Contents

Unified Planning

Work Program

Federal Fiscal Year 2014

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

Pre-Circulation Draft

April 25, 2013

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

MBTA Advisory Board

Massachusetts Bay Transportation 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)

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 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. 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 non-discrimination 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 can be obtained by contacting the MPO (see below) or at www.bostonmpo.org.

For additional copies of this document or to request it in an accessible format, contact us:

It is also possible to download the document by going to www.bostonmpo.org and visiting the “Unified Planning Work Program” page.

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. DOT.

List of Exhibits

Following MPO approval to circulate the draft FFY 2014 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 during the period of October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014 (federal fiscal year 2014). 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 Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), as well as by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport).

The projects in this UPWP will be funded from federal, state, and local sources. It has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (MAP-21) and with Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration grant application requirements and planning emphasis areas (planning factors and national goals) and guidance. This UPWP contains (number pending MPO approval) projects, of which (number pending MPO approval) will be carried out 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 carried out by individual transportation agencies, municipalities, and academic institutions.

The majority of the FFY 2014 UPWP projects have been ongoing since FFY 2013 (or earlier). However, there are several new projects. Those to be undertaken on behalf of the MPO are:

• (Projects will be listed once new projects have been approved by the MPO)

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

• (Projects will be listed once the draft is approved by the MPO)

The UPWP is intended to serve two purposes. The first is to provide information to government officials, local communities, and the general public about surface-transportation planning projects expected to be undertaken in the Boston region. The second is to provide complete budget information to federal and state officials about the expenditure of federal funds for those projects being carried out by the Boston Region MPO.

The document is structured as follows. Chapter 1 provides general information about the Boston Region MPO, the transportation-planning process, and the sources of funding for UPWP projects. 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 in this UPWP. Chapter 1 includes a graphic depicting the organizational structure of the MPO and another showing the UPWP’s relationship to other MPO planning documents, current feasibility studies and other visioning processes.

Chapter 2 provides a status report on the FFY 2013 UPWP projects that were conducted by CTPS and MAPC. It also includes a list of products for those projects and information on how to obtain copies of reports and certification documents.

Chapter 3 will include an index of the FFY 2014 projects. These will be organized by the name of the agency responsible for conducting them.

Chapters 4 through 7 contain project descriptions and detailed budget information (pending MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2014 UPWP budget) for all work being conducted by CTPS and MAPC on behalf of the MPO and for transportation projects being conducted by CTPS on behalf of the individual transportation-planning entities mentioned on page S-1.

Chapter 8 gives budget summaries of the projects included in Chapters 4 through 7 and other information about the federal funding in this UPWP. It is intended to provide federal and state officials with information necessary for funding approval and contract administration.

Appendix A presents brief summaries of project information for other, non-MPO transportation-planning projects that will be conducted in the Boston region. These projects have separate review and approval processes and are outside the purview of the MPO. They are included in the UPWP to provide a more comprehensive picture of what is being planned in the region and to ensure that MPO planning efforts in the region are coordinated with other ongoing work.

Appendix B will be completed following the close of 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 the development of the draft UPWP and the public workshops that were held during its public review period. It will also present a summary of the written comments on the document that were received during its review period and the MPO’s responses to them.

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

Placeholder text in this chapter is highlighted in yellow.

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.

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.

1.1     The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

The Boston Region MPO area 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 current elected MPO voting members and their respective seats are as follows:

• City of Beverly – North Shore Task Force
• City of Everett – At-Large City
• City of Newton – At-Large City
• City of Somerville – Inner Core Committee
• City of Woburn – North Suburban Planning Council
• Town of Arlington – At-Large Town
• Town of Bedford – Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination
• Town of Braintree – South Shore Coalition
• Town of Framingham – MetroWest Regional Collaborative
• Town of Lexington – At-Large Town
• Town of Medway – SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee
• Town of Norwood – Three Rivers Interlocal Council

In addition, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participate in the MPO as advisory (nonvoting) members. The chart on the following page also shows the MPO membership and the organization of the MPO’s staff, the Central Transportation Planning Staff.

 Figure 1-1: Boston Region MPO Organization Chart

Details about MPO voting members are provided below:

• The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was established on November 1, 2009, under Chapter 25 (“An Act Modernizing the Transportation Systems of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts”) of the Acts of 2009, which was signed by Governor Deval Patrick in June 2009. Accordingly, MassDOT is a merger of the former Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works (EOT) and its divisions with the former Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, the Massachusetts Highway Department, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission. The legislation also established MassDOT’s oversight of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and of the Commonwealth’s regional transit authorities (RTAs). In addition, it authorized the transfer of ownership of the Tobin Bridge from the Massachusetts Port Authority to MassDOT and the assumption of responsibility by MassDOT for many of the bridges and parkways formerly operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
• The MassDOT Highway Division oversees the roadways, bridges, and tunnels of the former Massachusetts Highway Department and Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and the Tobin Bridge. The Division also oversees many former DCR bridges and parkways. The Highway Division is responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of the Commonwealth’s state highways and bridges. The Division is responsible for overseeing traffic safety and engineering activities, including the Highway Operations Control Center, to ensure safe road and travel conditions.
• The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning agency for the 101 cities and towns in the MAPC/MPO region. It is composed of the chief executive (or her/his designee) of each of the 101 cities and towns in the MAPC region, 21 gubernatorial appointees, and 12 ex officio members. It has statutory responsibility for comprehensive regional planning in its region under Chapter 40B of the Massachusetts General Laws (MGL). It is the Boston Metropolitan Clearinghouse under Section 204 of the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966 and Title VI of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968. Also, its region has been designated an economic development district under Title IV of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended. MAPC’s responsibilities for comprehensive planning include responsibilities in the areas of technical assistance to communities, transportation planning, and the development of zoning, land use, demographic, and environmental studies.
• The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has the statutory responsibility within its district, under the provisions of Chapter 161A of the MGL, of preparing the engineering and architectural designs for transit development projects, constructing and operating transit development projects, and operating the public transportation system. The MBTA district comprises 175 communities, including all 101 cities and towns of the Boston Region MPO area. A seven-member Board of Directors was appointed by the Governor with to be the governing body of both MassDOT and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation MBTA, which is part of MassDOT but retains a separate legal existence. The MBTA provides general transit planning support for projects in this UPWP.
• The MBTA Advisory Board was created by the Legislature in 1964 through the same legislation that created the MBTA. The Advisory Board consists of representatives of the 175 cities and towns that compose the MBTA district. Cities are represented by either the city manager or mayor, and towns by the chairperson of the board of selectmen. Specific responsibilities of the Advisory Board include review of and comment on the Program for Mass Transportation (PMT), proposed fare increases, and the annual MBTA Capital Investment Program; review of the MBTA’s documentation of net operating investment per passenger; and review of the MBTA’s operating budget.
• The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) has the statutory responsibility under Chapter 465 of the Acts of 1956, as amended, of planning, constructing, owning, and operating such transportation and related facilities as may be necessary for the development and improvement of commerce in Boston and the surrounding metropolitan area. Massport owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, Conley Terminal, Cruiseport Boston, Hanscom Field, Worcester Regional Airport, and various maritime/waterfront properties, including parks, in East Boston, South Boston, and Charlestown.
•  The City of Boston, six elected cities (currently Beverly, Braintree, Everett, Newton, Somerville, and Woburn), and six elected towns (currently Arlington, Bedford, Framingham, Lexington, Medway, and Norwood) represent the region’s 101 municipalities in the Boston Region MPO. The City of Boston is a permanent MPO member. There is one elected municipal seat for each of the eight MAPC subregions and four seats forat-large elected municipalities (two cities and two towns). The elected at-large municipalities serve staggered three-year terms, as do the eight municipalities representing the MAPC subregions. This procedure was established in the MPO’s 2011 Memorandum of Understanding.
• The Regional Transportation Advisory Council, the MPO’s citizen advisory group, provides the opportunity for transportation-related organizations, agencies, and municipal representatives to become actively involved in the decision-making processes of the MPO in the planning and programming of transportation projects in the region. The Advisory Council reviews, comments on, and makes recommendations regarding certification documents. It also serves as a forum for providing information on transportation topics in the region, identifying issues, advocating for ways to address the region’s transportation needs, and generating interest among members of the general public in the work of the MPO.

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:

• The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) oversee the highway and transit programs, respectively, of the U.S. Department of Transportation under pertinent legislation and the provisions of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).

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: 

• The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) was created by the MPO to carry out general and 3C transportation-planning activities on behalf of the MPO and to provide agencies with analyses required for the work described in this document and other agency initiatives.
• The MAPC subregional groups (SRGs) bring together representatives (usually appointed or elected officials or their staff) of the communities within a subregion of the MAPC region to address shared concerns regarding transportation and land use. MAPC has promoted and supported the formation of SRGs in order to foster better communication and cooperation among communities. They have played an important role in the MPO’s participatory process, including the development of TIP and UPWP project priorities.

1.2         The Transportation Planning Process

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:

• To identify transportation problems and develop possible solutions to them
• To strike a balance between short-range and long-range considerations, so that beneficial incremental actions undertaken now reflect an adequate understanding of probable future consequences and possible future options
• To take into account both regional and local considerations, and both transportation and non-transportation objectives and impacts, in the analysis of project issues
• To assist implementing agencies in putting policy and project decisions into effect in a timely fashion, with adequate consideration of environmental, social, fiscal, and economic impacts and with adequate opportunity for participation by other agencies, local governments, and the public
• To assist implementing agencies in assigning priorities to transportation activities in a manner consistent with the region’s needs and resources
• To maintain MPO compliance with the requirements of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (MAP-21), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 12898 (regarding environmental justice), Executive Order 13166 (regarding outreach to populations with limited English-language proficiency), and Executive Order 13330 (regarding the coordination of human-services transportation)

1.3         The Unified Planning Work Program          

This Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) contains information about surface-transportation planning projects that will be conducted in the Boston metropolitan region during the period from October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014 (federal fiscal year 2014). 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 Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), as well as by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport).

1.3.1    Consistency with Federal Planning Regulations

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st 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 are:

• Producing the LRTP, the TIP, and the UPWP
• Conducting an inclusive public participation process
• 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 attainment of 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 Information on the MPO’s work with respect to performance measures is detailed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (page 5-16), Transportation Improvement Program (page 5-28), and Congestion Management Process (page 6-X) project descriptions.  

Consistency with Other Federal Legislative Requirements

The 1990 Clean Air Act

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 the attainment of 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, statewide rideshare regulations, 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 Determinations (page 5-11) and Air Quality Support Activity (page 5-13) project descriptions.

Nondiscrimination Mandates

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. 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, 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-language 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 (page 5-15), the MassDOT Title VI Program (page 7-X), and the MBTA 2013-2014 Title VI Program Monitoring (page 7-X) project descriptions.

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:

• Explicitly consider the effects of transportation decisions on minority and low-income populations
• Provide meaningful opportunities for public involvement by members of minority and low-income populations
• Gather (where relevant, appropriate, and practical) demographic information such as the race, color, national origin, and income level of the populations affected by transportation decisions
• Minimize or mitigate any adverse impact on minority or low-income populations

MPO activities that meet these requirements are discussed in the Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support project description on page 5-25.

The Americans with Disabilities Act

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act 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 1-15 through 1-17 and were incorporated in the rating of projects for this UPWP. Projects specifically relating to these planning factors are identified in Chapters 4 through 7. A summary of the amount of money being spent for these projects can be found in Chapter 8. The table below 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: FFY 2014 UPWP Project and Program Relationship to Federal Planning Factors

Other Federal Guidance

In addition, this year the FHWA asked MPOs to pay particular attention to the following areas in their UPWPs:

• Addressing the development of performance measures
• Encouraging the assessment of project and program sustainability
• Supporting the efficient movement of goods throughout each region and the Commonwealth
• Engaging Title VI, Environmental Justice (EJ), and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) populations during the transportation planning process
• Providing that at least a third of metropolitan planning funding be spent on activities resulting in tangible products
• The MPO has programmed or otherwise incorporated intiatives into the FFY 2014 UPWP in compliance with this federal guidance; these are included in Chapters 5, 6, and 7.

Performance Measures

The process for selecting new projects for the UPWP, which is dicussed in detail in Section 1.4.3, “New Study Selection Process,” included an effort to rate proposed projects against focus areas that highlight the MPO’s goals, visions, and policies. These focus areas, which were used to support the development of staff and UPWP committee recommendations for new projects for FFY 2014, included an area entitled “Supports Performance-Based Planning.” Of the new projects recommended by the UPWP Committee, _______ projects received “major consideration” rating in this area and another ______ received a “minor consideration” rating in this area.

There are also several ongoing projects that discuss performance measure-related activities. The Long-Range Transportation Plan description (page 5-16) specifically mentions that “the MPO will develop performance measures and incorporate performance-based planning into LRTP and TIP decision making” and that work products will include “[continuing] to develop performance measures to be used in monitoring the implementation of the LRTP and the TIP.” The TIP program description (page 5-28) refers to updates that may be made to the evaluation criteria in response to the development of MPO performance measures.

Sustainability

The focus areas supporting the selection of new projects for FFY 2014 included an area named “Encourage Sustainable Communities and Livability.” The focus areas “Protect Air Quality and Environment,” “Increase Transit and Healthy-Transportation Mode Share,” and “Link Land Use and Transportation” also support aspects of sustainability.The focus area ratings also reviewed how projects supported the goals and objectives of other state and regional planning activities, such as a GreenDOT and MetroFuture, which include some sustainability concepts. Overall, new projects for FFY 2014 address a range of sustainability principles, __________ and ____________ in particular.

This UPWP also includes several ongoing projects that address sustainaibility concepts. For example, Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities (page 6-X) and Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination (page 7-X) support alternatives to motorized modes. Planned activities under MAPC’s MetroFuture Engagement (page 6-X) program will include efforts to identify best practices for livable communities and sustainable transportation and to build constituencies at local levels that support these practices.

The FHWA has recently developed and released the web-based tool known as the Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST). This tool is designed to assess the sustainability of a program or project against best practices relative to sustainability. MPO staff will explore opportunities to apply the INVEST tool and its sustainability criteria in LRTP and TIP updates and in other future transportation studies conducted by MPO staff.

Movement of Goods

The FFY 2014 UPWP includes a Freight Planning Support project, detailed on page (7-X), to support the efficient movement of goods. Freight elements have also been incorporated into Paths to a Sustainable Region, the Long-Range Transportation Plan, and freight considerations will be addressed in updates to the plan’s needs assessment. Also, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council has an ongoing freight committee supported by the MPO in order to maintain awareness of freight issues and provide input to the MPO on freight matters.

Engaging Title VI, Environmental Justice and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Populations

The MPO’s ongoing and continuing projects and programs include elements that address the needs and participation of Title VI, Environmental Justice (EJ), Limited English Proficiency (LEP), disabled, and elderly populations. The MPO’s Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice program (page 5-28) is specifically focused on transportation needs of these populations. Other programs, including 3C Planning and MPO Support (page 5-3), Access Advisory Committee Support (page 5-9), and Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats (page 5-20), include activities that support and encourage the participation of these populations in the transportation decision-making process. CTPS also supports Title VI analysis for the MPO, MassDOT, and the MBTA, as described in Chapters 5 and 7. Throughout all of these activities, the MPO works in consultation with MassDOT’s Office of Civil Rights.

The focus areas used to rate new discrete projects for the FFY 2014 UPWP included an area titled “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 selected for FFY 2014, _____________ particularly addresses the participation and needs of these populations.

Tangible Products of Planning Activities

The MPO meets and exceeds federal guidelines for the expenditure of metropolitan planning funds on tangible products.

1.3.2 Coordination with Other Planning Activities

MPO Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)

The MPO considered the degree to which a proposed UPWP project would further the visions, policies, objectives, and planning emphasis areas of the MPO’s long-range transportation plan (LRTP), Paths to a Sustainable Region. The LRTP visions include:

1. System Preservation

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. 

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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.

Work being done to support the LRTP is detailed on page 5-16.

MPO Congestion Management Process (CMP)

The purpose of the CMP is to 1) develop strategies for the management of congestion based on data acquired through system performance monitoring; and 2) 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 transit, roadway, 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. Work being done in the FFY 2014 UPWP to support the CMP is detailed on page 6-X.

The MBTA 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 includes projects currently under study in this UPWP and work included in this UPWP supports the PMT planning process.

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 it was adopted as the future land use scenario for the MPO LRTP, Paths to a Sustainable Region. Work being done to support MetroFuture implementation and updates is detailed in the MetroFuture Engagement project description on page 6-X.

youMove Massachusetts and weMove 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 related to their transportation network. These themes form the basis for the youMove Massachusetts Interim Report and were considered in the development of this UPWP.

The youMove civic engagement process supports weMove Massachusetts (also known as the Massachusetts Multimodal Project), the strategic planning process that constitutes MassDOT’s first comprehensive, data-based effort to prioritize transportation investments. The weMove Massachusetts process included an outreach effort focused on learning more about the transportation experiences and needs of a focused set of stakeholders, which included Environmental Justice and Title VI populations, while continuing to welcome comments and participation by the public. The results of this process, including themes identified in weMove Massachusetts interviews, are documented in the weMove Massachusetts Stakeholder Summary Report and were also considered in the development of this UPWP.

GreenDOT and MassDOT’s Statewide Mode Shift Goal 

GreenDOT, which MassDOT launched in June 2010, is a comprehensive environmental responsibility and sustainability initiative that has three primary objectives: 1) reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; 2) promoting 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 Massachusetts’s MPOs and Regional Transportation Authorities (RTAs).

The GreenDOT Implementation Plan serves as the framework for embedding 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 share of bicycling, public transit, and walking each by 2030 and is an important part of MassDOT’s strategy to meet the Commonwealth’s commitments under the Global Warming Solutions Act. The goals outlined in the GreenDOT Implementation Plan, including the statewide mode shift goal, were considered in the development of this UPWP. 

Healthy Transportation Compact

The Healthy Transportation Compact (HTC) is a 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.

The 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. MPO activities that relate to the Healthy Transportation Compact are discussed in the Livable Community Workshop Program description on page 7-X.  

The diagram below shows the relationship of the UPWP to other transportation planning documents, including those described above.

1.4     The UPWP Development Process

Each year the MPO considers projects for the annual update of the UPWP through its UPWP Committee, which was established by the MPO. The UPWP documents new projects and projects that are continuing from previous UPWPs, and it provides updates on the MPO’s ongoing programs that carry out 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 and programs that are continuing from 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 continuing activities that will be carried out in FFY 2014 and develops budgets for work to be conducted in FFY 2014.

In addition, 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 may not be funded with MPO funding or supported by MPO staff, but are being carried out by individual transportation agencies, municipalities, or academic institutions.

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

1.4.2    Universe of New UPWP Studies

For the development of new studies for the FFY 2014 UPWP, the MPO drew from the following sources to generate a universe of new study ideas 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; Paths to a Sustainable Region, the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP); youMove Massachusetts and weMove Massachusetts documents; MetroFuture; and recent studies
2. Past guidance received from the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration on addressing planning emphasis areas such as establishing a comprehensive livability program, addressing safety and security issues, and developing performance measures for transportation projects
3. FFY 2013 UPWP comment letters and project proposals
4. Consultations with MassDOT, MAPC, and the MBTA
5. MPO staff-identified needs

MPO staff also requested study suggestions through outreach at MAPC subregional group meetings, at Regional Transportation Advisory Council meetings, and through outreach to the general public at Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)-UPWP Building Seminars and at the MPO’s “Be Informed, Be Involved” information sessions.

1.4.3    New Study Selection Process

After generating a universe of new study ideas, MPO staff rated each project in 16 focus areas in order to assess what visions, goals, policies, factors, and priorities that study idea 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. These include:

1. Link Land Use and Transportation
2. Work with Limited Financial Resources
3. Use a Management and Operations Approach
4. Protect Air Quality and the Environment
5. Preserve and Maintain the Transportation System
6. Increase Transit and Healthy-Transportation Mode Share
7. Encourage Sustainable Communities and Livability
8. Advance Mobility, Access, and Congestion Reduction
9. Improve System Reliability
10. Increase Transportation Safety and Security
11. Support Economic Vitality
12. Consider Transportation Equity and Accessibility
13. Support MetroFuture Goals
14. Support Goals of PMT, youMove/weMove, GreenDOT, and MA Mode Shift
15. Enhance Technical Capacity, Knowledge, and Insights
16. Support Performance-based Planning

In addition to conducting focus area ratings, MPO staff defined general scopes and estimated costs for study suggestions and considered potential study feasibility issues and consistency with the MPO’s policies and priorities. These various factors, along with the availability of funds for new studies, were considered as staff developed a recommended set of new study ideas for review by the UPWP Committee. Study ideas, their estimated costs, their focus area rating results, their relationship to the staff recommendation, and supporting comments are all documented in the FFY 2014 Universe of Proposed New Projects (see Appendix C).   

The UPWP Committee met twice to consider and provide guidance on the development process, new study ideas, idea ratings, and the staff recommendation for new projects. During its second meeting, the Committee developed the UPWP Committee recommendation for the public review Draft FFY 2014 UPWP. The Committee selected a program of 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 recommendations of the UPWP Committee for the public review Draft FFY 2014 UPWP on (May???) (??2), 2013.

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 members post the document for downloading from the MPO website (www.bostonmpo.org) and provide 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 documents. Comments provided through other venues, including through the MPO website, are also compiled during this time and presented to the MPO. The MPO endorsed the final UPWP for the FFY 2014 on June ???, 2013. Information about the public review process for the Draft FFY 2014 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.

• FHWA 3C Planning (PL)/MassDOT Local Match – These are FHWA planning funds distributed to MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning (OTP), according to an allocation formula established by federal legislation, to carry out the 3C planning process. OTP distributes these funds to Massachusetts MPOs according to a formula based on population. The FFY 2014 3C PL funding allocation for the Boston Region MPO is $3,236,900 which includes $647,380 in state matching funds. The MPO votes on both the use of funds and the use of MPO staff for projects in this funding category. (Please note: The MPO is awaiting the final PL award for FFY 2014. The number listed here assumes level funding from the previous federal fiscal year.)
• FHWA Statewide Planning and Research (SPR)/MassDOT Local Match – As in the case of 3C PL funds, FHWA provides SPR funds to OTP according to a distribution formula. OTP uses these funds to carry out planning and research projects throughout the state. This UPWP contains only SPR projects that will be conducted in the Boston Region MPO area. However, OTP provides a complete listing of how these funds are distributed statewide in a document called the SPR Transportation Planning Work Program. SPR funds in the amount of $498,000 (including $99,600 in state matching funds) are programmed in this UPWP for projects to be conducted by MPO staff. The MPO’s role is to approve the use of MPO staff for projects in this category and to make recommendations on work scopes for implementing them. The MPO’s role in these projects is crucial to the 3C process because it provides an opportunity to coordinate projects with other related transportation work efforts that may be planned for the same area.
• FTA/MassDOT 3C Planning (§5303) and MAPC Local Match – FTA provides 3C planning funds for transit projects to MPOs under Section 5303 of the Federal Transit Act. These funds require a local match, are distributed according to an allocation formula, and are administered by MassDOT. The FFY 2014 FTA allocation, including a total local match for FFY 2014, is $2,138,000. The total amount programmed in this UPWP for projects to be conducted by MPO staff, MassDOT, and MAPC on behalf of the MPO is $1,825,420. As is the case for FHWA 3C PL funds, the MPO votes on both the use of these funds and the use of MPO staff on projects in this category.
• MassDOT – Funds in the amount of $397,700 for MassDOT projects are included in this UPWP.
• MBTA – The MBTA provides $397,625 in funding for this UPWP for transit projects to be conducted by MPO staff. As is the case of the SPR funds described above, the MPO’s role is to approve the use of MPO staff time for these projects and to make recommendations on the work scopes for implementing them.
• Other – This UPWP also includes $15,000 in funding provided by Massport for work being conducted by MPO staff on its behalf. The MPO’s role is to vote on the use of MPO staff time for these projects and to make recommendations on the work scopes for implementing them.

1.6     Monitoring the Projects

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

• Project work scopes supported by federal 3C planning funds must be approved by the MPO prior to the start of any CTPS activity.
• Monthly progress reports on all active projects must be submitted to the respective funding agency by CTPS and/or MAPC. The reports must include the following information for each project:
• Brief narrative describing the work accomplished by task
• Key personnel attendance at meeting(s) held for each week
• Objectives/planned activities for the next month
• Percent of work completed by task
• Some measure of actual resources (hours, funds, etc.) charged to the contract over the past month
• Comparison of actual cumulative resources expended compared to the contract budget
• A quarterly report is presented by CTPS comparing the UPWP project budgets with the actual project spending.
• MPO approval for release of a project’s work products is based on whether the objectives stated in the work scope were met and whether the stated deliverables were produced.

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.

2     Status of the Federal Fiscal Year 2013 UPWP Projects Conducted By Boston Region MPO Staff

2.1     Introduction to FFY 2013 Projects

During federal fiscal year (FFY) 2013, 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:

• Completed – These projects are either already completed or expected to be complete by October 1, 2013, when this document goes into effect.
• Continuing Discrete – This is one of two categories of projects that continue from FFY 2013 into FFY 2014. It is distinctly different from the other such category, “ongoing” (described below), in that it covers planning studies that have a specific, limited duration, unlike ongoing programs, which are refreshed each federal fiscal year. The projected percentage complete as of October 1, 2013, for each of these projects is included in the project descriptions presented in Chapters 6 and 7.
• Ongoing – These projects support and continue the transportation planning process from year to year.  
• Inactive – Contrary to expectations when the FFY 2013 UPWP was being developed, work on these projects did not begin during FFY 2013.

2.2     FFY 2013 Project and Budget Tables  

The first set of tables on the following pages list FFY 2013 projects by category and give their budgets for that year. There is also a table that details the status of projects that were anticipated to be complete prior to FFY 2013, along with their budgets as listed in the UPWP. Following these tables is a complete listing of MPO work products resulting from FFY 2013 UPWP projects, along with work products from previous fiscal years, where applicable. Information is provided on how to obtain copies of reports approved by the MPO.

Table 1: Completed FFY 2013 UPWP Projects with FFY 2013 UPWP Budgets

Table 2: Continuing Discrete FFY 2013 UPWP Projects with FFY 2013 UPWP Budgets

Table 3: Ongoing FFY 2013 UPWP Projects with FFY 2013 UPWP Budgets

Table 4: FFY 2012 UPWP Projects Completed in FFY 2013 with FFY 2012 UPWP Budgets

2.3     Work Products of the FFY 2013 UPWP

Listed below are the reports, memoranda, and other MPO work products and activities that were associated with the projects in the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2013 UPWP. These projects are either complete or expected to be complete by the end of FFY 2013. Memoranda and other work products are produced for the client agency or municipality. Reports and certification documents, however, are available at the State Transportation Library. Work products may be requested by contacting CTPS at (617) 973-7100 (voice), (617) 973-7089 (TTY), or bostonmpo@ctps.org (email). Many of these work products are or will be available for downloading from the MPO’s website, www.bostonmpo.org.

This list also contains products that were expected to be complete in FFY 2012 or earlier, but were completed or are expected to be complete in FFY 2013. These products are highlighted with an asterisk (*).

2.3.1    CTPS Work Products

Certification Documents

• Federal Fiscal Years 2013–16 Transportation Improvement Program Amendments and Administrative Modifications
• Federal Fiscal Year 2014 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)
• Federal Fiscal Years 2014–17 Transportation Improvement Program and Determination of Air Quality Conformity
• Update to the Public Participation Program of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

CTPS Reports

• Carbon Dioxide, Climate Change, and the Boston Region MPO: 2012 Update
• CTPS Travel Demand Model Set Documentation
• Impacts of Walking Radius on Transit Frequency and Reliability*
• Inner-Suburban Mobility Study*
• MBTA Core Services Evaluation Report*
• MPO Freight Study, Phase II
• Priority Corridors for Long-Range Transportation Plan Needs Assessment: Route 30, Framingham
• Priority Corridors for Long-Range Transportation Plan Needs Assessment: Route 2, Concord
• Regional HOV-Lane System Planning Study, Phase II
• Massachusetts Regional Bus Study (previously listed as Intercity Bus Study)
• Route 203 (Gallivan Boulevard and Morton Street): Safety, Mobility, and Access Management

CTPS Technical Memoranda

• 2013 Environmental Justice Outreach in the Transportation Equity Program
• 2012-2013 I-93 North and Southeast Expressway HOV Lane Monitoring – Memoranda for Fall 2012, Winter 2013, Spring 2013, and Summer 2013
• Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Corridors: Routes 127A/127, Gloucester and Rockport
• Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Corridors: Route 3A, Cohasset and Scituate
• Bicycle Network Evaluation
• Callahan Tunnel Construction Impact Study
• Community Transportation Technical Assistance Memoranda
• Early Morning Transit Service– Examined demand for and made recommendations regarding additional early-morning MBTA service*
• Estimation of Trip Production and Attraction Models Based on 2010-11 Statewide Household Survey Data
• Estimation of Internal-Internal and Internal-External Trip Distribution Models Based on 2010-11 Statewide Household Survey Data
• Estimation of Mode Choice Models Based on 2010-11 Statewide Household Survey Data
• FFY 2013 Safety and Operations Analysis at Selected Intersections
• Job Access and Reverse Commute and New Freedom Federal Grant Program Projects in the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Area: An Evaluation
• MBTA 2012 Title VI Program Monitoring - Documentation of level-of-service performance for selected services and amenities*
• MBTA 2012 National Transit Database: Directly Operated – Ridership and Passenger-Mile Estimates for Fiscal Year 2012
• MBTA 2012 National Transit Database: Purchased Service – Ridership and Passenger-Mile Estimates for Fiscal Year 2012
• MBTA Systemwide Passenger Survey: Comparison of Results – Compared results of the 2008–09 surveys with the corresponding results from previous surveys on all MBTA modes*
• MetroWest RTA Transit Planning Assistance – Technical assistance to the MetroWest RTA
• Proposed New Criteria for MPO Evaluation of Job Access Reverse Commute and New Freedom Grant Proposals
• Review of the TIP Project Evaluation Criteria, December 20, 2012, updated January 10, 2013
• Route 114 in Danvers, Interstate 95 to the Peabody City Line Safety, Operations, and Access Management Study*
• Roundabout Installation Screening Tool*
• Safe Access to Transit Memoranda
• Screening Regional Express Highways for Possible Preferential Lane Implementation*
• SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee (SWAP) Regional Public Transit Feasibility Study – Identified areas with potential for transit and made recommendations regarding service and service connections that could be implemented in the SWAP Subregion*
• The Development of Performance Measures and Performance-Based Planning
• Title VI and Environmental Justice Demographic Profiles of the Region
• TIP Project Impacts Before-After Evaluation: FFY 2012*

Other CTPS Work Products and Activities

• 2012 Title VI Annual Update to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
• Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA (AACT) Support – Materials, coordination, and administrative support for the Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA. Support includes meeting agendas, notices, minutes, correspondence, mailing lists, databases, meeting scheduling and planning, and services for the AACT Executive Board. Accessibility checklist for MPO meetings and distribution to other entities to facilitate compliance with ADA requirements. Updated AACT Brochure.
• Accessible formatting of the Paths to a Sustainable Region transportation plan, the Transportation Improvement Program and amendments, the Unified Planning Work Program, and meeting agendas, minutes and materials for the MPO, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council, the Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA (AACT), and other materials on request.
• Accessibility Initiatives – Development and implementation of procedures to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are accommodated so that they can participate in the MPO’s transportation planning and decision-making processes. Work includes documenting internal accessibility policies and procedures; developing document-production standards and templates that allow materials to be easily translated into paper or electronic formats that are accessible to people with limited vision; redesigning the MPO website to simplify its appearance, incorporate accessibility features, and make it easier for people of all abilities to navigate; creating a meeting checklist to ensure that all meeting locations are free of physical barriers for people with limited mobility; and training staff to raise awareness of why accessibility is important and how it can be achieved.
• All-Hazards Planning – Participation at regional meetings at which planning for emergency preparedness and response was conducted.
•  Clean Air and Mobility Program –Project tracking and reporting for TIP programming.
• Computer Resources Management – Maintenance and enhancements of CTPS’s desktop and server computer systems, computer network, and peripheral devices such as printers, plotters, and mass-storage devices.
• Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program – Site visits to municipalities, consultations, recommendations for improvements, and reporting.
• Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program analyses.
• Congestion Management Process – Bicycle parking data collection and documentation, documentation of park-and-ride lots, research into electronic travel time data, and establishing an intersection improvements program.
• Data Resources Management – Maintenance and enhancement of CTPS’s database of standard reference geographic information system (GIS) layers and GIS layers required to carry out particular projects. Database updates with new versions of standard reference GIS layers as released by MassGIS, the MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning, and other agencies.
• Development of Performance Measures and Performance-Based Planning Process – Development of staff recommendation for performance measures and performance-based planning process; coordination with MPO Performance Measures Committee.
• Emergency Evacuation and Hazard Mitigation Mapping – Maps depicting the Boston region transportation network with projects programmed in, or proposed for, the FFY 2013 element of the TIP and programmed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan, maps showing the proximity of transportation projects (and in secure layers, emergency traffic-control points) to natural hazard zones, and a matrix providing information indicating if proposed TIP projects are in such zones or if they provide emergency management benefits. Updated mapping of these areas and related transportation and other critical infrastructure, such as potential dam inundation areas, MBTA bridges and signals. A Web tool to make the mapping available online, with some secure information accessible only to those with special security clearance and some information open to the public. Update to the web tool to display information about traffic signals along emergency evacuation routes in Boston and the immediately surrounding communities. Data collection and mapping of condition of critical infrastructure on evacuation routes.
• Expansion of existing origin-destination model developed by CTPS to create transit trip tables using automated fare collection (AFC) data.
• GIS maps, computer map files, databases, and data analyses.
• Green Line Extension Delay: SIP Mitigation – Database of solicited interim mitigation measure ideas, including a preliminary evaluation of key metrics and accompanying memorandum.
• Green Line Extension Project: Support to MassDOT and the MBTA on the Green Line Extension FTA New Starts application.
• Ground transportation analysis in support of Massport – Memoranda documenting the Logan passenger forecasts, for the Remote Parking study.
• Household-Survey Based Profiles and Trends – Maps and tables showing trends between the 2011 and earlier household-survey. A profile of characteristics of 2011 survey participants.
• Job Access and Reverse Commute Program and New Freedom Program solicitation notices, evaluations, and recommendations. Support for MassDOT Division of Rail and Transit program solicitation and application process.
• Livable Community Workshop program – Updated Web-based data and maps for the MPO’s livability index. Livable Community Workshops and Walkable Community Workshops in MPO municipalities including research, site visits, and preparation of materials and memoranda to support and document workshop discussions.
• MassDOT Accelerated Bridge Program Project Support – Data analysis, and preparation of spreadsheets and memos.
• MassDOT Diversity Posters - Designed and produced a series of seven Diversity posters including the following topics: Asian Pacific Islanders; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender; Disability Awareness; Hispanic Heritage; Native American; Black History; and Women’s History.
• MassDOT State Transportation Map – Created an updated Massachusetts Official Transportation Map and an online version of the main three languages: Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese.
• MBTA Automated Fare Collection System - Development of a system for regularly downloading, analyzing, and summarizing data from the MBTA’s automated fare collection (AFC) system.
• MBTA bus trip pointchecks and passenger counts on selected routes.
• MBTA Cost-Allocation Model - Update to MBTA’s cost-allocation model for use in determining the net cost per passenger of various MBTA services to aid the service planning process.
• MBTA Fiscal Year 2013 National Transit Database: Directly Operated – Sampling of passenger boardings and alightings on randomly selected bus trips; survey of a sampling of rail rapid transit passengers’ trips.
• MBTA Fiscal Year 2013 National Transit Database: Purchased Bus – Sampling of passenger boardings and alightings on randomly selected bus trips.
• MBTA Neighborhood Maps and Bus Shelter Maps – Created neighborhood maps for select MBTA stations and bus shelters.
• MBTA Rider Oversight Committee – Technical assistance to the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee and attendance at committee and subcommittee meetings.
• MBTA Ridership Data - Update of existing CTPS database that houses MBTA ridership data to incorporate data from automatic passenger counters (APC).
• MBTA Silver Line passenger counts to monitor implementation of free fares at Logan Airport.
• MPO Committees Support (including the Congestion Management Committee, the UPWP Committee, and the ad hoc Committee on the Regional Transportation Advisory Council Review and the Performance Measure Committee). Clean Air and Mobility Program coordination; preparation of the FFY 2014 MPO Certification Activities Schedule; meeting planning; communications and coordination with members and interested parties; preparation of meeting agendas, minutes, other meeting materials and informational materials, and various memoranda and presentations; staff support; and database maintenance.  
• MPO Public Participation Program – Outreach materials supporting the development of certification documents and other MPO programs. Publication and posting of MPO notices and informational materials. Soliciting and responding to public comments on documents under review and gathering and responding (year-round) to other comments, questions, and requests for information from members of the public. Preparation of press releases and legal and public notices.
• MPO Website Development and Enhancements – Revamped and updated website to make it accessible to blind and low-vision users. Updated interactive TIP database. Updated online surveys for the Transportation Equity Program and for submitting public comments on draft certification documents on the website.
• Needs Assessment Updates – Data gathering and incorporation into the Needs Assessment databases, tables, and maps.
• Ongoing technical support to the MassDOT Office of Civil Rights to assist in compliance with FHWA and FTA Title VI requirements and response to reporting deficiencies.
• Planning Topics – Notes documenting research and pertinent information for MPO consideration on topics such as health impacts and economic analyses.
• Regional Transit Service Planning Technical Support – Technical assistance to regional transportation authorities to promote best practices and to transportation management areas (TMAs) and municipalities to improve transit services.
• Regional Transportation Advisory Council Support (including the Freight Committee, Membership Committee, and ad hoc committees) – Support includes meeting planning; scheduling of speakers; coordination with the MPO, including response to the MPO’s recommendation regarding the Advisory Council election process; preparation of meeting agendas, minutes, materials, and various memoranda; outreach for new members; coordination of process for the review and revision of the bylaws; staff support; and database maintenance.
• Responses to requests for transit data.
• Roadway Network Inventory for Emergency Needs pilot study – GIS layer and database of traffic signals and documentation.
• Route 79 Transportation Study: Evaluation of Alternatives – Data analysis and preparation of spreadsheets and memoranda.
• South Coast Commuter Rail Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) – Memoranda documenting the ridership forecasts, mode shift, station activities, and air quality impacts for the FEIR study and Rapid Bus alternative for the draft environmental impact report (DEIR) study, respectively.
• TIP project information forms, evaluation criteria and matrices, instructional handbook, TIP interactive database, and other Web-based data.
• Transportation Equity Program – Transportation needs assessment outreach (meetings and forum) to organizations and agencies familiar with the needs of environmental justice areas and memoranda to document results. Some work conducted in collaboration with MAPC. Initial outreach to update the Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan, including preparation of maps showing existing transportation infrastructure and services and preparation of an updated Plan.
• Transreport, the MPO’s bimonthly newsletter.
• Travel data forecasting.
• Updates to MPO bicycle and pedestrian traffic count interactive database.
• UPWP – Outreach materials, evaluation criteria and process, and staff recommendation for the FFY 2014 UPWP and FFY 2013 UPWP quarterly reports.
• Work scopes for MPO evaluation and approval and transmission to the Federal Highway Administration.

2.3.2    MAPC Work Products

MAPC Reports

• Foxboro Parking Study
• Newton & Needham Right of Way Transit Concept Plan
• Priority Development Areas and Priority Preservation Areas in North Suburban and South Shore Sub-regions
• Route 9 Sprawl Repair Vision in Natick, Framingham, and Southborough
• Sullivan Square Land Use Vision
• Transit Oriented Development Opportunities & Impediments: Wollaston Station, Beverley Depot, and Melrose Cedar Park

MAPC Technical Memoranda

• Comment letters analyzing major development projects across the region, including:
• Suffolk Downs Casino and Hotel
• Boston Convention and Exhibition Center Expansion
• Harvard University Barry’s Corner
• New Balance Expansion in Allston
• Quincy Center Redevelopment
• Millennium Tower Downtown Crossing
• Local Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans in Dedham, Westwood, Quincy, Malden, Everett, Chelsea, Revere, Lynn, Saugus, Marlborough, Hudson, and Stow
• MAPC Demographic Projections
• Technical Assistance Memo for Lynn Route 1A Pedestrian Access
• Technical Assistance Memo for Wilmington Cross Street Pedestrian Improvements
• TIP criteria evaluations for impact on land use and economic development

Other MAPC Work Products and Activities

• 128 Business Council Smart Bus technology procurement of services – This project is ongoing. MAPC is overseeing Clean Air and Mobility Program funding to the 128 Business Council to develop a technology-driven, demand-responsive variable bus route system. MAPC will be procuring a vendor to provide a turn-key electronic dispatching system.
• Creation of a database of development projects in the Boston MPO region (dd.mapc.org).
• GIS technical assistance and support for transportation planning in the region.
• Hubway Bicycle Sharing coordination among Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Brookline; system implementation.
• Interagency coordination, work scopes, participation in advisory and corridor committees, public participation, 2012 MPO elections, and attendance at relevant meetings.
• Livable Communities Workshops – Engagement with municipalities and recommendations for transportation and land use improvements to be more in line with livability principles.
• MetroFuture engagement at the local level, updates to the Regional Indicators reports, and Smart Growth Profiles.
• Preparation of monthly meeting agendas, coordination with transportation agencies, traffic study reviews, presentations to the MPO, support for subregion and corridor advisory committee meetings.
• Provision of information to the MAPC Executive Committee, MAPC officers, and MAPC subregional groups on MPO transportation activities and issues.
• Regional Trail Network Map and Greenway Planning – This project is ongoing; however, MAPC has created an inventory of off-road and on-road trails in the region and an interactive online map that will help identify priority “gaps” and provide information to evaluate specific segments (trailmap.mapc.org/).
• Report analyzing the vehicle miles traveled data from the Registry of Motor Vehicles of each automobile garaged in Massachusetts.
• Subregional forums sponsored by the subregions that focused on transportation finance policies and economic development.

3 Index of Projects by Agency

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, 2013, and September 30, 2014. 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 project-specific information in these UPWP chapters is presented in the table that follows the introductory text for UPWP Chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7.  

The projects in the UPWP are funded by a variety of federal and state sources. When budgets have been approved by the MPO, each project description will identify the project’s funding source or sources. With respect to funding, there are two types of projects:

• 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.
• 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 Chaper 4 are:

• Computer Resource Management (includes System Administration and Computer Room Management; Software Development; Staff Assistance and Training; Liaison with Other Agencies; Computing Resource Purchasing and Maintenance; and Computer Resource Planning)
• Data Resource Management (includes Travel Data; Socioeconomic Data, Miscellaneous Data; Response to Data Requests; GIS Reference Data; and Geographic Information System/Database Management System)
• Direct Support

5     Certification Requirements

The projects in Chapter 5 are categorized as certification requirements because they include work that the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (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 for compliance with federal and state laws, such as the federal Clean Air Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The projects in this category are:

• 3C Planning and MPO Support (includes Support to the MPO and its Committees; Planning Topics; Subregional Outreach; Regional Transportation Advisory Council Support; TRANSREPORT; Public Participation Process; Boston Region MPO Website, www.bostonmpo.org; Professional Development; and General Graphics)
• Access Advisory Committee Support
• Air Quality Conformity Determinations
• Air Quality Support Activity
• Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting
• Long-Range Transportation Plan
• MPO/MAPC Liaison and Support Activities
• Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats
• Regional Model Enhancement
• Subregional Support Activities
• Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support
• Transportation Improvement Program
• Unified Planning Work Program [CTPS]
• Unified Planning Work Program [MAPC]

6     Planning Studies

The projects in this chapter are planning studies that will be conducted during federal fiscal year 2014. They are technical in nature and may include support for larger projects that will be described in Appendix A: Other Boston Region Transportation-Planning Projects. (New discrete studies will be added to this chapter upon approval by the MPO.)

The projects in this category are:

• Accelerated Bridge Program Support
• Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities
• Congestion Management Process
• Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies (includes Rutherford Avenue Land Use Visioning; Subregional Priority Development and Priority Preservation Studies; Opportunities for and Impediments to Creating Transit-Oriented Development; Redevelopment Analysis for Selected Parcels within Routes 99, 16, and 28 in Boston, Everett, Medford, Somerville, and Cambridge; and Land Use Baseline for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT))
• Green Line Extension: Completion of New Starts Analysis
• Green Line Extension Delay: SIP Mitigation
• Land Use Development Project Reviews
• Massport Technical Assistance SFY 2012-SFY 2014
• MetroFuture Engagement
• Metrowest RTA Planning Assistance II
• Modeling Support: I-93/I-95 Interchange Improvements North of Boston
• Route 79 Transportation Study: Evaluation of Alternatives
• Safety and Operations Analyses at Selected Intersections – FFY 14
• South Coast Commuter Rail FEIR
• South Station Expansion Project: Support
•  

7     Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects

The projects in this chapter will be conducted during federal fiscal year 2014. They are technical in nature and may include support for larger projects, which will be described in Appendix A: Other Boston Region Transportation-Planning Projects. (New discrete studies will be added to this chapter upon approval by the MPO.)

The projects in this category are:

• Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination
• Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program
• Freight Planning Support
• Household Survey-Based Travel Profiles and Trends
• Land Use, Demographics, and Mode Shift in Transportation
• Livable Community Workshop Program
• MassDOT Road Inventory Supplemental Grant
• MassDOT Statewide Planning and Research Program Support
• MassDOT Title VI Program
• MassDOT Transit Planning Assistance
• MBTA 2013 National Transit Database: Directly Operated
• MBTA 2013 National Transit Database: Purchased Bus
• MBTA 2013-2014 Title VI Program Monitoring
• MBTA 2014 National Transit Database: Directly Operated
• MBTA 2014 National Transit Database: Purchased Bus
• MBTA Bus Service Data Collection VIII
• MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Support
• Regional Transit Service Planning Technical Support – FFY 14
• Roadway Network Inventory for Emergency Needs: A Pilot Study
• Travel Data Forecasts
• Travel Operations Analyses

Federal Fiscal Year 2014 Unified Planning Work Program Projects

8     Boston Region MPO Budget and Operating Summaries

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

Chaper 4: Administration and Resource Projects – (funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2014 budget)

Chaper 5: Certification Requirements – (funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2014 budget)

Chaper 6: Planning Studies – (funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2014 budget)

Chaper 7: Technical Support/Operations Analysis Projects – (funds to be listed after MPO approval of federal fiscal year 2014 budget)

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: $3,236,900 (Please note: The MPO is awaiting the final PL award for FFY 2014. The number listed here assumes level funding from the previous federal fiscal year.)
• FHWA Statewide Planning and Research (SPR)/MassDOT Local Match: $498,000
• FTA/MassDOT and MAPC Local Match: $1,825,420.
• MassDOT: $397,700
• MBTA: $397,625
• Other: $15,000

A series of summary tables will be added as budgets are reviewed and approved by the Boston Region MPO. The funding information presented in Chapters 4-7 will be summarized in four tables, one for each UPWP category. These will be followed by a one-page summary 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. Charts presenting schedules and staff assignments for CTPS projects in this UPWP will be included in the finalized UPWP.  

Appendix A: Other Boston Region Transportation-Planning Projects

Project descriptions in this appendix are being finalized and some text may change. Placeholder text for this project is highlighted in yellow.

This appendix consists of brief descriptions of planning studies that will be conducted in the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) area by individual agencies, such as MassDOT and the MBTA. MPO funding will not be used for these studies, although in certain instances an agency or one of its consultants may contract with MPO staff, specifically, the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS), to provide support work for the preparation of an environmental impact report or a large-scale study.For these projects, CTPS support work is described in Chapters 4 through 7, with a cross-reference to the project listing in this appendix. Likewise, projects listed in this appendix indicate whether there is a CTPS component. An example of this is the South Station Expansion Project; CTPS support work is described in Chapter 6, and the MassDOT project itself is presented in this appendix.

The projects in this appendix are not subject to the MPO’s public participation process. Rather, they follow their own public processes with established citizen advisory committees, as required by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). They are included here to provide a more complete picture of all the surface-transportation planning projects occurring in the region.

A.1     Other Boston Region Transportation- Planning Projects

Central Broadway Streetscape Improvements

Agency: MassDOT

The City of Somerville will be studying existing transportation needs, and evaluating and preparing an urban streetscape design that improves safety and function along Central Broadway. It will also foster a distinctive sense of place along Central Broadway that builds on the character of the Winter Hill neighborhood.

Charles River Basin Bridge Projects

Agency: MassDOT

As part of the Accelerated Bridge Program , over $400 million in funding has been allocated to improving the conditions of structurally deficient bridges in the Lower Basin area of the Charles River. Created 90 years ago from tidal marshes and mud flats, the Charles River Basin operates as a complex transportation and linkage system. This area serves as a host to many historic and natural resources, including parks, shared-use pathways, public boat landings, boat houses, recreational facilities, and leading higher-educational institutions. Bridge rehabilitation projects currently under construction or in design include the Craigie Dam Bridge and Craigie Drawbridge, Longfellow Bridge, Boston University Bridge, Western Avenue Bridge, River Street Bridge, Anderson Memorial Bridge, and Magazine Street Pedestrian Bridge.

The historic Charles River Basin bridges provide critical connections for travelling in and out of Boston for a wide range of users, including businesses, universities, hospitals, bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers. The bridges are important evacuation routes and serve countless recreational users along the Charles River.

Downtown Framingham Traffic Impact Analysis

Agency: MassDOT

The Towns of Framingham and Ashland are concurrently developing projects to improve access across the CSX Boston Line/MBTA Worcester Line through their respective communities. Many major roads used for north–south travel in each community cross the railroad at grade and are significantly disrupted by the frequent crossings of CSX freight, MBTA commuter rail, and Amtrak trains along the railroad corridor. These disruptions have a negative effect on each community’s quality of life, public safety, and economic development.

MassDOT’s Highway Division and Office of Transportation Planning are conducting a study of the area as part of an Environmental Notification Form (ENF). The purpose of the study is to evaluate the impacts that several proposed modifications to the rail crossing intersections would have on traffic congestion and travel patterns in the downtown Framingham area.

Fairmount Planning Initiatives

Agency: MassDOT/MBTA/City of Boston/MAPC

State transportation agencies are partnering with federal agencies, the City of Boston, and neighborhood-based organizations on a number of planning initiatives designed to improve access to transit and promote sustainable development in the Fairmount Corridor. These initiatives, which are underway as the MBTA completes major infrastructure improvements and three of the four planned new stations on the Fairmount Line, include:

• Fairmount Corridor Business Development and Transit Ridership Growth Strategy:  Fairmount CDC Collaborative with the MBTA has received a Transportation, Community and System Preservation grant to improve transit service connection to job development in the Fairmount Corridor.
• Fairmount Indigo Corridor Planning Initiative:  The Boston Redevelopment Authority is spearheading this planning process, which involves the participation of community and agency stakeholders. A vision for Corridor land use and neighborhood change focused on enhanced transit is being developed, along with an action plan for targeted redevelopment and public infrastructure upgrades at station areas. 

Fenway-Longwood-Kenmore Transportation Action Plan

Agency: City of Boston

This study involves identifying land use, transportation, and urban design goals for the East and West Fenway. The West Fenway Plan includes two major components: a transportation plan, and land use and urban design guidelines for two special study areas (Brookline Avenue/Lansdowne Street and Boylston Street). The East Fenway Plan addresses five categories: land use, institutions, housing and economics, transportation, and urban design. 

Green Line Extension Project New Starts Application Development Agency: MassDOT/MBTA

The Green Line Extension (GLX) Project is an initiative to extend existing MBTA Green Line service from a relocated Lechmere Station in East Cambridge to Somerville and Medford with a spur to Union Square in Somerville. The purpose of this project is to boost transit ridership, improve air quality, ensure equitable distribution of transit services, and support opportunities for smart growth initiatives and sustainable development in Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford. The project is required by the State Implementation Plan (SIP) and fulfills a longstanding commitment of the Central Artery/ Tunnel project to increase public transit.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) New Starts program provides grants for new and expanded rail, bus rapid transit, and ferry systems that reflect local priorities to improve transportation options in key corridors. In June 2012, FTA approved the GLX Project to enter the Preliminary Engineering phase of project development under the New Starts Program. This approval makes MassDOT and the MBTA eligible to apply for New Starts funding from FTA to reimburse expenditures associated with the GLX project. Final authority to seek reimbursements, however, depends on the GLX project’s being able to successfully continue to compete against other public transit projects within the New Starts program. For this to occur, the Green Line Extension project must continue to advance the design and complete the tasks associated with applying for New Starts Funding, including updating data for New Starts criteria.

CTPS will support the Green Line Extension project’s New Starts application development through the Green Line Extension: Completion of New Starts Analysis project (page 6-X).

Inland Route High-Speed Rail Corridor Feasibility Study

Agency: MassDOT

This study of the Inland Route High-Speed Rail Corridor will examine more frequent and higher-speed intercity passenger rail service on the 160.2-mile corridor between Boston, MA, and New Haven, CT, via Springfield, MA, along with the corresponding ridership potential and necessary infrastructure improvements necessary to develop a Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and companion Service Development Plan.  This study will be coordinated with the effort to upgrade the Springfield–New Haven line, which is being led by the State of Connecticut, using analysis and design previously developed for that segment of the corridor, to the extent possible.  Improvements to the Inland Route will facilitate initiation of passenger train service along a second route between Boston and New York at speeds comparable to the existing Amtrak regional trains that travel along the Northeast Corridor.  This study will be integrated into the companion effort led by the State of Vermont to study intercity passenger rail service between Boston and Montreal via the Inland Route.

Intelligent Transportation Systems: Development and Implementation

Agency: MassDOT

MassDOT is engaged in planning, developing, and implementing intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to more effectively operate the transportation system in Massachusetts. MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning conducts ITS planning described in the State Planning and Research Program – Part I. Current planning activities include implementing a statewide ITS planning program, developing a statewide ITS strategic plan, maintaining and updating the regional ITS architectures for metropolitan Boston and other regions within the state, increasing awareness of ITS within the transportation community and among related stakeholders, planning activities in support of the use of ITS as a tool to improve system performance and function, and providing assistance in planning for the use of ITS for all modes.

MassDOT’s Highway Division established the ITS Programs Unit within the Statewide Operations Division to design, develop, implement, and maintain ITS systems for the state highway system. The ITS Programs Unit works with consultants and contractors on these rapidly evolving technologies. Current activities in the Boston region include operation of the Statewide Traffic Operations Center in South Boston, operation of the high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-93 into Boston from the north and south, expansion of the transportation communications system, operation of the Massachusetts Interagency Video Information System (MIVIS) and advanced traveler-information system, and development of an Advanced Transportation Management System.

Massachusetts Turnpike – Boston Ramps Study

Agency: MassDOT

The goal of this study is to investigate the potential for new or revised access between the Massachusetts Turnpike Extension (I-90) and the regional express highway network in the city of Boston along the segment between Commonwealth Avenue in Allston and Interstate 93 in Chinatown. These new connections would help address the traffic congestion caused by the economic growth in the Back Bay, Longwood Medical Area (LMA), Fenway, and Seaport District neighborhoods in the city of Boston.

Massachusetts Turnpike Corridor Plan (Boston Extension)

Agency: MassDOT

MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning is leading an effort to conduct a thorough review of the Massachusetts Turnpike Boston Extension corridor. The review will include an examination of current and proposed transportation and land use projects, the status of existing bridge infrastructure conditions (state of good repair), and a review of any planning studies covering the corridor. In addition to Turnpike infrastructure, the review will also include a summary of proposed tolling technologies, passenger and freight rail interrelationships with the Turnpike corridor, other significant transportation projects crossing the corridor, and the status of non-Turnpike key bridges directly impacting the corridor.

Pre-Engineering for Union Square in Somerville

Agency: City of Somerville

The purpose of the study is to evaluate existing transportation analysis and recommend a design for roadway and utility improvements in and around Union Square. In 2002, Edwards and Kelcey (E&K) completed the Union Square Transportation Plan, which identified several potential options to improve transportation traffic flow, pedestrian and bike safety, open space and public bus service throughout the Square. The recommendations were based on community consensus that took place as part of the study. In 2009, Howard/Stein-Hudson compiled more detailed transportation-related data that resulted in three recommendations and a functional design report for the then preferred alternative. The City wishes to advance transportation and infrastructure improvements to the Square by having a consultant re-evaluate all findings, identify all other possible design alternatives, add utility improvement design work, and recommend a design solution that would be documented in a report. Public meetings will be held to solicit significant public input and, using that information combined with the empirical data collected, develop and present the recommended design solutions. The consultant, working with the City and all other partners, will be required to develop a phased implementation plan for the design improvements.

Region One University Transportation Center: Universities Research Program

Colleges and Universities

Research programs involving educational institutions such as Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Massachusetts are conducted at the Region One University Transportation Center. For further information on specific projects, contact Paula Magliozzi at (617) 253-0753.

South Coast Rail Project

Agency: MassDOT/ MAPC/MBTA

MassDOT and the MBTA are developing state and federally required environmental review documents and a smart-growth corridor plan for the South Coast Rail Project, which would restore passenger rail service between the cities of Fall River and New Bedford and downtown Boston. The project includes the construction of passenger stations and terminal layover facilities. MAPC is assisting MassDOT and the MBTA with land use planning for this project. In addition, MassDOT is working in coordination with the Southeastern Regional Planning Development District and with the South Coast Rail Project staff in the development of this project. Visit www.mass.gov/southcoastrail for more information on this study.

CTPS will support the South Coast Rail project through work on the South Coast Commuter Rail FEIR project (page 6-X).

South Station Expansion Project

Agency: MassDOT

The 13 tracks currently available at Boston’s South Station significantly constrain current and future rail mobility not only within Massachusetts but throughout New England and the Amtrak Northeast Corridor.  South Station operates above its design capacity for efficient train operations and orderly passenger queuing and lacks comfortable, modern facilities for passenger queuing, leaving riders standing in the elements as they wait to board their trains. 

This project will complete all necessary alternatives analysis, environmental review, and preliminary engineering (approximately 30 percent design) required for the expansion of South Station and the development of a new midday commuter rail layover facility. The project will plan and design an enhanced passenger environment at South Station through improved streetscape and pedestrian, bicycle, local transit, and vehicular facilities in and around South Station, including the re-opening of Dorchester Avenue for public use. The project will consider opportunities for joint public-private development above an expanded South Station and also include a plan for the relocation of the existing U.S. Postal Service General Mail Facility, which must be moved to accommodate the station’s expansion.

CTPS will support the South Station Expansion Project project through work on the South Station Expansion Project: Support project (page 6-X).

Transit Asset Management FTA Pilot Program

Agency: MBTA

The MBTA, with an award provided by the FTA through the Transit Asset Management (TAM) Pilot Program, is putting in place systems for maintaining condition inventory, and monitoring and prioritizing transit infrastructure. The program includes:

1. Preparing a transit asset management plan
2. Developing a capital asset inventory
3. Performing condition assessments for assets and the system as a whole
4. Implementing decision support tools for investment prioritization
5. Establishing annual performance targets and measuring performance against them

This FTA Pilot Program work is intended to serve as a model for other U.S. transit agencies in meeting the asset management requirements of MAP-21.

Urban Streetscape and Adaptive Reuse Plan for the Inner Belt and Brickbottom Districts

Agency: City of Somerville

Appendix B: Public Participation

This appendix will include a description of the FFY 2014 UPWP public involvement and draft circulation process, as well as a summary of written comments received on the draft FFY 2014 UPWP and the MPO’s responses. Information about past and planned outreach activities for the FFY 2014 will be included in this section after MPO approval to circulate the draft UPWP but prior to draft circulation. The summary of written comments and responses will be included in the final draft of the FFY 2014 UPWP.

Appendix C: FFY 2014 UPWP Project Universe

This section includes two tables. The first table, titled the “CTPS FFY 2014 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects, by Project Type” describes the new discrete project proposals that MPO staff at CTPS collected or developed for the FFY 2014 UPWP. The Universe includes the project’s name, description, cost estimates, and, where applicable, a comments field that provides supporting information about the project. Each project proposal has been categorized as a low, medium, or high priority by Boston Region MPO staff. The proposals have also been rated against a series of focus areas, which reflect MPO visions and policies (as articulated in the MPO Long-Range Transportation Plan), national goals and planning factors, federal guidance and other regional priorities. For more information about these focus areas, please see Chapter 1 of this document.

 Table C-1: CTPS FFY 2014 UPWP Universe of Proposed New Projects, by Project Type

Table C-2: FFY 2014 UPWP MAPC Project Concepts