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
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 UPWPs 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
M. Scott explained that, at the Federal Highway Administrations (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.
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.
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.
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.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 1:55 PM.
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 ORourke |
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 |