Draft Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Community Advisory Council Meeting Minutes
May 11, 2026, Meeting Minutes
2:00 PM–3:30 PM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform
Caitlin Allen-Connelly, Chair, representing TransitMatters
Meeting Agenda
1. Introductions
Michaela Grenier (MPO staff) called the meeting to order at 2:00 PM. Members and guests attending the meeting introduced themselves. (For attendance list, see page 5.)
2. Chair’s Report— Caitlin Allen-Connelly, TransitMatters
C. Allen-Connelly (TransitMatters) shared that the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) public review period is open. C. Allen-Connelly encouraged Advisory Council members to review the plans and provide comments.
C. Allen-Connelly summarized the Public Engagement Update presentation from the recent MPO meeting.
3. Public Comments
There were no public comments.
4. Approval of Meeting Minutes
A motion to approve the minutes of the April 13, 2026, meeting was made by Abundant Housing MA (Jesse Kanson-Benanav) and seconded by Watertown TMA (Sophia Galimore). The minutes were approved.
5. Advisory Council Member Information Sharing
Members from TransitMatters and Abundant Housing MA shared projects and initiatives with the Community Advisory Council.
Discussion
Charles Lyu (TransitMatters) presented on TransitMatters’ long-range transit planning campaign, FRAME the Future. C. Lyu discussed TransitMatters’ role includes providing tools and data to inform discussions and working with stakeholders to support advocacy for long-term transit modernization. C. Lyu shared various tools and resources for stakeholders, such as advocacy toolkits and the Futures Explorer, an interactive tool for imagining and exploring a future with expanded public transit.
C. Allen-Connelly, C. Lyu, and James Fuccione (MA Healthy Aging Collaborative) discussed engaging older adults as a part of TransitMatters’ long-range planning process. C. Allen-Connelly, C. Lyu, and S. Galimore discussed opportunities for engagement and collaboration with transit management associations.
J. Kanson-Benanav shared an introduction about Abundant Housing MA and the housing challenges in Massachusetts. J. Kanson-Benanav described Abundant Housing MA’s role in addressing these challenges, including
· advocating for policies to make it easier to build more homes of all types,
· prioritizing building multi-family homes near jobs and public transportation,
· and organizing Massachusetts residents around a pro-housing agenda.
J. Kanson-Benanav shared information about Abundant Housing MA’s work on the MBTA Communities Act and parking reform.
J. Kanson-Benanav and M. Grenier stated they will organize answers to Advisory Council members’ questions and discussion in an email due to time constraints.
6. Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2027 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Highlights and Discussion—Olivia Saccocia, MPO Staff
O. Saccocia (MPO staff) provided an overview of the FFY 2027 UPWP. O. Saccocia noted that because MPO-Funded Discrete Studies make up a small percentage of the annual budget, staff are interested in continuing to engage stakeholders in programs under the MPO Support and 3C (continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative) Planning category. MPO Support and 3C Planning includes core MPO functions and activities that support the 3C planning process, which have more flexibility.
Discussion
O. Saccocia facilitated a discussion about engagement strategies for the MPO’s work planning process.
Karl Alexander (Mystic River Watershed Association) discussed providing more information and transparency about project development. Angie Cradock (PRC on Nutrition and Physical Activity, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) discussed providing clear engagement opportunities that include information on when and what type of feedback staff are seeking. Paulina Muratore (Conservation Law Foundation) encouraged staff to close the feedback loop and share how feedback was incorporated.
O. Saccocia facilitated a discussion about which MPO programs and activities are most relevant to Advisory Council members. A live Zoom poll was shared, and meeting participants selected programs and activities that are most relevant to their organization’s work.
J. Fuccione, O. Saccocia, David Hong (MPO staff), and Annette Demchur (MPO staff) discussed the Unified Planning Work Program and the Performance-Based Planning and Programming.
7. FFYs 2027-31 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Highlights and Discussion—Ethan Lapointe and Adriana Jacobsen, MPO Staff
E. Lapointe (MPO staff) shared an overview of the federally funded projects and programs in the FFYs 2027-31 TIP. E. Lapointe noted the Regional Target Program reflects a funding category where the MPO has direct control of selecting investments. E. Lapointe discussed the distribution of Regional Target funding across investment programs, and the objectives projects serve. E. Lapointe highlighted that the MPO’s visions, goals, and objectives are best realized through project delivery.
Discussion
E. Lapointe facilitated a discussion about the composition of project types reflected in the TIP and the development process.
K. Alexander encouraged Advisory Council members to schedule office hours with MPO staff to further discuss TIP development. K. Alexander and E. Lapointe discussed project development challenges and how to keep the TIP as a reliable funding resource for municipalities. A. Cradock and E. Lapointe discussed reasons why projects were removed from the FFYs 2027-31 TIP. Scott Mullen (A Better City), A. Jacobsen, and E. Lapointe discussed that the TIP dashboard reflects programmed projects, and the possibility of adding removed projects during previous development cycles.
8. Members’ Items
M. Grenier shared that the public review period for the Public Engagement Plan has been pushed out to June. MPO staff will share more information during the June Community Advisory Council meeting.
K. Alexander shared that the Mystic River Watershed Association is hosting their 30th Annual Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle.
S. Mullen shared that A Better City is hosting their second year of the Guided Ride Series.
9. Adjourn
A motion to adjourn was made by the 495/MetroWest
Partnership (Jason Palitsch) and seconded by A Better City (Scott Mullen). The
motion carried.
Attendees
|
Member Municipalities |
Representatives and Alternates |
|
Natick |
Morgan Griffiths |
|
Citizen Advocacy Groups |
Attendees |
|
495/MetroWest Partnership |
Jason Palitsch |
|
A Better City |
Scott Mullen, Amir Wilson |
|
Abundant Housing MA |
Jesse Kanson-Benanav |
|
Conservation Law Foundation |
Paulina Muratore |
|
LivableStreets Alliance |
Maha Aslam |
|
MA Healthy Aging Collaborative |
James Fuccione |
|
MassBike |
Alexis Hosea-Abbott |
|
Mystic River Watershed Association |
Karl Alexander |
|
Mystic Valley Elder Services |
Meg von Lossnitzer, Sheila Buckland |
|
Prevention Research Center (PRC) on Nutrition and Physical Activity, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health |
Angie Cradock |
|
TownGreen |
Maureen Aylward |
|
TransitMatters |
Caitlin Allen-Connelly |
|
Watertown TMA |
Sophia Galimore |
|
Other Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Tony Collins |
MBTA |
|
Mike Dion |
BL Companies |
|
Charles Lyu |
TransitMatters |
|
Jim Tarr |
City of Malden |
|
MPO Staff |
|
Annette Demchur |
|
Michaela Grenier |
|
David Hong |
|
Jia Huang |
|
Adriana Jacobsen |
|
Ethan Lapointe |
|
Lauren Magee |
|
Meghan O' Connor |
|
Gina Perille |
|
Sean Rourke |
|
Olivia Saccocia |
|
Civil Rights Notice to the Public Welcome. Bem Vinda. Bienvenido. Akeyi. 欢迎. 歡迎
You are invited to participate in our transportation planning process, free from discrimination. The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is committed to nondiscrimination in all activities and complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency). Related federal and state nondiscrimination laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, disability, and additional protected characteristics. For additional information or to file a civil rights complaint, visit www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination. To request this information in a different language or format, please contact: Boston Region MPO Title VI
Specialist For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service, www.mass.gov/massrelay. Please allow at least five business days for your request to be fulfilled. |
