Draft Memorandum for the Record

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

Unified Planning Work Program Committee Meeting

June 20, 2013 Meeting

Approximately 1:30 PM through approximately 1:55 PM, State Transportation Building, Conference Rooms 2&3, 10 Park Plaza, Boston

Materials for this meeting include:

·         a copy of the meeting agenda

·         a draft summary of the May 16, 2013 UPWP Committee meeting

·         a (draft) Summary of Written Comments on the Draft FFY 2014 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), with (Proposed) MPO responses [updated from the original posting to the MPO website on June 18, 2013]

·         a packet containing comment emails and letters for the draft FFY 2014 UPWP (as of June 19, 2013)

·         a copy of the draft FFY 2014 Unified Planning Work Program CTPS Schedule and Staff Assignment tables

·         a proposed update to a project description for the final Federal Fiscal Year 2014 Unified Planning Work Program  

Meeting Agenda

1.    Introductions

Callida Cenizal (Massachusetts Department of Transportation) called the meeting to order at approximately 1:30 PM. UPWP Committee and other MPO members and MPO staff attending the meeting introduced themselves. (For attendance list, see page 4.)

 
2. Update on Draft FFY 2014 UPWP Outreach

Michelle Scott (Boston Region MPO staff) described outreach activities for the UPWP that had taken place since mid-May 2013.  Staff attended SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee (SWAP), Three Rivers Interlocal Council (TRIC), North Suburban Planning Council (NSPC), and Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC) subregion meetings. Members of the MetroWest Regional Collaborative (MetroWest) and the North Shore Task Force (NSTF) were encouraged to come to MPO workshops held in Lynn and Framingham. MPO staff plan to meet with the South Shore Coalition (SSC) the evening of June 20.

3. Review of the Draft Summary of Written Comments Received on the Draft FFY 2014 UPWP, with MPO Responses (to be included in Appendix B of the Final UPWP)

A version of this document was posted to the MPO website on June 18, 2013. M. Scott distributed an updated version with some redlined changes and several new comments and responses. She also distributed an updated packet of comment letters and emails and noted that MassDOT had submitted a letter assessing the draft FFY 2014 UPWP’s compliance with several guidance items. The UPWP was found to be in compliance with these items.

No questions were raised on the comments or proposed responses in the summary document.   

4. Updates to the Draft FFY 2014 UPWP

CTPS Schedule and Staff Assignments

M. Scott explained that, at the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) request, MPO staff prepares tables that show, for each UPWP project, the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) groups that will be participating in the project and the anticipated date of project completion, where applicable. She added that these tables are effectively updated by the quarterly spending and Schedule and Staff Assignment reports that UPWP Committee members review throughout the year. Members expressed appreciation for the availability of this information.  

Updates to Project Descriptions

M. Scott noted that several updates were made to the “Priority Corridors for LRTP Needs Assessment – FFY 2014” project description. The updated project description handout was used as a reference during the discussion.  One item was a sentence clarifying that the list of corridors in the description was of examples of candidate locations; the core list is included in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Needs Assessment. She added that the municipalities associated with two corridors on this list had been updated at the request of TRIC. Stoughton was added to the Route 138 corridor listing, and Dedham was added to the Route 1 corridor listing. These updated municipalities are in conformity with the text of the Corridor Bottlenecks list in the LRTP Needs Assessment. When asked why Westwood was not also included in the Route 1 Corridor listing, M. Scott explained that Westwood was not reflected on the Route 1 corridor listing in the LRTP needs assessment. She added that should the Route 1 Corridor be selected for study, MPO staff would likely follow up with communities surrounding that corridor, which may include Westwood.

5.    Action Item: Recommendation to the MPO on Endorsement of the Final FFY 2014 UPWP

Tom Bent (City of Somerville) made a motion to recommend that the draft FFY 2014 UPWP, as presented, be forwarded to the MPO for endorsement. Eric Bourassa (Metropolitan Area Planning Council) seconded the motion. The vote to recommend that the draft FFY 2014 UPWP, as presented, be forwarded to the MPO for endorsement was unanimous. 

6.    Next Meeting

Meeting attendees tentatively scheduled the next UPWP Committee meeting for July 25, 2013 at 9:15 AM, prior to the MPO meeting scheduled for that day. This meeting will be focused on reviewing the FFY 2013 Third Quarter spending report and the FFY 2013 Fourth Quarter Schedule and Staff Assignment table.

7.    Additional Comments

Meeting attendees thanked C. Cenizal for her service as chair for the UPWP Committee.

 

8.    Adjourn

The meeting adjourned at approximately 1:55 PM.


Attendance

UPWP Committee Members

Representatives

and Alternates

At-Large Town (Town of Arlington)

Laura Wiener

City of Boston

Lara Merida

Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville)

Tom Bent

Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Callida Cenizal

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Eric Bourassa

SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee (Town of Medway)

Dennis Crowley

Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood)

Tom O’Rourke

 

Other MPO Members

Representatives

and Alternates

Regional Transportation Advisory Council

Steve Olanoff

 

MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff

Karl Quackenbush,  Executive Director

Robin Mannion

Elizabeth Moore

Michelle Scott

Pam Wolfe

 

Other Attendees

Representatives

and Alternates

 Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Sheri Warrington