Draft Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting
June 20, 2013 Meeting
10:00 AM 1:30 PM, State Transportation Building, Conference Rooms 2&3, 10 Park Plaza, Boston
Clinton Bench, Chair, representing Richard Davey, Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization agreed to the following:
release
proposed Amendment Two to the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) for a
30-day public review period
re-open
the public review period for the federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2014-17
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for another 30-days
approve
the FFY 2014 operating budget for Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS)
approve
the minutes of the meeting of June 6
State Representative Bill Galvin advocated for the programming of $38 million in the FFYs 2014-17 TIP for a portion of the Canton Interchange Project, the project for the Construction of the Dedham Street ramp and the widening of Dedham Street. He spoke about the importance of this project which would include the construction of a new ramp to Interstate 95, bridge widening, and other infrastructure improvements for the success of the University Station Project, a 2.2 million square foot development of retail, commercial, and residential space.
Bill Friel, Town of Canton, voiced strong support for the Canton Interchange Project, including the proposed improvement to the Dedham Street corridor. He remarked upon the traffic safety and regional economic benefits that will result from the project. He asked the MPO to vote favorably on MassDOTs proposal to accelerate the project timeline.
In response to these comments, Marc Draisen, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, asked MassDOT to clarify the various portions of the Canton Interchange Project. He expressed concern about the overall cost of the project. C. Bench suggested that the specific elements and costs of the project segments could be discussed further during the subsequent agenda items.
Michael Jaillet, Town of Westwood, also offered support for the Canton Interchange Project. He noted that by going forward with this project, the state would be bringing a resolution to a long standing issue. He noted that the state is already behind schedule on its promise to rebuild the interchange by 2006. He also noted that the project will bring economic benefit to the entire region, not only to the University Station development.
Stephanie Mercandetti, Town of Walpole, advocated for the Reconstruction of Route 1A North project in Walpole. She was joined by Steven Winter, MAPC Coordinator of the Three Rivers Interlocal Council (TRIC). She noted that the MPO has received written comments in support of the project from the Chambers of Commerce in the Walpole area, the legislative delegation for the area, and the Walpole Board of Selectmen. The project involves roadway and sidewalk reconstruction and the signalization of four intersections on a main commercial corridor that provides access to businesses, residential subdivisions, and schools. There have been 116 accidents on the roadway in the last couple of years, including one involving a school bus. She noted that the project will provide improvement both in terms of safety and economic development. She asked the MPO to reconsider its decision that excluded the project from the Draft FFYs 2014-17 TIP noting that the project scored higher in the MPOs evaluation process than some of the other projects that were included in the Draft TIP.
After the MPO heard public comments, Dennis Crowley, South West Advisory Planning Committee (Town of Medway), asked the state representatives in attendance for any insight they might have regarding the amount of funding currently being considered by the legislative conference committee for the state transportation bill. Previous discussions focused on a range of between $500 million and $800 million in new revenue per year. Rep. Galvin replied that the conference committee is still meeting and that while a decision has not been made, he expects that the final figure would be higher than $500 million. M. Draisen then noted that it is important to understand that the range under consideration is, in reality, between $500 million and $600 million. The $800 million figure, he said, only applies to the final year of the Senate bill.
C. Bench announced that Calli Cenizal, MassDOT, will be leaving her position to attend graduate school. The MPO members recognized and thanked her for her good work.
There were none.
S. Olanoff reported that the Advisory Council met on June 12 and heard a presentation on the MBTAs Capital Improvement Program.
The Council submitted a letter of comment to the MPO regarding the draft FFYs 2014-17 TIP and the draft FFY 2014 UPWP. There was a significant amount of input received during the development of the letter, particularly in regards to the topic of freight.
The Council will meet next on July 10. Thomas McGlynn, Director of the Massachusetts Port Authority, will be addressing the Council at that time.
K. Quackenbush announced that the MPO staff is in the early stages of the process of updating the MPOs Public Participation Plan. Staff is inviting public input and has posted a survey on the MPOs website. He asked members and attendees to pass this news along.
C. Bench introduced this agenda item by giving an overview of the MPOs certification documents and potential actions that the MPO would be considering today.
The LRTP is a plan covering a 25-year period. It is required to be fiscally constrained and it identifies mobility gaps and problems in the region, as well as strategies for solving those problems. The MPO will be considering releasing a proposed Amendment Two to the LRTP today.
The TIP has a four-year timeframe and lays out federal and state spending on transportation projects within that timeframe. It is updated annually. The FFYs 2013-16 TIP is the active document. The proposed FFY 2014-17 TIP is currently out for public review. The MPO will be considering making a change to the latter today and to its public review period.
The UPWP has a one-year timeframe and lays out the work that the MPO staff will be conducting using federal and state funding sources.
A. McGahan then presented the proposed Amendment Two to the LRTP.
MassDOT is proposing to move the Canton Interchange Project forward from the FFYs 2021-25 time band of the LRTP to the FFYs 2013-15 (current) time band and the FFYs 2016-20 time band, and to fund the project with non-federal aid.
In addition, the amendment would
incorporate recent changes that are proposed for the Draft 2014-17 TIP because
of changes in the completion dates of two projects the Route 128 Add-A-Lane project in Randolph and Wellesley, and the Route 18 Capacity Improvements project
in Weymouth. The change in these projects schedules required that a new air
quality conformity determination be conducted for the TIP. The proposed LRTP
amendment would make the LRTP and TIP consistent.
A. McGahan provided details about the portion of the amendment pertaining to the Canton Interchange Project. These details were also described in materials and tables that were distributed to the members.
The Canton Interchange Project is comprised of several phases:
Phase 1:
Reconstruction of Blue Hill Drive ($5 million) and the Intersection
of Canton Street and University Avenue ($5 million)
Phase 2: Construction of the Dedham Street ramp and the widening of Dedham Street: This phase is the subject of a TIGER V federal grant application. If TIGER funds are not awarded, MassDOT will use non-federal-aid funds for this project. ($38 million)
Phase 3: Interstate 95 and 93 Interchange: This phase includes the addition of travel lanes on Interstate 95, the widening of a two-mile section of Interstate 95 southbound from Route 128 to Neponset Street, and the widening a one-mile section of Interstate 95 northbound from Dedham Street to Route 128. ($190 million)
MassDOT is proposing to reprogram Phase 2 from the FFYs 2021-2025 time band of the LRTP into the current time band and Phase 3 into the FFYs 2016-20 time band to allow for an earlier construction schedule. Although the Canton Interchange Project would be constructed in phases, it would be considered as one project for the purpose of environmental and design review.
Members asked questions.
If the TIGER grant is
not awarded for the Phase 2 of the Canton project, how would that portion of
the project be funded? (Tom Bent, Inner Core Committee, City of Somerville)
It would be funded by the state with non-federal aid. (A. McGahan)
In that event, would
the decision come before the MPO? (Laura Wiener, At-Large Town of Arlington)
Yes, an administrative adjustment or amendment to the LRTP would come before the MPO and the MPO would determine if the change is substantive enough to require a public review period. (C. Bench) Funds for Phase 2, whether from a TIGER grant or state funds, would be programmed in the LRTP as non-target funds, rather than as MPO target funds. (A. McGahan)
Would the TIGER grant
cover all of Phase 2? Would a match be required? (James Errickson, At-Large
City of Everett)
The TIGER grant would cover all elements of Phase 2. A 20% match would be required. All phases would be considered as one project for the purposes of environmental permitting under the MEPA and NEPA processes. The first two phases will help to facilitate access to the University Station development and will pave the way for construction of the major $190 million portion of the Canton Interchange Project. (David Anderson, MassDOT)
Does the $38 million
cost figure for Phase 2 represent the entire cost of that phase or does it
represent 80% (the federal share only)? (M. Draisen)
The total federal participating cost is $38 million, and this figure represents the combination of the federal and local contribution. The TIGER request is for the full amount. (C. Bench)
What is the timing of each portion of the project? (M. Draisen)
For Phase 1, MassDOT plans to have the design for the Reconstruction of Blue Hill Drive completed by June 2014, and the design for the Intersection of Canton Street and University Avenue completed during the summer of 2014. If MassDOT receives a TIGER grant for Phase 2, that portion of the project would have to be advertised by September 2014. If funded by non-federal aid, Phase 2 would be advertised in 2015. (More right-of-way acquisitions are required for Phase 2 than for Phase 1.) Phase 3 would be advertised in FFY 2016. (D. Anderson)
The total cost of the project is shown as $238 million. Do the cost figures provided for each portion of the project factor in inflation? (M. Draisen)
The figures are in 2014 dollars.
Is there a breakdown
of funds allocated for each fiscal year? (D. Crowley)
The breakdown by five-year timeband is shown on Table 1 for the LRTP. The activities that would be occurring in FFYs 2014-17 would be reflected in the TIP. (C. Bench)
For clarification,
should all the segments of the project be programmed in the FFYs 2016-20 timeband, as shown on Table 1? (Ed Tarallo,
North Suburban Planning Council, City of Woburn)
Funding for Phase 1 and 2 would be programmed in the FFY 2013-15 timeband of the LRTP (the latter if TIGER funding is available). (C. Bench)
Are cash flows
reflected in the LRTP? (C. Bench)
The programming in the LRTP would be consistent with that in the TIP. The 2016-20 time band programming shown in Table 1 is incorrect and will be changed to show the projects correct programming in the current time band. (A. McGahan)
A. McGahan continued with her presentation and provided details about the portion of the proposed amendment pertaining to the air quality conformity determination.
Reflected in the proposed amendment are changes that are proposed for the Draft 2014-17 TIP because of
changes in the completion dates of two projects the Route 128 Add-A-Lane project in Randolph and Wellesley, and the Route 18 Capacity Improvements project
in Weymouth. The change in these projects schedules required that a new air
quality conformity determination be conducted for the TIP.
The completion date for the Route 128 Add-A-Lane project changed from FFY 2016 to FFY 2017. It stays in the FFYs 201620 time band of the LRTP, but the analysis year was changed in the air quality conformity determination in the Draft FFYs 201417 TIP.
The Route 18 Capacity Improvements will not be completed before 2015, so it changed from the FFYs 201215 to the FFYs 201620 time band of the LRTP.
A. McGahan
provided details regarding updates to financial information in the proposed
amendment.
Cost adjustments to
projects in the LRTP were made to be consistent with the TIP. These figures
were reflected in Table 1. Another spreadsheet was provided to members that
showed the same financial information, but broken down by project type. The adjustments
include updates to the programming of statewide CMAQ funds applied to the Assabet River Rail Trail project.
The financial assumptions in the LRTP for the FFYs 201417 were updated to be consistent with the FFYs 201417 TIP. Table 2 in the proposed amendment shows the projected federal funds available in all of the time bands for capital projects on the MPO areas highway system.
A. McGahan described the changes reflected in the proposed amendment due to the updated air quality conformity determination.
The Boston Region MPO region has recently been classified as in attainment for the ozone standard; therefore the MPO is no longer required to perform an air quality conformity determination on its LRTP and TIP for ozone.
However, the MPO is required to perform a conformity determination for the Boston Carbon Monoxide (CO) Maintenance Area (the cities of Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Medford, Quincy, Revere, and Somerville) and the Waltham CO Limited-Maintenance Area.
The MPO was also required to incorporate new emission factors using a new emission model MOVES into the conformity as of March of this year. These new requirements were incorporated into a new conformity determination for the draft FFYs 201417 TIP which is out for public review.
Because this amendment provides consistency with the TIP, a separate conformity determination is not required.
The change in design of the Canton Interchange Project does not trigger a separate conformity determination because it is located outside of the CO maintenance areas.
A. McGahan explained
that other changes shown in the proposed amendment reflect updated climate
change information.
The travel demand
model was used to develop updated estimates for carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions resulting from the programming of changes for the Canton Interchange Project, Route 128
Add-A-Lane project, and the Route 18 Capacity Improvements project.
A build verses
no-build analysis was conducted using 2020 and 2035 as the horizon years. The estimates of the modeled
CO2 emissions are provided in Table 3 in the proposed amendment.
The results show
that the 2020 build scenario provides a statewide reduction of 88 tons of CO2
per day compared to the no-build case. However, the 2035 build scenario
estimates an increase of about 18 tons of CO2 emissions compared to
the no-build case. The analysis measures only projects that are included in the
travel demand model.
Members discussed this portion of the amendment and asked questions.
M. Draisen raised a concern that the MPO has a number of capacity-adding projects that could lead to a backtracking on air quality. C. Bench remarked that it is a balancing act in that such projects reduce bottlenecks and result in air quality benefits, but may also potentially draw more traffic due to economic development. A. McGahan noted that staff keeps track of the estimated air quality impacts for capacity-adding projects.
Eric Bourassa, MAPC, inquired about the amount of funds that would be left unassigned if the amendment were approved. A. McGahan replied that 61% of funds in the LRTPs FFYs 2021-25 time band are programmed (where the Canton Interchange Project is now programmed), but if the amendment is adopted (and the project is advanced to the current time band) only 6% of funds would be programmed in that time band.
S. Olanoff proposed adding text to the amendment to explain that non-federal aid would be used if the TIGER grant is not awarded for Phase 2 of the Canton Interchange Project. This would obviate the need for the MPO to amend the LRTP again if the TIGER grant is not awarded.
Laura Wiener, At-Large Town of Arlington, inquired about the impact on other projects if the TIGER grant is not awarded and non-federal aid is used. C. Bench then discussed the ongoing budget negotiations that are occurring in the state legislature that are expected to identify new transportation funding resources by June 30. He also spoke about the Patrick Administrations transportation finance plan, The Way Forward, which identifies the Canton Interchange Project and several others as regional infrastructure projects that it would like to accomplish. If a TIGER grant is received, it would reduce the burden of funding the Canton project.
D. Crowley noted that the priorities set in The Way Forward plan were based on the assumption of $1.9 billion in revenue, and that it is unlikely that the legislature will approve a bond bill with that level of revenue. Given that likelihood, he inquired as to where the Canton Interchange Project falls among the order of priorities in that plan. C. Bench replied that MassDOT supports the timeframe for the project as laid out in the proposed amendment. This schedule was suggested with the knowledge that the legislature may not approve the amount of funding proposed in The Way Forward. He also noted that this project is at a more advanced state of design that other projects.
D. Anderson clarified that the funding for Phase 1 and 2 of the Canton Interchange Project should be programmed in the FFY 2013-15 timeband of the LRTP.
S. Olanoff remarked on the Administrations support for the Canton Interchange Project as evidenced by the fact that the TIP lists the source of funding for a portion of the project as non-federal aid from the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. Also, he noted that the project was listed as a top priority in The Way Forward plan.
D. Crowley suggested that prior to voting on the proposed amendment members discuss the impact of the amendment on the TIP. John Romano, MassDOT Highway Division, noted that as the Canton Interchange Project would be funded with non-federal aid, it would not have an impact on the MPOs TIP target funds.
A motion to release the proposed Amendment Two to the LRTP (including modifications to the distribution of funding for the Assabet River Rail Trail project; the reprogramming of Phases 1 and 2 of the Canton Interchange Project to the FFYs 2013-15 time band and the Phase 3 portion in the FFYs 2016-20 time band; and the addition of text to clarify that non-federal aid will be used for Phase 2 if TIGER funding is not awarded) for a 30-day public review period was made by the MetroWest Regional Collaborative (Town of Framingham) (Dennis Giombetti), and seconded by the MassDOT Highway Division (J. Romano).
Members discussed the motion and other components of the proposed amendment.
Jim Gillooly, City of Boston, spoke to the merits of the Canton Interchange Project, but also stated that it is extremely important that if the project is moved forward for earlier construction that the funding source remains as state aid and that MassDOT not return to the MPO seeking federal aid for the project.
Lourenηo Dantas, Massachusetts Port Authority, recommended that staff program funding for the Conley Haul Road project in the FFYs 2013-15 time band of the LRTP.
L. Dantas questioned why the cost estimate for the Braintree Split project is significantly lower as compared to other major interchange projects. A. McGahan replied that the cost estimate for the Braintree Split project was developed in a CTPS study. There are no newer cost estimates for that project. She also provided updates on the cost estimates for the other interchange projects: the Malden, Revere, Saugus Route 1 Add-a-lane project is not moving forward at this time, so there is no new cost estimate for it; the cost estimates for the Canton Interchange projects are 2014 figures; and MassDOT Planning provided update figures for the Woburn and Reading Interstates 93/95 Interchange project, and 4% per year was added for inflation. E. Bourassa added that the MPO will be revisiting the LRTP in 2015 and that the task today is to focus on near term projects.
L. Dantas remarked that the air quality analysis shows an increase in CO2 emissions in 2035 under the build scenario. Given that the Global Warming Solutions Act requires reductions in CO2 , he asked whether there will be a decrease in emissions elsewhere in the state that will allow the state to make progress in reducing those emissions. A. McGahan replied that only those projects that could be modeled are included in the analysis. Another analysis is included in the TIP. Staff will be meeting with MassDOT staff regarding GreenDOT implementation.
L. Dantas remarked that the MPO may have opportunities in the outer time bands of the LRTP to consider projects that would have an impact in decreasing CO2 emissions.
Christine Stickney, South Shore Coalition (Town of Braintree), noted that the Braintree Split project has not moved forward due to a decision by MassDOT. The Town of Braintree and the City of Quincy support this project and are interested in advancing it, she said.
C. Stickney asked what would be the impact on the Canton Interchange Project if the MPO delayed its vote on the LRTP amendment by a week. C. Bench and Michael Chong, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), said that there are time considerations having to do with the environmental review process for the project. FHWA will not be able to move forward on preparing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) until the state demonstrates a financial commitment to the project. C. Bench also noted that the changes to the LRTP will also require substantial changes to the TIP, which will require that the TIP enter another 30-day public comment period. That will delay MassDOTs development of the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) until August.
E. Bourassa raised concerns to FHWA that the MPO is poised to have to take a vote about the Canton Interchange Project when it is still unclear whether funding is available for it. He asked whether FHWA would sign off on the environmental documents barring funding being available. M. Chong replied that the MPO would only be voting today to release the amendment for a public review period, and during that time it would become apparent if funding will be available.
Speaking as a member of the Westwood Planning Committee, S. Olanoff spoke to the importance of the early phases of the Canton Interchange Project for supporting the University Station development.
M. Draisen expressed support for the Phases 1 and 2 of the Canton Interchange Project noting their relatively modest cost and relevance to the University Station development. He expressed concern, however, about the more expensive Phase 3 and gave several reasons for that concern.
First, while recognizing the near term safety and congestion reduction benefits that the project would produce, he noted that in the long term this capacity building project will attract more traffic, which would be inconsistent with the objectives of the Global Warming Solutions Act. To meet those objectives, the MPO and the Commonwealth will have to develop a dramatically different way of allocating transportation dollars and prioritizing projects, he said.
Rather than continue the practice of prioritizing projects based heavily on readiness, he called for a reassessment of all interchange projects compared to transit and bicycle and pedestrian projects, to determine which ones are most important in terms of safety, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and job creation.
Secondly, he pointed out that the legislative conference committee working the transportation finance bill, has not yet released its report, so it remains unclear how much money will be available. Further, there are other legislators (not represented at this meeting today) that are advancing projects and that are expecting to be engaged in the process of allocating the new transportation funds. It is not a good practice, he said, to begin allocating substantial amount of funds before the bill passes.
Lastly, he stated that the passage of the bill will offer an opportunity to examine the full list of priorities. He suggested that there be a consultative process following the passage of the bill to set priorities with the available funding, which is likely to be in the $500 million to $600 million a year range.
He closed by apologizing for not having the opportunity to consult with the MPO and members of the public affected by the project prior to bringing his concerns before the MPO today. He stated that his concerns do not represent a long term objection to the Canton Interchange Project, but that Phase 3 should not be included in the amendment at todays meeting.
C. Bench then spoke to MassDOTs commitment to air quality improvement, public transportation improvement, and public engagement, and cited the active public engagement process that MassDOT carried out leading up to the development of The Way Forward. During the outreach process, the public voiced the need for substantial new funding for public transportation and certainty about revenue for regional transit authorities (RTAs). C. Bench noted that even without approval of the full amount of funding in The Way Forward, MassDOT will be able to avoid substantial transit fare increases, RTAs will be forward-funded, and the capacity of the transit system will be expanded, including with bus rapid transit. He expressed MassDOTs commitment to all these efforts as well as the Canton Interchange Project. And he reminded members that the Canton project is not coming forward as a new priority as it is already programmed in the LRTP. Rather, the proposed amendment is an effort to move the time frame of the project forward.
Richard Canale, At-Large Town of Lexington, asked what would be the implications if Phase 3 of the Canton Interchange Project was not programmed in the proposed amendment. D. Anderson and M. Chong replied that FHWA would not issue a FONSI if the entire project were not programmed for the next four years. A. McGahan noted that the entire project is already programmed in the LRTP in a different time band.
M. Draisen suggested leaving Phase 3 in the LRTP as currently programmed and moving forward the earlier phases today. Then the MPO could address Phase 3 next year when it revisits the LRTP. He asked FHWA how the MPO could advance the time frame of the earlier phases of the project and to get the necessary environmental permits, while leaving the final phase programmed in outer years. M. Chong replied that, under federal regulations, in order for the FHWA to sign the environmental documents, the time frame for the implementation of projects programmed in the LRTP must be consistent with the TIP. Further, the environmental document covers all phases of the project, so the large gap in timing would not be consistent with the environmental process. M. Chong did note, however, that FHWA is discussing having a tiered process.
C. Bench added that an option would be to redefine the project, but the resubmittal would require more time. From MassDOTs perspective, he said, this project has been discussed for many years and the MPO has committed to it as a priority.
Tom ORourke, TRIC (Town of Norwood, Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce), expressed support for the entire project noting that it is a top priority for the three entities he is representing. He spoke about how the congestion from backups on the interchange spreads to surrounding towns and about vehicle emissions. He pointed out the project has been identified as a priority for many years and expressed concern about breaking up the project now, as the opportunity to build it may not happen again.
D. Crowley also expressed support for the project. He expressed concern, however, that the state may return to the MPO seeking the use of federal funds for project cost over runs at the expense of other projects that are waiting for MPO funding. He asked MassDOT to state for the record that no MPO funds would be allocated for the project. With that assurance, he said that he would support the proposed amendment.
Tom Bent, Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville), stated that the MPO members only received the proposed amendment on Tuesday with short notice, and advocated for delaying the decision for a week. He also expressed concern about the state prioritizing the Canton Interchange Project given the uncertainty surrounding the funding for the project as the outcome of the transportation bond bill and TIGER grant application are not clear. He also noted the uncertainty surrounding the funding for another state priority, the Green Line Extension project, for which the state is seeking federal New Starts funding. He expressed concern that the state is making too many commitments that it might not be able to accomplish.
R. Canale also recommended delaying the vote on releasing the proposed amendment.
A motion to amend the original motion to remove Phase 3 of the Canton Interchange Project from the proposed Amendment Two of the LRTP was made by the At-Large Town of Lexington (R. Canale), and seconded by MAPC (M. Draisen).
During a discussion of this motion, D. Giombetti recommended releasing the original version of the LRTP Amendment Two for public review. He noted that the 30-day period would allow the MPO to further consider the decision.
R. Canale subsequently withdrew his motion. There was no objection.
M. Draisen recommended that when the legislature passes a bill the MPOs and MassDOT work together and have a deliberative process to determine priorities for all transportation modes consistent with the funding available. He remarked on the similarities between the debate over the Canton Interchange Project and debate the MPO had a couple of years ago about the Crosbys Corner project when the MPO was faced with a similar decision. He noted that the passage of a new bill offers an opportunity to break the cycle of prioritizing major projects based on readiness.
A motion to end the debate on the original motion was made by the MassDOT Highway Division (J. Romano), and seconded by the MBTA (Ron Morgan). The motion carried.
Members then voted on the original motion to release the proposed Amendment Two to the LRTP (including modifications to the distribution of funding for the Assabet River Rail Trail project; the reprogramming of Phases 1 and 2 of the Canton Interchange Project to the FFYs 2013-15 time band and Phase 3 to the FFYs 2016-20 time band; and the addition of text to clarify that non-federal aid will be used for Phase 2 if TIGER funding is not awarded) for a 30-day public review period. Following a roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously.
The MPO will take public comments on the amendment until July 23 and vote on the amendment on July 25.
D. Crowley asked MassDOT to consider the request of several members who asked for assurance that MassDOT will not return to the MPO seeking federal aid for the Canton Interchange Project. He asked MassDOT to address this concern prior to the final vote on the amendment. C. Bench replied that it is MassDOTs intention to use non-federal aid for the project.
S. Pfalzer presented proposed revisions to FFYs 2014-17 TIP, which were detailed in the TIP tables distributed to members.
The revisions reflect the following:
changes to the programming of the Canton Interchange Project in draft Amendment Two of the LRTP
changes from Amendment Five of the FFYs 2013-16 TIP, which includes cost increases for some projects in the FFY 2013 element and the removal of funding from the Clean Air and Mobility Program in FFY 2016
programming of Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding
adjustments to statewide items
Specific changes include the following (by FFYs):
In the FFY 2014 element:
the removal of the Burlington, Woburn, Reading Expansion of Fiber, CCTV, VMS, and Traffic Sensor Network on Interstate 95 project from the TIP; the project will be reflected in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)
a cost increase to the Duxbury Intersection Improvements at Kingstown Way (Route 53) and Winter Street project
a cost decrease to the Winchester Signal and Intersection Improvements at Four Locations on Church Street and Route 3 project
the addition of the Regionwide HOV Lane Movable Barrier Transfer Vehicles project
the addition of Phase 1 of the Canton Interchange Project (the Reconstruction of Blue Hill Drive and the Intersection of Canton Street and University Avenue)
the reprogramming of the Everett, Medford Bridge Replacements Revere Beach Parkway (Route 16) project (an Accelerated Bridge Program project) from the FFY 2013 element to the FFY 2014 element with added funding
In the FFY 2015 element:
a cost adjustment to the Acton and Maynard Assabet River Rail Trail project
the addition of Phase 2 of the Canton Interchange Project (the Construction of the Dedham Street ramp and the widening of Dedham Street)
In the FFY 2016 element:
the reprogramming of funding for the Medway Reconstruction on Route 109 project from the Surface Transportation Program funding category to the TAP category
the reduction in funding for the Clean Air and Mobility Program in FFY 2016 and associated increase in the Route 128 Add-A-Lane project
cost decreases to the following projects in the Statewide CMAQ funding category:
o Wayland Signal and Intersection
Improvements at Routes 27 and 30
o Stoneham Signal and Intersection
Improvements at Route 28/North Street
o Holliston Signal Installation at Routes
16/126 and Oak Street
o Concord Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Construction (Phase 2C)
the addition of the Brookline Pedestrian Bridge Rehabilitation project in the Statewide CMAQ funding category
the addition of Phase 3 of the Canton Interchange Project (the Interstate 95 and 93 Interchange)
In the FFY 2017 element:
the reprogramming of funding for the Boston Audubon Circle project from the CMAQ funding category to the TAP category
the addition of the Wakefield Bridge Deck Replacement of Hopkins Street over Interstate 95 project
cost decrease to the Acton and Concord Bruce Freeman Rail Trail project
cost decrease to the Holliston Multi-Use Trail Construction on a Section of the Upper Charles Trail project
There are no changes proposed for the transit element of the TIP.
Members discussed the proposed revisions.
J. Errickson asked why the Everett, Medford Bridge Replacements Revere Beach Parkway (Route 16) project is being moved from the FFY 2013 element to the FFY 2014 element. S. Pfalzer replied that the reason is due to fiscal constraint, and D. Anderson added that project readiness is also an issue. MassDOT will provide more information.
In response to a question from Richard Reed, Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (Town of Bedford), C. Bench provided an explanation about Accelerated Bridge Program funding. He noted that if a project is moved forward, the funding that would have gone to the project in the original year of programming could be spent on another bridge project that year, not necessarily in the same region. The Accelerated Bridge Program funds do not get left on the table.
D. Crowley asked if federal approval to use TAP funds has been granted for the projects in the TAP category, and if there is a high likelihood of approval. S. Pfalzer replied that those projects are programmed farther out and that information will be needed about the components that are eligible for TAP. C. Bench added that, according to new federal guidance, a competitive process for the portion of TAP projects funded with MPO Regional Targets is only necessary for MPOs that do not already have an overall project prioritization process. For that reason, the Boston Region MPO does not have to go through a separate approval process for TAP funds.
A motion to re-open the public review period for the FFYs 2014-17 TIP for another 30 days was made by the MassDOT Highway Division (J. Romano), and seconded by the City of Boston (Tom Kadzis). The motion carried.
Pam Wolfe, Manager of Certification Activities, MPO Staff, reported that staff would publish a legal notice announcing the public review period through July 23 for draft Amendment Two of the LRTP and the revisions to the draft FFYs 2014-17 TIP. All municipalities in the region will be notified.
The MPO is scheduled to vote on the draft FFY 2014 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) on July 11. The MPO may vote on the draft Amendment Two of the LRTP and the revisions to the draft FFYs 2014-17 TIP on July 25.
Members agreed that the public comments received to date on the TIP would be considered for the revisions to the TIP. Commenters do not need to resubmit their comments.
Members were provided with a summary of the public comments received to date during the public review periods for the draft FFYs 2014-17 TIP and draft FFY 2014 UPWP. The complete set of the original comments was also made available to members.
M. Scott remarked that a discussion about the comments received on the UPWP will occur at the upcoming UPWP Committee meeting.
S. Pfalzer drew members attention to one comment on the TIP that was not included in the distributed packet. The comment was from state representatives and a state senator in support of the Reconstruction of Route 1A North project in Walpole.
Members then heard a comment from a member of the public. Ken Krause, Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance and a Medford resident, asked for a discussion of the public comments received. Due to time constraints, however, additional discussion of this item was tabled.
P. Regan reported that the Administration and Finance Committee unanimously approved the FFY 2014 operating budget for CTPS. Details of the budget were provided in a memorandum. The budget represents near level funding in comparison to last year. This years budget is about $131,000 less compared to last years budget. It supports 58 professional positions, one intern, and four temporary positions.
K. Quackenbush remarked that this is the fourth year in a row that CTPS has been nearly level funded. He noted that is has become increasingly challenging to create these budgets given inflation and that, in consequence, CTPS is not currently carrying a full staff (it is down from 63 employees). He credited Robin Mannion, Deputy Executive Director of CTPS, for her money management skills.
A motion to approve the FFY 2014 operating budget for CTPS was made by the MBTA Advisory Board, and seconded by the North Suburban Planning Council (City of Woburn) (E. Tarallo). The motion carried.
A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of June 6 was made by the At-Large Town of Lexington (R. Canale), and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (P. Regan). The motion carried. The following members abstained: MassDOT Highway Division (J. Romano), Massachusetts Port Authority (L. Dantas), and At-Large City of Everett (J. Errickson).
P. Talbot provided an overview of the capital program for the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA). He provided a handout with budget details.
In developing the capital budget, CATA assumed levels of funding from Section 5307 ($515,000/year) and RTA CAP ($206,000/year) based on previous years experience and projected those figures to 2016. Approximately $325,000 of Section 5307 funds have been directed to preventative maintenance and $190,000 to capital projects.
CATA operates an administrative, maintenance and vehicle storage facility in Gloucester and it operates a fleet of 15 vans and 18 fixed-route buses.
Prior to 2010 all the vans were diesel powered. The newer vans purchased since 2010 are gas powered. CATA has diesel storage on site but not gas storage. CATA is proposing a $100,000 project to build an above ground gas storage tank on site to reduce fuel costs. CATA is also proposing to replace a 28 foot bus and purchase computer hardware.
RTA CAP funds were used to install a new roof on the facility (to replace a 25 year old roof) and for the purchase of diagnostic equipment and computers.
In FY 2014, CATA is planning to pave 30,000 feet of its parking lot, purchase a fixed route bus to replace a 15 year old bus, and to replace a 30 year old fork lift truck. In FY 2015, it is planning to purchase a new mobility lift for the maintenance facility, and replace a 25 year old service truck, a supervisory vehicle, and two fixed route buses. In FY 2016, it is planning to purchase three fixed-route buses and replace overhead doors and exchange units in the building.
Following the presentation members asked questions.
C. Bench and P. Regan inquired about the type of buses CATA operates. P. Talbot replied that CATA has been buying diesel powered F550 Ford buses for $110,000, which are less expensive than the Gillig buses it had been using. CATAs newer vans are gas powered.
P. Regan asked whether CATA went through the MBTA about ten years ago to purchase bus storage. P. Talbot replied no, and he explained that CATA used its own profits from its brokerage operation to purchase a $2.5 million building, and that it spent $3 million renovating the building.
C. Bench asked if the profits were from the operating company or from the RTA. P. Talbot gave more information about the source of the funds, noting that CATA used to cover a broader area encompassing the North Shore and areas south to Weymouth and west to Framingham. The service to these areas produced an annual profit of about $1 million.
C. Bench thanked P. Talbot for his presentation and encouraged him to remain engaged with the MPO.
J. Romano announced that MassDOT would be holding public meetings in the North End and East Boston regarding the upcoming closure of the Callahan Tunnel for renovations later this year. It will be closed for about three months. He offered to have the project manager give a presentation to the MPO about the rehabilitation of the tunnel.
J. Errickson asked if MassDOT is planning to hold any public meetings about the tunnel closure in other affected North Shore communities. J. Romano replied that MassDOT will be planning more informational meetings.
C. Bench recommended MassRIDES and local transportation management associations (TMAs) as resources for people who would be affected by the tunnel closure.
C. Bench also noted that Government Center MBTA Station will be shutting down for two years for renovations.
A motion to adjourn was made by the MBTA Advisory Board (P. Regan) and seconded by the North Suburban Planning Council (City of Woburn) (E. Tarallo). The motion carried.
|
Members |
Representatives
and
Alternates |
|
At-Large City (City of Everett) |
James Errickson |
|
At-Large City (City of Newton) |
David Koses |
|
At-Large Town (Town of Arlington) |
Laura Wiener |
|
At-Large Town (Town of Lexington) |
Richard Canale |
|
City of Boston (Boston Redevelopment
Authority) |
Lara Mιrida |
|
City of Boston (Boston Transportation
Department) |
Jim Gillooly Tom Kadzis |
|
Federal Highway Administration |
Michael Chong |
|
Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) |
Tom Bent |
|
Massachusetts Department of Transportation |
Clinton Bench David Anderson |
|
MassDOT Highway
Division |
John Romano |
|
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
(MBTA) |
Ron Morgan |
|
Massachusetts Port Authority |
Lourenηo Dantas |
|
Metropolitan Area Planning Council |
Marc Draisen Eric Bourassa |
|
MetroWest Regional
Collaborative (Town of Framingham) |
Dennis Giombetti |
|
Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (Town of Bedford) |
Richard Reed |
|
North Shore Task Force (City of Beverly) |
Denise DesChamps |
|
Ed Tarallo |
|
|
Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
Steve Olanoff |
|
South Shore Coalition (Town of Braintree) |
Christine Stickney |
|
South West Advisory Planning Committee
(Town of Medway) |
Dennis Crowley |
|
Three Rivers Interlocal
Council (Town of Norwood/NVCC) |
Tom ORourke |
|
Other
Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Sarah Bradbury |
MassDOT District 3 |
|
Calli Cenizal |
MassDOT Office of
Transportation Planning |
|
Bill Friel |
Town of Canton |
|
Mike Furling |
MassDOT |
|
Rep. Bill Galvin |
State Representative |
|
Michael Jaillet |
Town of Westwood |
|
William Keegan |
Town of Dedham |
|
Ken Krause |
Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance / Medford resident |
|
Stephanie Mercandetti |
Town of Walpole |
|
Cecilia Pontoriero |
Conservation Law Foundation |
|
Paul Talbot |
Cape Ann Transportation Authority |
|
Sheri Warrington |
MassDOT Office of
Transportation Planning |
|
Diane Walsh |
MassDOT
Environmental |
|
Steven Winter |
MAPC |
|
Wig Zamore |
Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership / Mystic View Task Force |
|
MPO
Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Karl Quackenbush, Executive Director |
|
Maureen Kelly |
|
Robin Mannion |
|
Anne McGahan |
|
Elizabeth Moore |
|
Scott Peterson |
|
Sean Pfalzer |
|
Michelle Scott |
|
Pam Wolfe |