hardware, printers and plotters, system and application software, and consumable supplies. These also include out-of-house resources, such as software purchased as a service, cloud-based storage, and other cloud-based computing resources.
Work on these tasks will continue as described above. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Computer Resource Planning   Computer Resource Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects  60492  Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  In order to carry out its functions, the MPO staff, CTPS, maintains state-of-the-practice computer resources through the following tasks: Update the CTPS Five-Year Plan for Computer Resource Development, in conjunction with developing the next CTPS budget.

Work on these tasks will continue as described above. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Socio-economic Data  Data Resources Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects 60130  Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  CTPS provides travel data and analyses at regional, corridor, and site-specific levels to support transportation planning and decision making. The categories below comprise the variety of tasks encompassed by this work: CTPS’s database of statistics from the US Census Bureau’s decennial census and American Community Survey, and products derived from these sources, will be maintained and kept current.

Databases of standard reference GIS data, socio-economic data, Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) data, and travel data; GIS processing tools; tabular and spatial data analyses; Web service and Web applications; responses to data requests. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Response to Data Requests   Data Resources Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects 60201, 60202  Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  CTPS provides travel data and analyses at regional, corridor, and site-specific levels to support transportation planning and decision making. The categories below comprise the variety of tasks encompassed by this work: Data will be processed or analyzed upon request to meet the needs of local, state, and federal agencies, and private institutions and firms. The 60201 project number is used for data requests handled by CTPS’ Information Technology and Systems (IT&S) group; the 60202 number is used for data requests handled by all other CTPS groups. Databases of standard reference GIS data, socio-economic data, Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) data, and travel data; GIS processing tools; tabular and spatial data analyses; Web service and Web applications; responses to data requests. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Geographic Information System/Database Management System (GIS/DBMS)  Data Resources Management Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects 60600  Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  CTPS provides travel data and analyses at regional, corridor, and site-specific levels to support transportation planning and decision making. The categories below comprise the variety of tasks encompassed by this work: CTPS will continue to develop and enhance its GIS database. CTPS will coordinate data development and distribution with MassDOT and MassGIS in order to prevent duplication of effort, ensure data quality, and reduce costs. CTPS’s GIS database will be made available to staff through ArcSDE, ArcMap layer files, Web services, and Web applications. Databases of standard reference GIS data, socio-economic data, Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) data, and travel data; GIS processing tools; tabular and spatial data analyses; Web service and Web applications; responses to data requests. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Direct Support  Not Applicable Chapter 4, Administration and Resource Management Projects 90000  Central Transportation Planning Staff  Boston Region MPO/MassDOT/MBTA Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable CTPS provides integral direct support to all CTPS projects and functions in the following areas:

Computer Equipment: CTPS computer needs are programmed in the CTPS Five-Year Plan for Computer Resource Development, as amended.

Consultants: Consultants are hired periodically to perform specialized, time-specific tasks as project work demands.

Printing: Project-specific printing costs, such as those for surveys, maps, reports, presentation boards, and other informational materials, are included in this budget.

Travel: Periodically, the US DOT and other organizations sponsor courses and seminars that enhance staff’s ability to do project work; the costs of registration, travel, and lodging associated with attending such programs are direct-support expenditures. Mileage, tolls, and parking expenses associated with project work also are charged as direct-support expenditures. Additional project work, such as high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane monitoring is funded through this budget to cover rental vehicles and fuel costs.

Other: Various other expenditures may become necessary during the term of this UPWP. Costs associated with postage for return mail, services for preparing and processing data for specific projects, and translations of MPO materials into other languages are direct-support expenditures. Other nonrecurring costs, such as software for specific project work, video-camera equipment for license-plate surveys, or traffic-counting equipment, also may be funded through this line item.

Not Applicable This includes computer and general office equipment, professional consulting services, in-state project-related travel, out-of-state travel associated with staff attendance at professional and training conferences, and other costs deemed appropriate. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined

 

 

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5   Certification Requirements

The projects in this chapter are categorized as certification requirements because they include work that the Boston Region MPO must do to maintain its certification by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration. The projects also include activities that are necessary to comply with federal and state laws, such as the federal Clean Air Act Amendments and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Budget information for these projects will be added once the MPO has approved a draft FFY 2016 UPWP budget for public review.                     

 

TABLE 5-1: Certification Requirements 

Project Name General Project Name UPWP Chapter/Project Group Project ID Staff Client Status (Percent Complete) Total Project Budget General Project Description Project Description General Project FFY 2016 Activities and Expected Work Products FFY 2016 Activities and Expected Work Products Relationship to Other UPWP Projects General Project FHWA/FTA Grant Application Task and Element Project FHWA/FTA Grant Application Task and Element FFY 2016 Project Budget FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by CTPS FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by MAPC FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by MassDOT FFY 2016 Budget: PL Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MPO Section 5303 Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: SPR Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MassDOT Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MassDOT Section 5303 Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MBTA Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: Other Funding for Project
Support to the MPO and Its Committees   3C Planning and MPO Support Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90011 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  The following projects are called 3C activities because they support the federally mandated continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process. This process creates numerous products and materials and furthers MPO operations and decision making. Funding Amount: To be determined.

Support includes conducting metropolitan transportation planning and implementing planning activities for the MPO. The goal of this work is compliance with federal regulations and requirements and excellence in transportation planning processes, techniques, and outcomes. The work involves researching, analyzing, and reporting information on 3C planning topics, including those identified in federal reauthorization legislation, and issues related to other federal policies, regulations, and guidance. It also involves responding to federal recommendations or requirements for certification documents or MPO certification and incorporating new requirements into the MPO’s 3C program. MPO staff will continue to implement MAP-21 (see Chapter 1) as guidance from this legislation is communicated to the MPO, and staff will also be prepared to implement future legislation.

Support for the MPO and its committees includes implementing MPO policies on planning and programming, planning and coordinating delivery of information for MPO decision making, and supporting the work and operation of the MPO and its committees. It involves providing process support  for MPO management and planning, delivering MPO communications, and implementing the MPO’s public participation program.  MPO staff plans and supports MPO, MPO committees, and MPO-sponsored meetings. Some tasks include:

·  Developing agendas
·  Preparing and distributing informational materials through postings on the MPO’s  website
·  Conducting meeting site selection and logistics planning
·  Setting up audio/visual equipment for meetings
·  Attending and recording meetings
·  Completing meeting follow-up activities such as maintaining the information flow for the MPO and the public, processing approved work scopes, and preparing audio files and approved minutes for posting on the MPO’s website

Technical and process support is provided to the MPO’s UPWP Committee, Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee, Congestion Management Process (CMP) Committee, and other ad hoc committees that are formed as needed.

· The CMP Committee meets as needed throughout the year to discuss the federally required Congestion Management Process. Activities include developing and reviewing its TIP Intersection Improvement Program and making recommendations to the MPO.
·  The Administration and Finance Committee (A&F) meets periodically to make recommendations to the MPO on the staff’s operating budget, legal matters, and other administrative functions.
·  The UPWP Committee meets as needed throughout the year to develop a UPWP for the upcoming federal fiscal year and monitor expenditures and the progress of programs in the current fiscal year.

This work also includes consultation with other entities and agencies involved with or interested in 3C planning activities; communication activities among Massachusetts MPOs (with more detailed coordination with those in the Boston Region Urbanized Area); and communication with MAPC subregional groups.
Other activities include the day-to-day oversight of 3C-program-related activities, reports on the progress of projects listed in the UPWP, collection and fielding of day-to-day comments, and responses to requests for information and support.
Staff will prepare materials— including agendas, minutes, notices, document translations, memoranda, reports, correspondence, summaries, website postings, and maps, charts, illustrations and other visual materials—as needed; continue to support the MPO and its committees and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council; conduct communications with the public, including publishing TRANSREPORT; conduct planning to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance; engage in professional-development activities; and remain prepared for unforeseen issues as they arise. Not applicable The above activities support all other projects in this UPWP in compliance with the 3C planning process. They foster the implementation of MPO policies, federal planning factors and guidance, the MAP-21 National Goals, and all applicable orders and requirements, including Executive Order 13166 (governing outreach to persons with limited English-language proficiency). These activities are supported by the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project. To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Planning Topics   3C Planning and MPO Support Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90014 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  The following projects are called 3C activities because they support the federally mandated continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process. This process creates numerous products and materials and furthers MPO operations and decision making.  Funding Amount: To be determined.

MPO staff provides planning work related to planning topics such as the 3C planning factors, the MAP-21 National Goals, and other topics highlighted in federal planning guidance, such as sustainability, health, freight, economic effects, all-hazards planning, climate change, and environmental issues. MPO staff members maintain expertise in these topics so that the MPO will have the capability and flexibility to respond to unforeseen needs in these areas.

Information on these topics is gathered, analyzed, and presented to the MPO in memoranda and white papers for consideration in the development of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), and other planning programs and documents undertaken by the MPO. This project also includes work needed to respond to possible new federal guidance and requirements following a certification review.

Staff will prepare materials— including agendas, minutes, notices, document translations, memoranda, reports, correspondence, summaries, website postings, and maps, charts, illustrations and other visual materials—as needed; continue to support the MPO and its committees and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council; conduct communications with the public, including publishing TRANSREPORT; conduct planning to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance; engage in professional-development activities; and remain prepared for unforeseen issues as they arise. Not applicable The above activities support all other projects in this UPWP in compliance with the 3C planning process. They foster the implementation of MPO policies, federal planning factors and guidance, the MAP-21 National Goals, and all applicable orders and requirements, including Executive Order 13166 (governing outreach to persons with limited English-language proficiency). These activities are supported by the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project. To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Subregional Outreach   3C Planning and MPO Support Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90019 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  The following projects are called 3C activities because they support the federally mandated continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process. This process creates numerous products and materials and furthers MPO operations and decision making. Funding Amount: To be determined
MPO staff members attend MAPC subregional group meetings to listen to and learn about community issues in the region and to answer questions about the MPO and its activities. This helps staff incorporate subregional issues and concerns into the development of MPO documents.
Staff will prepare materials— including agendas, minutes, notices, document translations, memoranda, reports, correspondence, summaries, website postings, and maps, charts, illustrations and other visual materials—as needed; continue to support the MPO and its committees and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council; conduct communications with the public, including publishing TRANSREPORT; conduct planning to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance; engage in professional-development activities; and remain prepared for unforeseen issues as they arise. Not applicable The above activities support all other projects in this UPWP in compliance with the 3C planning process. They foster the implementation of MPO policies, federal planning factors and guidance, the MAP-21 National Goals, and all applicable orders and requirements, including Executive Order 13166 (governing outreach to persons with limited English-language proficiency). These activities are supported by the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project. To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Regional Transportation Advisory Council Support   3C Planning and MPO Support Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90021 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  The following projects are called 3C activities because they support the federally mandated continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process. This process creates numerous products and materials and furthers MPO operations and decision making. Funding Amount: To be determined.

The Regional Transportation Advisory Council is the MPO’s citizens’ advisory committee. MPO staff provides planning and operations support to this body and its committees. This includes planning programs and meetings, scheduling speakers, and preparing and distributing agendas, meeting notices, informational packets, and minutes. It also
includes helping to conduct meetings; attending and making presentations at meetings; organizing and conducting field trips; soliciting new members; implementing and updating the bylaws; coordinating other activities, such as Advisory Council elections; and maintaining contact lists. MPO staff provides information, updates, and briefings on MPO activities, studies, and reports; requests and coordinates comments on MPO documents; and works with the Advisory Council and its committees as they conduct their programs, planning, and reviews.
Staff will prepare materials— including agendas, minutes, notices, document translations, memoranda, reports, correspondence, summaries, website postings, and maps, charts, illustrations and other visual materials—as needed; continue to support the MPO and its committees and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council; conduct communications with the public, including publishing TRANSREPORT; conduct planning to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance; engage in professional-development activities; and remain prepared for unforeseen issues as they arise. Not applicable The above activities support all other projects in this UPWP in compliance with the 3C planning process. They foster the implementation of MPO policies, federal planning factors and guidance, the MAP-21 National Goals, and all applicable orders and requirements, including Executive Order 13166 (governing outreach to persons with limited English-language proficiency). These activities are supported by the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project. To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
TRANSREPORT   3C Planning and MPO Support Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90025 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  The following projects are called 3C activities because they support the federally mandated continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process. This process creates numerous products and materials and furthers MPO operations and decision making. Funding Amount: To be determined

The MPO’s newsletter, TRANSREPORT, is an important part of the MPO’s public involvement program. MPO staff is responsible for soliciting, researching, and writing articles and for managing all aspects of production: writing and editing, layout, graphics, proofreading, and distribution via email and US mail. MPO staff coordinates the participation of MPO staff, MPO members, and other interested organizations in the development of articles.

MPO staff is responsible for the newsletter’s distribution. It is distributed in an accessible format on the MPO website, electronic- transfer formats for email subscribers, and hard-copy format for the few recipients who request it.  Once posted on the website, the newsletter can be translated into the languages (besides English) most frequently spoken in the region, using the website’s Google Translate tool.

MPO staff stays current on newsletter software and styles with an eye to making improvements in the newsletter’s visual appeal and ability to communicate. Staff plans to improve format and delivery mechanisms this year.
Staff will prepare materials— including agendas, minutes, notices, document translations, memoranda, reports, correspondence, summaries, website postings, and maps, charts, illustrations and other visual materials—as needed; continue to support the MPO and its committees and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council; conduct communications with the public, including publishing TRANSREPORT; conduct planning to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance; engage in professional-development activities; and remain prepared for unforeseen issues as they arise. Not applicable The above activities support all other projects in this UPWP in compliance with the 3C planning process. They foster the implementation of MPO policies, federal planning factors and guidance, the MAP-21 National Goals, and all applicable orders and requirements, including Executive Order 13166 (governing outreach to persons with limited English-language proficiency). These activities are supported by the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project. To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Public Participation Process   3C Planning and MPO Support Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90026 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  The following projects are called 3C activities because they support the federally mandated continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process. This process creates numerous products and materials and furthers MPO operations and decision making. Funding Amount: To be determined

MPO staff implements the MPO’s Public Participation Program and coordinates and conducts MPO public outreach activities. These activities are opportunities to involve all members of the public, including:
·  Local, regional, state, and federal officials and agencies
·  Transportation, environmental, and social-service advocacy groups
·  Seniors, minorities, people with low incomes, people with disabilities, those with limited English proficiency, youth, veterans, and people living in zero- vehicle households
·  Freight operators
·  Transit service providers
·  Other interested parties and other members of the general public

This program provides information to these parties and collects input from them for the MPO to use in its planning, decision making, and development of certification documents, including programming the region’s transportation funding. The program is intended to supplement the involvement of the Regional Transportation Advisory Council.
Communication is ongoing and conducted through a variety of means.

·  Public meetings are important in this process, and several types of meetings are planned and conducted throughout each year. The MPO holds public information sessions three to four times a year, and conducts TIP- and UPWP-development  workshops in December and January. The MPO also holds workshops and special-issue forums throughout the year to gather input on MPO activities and on draft certification documents and other plans. MPO staff and MAPC collaborate on public involvement activities whenever possible. MPO and MAPC staffs hold timely and constructive discussions of MPO issues at MAPC subregional group meetings. Other types of collaboration involve hosting and co-sponsoring special events. For example, MAPC dedicated its 2015 Winter Council Meeting to interactive activities related to the long-range transportation plan and in 2014 co-sponsored the MPO’s Transportation Equity Forum. This collaboration was very fruitful and will be continued.

·  The MPO’s website is another important tool that provides and gathers information for MPO planning and programming. Highly visible and frequently updated News Flashes are published on the MPO home page. These quickly-read items promote short news clips and information on how the public can be involved in MPO planning. Material on all MPO plans and programs is posted on the website. The MPO also hosts on its website a public-information email address and comment tool so that members of the public may request information and provide input. MPO staff monitors input from this address to coordinate responses and refer comments received to the appropriate recipient. The MPO also solicits input through web-based surveys.

The MPO adopted an updated Public Participation Plan reflecting an improved Public Participation Program and has been implementing improvements discussed in this plan. In FFY 2016, the MPO will continue the following improvements, many of them designed to break down barriers to participation for groups currently underrepresented in the planning process:

·  Maintain frequent e-based communications, including press releases, public notices, and refreshed website newsflashes regarding ongoing planning products and MPO milestones and events
·  Team with other entities to conduct joint programs and outreach
·  Integrate the Title-VI-related Four Factor Analysis for guidance on providing  materials in languages other than English
·  Expand the MPO program to involve people in the region with limited English proficiency by translating critical documents (the Title VI Complaint Process and Form and notices of MPO-sponsored public-participation meetings) into the MPO languages of policy—Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese—and into Vietnamese whenever possible
 ·  Take additional steps, when planning meetings, to understand the language and cultural needs of those who might attend
 ·  Make it a standard practice to solicit comments on the Public Participation Program from meeting participants and conduct periodic assessments of the effectiveness of public involvement activities
 ·  Encourage public libraries to make MPO information publicly available
 ·  Increase the MPO’s use of graphical materials to provide information
·  Offer more web-based surveys at timely points in the planning process
·  Continue the quest for tools and practices to make outreach activities as interactive, engaging, and easily accessible as feasible
·  Expand the use of Twitter and participation in the MPO website’s Rich Site Summary (RSS) feed to enhance communication

Maintaining contact with members of the public requires continuous updates to the MPO’s contact database and email lists. A significant part of the MPO’s public- participation program involves keeping contact information current and identifying and including new contacts, particularly those in or representing minority communities; persons with disabilities, low incomes, or limited English proficiency; the elderly; veterans; and youth.

The MPO’s public participation program also involves consultations as specified in federal guidance; arranging, upon request, for the provision of American Sign Language (ASL) and other language- interpretation services at meetings; and providing public participation support to MPO member entities.


Staff will prepare materials— including agendas, minutes, notices, document translations, memoranda, reports, correspondence, summaries, website postings, and maps, charts, illustrations and other visual materials—as needed; continue to support the MPO and its committees and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council; conduct communications with the public, including publishing TRANSREPORT; conduct planning to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance; engage in professional-development activities; and remain prepared for unforeseen issues as they arise. Not applicable The above activities support all other projects in this UPWP in compliance with the 3C planning process. They foster the implementation of MPO policies, federal planning factors and guidance, the MAP-21 National Goals, and all applicable orders and requirements, including Executive Order 13166 (governing outreach to persons with limited English-language proficiency). These activities are supported by the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project. To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Professional Development   3C Planning and MPO Support Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90012 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  The following projects are called 3C activities because they support the federally mandated continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process. This process creates numerous products and materials and furthers MPO operations and decision making. Funding amount: To be determined.

MPO staff maintains its technical expertise in part by participating in courses, programs, and workshops offered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Transportation Research Board (TRB), Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), and other public and private organizations. Previous professional development endeavors have related to topics such as traffic engineering issues and applications, regional modeling,
bicycle/pedestrian issues, transit planning, public involvement, environmental justice, air quality, computer operations and maintenance, database applications, and other areas related to the provision of technical support services.
Staff will prepare materials— including agendas, minutes, notices, document translations, memoranda, reports, correspondence, summaries, website postings, and maps, charts, illustrations and other visual materials—as needed; continue to support the MPO and its committees and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council; conduct communications with the public, including publishing TRANSREPORT; conduct planning to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance; engage in professional-development activities; and remain prepared for unforeseen issues as they arise. Not applicable The above activities support all other projects in this UPWP in compliance with the 3C planning process. They foster the implementation of MPO policies, federal planning factors and guidance, the MAP-21 National Goals, and all applicable orders and requirements, including Executive Order 13166 (governing outreach to persons with limited English-language proficiency). These activities are supported by the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project. To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
General Graphics   3C Planning and MPO Support Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90090 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  The following projects are called 3C activities because they support the federally mandated continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process. This process creates numerous products and materials and furthers MPO operations and decision making. Funding amount: To be determined

Graphics support will be provided to MPO staff and MPO agencies.  This includes designing and producing maps, charts, illustrations, report covers, brochures, slides, and photographs; applying other visualization techniques; and creating other products that improve communication.
Staff will prepare materials— including agendas, minutes, notices, document translations, memoranda, reports, correspondence, summaries, website postings, and maps, charts, illustrations and other visual materials—as needed; continue to support the MPO and its committees and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council; conduct communications with the public, including publishing TRANSREPORT; conduct planning to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance; engage in professional-development activities; and remain prepared for unforeseen issues as they arise. Not applicable The above activities support all other projects in this UPWP in compliance with the 3C planning process. They foster the implementation of MPO policies, federal planning factors and guidance, the MAP-21 National Goals, and all applicable orders and requirements, including Executive Order 13166 (governing outreach to persons with limited English-language proficiency). These activities are supported by the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project. To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Access Advisory Committee Support   Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90024  Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable MPO staff supports the MBTA in meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements by providing ongoing support to the Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA (AACT), a user group representing people with disabilities. AACT advises the MBTA on all accessibility matters relating to the use of the MBTA’s systemwide fixed- route services and THE RIDE paratransit service by people with disabilities, and ensures that users’ ideas concerning accessible transportation are heard.

AACT is a member of the MPO’s Regional Transportation Advisory Council and MPO staff solicits input from AACT regarding the transportation-planning process. Staff provides a variety of support services detailed below.
Not Applicable  ·  Support regularly scheduled AACT Membership, AACT Executive Board, and other related meetings at which attendees advise and comment on projects being planned or implemented throughout the system for commuter rail, rapid transit, surface transit, and paratransit service  ·  Distribute monthly reports on System-Wide Accessibility, the MBTA THE RIDE
service statistics, and other materials pertinent to AACT meeting agenda items
·  Support the AACT Chair by attending special consultations and other meetings
·  Support the activities of the AACT Executive Board of Directors
·  Maintain awareness of and provide guidance on the AACT Memorandum of Understanding, AACT bylaws, and disability issues in general
·  Coordinate AACT elections and other committee activities, as needed
·  Prepare and distribute AACT meeting agendas and minutes, meeting announcements, correspondence, meeting calendars to post in THE RIDE vans, and updated AACT informational materials
·   Produce and distribute orientation packets for new AACT members
·   Track follow-up for members’ requests for information
·   Maintain AACT databases for mailings, attendance log, and membership  standing, AACT archives, supplies, and accessible-formatting equipment
·   Coordinate briefings on MPO activities
·   Produce meeting materials in accessible formats for AACT members and members of the public upon request
·   Coordinate forums on transit accessibility
·   Update AACT brochure
This project supports MPO public outreach and planning activities presented in this chapter. It is supported by 3C planning support activities, the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project, and transportation equity activities described in this chapter.
Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Air Quality Conformity Determinations and Support  Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90061 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable This program has two objectives:

1. To ensure that the MPO’s plans, programs, and projects comply with the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) of 1990 and to secure federal funding for the Boston MPO’s transportation system.

2. To provide ongoing support services for the MPO regarding air-quality matters and maintain technical expertise in air-quality and climate-change matters, including conformance with federal air-quality requirements and the state’s climate-change policies.

Air-Quality Conformity Determinations

Under the CAAA, states must monitor emissions from transportation vehicles and other sources to determine whether ambient emissions levels exceed health-based allowable levels of air pollutants. Areas in which the emissions exceed the allowable levels are designated as nonattainment areas. For these, the state must develop a State Implementation Plan (SIP) establishing emissions budgets and must show how the plan would reduce emissions in the area sufficiently to comply with national ambient air quality standards. MPOs with nonattainment areas must complete air-quality conformity determinations to demonstrate the conformity of transportation plans, programs, and projects with the Massachusetts SIP. Typically, a conformity determination is performed annually for the TIP and every four years for a new LRTP. However, a conformity determination may be required if an LRTP amendment is undertaken during the year. This program covers the tasks needed to demonstrate that an MPO’s federally funded transportation programs meet conformity requirements.

The city of Boston, the surrounding cities and towns, and the city of Waltham are classified as maintenance areas for carbon monoxide (CO). A maintenance area is an area that had been reclassified from nonattainment to attainment and for which a maintenance plan has been approved as part of the Massachusetts SIP. The MPO must show that, overall, its federally funded transportation programs maintain air quality in a manner consistent with the Massachusetts SIP in this maintenance area.

The Boston Region MPO area had also previously been classified as a nonattainment area for ozone but was reclassified as an attainment area under the new 2008 ozone standard. Because the reclassification resulted from a new standard, a maintenance plan was not required, and the area was not classified as a maintenance area. As an attainment area, the MPO is not required to demonstrate that the LRTP and TIP conform to national standards for the two pollutants that form ozone: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). A new ozone standard was recently proposed and released for public comment by the Environmental Protection Agency  (EPA), and the Boston Region MPO area may again be classified as a nonattainment area if this standard is approved; however, this may not occur within this UPWP year. If the MPO area is again reclassified as a nonattainment area, conformity determinations for ozone will be required.

Other Air Quality Support

This program supports the MPO’s expertise in air-quality and climate-change matters, as well as the MPO’s response to changing requirements for planning, analysis, and reporting. This includes initiatives known today as well as the ability to participate in issues that might emerge during the year. This program also supports implementation of air-quality-related transportation programs and projects and includes consultation, research, and coordination between the MPO and federal, state, local, and private entities.
Not Applicable Conformity Determinations: These determinations will be performed and presented as noted below. They include a detailed analysis of air-quality impacts (carbon monoxide [CO] and carbon dioxide [CO2]) of the projects in the FFYs 2015–18 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), any changes to the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), and any work required for implementing GreenDOT. MPO staff will also complete analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions.

·  A systemwide conformity determination will be prepared if there are changes to regionally significant projects in the LRTP and the TIP.
 ·  A detailed project-level analysis will be conducted for each project to receive Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality Program funding in the TIP and for any projects that will help meet the GreenDOT initiative.

Support to MassDOT (including the Highway Division, the Office of Transportation Planning, and the MBTA), and Massport: Activities will include analysis of transportation-control measures (TCMs), park-and-ride facilities, and proposed high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) projects throughout the Boston Region MPO area, as well as evaluation of emerging and innovative highway and transit clean-air activities.

Support for Climate-Change Initiatives: Activities will include integrating concerns about climate change and opportunities for emissions reduction into the MPO’s
planning process relative to: the regional travel-demand model set, the TIP, project-specific work products, the LRTP, the Congestion Management Process, the UPWP, and performance measures. Staff will work with MassDOT to implement its GreenDOT policy and comply with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)’s newly adopted Global Warming Solutions Act Requirements for the Transportation Sector and MassDOT. Staff will also confer with agencies and organizations concerned about climate-change issues to inform actions in the MPO region.

Mobile-Source Element of the State Implementation Plan (SIP): The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is required to submit a SIP to the US EPA documenting strategies and actions to bring Massachusetts into compliance with air-quality standards. CTPS support will include:

·  Support for amendments or revisions to the Memorandum of Understanding between the MPO and the DEP
·  Support to regional, local, and private entities, and the agencies involved in monitoring, updating, and revising the mobile-source section of the SIP
·  Data collection and analysis to measure regional air-quality conditions, support development of MOVES2014 emission factors, validate emissions inventories and budgets, and evaluate the air-quality impacts of policies regarding long-term growth, transportation, and land use
·  Coordination with DEP to develop statewide regulations and programs concerning transportation and air quality
·  Support to regional, local, and private entities
·  Providing data and recommendations to MPO agencies regarding funding and the implementation of transportation programs and projects with air-quality benefits.


This project is supported by 3C planning support activities, the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project, and transportation equity and public outreach activities described in this chapter.

Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting  Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 11355 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance based on race, color, and national origin, including individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). FTA and FHWA require the MPO to develop programs that ensure compliance with Title VI. This is accomplished by reaching out to protected populations and involving them in MPO planning and decision making, which includes development of the UPWP, TIP, and LRTP. In addition to the populations given protection under Title VI, FHWA's Title VI/Nondiscrimination Program prohibits discrimination based on a person’s sex, age, disability/handicap, and income status.

This program’s objective is to develop a report documenting Title VI-related activities undertaken by the MPO during the past year. The report will show the MPO’s full compliance with the requirements of both the FTA Title VI Circular C 4702.1B and the FHWA Title VI/Nondiscrimination Program.
Not Applicable The MPO will comply with FTA and FHWA Title VI requirements by preparing and submitting reports on the implementation of its nondiscrimination programs, as required. The MPO will provide updates on Title VI-related activities to determine the equity of TIP spending, as required by MassDOT. The MPO also will continue consulting and coordinating with the MassDOT Office of Diversity and Civil Rights (ODCR) to achieve best practices in this area. This project is supported by 3C planning support activities, the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project, public outreach activities, and work promoting transportation equity and environmental justice as presented in this chapter. See Chapter 7 for information on projects that will support MPO, MassDOT, and MBTA Title VI compliance.    Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Long-Range Transportation Plan Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 10101 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable Under the current federal transportation funding legislation, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), a new long-range transportation plan (LRTP) must be produced every four years.
The LRTP guides transportation system investments for the Boston metropolitan region for at least the next 20 years. The MPO adopted its most recent LRTP, Charting Progress to 2040, in August 2015. This LRTP serves as the Boston Region MPO’s guiding document as it plans for the year 2040. It establishes regional goals and objectives, which the MPO will use for future decision making.

While the quadrennial LRTP document was endorsed in FFY 2015, the MPO’s continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive planning process—including its long-range planning activities—is ongoing. The MPO’s robust LRTP development program helps meet MAP-21 requirements, which include measuring and tracking performance of the region’s transportation system and the effectiveness of MPO programming in meeting regional goals. This program also supports scenario planning to generate data for decision making.
 
LRTP Needs Assessment: The Needs Assessment has become a foundational resource for the MPO’s transportation planning work. Staff developed a Needs Assessment as part of Charting Progress to 2040, and it is available to the public via the Needs Assessment application on the MPO’s website. In FFY 2016, staff will continue to update the Needs Assessment with new information as it becomes available. Staff also will perform further analyses to keep the Needs Assessment current and will use this information for future studies, reports, and deliberations. The updated information also will be made available to the public via the website. Data from the Needs Assessment will support two of the following MPO initiatives: the MPO’s scenario planning activities and its performance-based planning practice.

In FFY 2016, staff will use output from the Needs Assessment to develop and analyze land use and transportation options and scenarios. This information also will be used to review performance measures, set MPO performance targets, evaluate progress toward them, and track other indicators of interest.

The LRTP and Performance-Based Planning: The MPO adopted its goals, objectives, and an initial set of performance measures in FFY 2015 as part of developing Charting Progress to 2040, which were used for scenario planning and evaluating LRTP projects and programs. In FFY 2015, the MPO also initiated the development of performance targets, which are specific levels of performance the MPO desires to achieve within a certain time frame. The TIP and LRTP programs work together to support the MPO’s performance-based planning program.

In FFY 2016, the MPO will formalize and expand its performance-based planning practice as components of the LRTP and TIP programs. Staff will review the MPO’s performance measures developed in FFY 2015 under the LRTP program. This review may result in fine tuning the existing set of performance measures. Additional updates or measures may be made based on FHWA and FTA guidance, new MassDOT measures, or emerging data sources. Staff will use the MPO goals, objectives, and performance measures to develop a set of targets for the MPO’s performance-based planning. The MPO will use the performance measures to track how well TIP-implemented projects and programs are helping to meet the region’s targets and goals.

In the Boston Region MPO, the LRTP and the TIP will each include a performance report that describes progress towards targets and the trends of non-target indicators of interest. The LRTP will report progress at the systems and project levels, as applicable, and will include a full assessment of progress made toward the region’s goals. The TIP will report on project-level performance and the results of system-level analysis, as applicable. Each LRTP will provide an opportunity to review and document progress in meeting performance goals and, if needed, make adjustments to the LRTP to meet those goals.

In FFY 2016, staff will plan performance reports to include in the TIP and future LRTPs. Staff will monitor trends of non-target indicators of interest. In the future, the MPO will review and possibly revise the performance measures and further develop the targets. LRTP program work will include pre-planning for data needs to support performance-based planning. Staff will coordinate internally and externally, as needed, to understand data availability, determine future data needs, and set a plan for meeting those needs.

The LRTP and Scenario Planning: The MPO has begun an ongoing practice of using model-based planning tools and off-model processes to generate forecasts and information about regional conditions and future needs. These tools also will assess the effects of potential options for changes to the transportation network. The MPO plans to use this information to make policy and capital-investment decisions. Throughout the year, staff will seek to identify one or more opportunities to explore options and compare various alternative scenarios to better understand impacts on transportation, air quality, climate change, mode-shift, the economy, and land use. Using these tools will provide additional and more substantive answers to various planning questions. Possible examples include:

·  What transportation improvements will yield the greatest mobility on the truck freight network?
·  Which investment scenario would result in the most CO2 reduction?
·  Which investment program would generate the land-use pattern closest to MetroFuture development goals?
·  Where are the congestion points in a regional evacuation scenario?

Some of this work also may explore policy-related implications. In this way, the LRTP program serves as an ongoing resource for current information, insights, and analysis for all those involved in managing and improving the regional transportation network.

Laying the Groundwork for the Next LRTP: Prior to the next LRTP endorsement year, staff will research, plan, coordinate with interested parties, and review priorities. Through ongoing performance-based planning and scenario planning, MPO staff generate information that will help guide the investment strategies for the next LRTP.

The LRTP program plays an important role keeping the MPO abreast of current state-of-the-practice methods of communication and planning tools and approaches.
Not Applicable  ·  Update details and analyses in the current Needs Assessment to supply the most current information to the MPO and public
 ·  Prepare amendments to Charting Progress to 2040, as needed    
·   Expand the MPO’s scenario-planning capabilities by using the regional travel demand model set and various planning tools such as TREDIS and CubeLand to support the performance-based planning and programming process
·  Produce summaries of results from transportation scenario analyses for the MPO
·  Review and possibly update performance measures and prepare targets for the MPO’s goals and objectives
·  Prepare memoranda on performance-based planning topics such as performance targets and guidelines for the LRTP system performance report.
·  Plan LRTP system performance reports for monitoring measures-of-interest trends and tracking the MPO’s performance-meeting targets
 ·  Conduct public outreach on all LRTP topics, including Needs Assessment updates, scenario planning, and further development of performance measures  and targets; report results to the MPO for use in all its planning and programming
 · Address comments or changes from FHWA and FTA or changes to the State Implementation Plan (SIP).
 This project is supported by 3C planning support activities, air quality conformity and support activities, the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project, and transportation equity and public outreach activities described in this chapter. Also see Chapters 5 and 7 for other CTPS and MAPC activities related to the development of the LRTP. For information on performance-based planning activities being implemented as part of the TIP, please see the Transportation Improvement Program Description. Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MPO/MAPC Liaison and Support Activities Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements MAPC1 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable This project includes working with MPO members and staff to establish work priorities and meeting agendas. It also includes reporting to the MAPC Executive Committee, MAPC Council members, MAPC subregions, and MAPC staff on MPO activities to ensure strong coordination of land-use and transportation planning across the region.

Statewide and Regional Planning Committees: MAPC actively participates in statewide and regional planning committees and task forces to represent the interests of the region, with a particular focus on the critical links between land use and transportation. These committees include the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA), Regional Coordination Councils, and various MassDOT, MBTA, or municipally-led transportation planning initiatives. MAPC will also be actively involved in regional and statewide plans and programs concerning the state’s mode-shift goal, GreenDOT implementation, and other climate-change and greenhouse-gas issues as they relate to transportation. Advisory committees may change from year to year as studies are begun or completed, but participating in various advisory committees is an ongoing task.

Support of the Public Participation Process for Metropolitan Planning Documents: MAPC provides education and outreach on a wide variety of transportation-and land- use-related topics in the region, with emphasis on outreach through the subregions to municipal officials. MAPC also supports CTPS in its outreach to environmental-justice and senior populations and people with disabilities.
MPO Elections: Working with the MBTA Advisory Board, MAPC will coordinate and implement annual elections for municipal representatives on the MPO.

Transportation Improvement Program Evaluation and Criteria: MAPC will advise CTPS about land-use and economic- development aspects of TIP evaluations. MAPC will provide updated TIP criteria and help to implement the comprehensive regional growth plan, MetroFuture. MAPC will research TIP projects and work with municipalities to advance TIP projects.

MPO Agenda Setting and Coordination: MAPC will work with CTPS and MassDOT to develop MPO meeting agendas and presentations.
Not Applicable Interagency coordination, work scopes and agendas, participation in advisory and corridor committees, public participation and outreach, reports to the MAPC Executive Committee, MAPC Council members, MAPC subregions, and MAPC staff, MPO elections, TIP criteria update and project evaluations, and attendance at relevant meetings. This project supports Transportation Improvement Program activities presented in this chapter.
Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats Not applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 90028 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable The MPO conducts its transportation-planning activities and public outreach process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as amended in 1998, and other policies and regulations governing accessibility standards. In support of these standards, the MPO produces written and electronic materials in accessible formats. In addition to producing these materials, the MPO will continue to maintain a library of templates that incorporate accessibility guidelines and standards. Not Applicable • Production of materials in accessible formats for public meetings, website postings and as requested
• Ongoing maintenance of accessible document templates
• Development of accessibility guidelines and standards for MPO products
This project supports the development of MPO products for projects throughout this UPWP. Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Regional Model Enhancement  Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 11244 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable CTPS builds and maintains a state-of-the-practice regional travel-demand model set, which helps staff assess the area’s transportation needs and evaluate alternatives to improve the transportation system.

The model predicts how many trips will be made by people in a given region, on a typical day; where those trips will go; and what modes and routes those trips will use.  These travel behavior decisions generate more than 16 million person-trips per day across the 164 municipalities in the CTPS-modeled area. Metrics produced by the multi-modal model set help in policy planning and technical analysis, and in meeting federal reporting requirements. MPO-member transportation agencies also use the model set because it is a robust tool that represents and forecasts travel by all of the region´s transit modes, by all types of single-occupant and multiple-occupant vehicles, and by biking and walking.

During FFY 2015, CTPS and MAPC jointly developed a Cube Land model implementation, which covers all 101 communities in the MPO region, as well as 63 additional border communities. Cube Land is a land-use allocation model that allows users to project future land-use patterns. MPO staff will use Cube Land to forecast land-use allocation.

MPO staff plan to begin or continue the following activities associated with the Boston Region MPO travel-demand model set and the Cube Land land-use allocation model:

·  Continue to use the 2011 Massachusetts Travel Survey, the most recent MBTA user surveys, the most recent traffic counts, and the latest MBTA counts to update and calibrate the model set.
·  Continue to collect data needed to expand geographic coverage of the model set to include all of the MBTA service area.
·  MPO staff is developing an in-house scenario-management program within the regional modeling software, TransCAD, to make it easier to evaluate multiple scenarios. The scenario manager’s basic structure is complete, but the finer details of this tool will continue to be refined during FFY 2016.
·  The MPO’s model set currently runs TransCAD version 6. However, the software vendor, Caliper, soon will release TransCAD version 7, which has improved runtimes and many new features, but is not fully backward compatible with version 6. MPO staff must make changes to the model set’s inputs and execution script to work with TransCAD version 7.
·  Develop destination choice models to improve the trip distribution component of the model set.
·  For several months, MPO staff has been conducting a parking space inventory in Boston’s central business district, which will form the basis for a parking choice model. 
·  Develop adequate model documentation.
·  Provide technical support and training to model users.
·  The model software has been recently updated to use the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) software, which calculates vehicle emissions. MPO staff will continue to convert the model set to use MOVES software, which has undergone several updates in recent months.
·  Current practice suggests that dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) helps planners understand traffic flows at a finer temporal and spatial resolution than other assignment methods. MPO staff will continue to test this method for use in the MPO model set.

These activities support projects in this UPWP that rely on the regional model set for travel forecasting and analysis, particularly analysis that supports the LRTP and the TIP.

Additional regional model enhancement activities may include:

· Continue to refine the link between the regional travel demand model set and Cube Land, and examine the potential for using Cube Land for land-use forecasting. MPO staff will coordinate with MAPC and consult with peers and  colleagues—including those in other regions—to learn more about best practices  and lessons-learned based on their experiences with alternative modeling
 approaches.
·  Build a better modeling process to predict external-internal, internal-external, and external-external travel. This may be achieved by using a statewide model that  MPO staff coordinates with MassDOT.
·  Update the Boston Logan International Airport ground access model to reflect  the latest survey data, and implement in TransCAD.
·  Update the MPO’s truck model to use the latest land-use and survey data, and implement in TransCAD.
·  Re-examine and make improvements to the MPO’s transit parking choice model.
·  Examine the use of tour-based modeling capability to enhance the model’s  sensitivity to human behavior and analyze how behavior plays a role in the trip generation by households, trip chaining, and mode selection.

Not Applicable Incorporate new or advanced techniques into the current regional travel-forecasting model set in TransCAD, and maintain a well-calibrated 2012 base-year regional model set and a future-year regional model set. Develop and update model documentation. Provide technical support to others, as needed. Continue to work toward making the Cube Land more robust, in coordination with MAPC and others.  These activities support projects in this UPWP that rely on the regional travel demand model set for travel forecasting and analysis, particularly the air quality conformity determinations for the LRTP and the TIP presented in this chapter. Also see  Chapter 7 for activities related to coordinating land use and transportation modeling. Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Subregional Support Activities Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements MAPC2 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) region consists of 101 cities and towns. The region is subdivided into eight geographic areas that are represented by subregional councils comprising municipal officials, business leaders, community- based organizations, and other local participants. MAPC staff planners are assigned as coordinators to each of the subregional groups to assist members in developing an understanding of subregional and regional transportation and land-use issues.

Subregions are encouraged to recommend subregional projects and priorities for the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the long-range transportation plan (LRTP), and the UPWP. Subregional coordinators and MAPC transportation staff report back to the MPO through formal and informal communications. MAPC subregional groups will continue to participate in local corridor advisory committees whenever these committees are appropriate vehicles for working on projects in their areas. The subregions will continue to advance Priority Development Area and Priority Preservation Area planning and mapping activities.

MAPC staff ensures timely discussions of transportation-related issues by placing the topics on meeting agendas, by leading and participating in the discussions, and by distributing appropriate documents and notices relating to region-wide and statewide transportation meetings.
Not Applicable Preparation of monthly meeting agendas for transportation topics at subregional meetings, coordination with transportation agencies, reviews of transportation studies in subregions, support for subregional and corridor advisory committee meetings, and assistance in setting subregional transportation priorities. This project supports community involvement in development of transportation-planning documents. Not applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support  Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 11132 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable The purpose of this program is to foster awareness and consideration of transportation-equity and the transportation needs of environmental-justice populations in MPO planning and programming, particularly in relation to the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), the Congestion Management Process (CMP), air quality conformity determinations, environmental impact studies, and project-specific work products of the MPO. The goal of the transportation equity/environmental justice program is to maintain compliance with the federal and state requirements and guidelines regarding Civil Rights. The program also seeks to stimulate the participation of low-income, minority, elderly, and limited English language proficient (LEP) populations in the MPO process.

Gathering input and generating participation from low-income, minority, elderly, and limited English language proficient (LEP) populations will be accomplished through several means, which are discussed below. The first is continued outreach to minority and low-income populations, elders, and LEP populations. Staff will continue its program of holding a regional forum and scheduling MPO meetings and Transportation Equity interviews in the MPO communities of concern. This year, staff will ask to attend regularly scheduled meetings held by umbrella social service groups working in and representing MPO communities of concern and selected meetings conducted through the statewide mobility program. Attending these meetings will give staff an opportunity to meet and begin a working relationship with community advocates and to hear about transportation needs, challenges, and successful initiatives. Staff will conduct a survey of individual community organizations to identify transportation needs and solicit ideas for transportation and program improvements. Information gathered through these and other recent initiatives targeted at low-income, minority, LEP, and elderly populations will be analyzed and presented.

Staff supports the development of the TIP and LRTP in their applications of the adopted environmental justice definitions for the LRTP and TIP, in project evaluations, and in conducting LRTP analysis of benefits and burdens. Staff will use the results of the MPO’s Title VI Four Factor Analysis process in order to identify languages into which critical MPO information should be translated, including languages used for outreach meeting notifications and some executive summaries.

Staff will continue to support Federal Transit Administration programs that target low- income populations, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities in the region. Currently, this means helping MassDOT to publicize its Community Transit Grant Program solicitation and evaluate the program’s grant applications.  MPO staff will continue to coordinate with MassDOT’s Office of Diversity and Civil Rights as part of activities to provide for consistency and coordination in implementation of Title VI-related processes, procedures, and activities.

Staff will complete the update of the Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan (CHSTP) begun in FFY 2013. For the CHSTP, work will include mapping important locations in communities of concern and identifying transportation options in those areas. Staff will continue to identify and map major destinations (for example, hospitals, government agencies, schools, social service agencies, and grocery stores) within selected environmental justice areas of concern in the MPO region, and other important destinations identified in the CHSTP outreach activities to MPO communities of concern. Mapping will include an overlay of existing public and active transportation options in those areas (like walking and biking). This work will be useful in documenting transportation gaps and needs. A region-wide forum will be conducted to seek information on these destinations, transportation services and facilities, and identified gaps. Staff will collaborate with MAPC in conducting the regional forum.
 
As budget permits, staff will conduct special studies and analyses during the year. Their results will be reported to the MPO in technical memoranda.  This year staff plans to continue the following special study: Household Survey-Based Comparisons between Income and Racial Groups. The study would analyze the 2011 Massachusetts Household Travel Survey data (including variables such as trip length,number of trips, types of trips, and modes used) for low-income and minority households and compare them with data from non-minority and higher-income households to identify any differences. This information will be useful in identifying transportation needs and supporting transportation project programming decisions. Another possible study is determining the transportation options available to older MPO area residents.

Not Applicable ·  Continue MPO outreach to minority, low-income, and LEP communities by attending monthly RCC meetings, conducting surveys, and holding an MPO-sponsored meeting.
·  Prepare a summary of issues, gaps in service, and transportation priorities obtained from RCCs for use in planning and programming discussions.
·  Monitor developments at the US Department of Transportation regarding civil rights, Title VI, and EJ; participate in workshops, conferences, and seminars, as appropriate; and use this knowledge to inform MPO activities.
 ·  Prepare survey results and meeting summaries and other updates for the MPO.
 ·  Publicize the Community Transit Grant Program solicitation for projects and help to evaluate applicant proposals.
 ·  To the extent that the budget will allow, research and prepare a memorandum on the state of emergency evacuation transportation planning for transportation equity households and areas of concern, or on the issue of transportation for seniors.
 ·  Complete EJ analyses as needed.
 ·  Produce additional maps and technical memoranda.
This project is supported by 3C planning support activities, the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project, and public outreach activities described in this chapter. Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Transportation Improvement Program  Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 10103 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable The Boston Region MPO’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) presents a multiyear, financially constrained program of planned investments in the metropolitan area’s transportation system. Although federal regulations require the TIP to be updated every four years, Massachusetts and its MPOs have committed themselves to producing annual updates.

Development of the FFYs 2017–20 TIP: MPO staff coordinates the collection of TIP project-funding requests, evaluates the requests, proposes programming of current and new projects based on anticipated funding levels, supports the MPO in its decision making about programming and in developing a draft document, and facilitates public review of the draft document before the MPO endorses the final TIP.

Outreach and Compilation of the Universe of Projects: MPO staff communicates with the 101 cities and towns in the region through TIP and UPWP workshops, MAPC subregional meetings, and correspondence with municipal TIP contacts and chief elected officials to gather existing and new TIP funding requests. MPO staff compiles the projects into a Universe of Projects list for the MPO.

Based on the list of project funding requests, MPO staff will compile and update information on each project for the TIP Interactive Database. Data inputs and updates will consist of mapping the project boundaries, inventorying pavement condition, documenting the extent of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, computing crash rates, documenting traffic volumes and the severity of congestion, calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts, and compiling other background information. The TIP Interactive Database integrates frequently updated information from the MPO, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) divisions, municipal TIP Contacts, members of the general public, and MPO staff in order to inform TIP evaluations.

Project Evaluation: The MPO uses TIP project evaluation criteria to identify projects that will help the region attain the vision, goals, and objectives established by the LRTP. The MPO’s evaluation criteria enhance decision making for transportation projects in the region by establishing a transparent, inclusive, and data-driven process. The evaluation results are posted on the MPO website to allow project proponents to review the ratings and provide feedback.

A review of the project evaluation criteria is conducted each year. In FFY 2016, the MPO will revise the evaluation criteria based on the new goals and objectives of the LRTP, Charting Progess to 2040. These revisions will help align the MPO’s goals, objectives, and performance measures with TIP investment decisions.

Staff Recommendation: Staff develops a recommendation that proposes how to prioritize the MPO’s Regional Target funding. MPO staff first prepares a First-Tier List of Projects using the results of the evaluation ratings and project-readiness information. Staff then develops the staff recommendation giving strong consideration to the First- Tier List of Projects, and accounts for cost (to comply with the fiscal-constraint requirement) and geographic equity.

In addition to preparing a staff recommendation, MPO staff also prepares and presents the Statewide Infrastructure Items and Bridge Programs and the capital programs for the MBTA, the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA), and the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) for the MPO’s consideration.

TIP Document  Preparation and Endorsement: Staff prepares a draft TIP that maintains compliance with federal regulations and requirements for a 30-day public review and comment period. During the public comment period, MPO staff compiles and summarizes comments on the draft TIP and relays the comments to the MPO for its consideration before endorsing the final TIP document.

Amendments and Administrative Modifications: In a typical year, various projects experience cost or schedule changes that require an amendment or administrativemodification to the TIP. MPO staff manages all public review processes regarding TIP amendments and administrative modifications, including posting TIP materials on the website.

For these actions, MPO staff collects information on the project(s) involved, the change (s) needed, and the reason(s) for the change(s). Staff prepares draft TIP tables that reflect the proposed changes and indicate their rationale. Staff briefs the MPO on the proposed changes to the TIP. The MPO reviews, discusses, and takes appropriate action regarding public review of the proposed changes. Staff also compiles and summarizes comments on the proposed amendment. MPO staff relays public comments to the MPO for its consideration prior to endorsement of the TIP amendment. Staff estimates as many as six amendments and/or administrative modifications to the FFYs 2016–19 TIP during FFY 2016.

Implementing Performance-Based Planning: The FFYs 2017–20 TIP will continue to report on the MPO’s implementation of its performance-based planning program and the results of tracking trends in the region. Staff has dedicated Chapter 4 of the TIP document to reporting on the progress of performance-based planning. This chapter tracks trends for safety and system preservation measures and establishes baselines for measures other goal areas, such as congestion. It also demonstrates that the MPO investments through the TIP are making progress toward these goals. For example, for safety, MPO staff will account for investments that have a significant impact on reducing crash severity across modes. The FFYs 2017–20 TIP will seek to further develop the performance-based planning process by monitoring trends and setting targets.

Not Applicable The FFYs 2017–20 TIP, and amendments and administrative modifications to the FFYs 2016–19 TIP, will be prepared as described above. The interactive TIP database for tracking projects will be maintained and enhanced to support the development and tracking of performance measures. The performance-based planning process will expand the tracking of performance measures and initiate the discussion of setting targets.   This project is supported by 3C planning support activities, air-quality conformity and support activities, the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project, and transportation equity and public outreach activities described in this chapter. MAPC work efforts related to the TIP are also presented in this chapter under MPO/MAPC Liaison and Support Activities. For information on performance-based planning activities being implemented as part of the LRTP, please see page 5-XX.
Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Unified Planning Work Program [CTPS] Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements 10104 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable The Boston Region MPO produces an annual Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). This document outlines the transportation-planning activity for all surface-transportation modes that is expected to be undertaken in the region during a given federal fiscal year. It also includes detailed budget information on the expenditure of federal planning funds.

The MPO’s UPWP development and implementation activities are focused on 1) complying with federal regulations and requirements; and 2) supporting a framework that provides the MPO with information needed for planning processes and activities in pursuit of its vision, goals, and objectives. MPO staff prepares materials for and coordinates all phases of this work, including soliciting, evaluating, and recommending study ideas; conducting background research; preparing budgets and project descriptions; coordinating document development with the MPO’s UPWP Committee; responding to federal guidance; and preparing draft and final documents. MPO staff members are responsible for coordinating public participation in the UPWP process, distributing the draft UPWP, preparing the final UPWP, and making administrative modifications and amendments as needed. MPO staff also prepares quarterly reports on the implementation of the UPWP.
Not Applicable ·  Amendments and administrative modifications to the FFY 2016 UPWP, as necessary
·  Development  of, and public outreach for, the FFY 2017 UPWP, as described  above
·  Planning for relevant meetings
·  Quarterly implementation reports for the FFY 2016 UPWP
·  Other information materials as needed
Note: This project is supported by 3C planning support activities, the Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats project, and transportation equity and public outreach activities described in this chapter. MAPC work efforts related to the UPWP are also presented in this chapter. Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Unified Planning Work Program [MAPC] Not Applicable Chapter 5, Certification Requirements MAPC3 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable This UPWP task supports MAPC’s management and oversight of UPWP-funded planning studies, projects, and programs, which includes preparing updates and budget information in monthly reports to MassDOT. MAPC also assists with the annual development of the UPWP and supports, in coordination with MassDOT and CTPS, the development of UPWP project ideas and specific work scopes. Through community liaison and subregional support activities, MAPC staff also will help communities identify and develop studies to be included in the UPWP. Not Applicable  MAPC staff will prepare UPWP project listings and monthly reports on UPWP activities. MAPC will provide assistance with the annual development of the UPWP and support for the development of specific project proposals and work scopes. Staff will also provide assistance to communities in identifying and developing studies to be included in the UPWP through community liaison and subregional support activities. This project supports CTPS UPWP activities presented in this chapter. Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined

 

 

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6   Planning Studies

 

The projects in this chapter are planning studies that will be conducted during federal fiscal year 2016. They are technical in nature and may include support for larger projects that are described in Appendix A: Other Boston Region Transportation-Planning Projects.

Budget information for these projects will be added once the MPO has approved a draft FFY 2016 UPWP budget for public review.New discrete studies will be added to this chapter upon approval by the MPO.

 

TABLE 6-1: Planning Studies

Project Name General Project Name UPWP Chapter/Project Group Project ID Staff Client Status (Percent Complete) Total Project Budget General Project Description Project Description General Project FFY 2016 Activities and Expected Work Products FFY 2016 Activities and Expected Work Products Relationship to Other UPWP Projects General Project FHWA/FTA Grant Application Task and Element Project FHWA/FTA Grant Application Task and Element FFY 2016 Project Budget FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by CTPS FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by MAPC FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by MassDOT FFY 2016 Budget: PL Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MPO Section 5303 Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: SPR Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MassDOT Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MassDOT Section 5303 Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MBTA Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: Other Funding for Project
Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways: FFY 2015 Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 13266 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO 98% $110,000 Not applicable During MPO outreach, MAPC subregional groups identify transportation problems and issues that concern them, often which relate to bottlenecks or lack of safe access to transportation facilities in their areas. 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 will identify priority arterial roadway segments in the MPO region, emphasizing issues identified by the relevant subregional groups, and will develop recommendations. Staff will pay particular attention to transit service, the nonmotorized modes, and truck activity along these arterial segments. Staff will 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
·  Location and management of pedestrian crossings and signals, including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements
·  Travel-lane utilization by motorized and bicycle traffic
·  Speed-limit assessment
·  Access management

These improvements will provide a guide to designing and implementing a “complete street” corridor and could be recommended to implementing agencies and funded through various federal, state, and local sources, separately or in combination.

The Boston Region MPO has conducted Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways studies as part of the FFY 2013, 2014, and 2015  UPWPs. In FFY 2015, the MPO selected the Summer Street/Rockland Street/George Washington Boulevard corridor in Hingham and Hull as a study location. MPO staff will complete its recommendations and documentation for this corridor in FFY 2016.
Not Applicable Complete development of recommendations and documentation for the Summer Street/Rockland Street/George Washington Boulevard corridor in Hingham and Hull. Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities  Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 13208 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable MPO staff supports the MPO’s and the region’s needs for bicycle and pedestrian planning through ongoing data collection, analysis, and technical assistance. In addition to the items listed below, during the federal fiscal year, other bicycle and pedestrian planning studies often are identified collaboratively by MPO members, communities, bicycle and pedestrian advisory groups, and CTPS. Not Applicable Technical assistance, data collection, analysis, review of materials, and attendance at state, regional, and local forums and committee meetings. Tasks not related directly to separate studies or activities may include the following:
· Coordinate with state agencies, MAPC, other MPOs, the Safe Routes to School   Program at MassRIDES, WalkBoston, MassBike, Livable Streets, municipalities, and other groups regarding bicycle and pedestrian planning for the region.
· Collect data on bicycle and pedestrian volumes at selected on-road and off-road facilities.
· Examine bicycle and pedestrian crash data at the intersection, corridor, and regional level. This work supports the development of strategies to address bicycle and pedestrian safety problems.
· Provide ongoing technical support on current tools and practices to communities on bicycle and pedestrian issues with a particular focus on promoting safety.
· Conduct technical analyses to quantify the impacts of proposed bicycle facilities, including air quality improvements, reductions in vehicle miles traveled, and parking needs.
· Examine potential routes, both on- and off-road, to increase the connectivity of the existing transportation system, including trails, on-road facilities, and public  transit.
· Consider development of future possible strategic bicycle and pedestrian safety plans.
Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Congestion Management Process  Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 11123 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable The MPO’s Congestion Management Process (CMP) is a federally mandated requirement that seeks to monitor congestion, mobility, and safety needs and recommend appropriate strategies. The CMP is developed in an integrated manner along with the MPO’s certification documents—the LRTP, TIP, and UPWP—to ensure cohesive strategy evaluation and implementation. In the Boston Region MPO area, the CMP follows federal guidelines and recommendations from the MPO’s CMP committee to fulfill the following activities:

 ·  Set goals, objectives, and performance measures
 ·  Identify congested locations
·  Determine the causes of congestion
·  Develop alternative strategies to mitigate congestion
·  Evaluate the strategies’ potential for efficacy
·   Recommend the strategies that best address the causes and impacts of congestion
·  Coordinate with and support development of the TIP, LRTP, and UPWP
·  Create needs priorities for planning studies

Depending upon CMP committee recommendations, monitoring and analysis will continue for highways, arterial roads, park-and-ride lots, freight movements, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. CMP activities will include using electronic travel-time and speed data to monitor roadways, identifying existing conditions, and recommending appropriate improvements in accordance with federal guidelines.
Not Applicable CMP activities will include monitoring, assessing needs, and recommending strategies for multimodal facilities and services, including:
·  Using electronic travel-time and speed data to monitor MPO arterials and  freeways
·  Mapping and tabulating electronic data for analysis and performance evaluation
·  Coordinating with the MPO’s certification activities (UPWP, TIP and LRTP)
·  Supporting the CMP committee of the MPO
Note: This project informs decisions related to the LRTP and the TIP and identifies areas requiring additional study through the UPWP. Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Core Capacity Constraints Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 23326 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO 90% $120,000 Not applicable The transportation system, which encompasses the roadway network and the MBTA transit system, is heavily used within the city of Boston and its immediately surrounding communities—the metropolitan region’s core area. Congested roadways and a crowded transit system result from density of land use, trip-making activity associated with different land-use types, and the capacity of each transportation mode to handle trip making during specific times of day.

In this study, MPO staff will complete work begun in FFY 2015 to examine existing and future conditions of the transportation system in the core area, its ability to accommodate future growth, and the effect of major developments on the transportation system. This analysis will support long-range planning and improvement activities by highlighting existing and future capacity problems. Currently, municipalities require developers to take measures to offset and mitigate problems caused by their projects. This study also will examine how different stakeholders in the core area identify and implement mitigation measures, including the processes for directing funds to the appropriate agencies that oversee each transportation mode.
Not Applicable Finalize presentations and memoranda analyzing how existing and projected conditions will affect the roadway and transit system in the study area, and examining existing practices for mitigating the impact of transportation development on the transit system. Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Opportunities for and Impediments to Creating Transit-Oriented Development   Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies  Chapter 6, Planning Studies MAPC4 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  This UPWP task includes funding to support MAPC’s work on several corridor and subarea studies in the region. Some of these projects will be funded jointly through the UPWP and the District Local Technical Assistance program. Funding amount: To be determined.

MAPC will continue planning work that can support transit-oriented development (TOD). MAPC will use demographic data to identify two or three existing transit stations (subway or commuter rail) or high-volume bus corridors that have the potential to support TOD. MAPC will analyze these sites and identify their development potential, along with impediments to development. Factors that may affect the potential for TOD include existing zoning, inadequate pedestrian connections, outdated parking requirements, existing levels of travel demand management (TDM) implementation, and infrastructure elements. MAPC will offer recommendations about how to improve the sites’ potential for TOD. Where applicable, MAPC will conduct a market analysis to determine whether the market can support additional development at the chosen station areas or corridors. Where appropriate, MAPC will work with the MBTA, CTPS, MassDOT, EOHED, DCAMM, land owners, and the municipalities in which the stations or corridors are located.

Not Applicable Analysis to identify transit stations or bus corridors with the potential to support TOD, market analysis, mapping and visualization products, demographic and vehicle-miles-traveled data for chosen station areas or corridors, community engagement, recommendations to overcome impediments to TOD, and technical support to municipalities Not Applicable To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Right Size Parking Calculator  Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies  Chapter 6, Planning Studies MAPC4 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  This UPWP task includes funding to support MAPC’s work on several corridor and subarea studies in the region. Some of these projects will be funded jointly through the UPWP and the District Local Technical Assistance program. Funding amount: To be determined

MAPC will continue creating and refining an online parking calculator that would provide MassDOT, MBTA, municipalities, developers, non-profits, and the general public with information to better understand the parking supply and demand of multi-family housing developments in the region. This project could benefit air quality and reduce congestion by providing information that municipalities and developers can use when deciding whether to reduce the total number of parking spaces required as a component of a new development. In locations where parking requirements are reduced, the number of households with one or more vehicles could decline, resulting in higher percentages of walking, biking, and transit ridership.

Parking also has a direct impact on overall development costs, and can hinder developers looking to construct multi-family housing from investing in a particular area. A better understanding of parking supply and demand could help communities achieve a parking balance, and thereby assist in the state’s goal of creating 10,000 new housing units each year.

MAPC has gathered data in Malden, Chelsea, Everett, and Revere. This body of work seeks to expand data collection to other community types and refine analysis of parking utilization relative to parking supply. As part of this work, MAPC will research how traffic circulation might be affected because of changes in parking availability across various community types. This research may involve coordination with CTPS. MAPC also will educate municipal decision makers, developers, and the public about the impact of parking locally and regionally. 
Not Applicable Coordinating with municipalities, identifying residential properties from which to collect data, collecting off-street residential parking utilization data, analyzing data, reporting findings, and building a web portal to host reporting tools and an interactive calculator. This calculator would allow users to identify the amount of parking needed for new residential development by community type. Conducting parking-related educational activities for municipal decision makers, developers, and the public. Researching the relationship between parking availability and impacts on traffic circulation. Not Applicable To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Local Parking Management Plans in Selected Communities  Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies  Chapter 6, Planning Studies MAPC4 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  This UPWP task includes funding to support MAPC’s work on several corridor and subarea studies in the region. Some of these projects will be funded jointly through the UPWP and the District Local Technical Assistance program. Funding amount: To be determined

 MAPC will work with selected municipalities to develop local parking-management plans to provide better parking availability to stimulate local economic prosperity, reduce congestion caused by circling vehicles, and help municipalities plan for greater land-use density by decreasing parking ratios. The goal of this work program is to address the problems municipalities face from not managing their parking supply in commercial and mixed-used areas. This work would benefit local air quality and congestion by managing parking supply and demand and creating places where people can park once, then walk to multiple destinations. In locations where parking requirements can be reduced, the number of households with one or more vehicles could decline, which could result in higher percentages of walking, biking, and transit ridership.
Not Applicable Parking utilization data collection, analysis of data, and recommendations to municipalities in the form of a report with pricing and parking-management solutions. Not applicable To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Corridor Level Transportation and Land-Use Planning  Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies  Chapter 6, Planning Studies MAPC4 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  This UPWP task includes funding to support MAPC’s work on several corridor and subarea studies in the region. Some of these projects will be funded jointly through the UPWP and the District Local Technical Assistance program. Funding amount: To be determined.

MAPC will work in two-to-three selected roadway corridors to coordinate transportation planning conducted by MassDOT, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), and/or municipalities with local land-use planning to achieve livability and smart growth goals.
Not Applicable Coordination between agencies and municipalities, recommendations for roadway improvements and coordinated land-use planning, solutions documented in reports or memoranda.
Not applicable To be determined Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Fairmount Line Station Access Analysis Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 11249 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO 75% $40,000 Not applicable The 9.2-mile Fairmount Line is an MBTA commuter rail service running from South Station in Boston’s central business district (CBD) to Readville, passing through the following neighborhoods: Downtown Boston, South Boston, Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, and Hyde Park. Until 2012, there were only four stations outside of Boston’s CBD: Uphams Corner, Morton Street, Fairmount, and Readville. As part of the Fairmount Line Improvements Program, the MBTA opened three new stations: Talbot Avenue, Newmarket, and Four Corners/Geneva. There are plans to construct a fourth station at Blue Hill Avenue. The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and other entities are engaged in various planning activities for the Fairmount Line Corridor. These activities include a corridorwide study and plans to improve connections between stations—particularly Uphams Corner, Four Corners/Geneva, and Blue Hill
Avenue—and their surrounding neighborhoods.

In this study, MPO staff will build upon this planning work by analyzing safety problems and other possible impediments to bicycle and pedestrian access to as many as four Fairmount Line stations that have not been or are not currently being studied. Using this analysis, MPO staff will generate recommendations for improving bicycle and pedestrian connections to these stations. This study will also build on a previous MPO study of bicycle and pedestrian access for the Morton Street station. These results could provide valuable information for the City of Boston and others in their ongoing efforts to support the success of the Fairmount Line and the surrounding corridor. This work could also enhance transportation access for neighboring communities, including for low-income and minority populations and for those with limited English proficiency, in the vicinity of the Fairmount Line.
Not Applicable • Continue analyzing bicycle and pedestrian impediments for accessing Fairmount Line stations
• Develop recommendations for improving network connections
• Create presentations and memoranda
Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Green Line Extension: Completion of New Starts Analysis  Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 22336 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 93% $271,740 Not applicable This project will provide planning and modeling assistance to the MBTA, which has completed a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) New Starts submission for the Green Line Extension, but is required to provide information to track its performance before and after construction. This transit capital project will include extension of Green Line service from a relocated Lechmere Station through Cambridge to Somerville and Medford, with a spur to Union Square in Somerville. In January 2015, the MBTA and the US Department of Transportation Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) signed a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA), which establishes the scope of federal participation in the Green Line Extension project.

CTPS will continue to provide needed analytic support for state and federal documents related to the Green Line Extension.
Not Applicable CTPS will continue to support the MBTA as the Green Line Extension project advances, will respond to FTA requests as needed, and will produce memoranda  as requested and required. CTPS will answer any questions the FTA may have about results of the travel demand analysis. This work relates to a recommended, regionally significant project that is identified in the LRTP and included in the MBTA’s Program for Mass Transportation (PMT). Please see Appendix A for additional information.
Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 I-93/I-95 Interchange Improvements North of Boston:  Modeling Support  Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 73216 Central Transportation Planning Staff MassDOT 79% $157,000 Not applicable The I-93/I-95 interchange north of Boston was built in the early 1970s using then-current design standards and serving substantially lower volumes than do the roadways today. As the number of vehicles increases, so does congestion, especially that caused by merging and weaving. This interchange has been ranked among the five worst crash sites in Massachusetts in terms of safety between 2006 and 2010. As part of the processes required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), and to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), MassDOT’s Highway Division will examine three projects to improve the I-93/I-95 interchange in the towns of Reading, Stoneham, and Wakefield, and the city of Woburn:

·  Redesigning the interchange
·  Widening the Washington Street Bridge
·  Adding a lane on I-95 northbound between Exit 37 and Exit 40

CTPS will model and analyze a set of alternatives, including interchange,  transit service,  and other types of improvements, using the Boston Region MPO’s regional travel demand model set.
Not Applicable Tasks associated with this project will be conducted as requested by MassDOT. See Appendix A for additional information.  Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Land Use Development Project Reviews Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies MAPC5 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable This UPWP task supports MAPC’s review of potential development projects in the region. In particular, projects will be reviewed for consistency with MetroFuture, impacts on the transportation network and projects identified in the TIP and LRTP, and for consistency with the MPO’s livability goals and the Commonwealth’s sustainable-development principles.

MAPC tracks all projects reviewed in the region under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), and provides a regional-planning analysis to the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs for all developments considered to have significant impact. Special attention is given to local zoning ordinances and regulations that serve to reduce auto travel by encouraging carpooling, transit, and other travel- demand management techniques. MAPC also will recommend appropriate mitigation measures. MAPC coordinates these reviews with MassDOT, and works with MassDOT to identify updated requirements to be included in Transportation Impact Assessments that developers must conduct.

MAPC also reviews notices of offered railroad property from MassDOT, consults with municipalities as necessary, and provides appropriate input. Often, these notices involve rail trails, but they also may involve other types of proposed developments.
Not Applicable Analysis and write-up of MEPA reviews, development of mitigation recommendations, coordination with municipalities and transportation agencies, maintenance and updates of MAPC’s development database, and input into the project evaluations for the TIP and LRTP. In addition, MAPC will continue to review and respond to notices of offered railroad property.
Not applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
MassDOT Highway Division On-Call Modeling Support Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 73220 Central Transportation Planning Staff MassDOT Contract $400,000 Not applicable For the past few years, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), Highway Division, has employed CTPS to provide travel demand modeling support and planning assistance for a number of its projects, each of which has necessitated creating either a new contract or a contract amendment. In an effort to streamline the process, MassDOT’s Highway Division will create a general on-call contract to engage CTPS’ services for three years to provide necessary assistance to MassDOT Highway Division projects.

Note: This UPWP entry reflects a contract that will include multiple individual projects or tasks.
Not Applicable CTPS will support MassDOT and its study teams in planning work associated with its bridge project management, and other projects, producing necessary memoranda and data upon request. Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Massport Technical Assistance: SFY 2015-17 Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 22125 Central Transportation Planning Staff Massport Contract $50,000 Not applicable CTPS will provide technical assistance to Massport’s Department of Economic Planning and Development, which will support Massport in its desire to examine and improve ground-access options. Activities may include support for Logan Airport ground-access planning, ground-access model development, and related data-collection and analysis; analysis related to Logan Airport; air-quality analysis, and support for additional, to-be- determined transportation-planning activities. This work may be redirected or modified in response to emerging issues.

Note: This UPWP entry reflects a contract that will include multiple individual projects or tasks.
Not Applicable Work activities and products will be determined by Massport. Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
McGrath Boulevard Area Traffic Analysis: Modeling Support Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 22208 Central Transportation Planning Staff MassDOT 95% $127,950 Not applicable East Somerville and other areas near Route 28 are sites of much existing and future residential, commercial, and industrial development that is important to overall development in the Boston metropolitan region. Access to and within this corridor and surrounding areas, including open space and connections to Boston’s core, is very important for the corridor’s development and residents’ quality of life.


Concerns about the corridor’s accessibility led to a recent MassDOT study, guided by the Route 28 Corridor Advisory Committee. One result of this extensive study and research was a decision to redesign Route 28 as a “boulevard” type roadway similar to the segment of Massachusetts Avenue between Harvard Square and Porter Square in Cambridge. The design currently includes a median with landscaping, street furniture, and wide sidewalks.

CTPS has been tasked to use the regional travel demand model to examine traffic capacity and traffic patterns associated with the boulevard reconfiguration scenarios.
Not Applicable CTPS will continue to support MassDOT and the study team, and will produce memoranda upon request.
Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MetroFuture Implementation  Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies MAPC6 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable This UPWP task will continue to support implementation of the local transportation and land-use elements of MetroFuture—the comprehensive land-use plan for Metro Boston—by increasing community engagement in MAPC’s local planning work with emphasis on reaching diverse groups of people. It also will identify transportation and land-use best practices by evaluating the different approaches and strategies used in MAPC’s work, and through case studies of positive models from around the region.

Building Constituencies for Local Decisions that Enable Livable Communities and Sustainable Transportation: MAPC will continue to work with municipal officials and residents at the local level to seek changes in land use that will support livable communities and sustainable transportation. This will include engaging the public in planning and dialogue that enhances corridor planning, identifying priority development and preservation areas, and other decision making to enhance the land-use/transportation connection.

Honing MAPC’s Practice of Planning for Livable Communities and Sustainable Transportation: MAPC will evaluate the approaches, strategies, and implementation status of its transportation and land-use planning work, with particular emphasis on bicycle, pedestrian, and parking studies implementing these plans’ recommendations can take time and typically rely on local, municipal actions. MAPC will conduct interviews with municipal staff to assess progress toward implementing the plans’ recommendations, identify any barriers that exist, and document successes across the region. Lessons learned will be documented in a fashion that will facilitate their application to future work of a similar nature.

Research and Policy Development that Support Livable Communities and Sustainable Transportation: Best practices and state policy that support sustainable land-use planning, including local and state practices from across the country, provide both ideas and “proof of concept.” MAPC will identify such best practices and employ appropriate means to promote their use in the region. Activities may include researching transportation funding strategies that are successfully employed in other parts of the country to assess their applicability in Massachusetts, as well as researching recent developments along major highways in our region to determine compatibility of land uses and the extent to which they advance MetroFuture goals and federal livability principles.

Updating MetroFuture Objectives and Strategies: As it nears its seventh anniversary, MetroFuture’s goals remain as “bold but achievable” as ever. However, intervening studies—including those undertaken as part of the Metro Boston Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant “gap-filling” activities, the Long Range Transportation Plan update, and greater data availability—make it incumbent upon MAPC to augment and update the objectives and strategies that were defined for each goal when MetroFuture was adopted in December 2008. This work will support updates in each component of the MetroFuture plan, with a specific emphasis on strategy number 12, Implement Coordinated Transportation and transportation content contained in other strategies. 
Not Applicable Public engagement, assessments of bicycle, pedestrian, and parking plans, case studies identifying best practices, and updated MetroFuture objectives and strategies.
Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment: FFY 2015 Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 13267 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO 98% $110,000 Not applicable The study of a roadway corridor or corridor segment is a logical way to address regional multimodal transportation needs, including those expected from potential
future developments. It allows a corridor to be evaluated comprehensively: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public-transportation users all are considered, using a holistic approach to the analyzing the problems and recommending associated improvements. Typically, this type of study is multimodal; it addresses issues, analyzes services, and makes recommendations for areas within the roadway’s right-of-way, accounting for the needs of abutters and other users.

Through this study, staff will recommend conceptual improvements for one or more corridors, or several small sections within a corridor, that the CMP and the LRTP identify as part of the needs-assessment process. Staff will select locations for study— considering municipal, subregional, and other public feedback—and collect data, conduct technical analysis, and develop recommendations for improvements. The recommendations will be forwarded to implementing agencies, which may choose to fund improvements through various federal, state, and local sources, separately or in combination.

The Boston Region MPO has conducted Priority Corridors for Long- Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Needs Assessment studies as part of the FFY 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 UPWPs.  In FFY 2015, the Boston Region MPO selected the Lynnway/Route 1A corridor in Lynn as a study location. MPO staff will complete the analysis of this corridor in FFY 2016. 
Not Applicable Study location selection, data collection, technocal analysis, development of recommendations for improvements, and creation of presentations and memoranda.  Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Route 3 Express Toll Lanes: Public-Private Partnership Study: Modeling Support Not Applicable Chapter 6, Planning Studies 73218 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO 81% $197,970 Not applicable MassDOT is studying ways to reduce the cost of adding roadway capacity by using private funding and electronic tolling technology to control traffic flow. For several years, traffic congestion has been increasing on Route 3 South, the segment of Route 3 that is south of the Braintree Split (the interchange of I-93/US Route 1 and Route 3). FHWA allowed temporary use of the breakdown lanes north of Route 18 to address this congestion. However, even with this accommodation, a traffic queue often builds in the northbound direction during the morning peak period between Interchange 15 (Derby Street) and Interchange 18 (Burgin Parkway/MBTA Quincy Adams Station). On the southbound side, a queue is common during the afternoon peak period from Interchange 17 onto the Southeast Expressway.

This MassDOT project will explore options for increasing traffic capacity and improving safety by reclaiming the breakdown lane as a shoulder and by adding express toll lanes along this stretch of the roadway. MassDOT tasked CTPS to provide modeling support for this project. These modeling activities will provide estimates of the changes in travel demand that would result from additions to the infrastructure of Route 3 South, and the impacts of those changes on traffic congestion.

Not Applicable CTPS will support MassDOT (and its project team) in this planning work. Memoranda and data will be produced upon request. Not Applicable Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined

 

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7   Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects

The projects in this chapter will be conducted during federal fiscal year 2016. They are technical in nature and may include support for larger projects, which are described in Appendix A: Other Boston Region Transportation-Planning Projects. Budget information for these projects will be added once the MPO has approved a draft FFY 2016 UPWP budget for public review.New discrete studies will be added to this chapter upon approval by the MPO.

 

 

TABLE 7-1: Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects       

Project Name General Project Name UPWP Chapter/Project Group Project ID Staff Client Status (Percent Complete) Total Project Budget General Project Description Project Description General Project FFY 2016 Activities and Expected Work Products FFY 2016 Activities and Expected Work Products Relationship to Other UPWP Projects General Project FHWA/FTA Grant Application Task and Element Project FHWA/FTA Grant Application Task and Element FFY 2016 Project Budget FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by CTPS FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by MAPC FFY 2016 Budget: Funding Received by MassDOT FFY 2016 Budget: PL Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MPO Section 5303 Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: SPR Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MassDOT Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MassDOT Section 5303 Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: MBTA Funding for Project FFY 2016 Budget: Other Funding for Project
 Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects MAPC7 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable MAPC provides alternative-mode transportation-planning support to the Boston Region MPO and municipalities that focuses on non-single-occupant vehicle modes. This work benefits bicycle and pedestrian transportation, encourages transit in areas currently underserved by existing regional transit authorities (RTAs), and identifies and supports transportation-demand management (TDM) strategies.

Transportation Management Association Support ($XX,XXX): MAPC will continue to work with various Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) in the region. MAPC will support municipal and business participation in TMAs and help TMAs to expand services for first-mile and last-mile connections to transit. MAPC work will include facilitating development of technology to increase transit ridership, participating in regional committees and meetings, analyzing corridor-level data to support planning, and coordinating meetings and events to encourage increased local participation. This work will be integrated with CTPS, MassDOT, MassRIDES, and MassCommute activities.

Bike Share Program Implementation ($XX,XXX): MAPC will continue to work with the Cities of Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville, and the Town of Brookline to implement the regional Hubway Bike Share system, expanding the system within these municipalities and to neighboring cities and towns such as Watertown, Newton, and Winthrop. Seed funding for the program came from the MPO’s Clean Air and Mobility Program, a separate FTA Bus Livability award, and local support from the municipalities. In order to implement the system more fully, MAPC will continue to support the municipalities in their planning.

Local Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans and Technical Assistance in Selected Communities ($XX,XXX): MAPC will continue to work with selected municipalities to develop local bicycle and pedestrian plans. MAPC will provide technical support to identify implementable steps that the municipalities, MassDOT, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), and other entities could take to advance bicycleand pedestrian infrastructure in specific locations. MAPC also will provide small-scale technical assistance to municipalities that are seeking support. This work continues the implementation efforts of the MPO’s 2007 Regional Bicycle Plan and 2010 Regional Pedestrian Plan.

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure ($XX,XXX): MAPC will work with municipalities in the Inner Core to plan for electric-vehicle infrastructure. In coordination with MassDOT and the Department of Energy Resources, MAPC will help cities and towns plan for electric-vehicle charging stations, provide these municipalities with data to understand the market for electric vehicles, and help them draft policies to support electric vehicles and infrastructure.

Regional Greenway Planning and Mapping ($XX,XXX): MAPC will continue to work with MassDOT, CTPS, municipalities, and trail organizations to better develop and implement portions of a regional bicycle and pedestrian network of off- and on-road connections (a greenway) that form a contiguous system around greater Boston. In 2015, MAPC—working with the above-cited partners—developed the branding of this system, called the LandLine. Trail development is increasingly frequent in most communities in the Boston region. The trails consist of shared-use paths along former railroad rights-of-way, hiking trails through conservation land, and historic corridors connecting points of interest. The binding theme of the proposed and completed corridors is creating attractive places to walk, bike, or otherwise travel through low- or no-traffic green areas. These greenways often are local in nature; however, if all of these separate projects could be brought into a regional system, a world-class regional network could be created.

Not Applicable Data collection, research and analysis to support TMAs; completed bicycle and pedestrian plans in selected municipalities, technical support for bicycle and pedestrian improvements; support for regional trail and greenway development; implementation of the regional bike share program; research and recommendations to support electric-vehicle infrastructure. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 13150,
MAPC9 
Central Transportation Planning Staff & Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable Community officials often identify transportation issues of concern about which they would like to have technical advice. In this program, a team of CTPS and MAPC engineers and planners will meet with community officials to learn more about specific problems and provide advice on next steps on issues that the community may have identified, such as those related to parking, traffic calming, walking, bicycling, and bus stops. In many cases, there will be a site visit to better understand the potential problem, review existing data, and make suggestions on further data that may be needed. General types of solutions, along with appropriate follow-up and contact information, might be recommended. Descriptions of the various planning processes at MassDOT, the MBTA, the MPO, and MAPC, and guidance on how communities can get involved, might also be provided. Technical assistance activities may produce conceptual designs for some project locations. This program is a mechanism for providing quick-response advice to communities for resolving the issues they have identified.

This work will advance the MPO’s goals for system preservation, modernization, and efficiency; mobility; and land use and economic development. It will be consistent with the MPO’s Congestion Management Process (CMP) and other staff-identified needs. It also will include a safety component in which staff will respond to community requests to conduct analyses at crash locations and recommend possible mitigation strategies.
Not Applicable In early FFY 2016, staff will solicit town technical assistance requests. The number of technical assistance cases will depend on the funding amount, and MAPC and CTPS will coordinate and collaborate on a case-by-case basis. CTPS and MAPC will field and prioritize each service request, and expect to spend three to four weeks working on community technical assistance requests that are selected for funding. Professional teams will be dispatched to client municipalities, and memoranda on the consultations will document the work, recommendations, and outcomes. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Freight Planning Support: FFY 2016 Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 11145 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing To be determined Not applicable As part of its FFY 2014 UPWP, the Boston Region Metropolitan Organization established a formal freight-planning program. The freight analysis within the framework of this program will be ongoing, and conducted on a multiyear basis. InSeptember 2013, MPO staff proposed a Freight Planning Action Plan, which presented possible studies for one or more of the MPO’s freight planning goals (“Proposed Freight Planning Action Plan for the Boston Region MPO: Meeting the Goals and Addressing the Issues,” memorandum, Boston Region MPO, September 12, 2013.) The goals for MPO freight planning are to:

·  Fulfill the Boston Region MPO’s freight-planning needs
·  Complement state and other official planning efforts
·  Study specific freight-related issues
·  Fulfill new analysis requirements of the current federal surface transportation legislation
·  Address the lack of freight data for the MPO region, including developing enhanced technical capabilities for MPO staff to use in estimating freight demand

The MPO’s FFY 2015 freight-planning activities included analyzing truck traffic serving the South Boston waterfront, and collecting freight data to support MPO model development. The MPO will look to the Freight Planning Action Plan to determine future activities for the MPO’s freight-planning program. In its freight-planning activities, MPO staff will incorporate input from stakeholders who represent the freight-shipping community in the Boston region to learn about obstacles and transportation needs for freight movement.

Not Applicable Potential issues to study are documented in the FFY 2013 Freight-Planning Action Plan. MPO staff will collect data, conduct analysis, and develop recommendations and documentation, as appropriate to the study topics. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Household-Survey-Based Travel Profiles and Trends: Selected Policy Topics Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 11152 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO 98% $75,000 Not applicable In 2011, the Massachusetts Travel Survey obtained travel information from about 15,000 households across the state—10,400 of them located in the Boston Region MPO model region. A similar survey, administered only in the Boston region, had been performed in 1991. These kinds of travel surveys generally are performed primarily to obtain data with which to build or rebuild travel models; and Boston Region MPO staff indeed are engaged in rebuilding the MPO’s model set with the data from the 2011 survey.

In addition to their use in model building, the data from these household travel surveys make up a rich source of information about the travel behavior of Massachusetts households, and as such, provide an opportunity for MPO staff and others to gain valuable insights that are particularly useful in the transportation-planning process. To that end, the FFY 2013 UPWP contained a study entitled Household-Survey-Based Travel Profiles and Trends that was intended to be the first step in “mining” the information from the 2011 survey; however, it actually went further than that. Ultimately, this study yielded a general profile of household travel behavior as measured in 2011 and compared the characteristics of work trips reported and described in 2011 to those reported in the earlier 1991 survey.

With the initial study of the 2011 travel survey completed, MPO staff began a second, more selective study during FFY 2015 and will continue this work in FFY 2016. In this study, selected topics of policy, programming, or other areas of interest to the MPO will serve as the basis to explore the 2011 survey data further. In all cases, the object will be to examine the survey data for insights about travel behavior that then could be used by the MPO to inform its decision making when developing policies and funding projects and programs in the LRTP and TIP. In each case, the deliverable will be a report documenting staff’s findings and their implications.
Not Applicable Continued analysis of Massachusetts Travel Survey data to answer research questions about policy, programming, and other topics of interest to the MPO. Development of memoranda and presentations. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Intercity Bus and Rail Maps Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 14344 Central Transportation Planning Staff MassDOT  43% $110,270 Not applicable CTPS has developed a series of new rail and bus network maps for New England, including a comprehensive transit map of all New England, individual maps of each New England state, and a web-based schematic map of New England. MassDOT has asked CTPS to continue producing versions of these maps for the MassDOT website and to keep the maps up to date.
Not Applicable Explore accessibility issues and develop web-based versions of the already-created New England transit maps that are accessible to all, including those with visual, cognitive, or other disabilities and individuals who speak other languages, etc). Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
Land Use Data for Transportation Modeling  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects MAPC10 Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable In FFY 2016, MAPC will support the MPO’s planning and decision making by helping CTPS staff to develop and implement the land-use allocation model and to conduct analysis supporting transportation modeling and project evaluation.

Land Use Allocation Model Development: MAPC will continue to participate in integrating a land-use allocation model with the regional transportation-demand model, working closely with CTPS and MassDOT.

Development Database: MAPC will continue to monitor development projects that are being planned across the region. MAPC has created an interactive website to work closely with its municipal partners.
Not Applicable  Operational land-use allocation model, data development and analysis, documentation, and mapping products to support advanced transportation modeling. This project supports Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) development activities and regional travel demand modeling activities presented in Chapter 5.  Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Livable Community Workshop Program Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 13801,
MAPC8
Central Transportation Planning Staff & Metropolitan Area Planning Council Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable This program furthers the goals of the state’s Healthy Transportation Compact and federal guidance, which encourages MPOs to think about how the built environment, mobility, affordability, health, and quality of life in a community are related to one another. This means offering information, analysis, and technical assistance from a number of different perspectives, such as active transportation, transit, parking, air quality, environment, land use, transit-oriented development, urban design, and public health. The program seeks to support livability via workshops and online resources, described below.

Workshops: MAPC and CTPS will identify communities to participate in the workshops through regional forums and discussions at subregional meetings. MAPC and CTPS
will work with municipalities interested in promoting livability locally. They will conduct a “livability” assessment and then, with this information, conduct a workshop with local planning staff and residents to identify short- and long-term recommendations that will improve livability in the municipality. These may include specific steps to facilitate active transportation modes, access to transit (if applicable), and coordinated land use and transportation solutions. Staff will update and develop toolkits on topics such as parking policies, complete streets, funding opportunities, public engagement, and
transit-oriented development. In addition, because the workshops will seek to involve people with a broad range of interests and expertise (elected officials, planning and health boards, conservation commissions, public safety, public works and school representatives, engineering departments, chambers of commerce and businesses, community groups, and interested individuals), it is hoped that the workshops would stimulate community-based discussion of other livability-related topics and locally based actions.

Online Resources: Staff will update and expand the MPO Livability Indicators Database. The database serves as an online resource for exploring data associated with livability throughout the Boston region. The database provides access to data, by municipality, related to demographics, transportation options, existing transportation patterns, and other topics related to livability. The purpose is to facilitate a better understanding of the conditions that support livability. Staff will conduct research, provide analysis, and update the indicators.
Not Applicable · Outreach through regional forums and local workshops to be held in selected MPO municipalities
· Livability analysis of selected areas
· Recommendations and ideas for municipalities to use to improve local livability
· Updated Livability Indicators database
· Development and distribution of toolkits
Not Applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MassDOT Statewide Planning and Research Program Support Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Varies by Project Central Transportation Planning Staff MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning Contract $495,000 Not applicable CTPS provides support to MassDOT’s Statewide Planning and Research (SPR) Program as requested. This work includes studies, analyses, and technical assistance. Projects that are either underway or expected to begin during FFY 2016 are listed below. Other projects may be added during FFY 2016.

• 2015–16 I-93 North and Southeast Expressway High-occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane Monitoring
• Buzzards Bay Commuter Rail Extension
• Diversity Posters
• Everett Transit Study
• Ferry Compact
• Kendall Square Mobility Task Force
• MassDOT Green House Gas Strategies Phase II – Energy and Emissions
• Reduction Policy Analysis Tool (EERPAT) Strategy Testing
• MBTA Research of Survey Data
• Miscellaneous Graphics
• Program for Mass Transportation (PMT) Assistance and Support
• Road Inventory and Related Support Maintenance
• State Transportation Map Update
• Statewide Travel Model Assistance

Note: This UPWP entry reflects a contract that will include multiple individual projects or tasks.
Not Applicable Activities and work products will depend on tasks requested by MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning. Projects of appropriate scope will be submitted to the MPO before proceeding. See Appendix A for additional information on several of the projects described above. Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MassDOT Title VI Program: FFY 2014  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 13154 Central Transportation Planning Staff MassDOT 60% $169,900 Not applicable MassDOT, as a recipient of federal funds through both the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), is required to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, and English-language proficiency) and with protections enacted through several additional laws and executive orders that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender, age, income, and disability. CTPS will continue to provide technical support to MassDOT for ongoing development and implementation of its Title VI Program for both the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Not Applicable Staff will assist MassDOT in preparing its FFY 2016 Title VI/Nondiscrimination Program for FHWA and provide technical support to MassDOT as described above. For more information on Title VI efforts carried out by MPO staff, see Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting, Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support, MassDOT Title VI Program: FFY 2015, and MBTA Title VI Program Monitoring: FFY 2016. Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MassDOT Title VI Program: FFY 2015  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 13156 Central Transportation Planning Staff MassDOT 0% TBD Not applicable MassDOT , as a recipient of federal funds through both the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), is required to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, and English language proficiency) and with protections enacted through several additional laws and executive orders that prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender, age, income, and disability. CTPS will continue to provide technical support to MassDOT for ongoing development and implementation of its Title VI Program for both the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Not Applicable  Staff will provide technical support to MassDOT as described above. For more information on Title VI efforts carried out by MPO staff, see Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting, Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support, MassDOT Title VI Program: FFY 2014, and MBTA Title VI Program Monitoring: FFY 2016. Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MassDOT Transit Planning Assistance  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects Varies by Project Central Transportation Planning Staff MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning Contract $271,200 Not applicable CTPS provides transit-planning assistance to MassDOT and the MBTA by conducting various studies under MassDOT’s FTA-funded Section 5303 Program. This assistance may include:

• Short-term and ongoing analysis of projects and proposals, including travel-demand modeling, impact analyses, air quality analyses, traffic engineering analyses, and other types of quick-response analyses
• Preparation of supporting data, graphics, maps, and other materials for MassDOT studies and presentations
• Support of environmental document preparation for projects under development

Note: This UPWP entry reflects a contract that will include multiple individual projects or tasks.
Not Applicable Activities and work products will depend on tasks requested by MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning. Projects of appropriate scope will be submitted to the MPO before proceeding. Not Applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MBTA 2015 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 14341 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 97% $130,000 Not applicable For many years, in support of the MBTA’s National Transit Database (NTD) submittals to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), CTPS has produced estimates of passenger miles and boardings for MBTA services. This project will develop these estimates for:

1. Directly operated MBTA transportation modes (including motor bus, trackless trolley, heavy and light rail, and bus rapid transit).
2. Purchased-service bus routes (that is, local routes for which the MBTA contracts with a private carrier).

CTPS will also verify MBTA estimates of average passenger-trip length on its commuter-rail mode.

The data underlying these estimates are collected in various ways:

• Full-route ridechecks on buses used in contracted MBTA local bus service and trackless trolleys (Ridechecks refer to a method of collecting sample data with
one or more persons observing and recording passenger activities while riding in a transit vehicle.)
• MBTA automatic passenger counter (APC) data
• Electronic passenger fare-mix counts from automated fare-collection (AFC) faregates at heavy- and light-rail subway stations and fareboxes on motor bus and trackless-trolley routes
• Origin-destination information inferred from AFC data
• Commuter-rail ridership data from passenger counts conducted by the MBTA or its contractors, or from the MBTA’s mobile ticketing vendor
• Fare-mix counts from AFC faregates at stations and from fareboxes on vehicles
• Passenger surveys on the heavy-rail, light-rail, and gated portions of the bus rapid- transit systems to collect origin and destination information

The MBTA will be submitting its state fiscal year (SFY) 2015 National Transit Database estimates of passenger boardings and passenger miles for various transit modes to the FTA with the aid of CTPS during FFY 2016. The final technical memorandum will be completed in FFY 2016.

Not applicable Technical memorandum for the MBTA summarizing estimates of passenger miles and boardings for both purchased transportation services and directly operated bus, trackless trolley, and heavy- and light-rail services for SFY 2015 NTD reporting. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MBTA 2016 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 14345 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 5% $135,000 Not applicable For many years, in support of the MBTA’s National Transit Database (NTD) submittals to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), CTPS has produced estimates of passenger miles and boardings for MBTA services. This project will develop these estimates for:

1. Directly operated MBTA transportation modes (including motor bus, trackless trolley, heavy and light rail, and bus rapid transit).
2. Purchased-service bus routes (that is, local routes for which the MBTA contracts with a private carrier).

CTPS will also verify MBTA estimates of average passenger-trip length on its commuter-rail mode.

The data underlying these estimates will be collected in a variety of ways:
• Full-route ridechecks on buses used in contracted MBTA local bus service and trackless trolleys (Ridechecks refer to a method of collecting sample data with one or more persons observing and recording passenger activities while riding in a transit vehicle.)
• MBTA automatic passenger counter (APC) data
• Electronic passenger fare-mix counts from automated fare-collection (AFC) faregates at heavy- and light-rail subway stations and fareboxes on motor bus and trackless-trolley routes
• Origin-destination information inferred from AFC data
• Commuter-rail ridership data from passenger counts conducted by the MBTA or its contractors, or from the MBTA’s mobile ticketing vendor
• Fare-mix counts from AFT faregates at stations and from fareboxes on vehicles
• Passenger surveys on the heavy-rail, light-rail, and gated portions of the bus rapid- transit systems to collect origin and destination information

The MBTA will submit its state fiscal year (SFY) 2016 National Transit Database estimates of passenger boardings and passenger miles for various transit modes to the FTA with the aid of CTPS during FFY 2017. The final technical memorandum will be completed in FFY 2017.

Not Applicable In SFY 2016, CTPS will continue data collection begun in SFY 2015.

• Ridechecks will be conducted for the trackless-trolley and contracted local bus service portions of the SFY 2016 National Transit Database reporting. Ridecheck data to be collected for bus routes will include boardings and alightings by stop, farebox readings, trip-level travel times, departure and arrival times, and arrival times at intermediate stops.
• For heavy and light rail, origin-and-destination surveys will be conducted and fare-mix data will be obtained.
Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MBTA 2017 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects TBD Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 0% $135,000 Not applicable For many years, in support of the MBTA’s National Transit Database (NTD) submittals to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), CTPS has produced estimates of passenger miles and boardings for MBTA services. This project will develop these estimates for:

1. Directly operated MBTA transportation modes (including motor bus, trackless trolley, heavy and light rail, and bus rapid transit).
2. Purchased-service bus routes (that is, local routes for which the MBTAcontracts with a private carrier).

CTPS will also verify MBTA estimates of average passenger-trip length on its commuter rail mode.

The data underlying these estimates will be collected in a variety of ways:

• Full-route ridechecks on buses used in contracted MBTA local bus service and trackless trolleys (Ridechecks refer to a method of collecting sample data with one or more persons observing and recording passenger activities while riding in a transit vehicle.)
• MBTA automatic passenger counter (APC) data
• Electronic passenger fare-mix counts from automated fare-collection (AFC) faregates at heavy- and light-rail subway stations and fareboxes on motor bus and trackless-trolley routes
• Origin-destination information inferred from AFC data
• Commuter rail ridership data from passenger counts conducted by the MBTA or its contractors, or from the MBTA’s mobile ticketing vendor
• Fare-mix counts from AFC faregates at stations and from fareboxes on vehicles
• Passenger surveys on the heavy-rail, light-rail, and gated portions of the bus rapid-transit systems to collect origin and destination information

The MBTA will submit its state fiscal year (SFY) 2017 National Transit Database estimates of passenger boardings and passenger miles for various transit modes to the FTA with the aid of CTPS during FFY 2018. The final technical memorandum will be completed in FFY 2018.
Not Applicable CTPS will begin SFY 2017 data collection.
• Ridechecks will be conducted for the trackless-trolley and contracted local bus service portions of the SFY 2017 National Transit Database reporting. Ridecheck data to be collected for bus routes will include boardings and alightings by stop, farebox readings, trip-level travel times, departure and arrival times, and arrival times at intermediate stops.
• For heavy and light rail, origin-and-destination surveys will be conducted and fare-mix data will be obtained.
Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
MBTA Systemwide Passenger Survey Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 14346 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 0% $1,180,000 Not applicable In 2008–09, CTPS conducted the most recent set of comprehensive, onboard passenger surveys for the MBTA. The FTA requires that the MBTA collect information on its riders for use in Title VI analyses no less than every five years. The required information to be collected includes: race, color, national origin, English proficiency, language spoken at home, household income fare usage by fare type, and travel patterns. In this project, MPO staff will conduct a systemwide survey of the passengers who use rapid transit, bus, BRT, commuter rail, and water transportation services. The survey results also will provide the MBTA, other state and federal agencies, consultants, and the public, with more up-to-date data to support transportation-planning activities. Not Applicable CTPS will design and conduct the survey by mode, and will process the survey results. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
MBTA Review of Fare Structure, Tariffs, and Policy for SFY 2017 Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 11393 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 25% $100,000 Not applicable CTPS has provided technical assistance to the MBTA in forecasting potential ridership, revenue, air quality, and socioeconomic impacts of proposed changes in the MBTA’s fare structure and tariffs, for all fare increases since 1991. In federal fiscal year (FFY) 2016, CTPS will analyze the potential impacts of changes in fare structure and tariffs for a proposed MBTA state fiscal year (SFY) 2017 fare increase. CTPS will also conduct the FTA-required fare equity analysis.
Not Applicable Conduct analyses as requested. Participate in meetings, provide technical support, and develop documentation and other communication materials, as requested. Prepare final report of findings from the fare change analyses and the fare equity analysis. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MBTA 2016 Title VI Program Monitoring Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 11395 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 1% $67,000 Not applicable CTPS will provide the MBTA with technical assistance in collecting data on and conducting assessments of the level of service (LOS) provided in minority communities compared to nonminority areas to support the MBTA’s compliance with Title VI requirements. Data will be collected on service indicators such as
• Service coverage
• Vehicle load
• Vehicle headway
• On-time performance
• Station conditions and amenities
• Distribution and operability of automated fare collection (AFC) faregates and fare vending machines
• Distribution of AFC retail sales terminals
• Station elevator and escalator locations and operability
• Vehicle age and condition
These activities will help fulfill the monitoring required as part of the MBTA’s ongoing Title VI Program. The results of the analyses will be reported internally at the MBTA and will be folded into future triennial Federal Transit Administration (FTA) reporting.
Not Applicable CTPS will provide documentation of selected LOS evaluations for SFY 2016 MBTA revenue service and amenities. For more information on Title VI efforts carried out by MPO staff, see Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting, Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support, MassDOT Title VI Program: FFY 2014, and MassDOT Title VI Program: FFY 2015. Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MBTA Bus Service Data Collection VIII  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 11384 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 82% $450,000 Not applicable In order to assess bus service changes that are included in the biennial MBTA service plans, the MBTA requires ongoing data collection on its bus system. The data collected by CTPS as part of this project also support future MBTA service plans, through which bus routes undergo comparative evaluations for cost-effectiveness, crowding, schedule adherence, and other indicators. Work may also include support for improving the ridecheck database so that it will be compatible with new software and data sources. CTPS also may provide analytical assistance to the MBTA, as requested. Not Applicable • Point checks on bus routes and other data collection, as requested by the MBTA for planning purposes. (Point checks are observations of the arrival times, departure times, and passenger loads of a transit service at a single location.)
• Improvements to the ridecheck database.
• Analytical assistance, as requested.
Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Support  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 14339 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 50% $24,500 Not applicable The MBTA established a Rider Oversight Committee (ROC) in 2004 to provide ongoing public input on a number of different issues, including strategies for increasing ridership, development of new fare structures, and prioritization of capital improvements. CTPS supports the MBTA by providing technical assistance to the ROC on an ongoing basis. Over the past several years, the assistance provided by CTPS has included analyzing the revenue and ridership impacts of potential fare and service changes, providing the MBTA with ridership statistics, offering insights into the MBTA’s planning processes, providing data analysis, and attending committee meetings at which staff may respond directly to ROC members’ questions. Not Applicable CTPS will continue to provide technical assistance to the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee and attend committee and subcommittee meetings. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Regional Transit Service Planning Technical Support  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 14346 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable The MPO’s policy is to support transit services and reduce single-occupant-vehicle (SOV) travel in the region. As such, MPO staff provides technical support to regional transit authorities (RTAs) to promote best practices and address issues of ridership, cost-effectiveness, route planning, and other service characteristics. The MPO also extends support to transportation-management associations (TMAs), MAPC subregions, and municipalities seeking to improve the transit services that they operate or fund.` Not Applicable MPO staff will provide technical assistance to RTAs, TMAs, MAPC subregions, and municipalities as described above. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
MBTA Youth Pass Program Evaluation Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 14348 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 0% $60,000   The MBTA is planning to conduct a pilot Youth Pass program designed to offer an age-based discount to youth who are not eligible for a student pass. This discount will be equivalent to the reduced fares currently offered through the student pass program. The purpose of the Youth Pass pilot is to determine the feasibility of implementing a permanent youth pass as part of the MBTA’s fare structure. In this project, MPO staff will estimate the impact of a Youth Pass program on MBTA fare revenue and services. Not Applicable Memorandum documenting the program evaluation.

Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
MBTA Youth Pass Title VI Equity Analysis Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 14349 Central Transportation Planning Staff MBTA 0% $20,000 Not applicable The MBTA is planning to conduct a pilot Youth Pass Program designed to offer an age-based discount to youth who are not eligible for a student pass. This discount will be equivalent to the reduced fares currently offered through the student pass program. The purpose of the Youth Pass pilot is to determine the feasibility of implementing a permanent youth pass as part of the MBTA’s fare structure. In a related project, MPO staff will estimate the impact of a Youth Pass program on MBTA fare revenue and services.

In this project, MPO staff will conduct a Title VI fare-equity analysis of the proposed Youth Pass program to examine whether the Youth Pass creates a disparate impact on minority populations or a disproportionate burden on low-income populations.
Not Applicable Memorandum documenting the Title VI fare equity analysis.



Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Roadway Safety Audits  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 11150 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO  Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable A Roadway Safety Audit (RSA), as defined by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is a formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent audit team. Additionally, MassDOT guidelines require an RSA to be conducted where Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)-eligible crash clusters are present. The RSA examines the location to develop both short- and long-term recommendations to improve safety for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. These recommendations help communities identify safety improvements that can be implemented in the short term, and determine if more substantial improvements also are needed as part of a larger, long-term improvement process.

Audit teams include MassDOT headquarters and district office staff, MassDOT consultants, and CTPS personnel, as requested. This program supports CTPS participation in RSAs. In the RSA process, the audit team: 1) reviews available crash data; 2) meets and communicates with local officials, planners, engineers, and other stakeholders; 3) visits the site to observe traffic operations and identifies safety issues; and 4) develops and documents recommendations.
Not Applicable Participation in audit teams as requested by MassDOT. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Travel Data Forecasts  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 90080 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable In the vast majority of requests for transportation planning and traffic engineering analysis, the amount of effort is significant, and a specific scope of work is developed
for those projects. Occasionally, public and private institutions and their consultants ask CTPS to perform various quick-response analyses or to provide data. Accounting for these requests, which are expected to require less than two person-days per request,
is done under this general project description.
Not Applicable Work products will depend on the tasks requested by the MPO agencies, the general public, consultants, or other parties. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined
 Travel Operations Analyses  Not Applicable Chapter 7, Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects 90040 Central Transportation Planning Staff Boston Region MPO Ongoing Not applicable to ongoing projects  Not applicable Through performing various planning studies for the MBTA and other entities, CTPS has accumulated a large amount of transit ridership, revenue, and service data. This project involves providing data to interested parties and executing various small-scale analyses using available data, upon request. Not Applicable CTPS will respond to requests for data and small-scale studies from agencies, municipalities, members of the public, academic institutions, and other interested parties. Not applicable Not applicable To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined To be determined

 

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8   Boston Region MPO Budget and Operating Summaries

This chapter contains overall budget information by recipient agency and funding source for the projects and programs listed in Chapters 4 through 7. The information is presented according to the same UPWP categories used in those chapters.

Administration and Resource Management Projects: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

Certification Requirements: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

Planning Studies: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

Total: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

The funding for the projects listed in Chapters 4 through 7 comes from the following sources, which are described in Chapter 1:

FHWA 3C Planning (PL)/MassDOT Local Match: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

FHWA Statewide Planning and Research (SPR)/MassDOT Local Match: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

FTA/MassDOT and MAPC Local Match: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

MassDOT: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

MBTA: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

Other: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

Total: Funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget

On the following pages, the funding information presented in the preceding chapters is summarized in four tables, one for each UPWP category. These tables are followed by a one-page summary that include a table showing the entire budget by recipient agency and funding source, and a table showing the federally designated elements and tasks for projects utilizing Section 5303 funding. These tables will be added after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2016 budget.The purpose of these summaries is to assist federal and state contract administrators in reviewing the overall work program in detail. Charts presenting schedules and staff assignments for CTPS projects in this UPWP will be included in the finalized UPWP.

 

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Appendices

 

1 Performance-Based Planning and Programming, white paper, Cambridge Systematics, prepared for Federal Highway Administration Office of Planning, Environment and Realty, February 15, 2012.

2 “The Development of Performance Measures and Performance-Based Planning,” memorandum, Boston Region MPO, March 7, 2013.