Memorandum
Date November 7, 2013
To Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
From Karl Quackenbush, Executive Director
MPO Staff
Re Work Plans for: Federal Fiscal Year 2014 Certification Activities
The federal government requires that each Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) conduct a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation-planning process (3C process) to be eligible for federal funds. To be continuing, the process must be underway all year long, not sporadically. To be comprehensive, it must consider the activities of the many agencies and entities involved in transportation planning in the MPO region as well as the transportation needs identified by all parties interested in MPO decisions. Finally, to be cooperative, the process must invite public participation and conduct planning and decision making with an open and collaborative approach.
The purpose of the 3C process is to guide and support MPO information gathering and decision making related to the policies and programming of federal transportation funds. Because the MPOs must conduct 3C work to remain certified to receive these funds, activities conducted by the MPO staff to comply with 3C requirements and guidance are called “certification activities.”
Primary among the 3C requirements is the production of the three major certification documents:
In addition, MPO staff complete a number of other activities in the 3C process that support production of the certification documents and the general operation of the MPO, including:
Although all of these activities, which are ongoing from year to year, are described in the UPWP, the MPO staff typically has not produced comprehensive work programs for them for presentation to the MPO (with the exception of the LRTP). In an effort to improve project management, increase transparency and accountability, and more fully describe the work that will be undertaken to meet the goals of the MPO, the staff has prepared work programs for all of the activities listed above for federal fiscal year 2014.
In developing these work programs, staff have been careful to include tasks that are required in order to comply with the current federal surface transportation funding authorization, MAP-21 (the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act), and other federal and state regulations and guidance. The work programs also include activities that the MPO has directed staff to conduct in the past or that reflect MPO priorities and preferences.
As is MPO practice, the MPO will review and provide direction to staff throughout the year on many of the elements of the 3C program and staff will brief the MPO, report results to the MPO, and seek concurrence from the MPO on these ongoing programs.
This document is a cover memorandum for transmitting all of the above-cited work programs concurrently to the MPO (with the exception of the LRTP work program, which was approved by the MPO on October 17).
KQ/PDW/pdw
Encl.
Memorandum
Date November 7, 2013
TO Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
FROM Karl H. Quackenbush
CTPS Executive Director
RE Work Plan for: Transportation Improvement Program
Review
Certification Requirements
10103
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Principal: Pam Wolfe
Manager: Sean Pfalzer
MPO Planning Contract #78890
MPO §5303 Planning Contract #78922
This is MPO work and will be carried out in conformance with the priorities established by the MPO.
The 3C process requires many specific activities that are necessary for the MPO to maintain its certification. Primary among these are production of the three major certification documents:
This work program focuses primarily on development of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2015–18, but also covers activities associated with ongoing changes to the TIP development process and amendments and administrative modifications of the FFYs 2014–17 TIP, which is the active document during FFY 2014. An integral part of developing the TIP is engaging the public throughout the process. Some of the public participation activities for the TIP are covered as part of the 3C Planning and MPO Support program.
The MPO staff will work to develop a TIP that:
This work program describes the tasks that will be completed in FFY 2014 to ensure that the TIP is conducted in compliance with all aspects of the “Continuing, Cooperative and Comprehensive” (3C) transportation-planning process and meets the objectives stated above. The outcome of this TIP development process will be an FFYs 2015–18 TIP document and amendments and administrative modifications (as needed) to the FFYs 2014–17 TIP.
Under the current federal surface transportation funding authorization, known as MAP-21 (the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act), each MPO must establish performance measures and link transportation investment decisions to the achievement of performance goals. The TIP will need to demonstrate that transportation projects funded in the TIP are making progress toward the achievement of the MPO’s performance goals. Currently, the MPO has visions and policies that guide investment decisions, and it will soon develop performance goals, as part of its Long-Range Transportation Plan process, that will further guide investment decisions.
In order to monitor whether TIP investments align with the MPO’s visions and policies, staff will compare the projected impacts of recently programmed projects to the projected impacts of all projects that have recently been evaluated for TIP funding. The projects will be compared, in aggregate, based on how they will improve pavement conditions, reduce congestion, increase walking and bicycling facilities, improve access to transit, support targeted development areas, and address safety needs. This analysis will compare all evaluated projects that have been considered for funding (approximately 60 projects) to those projects that have been selected for funding (approximately 20 projects), and identify which policies are advancing and which are lagging. Where policies are lagging, staff will identify possible issues and develop strategies to address them. This may result in proposed updates to the TIP evaluation criteria. For example, if safety needs are not being addressed, staff will examine the TIP evaluation criteria to identify opportunities to increase the weight of safety considerations.
Staff will present the results of this analysis in a memorandum to the MPO. This memorandum will support the development of the MPO’s performance goals (such as reducing traffic fatalities and serious injuries and improving pavement and bridge conditions). Staff will also compile the necessary data on TIP projects to be able to track progress toward future MPO performance goals as they develop.
Memorandum on the impacts of TIP investments on the advancement of the MPO’s visions and policies
Each year, the MPO conducts a TIP development process to decide how to spend federal surface transportation funds for capital projects. The MPO staff coordinates the collection of project requests, evaluates project requests, proposes programming of current and new projects based on anticipated funding levels, supports the MPO in its decision making about programming and in the development of a draft TIP document, and facilitates public review of the draft document before MPO endorsement of the final TIP.
During development of the TIP, staff will make frequent presentations to the MPO on the TIP development schedule, subregional outreach, project evaluation results, public comments, and on the staff recommendation of TIP the projects.
MPO staff will communicate with the 101 cities and towns in its region to compile a list of priority projects that will be considered for federal funding. Outreach work will consist of conducting three TIP-Building Workshops, attending the MAPC subregional monthly meetings, and corresponding with municipal TIP Contacts and chief elected officials. Many of the public participation activities for the TIP are discussed and are funded as part of the 3C Planning and MPO Support program.
MPO staff will compile the project funding requests and relevant information provided by project proponents into a Universe of Projects list for the MPO. The Universe of Projects list consists of all of the identified projects being advanced for possible funding, and includes projects that are only in the conceptual stage, as well as those that are fully designed and ready to be advertised for construction.
Based on the list of project-funding requests, MPO staff will compile and update information on each project for the TIP Interactive Database. Data inputs and updates will consist of mapping the project boundaries, inventorying pavement conditions, documenting the extent of bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, computing crash rates, documenting traffic volumes, calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts, and compiling other background information. The data are derived from state-agency databases, CTPS-managed databases, and functional design reports. These inputs provide key information to inform TIP evaluations.
The MPO uses TIP project evaluation criteria to identify projects that will help the region attain the goals established by the LRTP visions: maintain a state of good repair, focus investments on existing activity centers, improve mobility for people and freight, reduce the level of GHG emissions, minimize environmental burdens from transportation facilities on low-income and minority populations, and provide safe transportation for all transportation modes.
Using the TIP evaluation criteria, MPO staff will evaluate projects within the Universe of Projects list that have a functional design report. The evaluation results will be posted on the MPO’s website to allow project proponents to review the ratings and provide feedback. MPO staff will consider the feedback and revise the evaluations as needed.
Staff will develop a recommendation that proposes how to prioritize the MPO’s Regional Target funding. MPO staff will first prepare a First-Tier List of Projects using the results of the evaluation ratings and project readiness information. This list includes the highest-rated projects that could be made ready for advertising within the TIP’s four-year time frame. MPO staff rely on the MassDOT Highway Division to provide information about the year in which a project is expected to be ready for advertising, and use that information to develop the staff recommendation, giving strong consideration to the First-Tier List of Projects. In addition to project rating and project readiness, MPO staff will also consider projects that are listed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) in order to implement the LRTP, weigh geographic equity to help ensure that the list of projects addresses needs throughout the region, and account for cost to attain fiscal constraint.
In addition to preparing a staff recommendation that proposes how to prioritize the Regional Target funding, MPO staff will also prepare and present the Statewide Infrastructure Items and Bridge Programs, and the capital programs for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA), and the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) for the MPO’s consideration. The MPO will review, discuss, and take action on the proposed investments in the draft TIP.
Based on Subtask 2.3, staff will prepare a draft TIP, which will be released for a 30-day public review and comment period. During the public comment period, MPO staff will compile and summarize comments on the draft TIP and will relay the comments to the MPO for their consideration.
At the end of the 30-day public review period, and after the MPO has considered all of the comments it has received, staff will seek the MPO’s endorsement of the final TIP document, which will include the following elements:
After the final TIP is endorsed, staff will prepare written responses to comments received during the public comment period and at the MPO meeting at which the TIP was endorsed.
The TIP is a dynamic document; there are typically multiple occasions throughout the year when projects experience cost or schedule changes. These changes require an amendment or administrative modification to the TIP. The staff estimates that as many as six amendments and/or administrative modifications to the TIP will be made during FFY 2014.
For proposed TIP amendments, MPO staff will collect information on the projects involved, the changes needed, and the reasons for the changes. Staff will prepare draft TIP tables that reflect the proposed changes and indicate the reasons for the changes. Staff will brief the MPO on the proposed changes to the TIP. The MPO will review and discuss the proposed changes, and will take appropriate action related to a possible public review of the proposed changes.
MPO staff will manage all public review processes related to TIP amendments and administrative modifications, including the posting of TIP materials on the website. Proposed amendments are typically released for a 30-day public review and comment period, during which, staff will compile and summarize comments on the proposed amendment. MPO staff will relay public comments to the MPO for its consideration prior to the vote to endorse the TIP amendment.
Draft and final TIP Amendments
MPO staff currently use a spreadsheet tool for estimating the GHG emission savings of shared-use paths. The tool does not currently account for differences in travel patterns between shared-use paths that are located within an urban area and those located in a suburban area, or whether a path links to public transit. MPO staff will update the spreadsheet tool to account for these differences to better inform the prioritizing of transportation investments.
MPO staff will conduct a literature review of existing tools that are used by other MPOs to estimate future bicycle and pedestrian usage. Staff will identify the assumptions that need to be modified or newly factored into the calculation, and prepare an updated spreadsheet tool with revised inputs. MPO staff will test the accuracy of the updated spreadsheet tool by examining a variety of existing and proposed facilities.
In this task, staff will develop a TIP project impact tool to help MPO staff test various sets of projects and compare how each investment scenario would advance the MPO’s visions and policies. The projects will be compared based on how they would improve pavement conditions, reduce congestion, increase walking and bicycling facilities, improve access to transit, support targeted development areas, and address safety needs. In future years, the tool might be enhanced to further support performance-based planning efforts, and might also provide the basis for building a public outreach tool that could help officials and members of the public understand the trade-offs involved in the project selection process.
TIP project impact tool
Staff always seek to improve the information and analysis provided for the MPO so that decisions can be made in a well-informed manner. In the coming federal fiscal year, staff will review municipal participation in the TIP development process, stay updated on new state policies, and continue to research the best practices of other MPOs. Staff will also follow implementation guidance for MAP-21 and modify its current practice accordingly. Other topics will be researched, as needed.
This project is ongoing from year to year. It is estimated that the tasks presented in this work program will be completed throughout the 12 months of FFY 2014. The proposed schedule, by task, is shown in Exhibit 1.
The total cost of this project is estimated to be $170,000. This includes the cost of 69.7 person-weeks of staff time and overhead at the rate of 97.42 percent. A detailed breakdown of estimated costs is presented in Exhibit 2.
KQ/PW/sp
Task |
Month | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|
1.
Analyze the Impacts of TIP Projects to Develop Performance Measures |
From month 1 to 4.
| |||||||||||
|
2.
Conduct the Development Process of the FFYs 2015–18 TIP |
From month 3 to 11.
Deliverable A, Draft and final TIP documents delivered by Month 11
| |||||||||||
|
3.
Modify the FFYs 2014-17 TIP |
From month 2 to 4.
From month 5 to 7.
From month 8 to 10.
From month 11 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
4.
Update the GHG Emission Spreadsheet Tool |
From month 1 to 4.
| |||||||||||
|
5.
Develop a TIP Project Impact Tool |
From month 4 to 7.
| |||||||||||
|
6.
Identify Opportunities to Improve the TIP Document and Process |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
Task |
Person-Weeks | Direct Salary |
Overhead (97.42%) |
Total Cost |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | P-5 | P-4 | P-3 | P-2 | Total | ||||
|
1.
Analyze the Impacts of TIP Projects to Develop Performance Measures
|
0.6 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 5.0 | 0.2 | 6.0 | $6,758 | $6,584 | $13,342 |
|
2.
Conduct the Development Process of the FFYs 2015–18 TIP
|
5.0 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 27.1 | 1.0 | 50.9 | $64,514 | $62,849 | $127,363 |
|
3.
Modify the FFYs 2014-17 TIP
|
0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 4.8 | $5,092 | $4,960 | $10,052 |
|
4.
Update the GHG Emission Spreadsheet Tool
|
0.6 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 3.4 | $4,236 | $4,127 | $8,363 |
|
5.
Develop a TIP Project Impact Tool
|
0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 2.2 | $2,965 | $2,889 | $5,854 |
|
6.
Identify Opportunities to Improve the TIP Document and Process
|
0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 2.4 | $2,546 | $2,480 | $5,026 |
|
Total
|
6.2 | 10.0 | 10.2 | 42.1 | 1.2 | 69.7 | $86,111 | $83,889 | $170,000 |
Memorandum
Date November 7, 2013
TO Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
FROM Karl H. Quackenbush
CTPS Executive Director
RE Work Plan for: Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)
Review
Certification Requirements
10104
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Principal: Pam Wolfe
Manager: Michelle Scott
MPO Planning Contract #78890
MPO §5303 Contract #78922
This is MPO work and will be carried out in conformance with the priorities established by the MPO.
The 3C (continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive) transportation planning-process requires that MPOs produce three certification documents: the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The UPWP has two main purposes:
The UPWP document includes descriptions and budgets for work that MPO staff will conduct during the upcoming federal fiscal year, including both 3C-funded work for the MPO and work on transportation-planning projects that is funded by state agencies or other entities. The UPWP also provides supplementary information about other transportation-planning activities in the region that are not funded by the MPO or conducted by MPO staff. The federal government requires that the UPWP comply with federal regulations and address the focus areas recommended by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Work on the UPWP is ongoing and is underway year-round. This work program focuses on two major activities:
An integral part of developing the UPWP is engaging the public throughout the process. The public outreach process for the UPWP is covered as part of the 3C Planning and MPO Support program.
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) also provides content for the UPWP, which details MAPC’s 3C-funded projects. MAPC’s participation is funded through its allocation of federal transportation-planning funding.
Several objectives direct the UPWP development and monitoring activities.
Work related to developing and supporting implementation of the UPWP is conducted on an ongoing basis and in compliance with all aspects of the “Continuing, Cooperative, and Comprehensive” (3C) transportation-planning process.
At the outset of the UPWP process, MPO staff will review available federal guidance on the UPWP and on the focus areas defined by federal agencies. Staff will also coordinate with each other to identify any key themes or needs—such as data or analysis products—that should be addressed in the UPWP to support MPO priorities for FFY 2015.
MPO staff will review and update, as necessary, the UPWP criteria that support the process for selecting new transportation-planning projects. These criteria are based on MPO visions and policies, federal focus areas, and other state and regional planning priorities. MPO staff will seek an internal and UPWP Committee review of updates, and will document the update process and results.
Documentation of updates of UPWP criteria
MPO staff will draw from both internal and external sources for project proposals for the UPWP. Staff will review public input received during the development of the FFY 2014 UPWP document. MPO staff will also develop project proposals based on key themes, the content of major planning documents, and other staff-identified needs. To support this activity, staff will develop one or more internal memoranda to guide the development of project proposals.
MPO staff will also request input on project proposal suggestions: 1) at meetings of MAPC subregional groups, 2) at MPO TIP-and-UPWP-Building Workshops, and 3) through consultations with Boston-area transportation agencies. Informational materials will be developed as needed to support these outreach activities; these activities will be funded as part of 3C Planning and MPO Support program.
The UPWP’s universe of all the new potential transportation-planning projects for MPO consideration is documented in a table, which includes project descriptions, estimated costs, and notes and comments. Over time, staff will add potential projects to this table; they will also conduct research and add content to clarify existing potential projects, including input from the Regional Transportation Advisory Council and the UPWP Committee; MPO-level reviews; and public comments. The table will also ultimately include the results of the project ratings and information on how staff prioritized each potential project.
MPO staff will conduct qualitative reviews of the proposals for transportation-planning projects utilizing the UPWP criteria described in Subtask 1.2. Additional refinements to project descriptions may be made as part of this rating process.
The UPWP funds ongoing programs and discrete projects that will continue from FFY 2014 into FFY 2015.1 MPO staff will carry out several activities to collect information on the status of these projects:
MPO staff will receive information from the FHWA and FTA, via MassDOT, that will detail the levels of 3C (metropolitan planning) funding for FFY 2015. They will also receive updated contract information for activities that are funded by other entities. Using this financial information and the information on the needs of ongoing programs and discrete projects that will continue into FFY 2015, staff will develop a proposed budget for the FFY 2015 UPWP. Through this process, MPO staff will identify the 3C funds available for new discrete planning projects.
MPO staff will work together to develop a staff recommendation for new FFY 2015 transportation-planning projects. These recommendations will be based on several factors, which include but are not limited to:
MPO staff will then produce documents and presentations for the UPWP Committee that describe the staff recommendation for new transportation-planning projects and the proposed FFY 2015 UPWP budget. The UPWP Committee will consider the staff recommendation and, based on it, will develop the UPWP Committee’s recommendation to the MPO. Staff will then document this recommendation, including updated project descriptions and costs, as directed by the Committee, and will present it to the MPO for consideration. After MPO discussion, staff will complete the drafts of the FFY 2015 UPWP chapters that include project descriptions.
MPO staff will create drafts of all of the remaining chapters and the appendices of the FFY 2015 UPWP. This activity may include developing materials that respond to specific federal guidance. Drafts of these materials will be submitted to the MPO for approval for public circulation.
Upon MPO approval, staff will summarize the FFY 2015 UPWP budget in text and in table formats and will incorporate this and all other draft UPWP materials into the draft FFY 2015 UPWP for public review.
After receiving MPO approval, MPO staff will post the document for public review on the MPO website and implement the public outreach process (funded via the 3C Planning and MPO Support program). During the public review period, staff will conduct workshops and attend meetings of the MAPC’s subregional groups to discuss the draft document and gather input. Staff will develop materials to support these activities and will give presentations.
Throughout this period, MPO staff will provide updates to the UPWP Committee and the MPO on the public feedback received. After the close of the comment period, MPO staff will summarize the written and verbal comments and will propose MPO responses, which the UPWP Committee and MPO will review. After public feedback is considered, the UPWP document will be modified as necessary, and responses will be sent to all commenters.
MPO staff will incorporate the public comments, the MPO’s responses to the comments, and a summary of project schedules and staff assignments into the UPWP prior to the MPO’s vote on endorsing the document. MPO staff may make additional formatting and editing adjustments prior to distributing the endorsed document. MPO staff will ultimately transmit the document to the FHWA and FTA and make it available to the public on the MPO’s website.
The MPO may need to make changes to the FFY 2014 UPWP in response to federal guidance or requirements or other factors, such as changes in project budgets. Under these circumstances, MPO staff will produce a memorandum and supporting documentation on the proposed changes to the UPWP, and will submit it to the UPWP Committee.
Staff will coordinate meetings related to the UPWP and will develop materials, as needed, to support UPWP Committee and MPO discussions. In the case of UPWP amendments, staff will support public review and any comments submitted will be summarized for the MPO. Staff will update the document to reflect UPWP Committee or MPO-approved changes. If the changes involve an amendment the endorsed changes will be transmitted to the FHWA and FTA for final approval.
Presentation materials and documentation for proposed changes to the UPWP
The MPO’s UPWP Committee provides guidance to MPO staff in the implementation of the UPWP and either takes action or makes recommendations to MPO members on UPWP-related decisions.
In addition to coordinating with the UPWP Committee, staff will keep the MPO briefed on UPWP development and implementation.
MPO staff research opportunities to improve the UPWP document and process on an ongoing basis. To do this, staff may 1) review the UPWPs produced by other MPOs, which could inform improvements to the Boston Region MPO’s UPWP activities, 2) track planning trends that may inform future UPWP planning projects, 3) respond to new practices in LRTP, TIP, and Congestion Management Process (CMP) development, 4) investigate new planning tools and data, and 5) explore opportunities to use new software and technology to develop the document.
Documentation of research activities or proposals for improving the UPWP process or document
This project is ongoing from year to year. It is estimated that the tasks presented in this work program will be completed throughout the 12 months of FFY 2014. The proposed schedule, by task, is shown in Exhibit 1.
The total cost of this project is estimated to be $91,800. This includes the cost of 37.0 person-weeks of staff time and overhead at the rate of 97.42 percent. A detailed breakdown of estimated costs is presented in Exhibit 2.
KQ/MES/mes
1 The term “ongoing programs” refers to transportation-planning activities that support and continue the transportation-planning process from year to year. The term “discrete projects” refers to transportation-planning activities that have a specific, limited duration (typically one year).
2 In this context, MPO members and staff consider geographic equity by taking into account whether transportation-planning studies as a whole will address planning needs throughout the MPO region.
Task |
Month | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|
1.
Establish FFY 2015 UPWP Development Framework |
From month 2 to 5.
Deliverable A, Documentation of updates of UPWP criteria delivered by Month 5
| |||||||||||
|
2.
Develop FFY 2015 Universe of Potential Projects, Including New Study Ideas |
From month 2 to 10.
| |||||||||||
|
3.
Develop FFY 2015 UPWP Activity Updates, Budget, and Recommendations |
From month 5 to 7.
Deliverable B, Staff- and UPWP Committee–recommended budget and new projects delivered by Month 7
| |||||||||||
|
4.
Develop FFY 2015 UPWP Document |
From month 5 to 10.5.
Deliverable C, Circulation draft of UPWP document delivered by Month 8.5
Deliverable D, Final UPWP document delivered by Month 10.5
| |||||||||||
|
5.
Manage FFY 2014 UPWP Changes |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
6.
Support Ongoing Coordination with UPWP Committee and MPO |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
7.
Identify Opportunities to Improve the UPWP Process and Document |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
Task |
Person-Weeks | Direct Salary |
Overhead (97.42%) |
Total Cost |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | P-5 | P-4 | P-3 | P-2 | Total | ||||
|
1.
Establish FFY 2015 UPWP Development Framework
|
0.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 2.4 | $2,878 | $2,803 | $5,681 |
|
2.
Develop FFY 2015 Universe of Potential Projects, Including New Study Ideas
|
2.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 7.3 | $9,396 | $9,153 | $18,549 |
|
3.
Develop FFY 2015 UPWP Activity Updates, Budget, and Recommendations
|
2.7 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 5.8 | $8,068 | $7,860 | $15,928 |
|
4.
Develop FFY 2015 UPWP Document
|
1.8 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 5.9 | 0.2 | 10.4 | $12,754 | $12,425 | $25,178 |
|
5.
Manage FFY 2014 UPWP Changes
|
0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | $1,747 | $1,702 | $3,448 |
|
6.
Support Ongoing Coordination with UPWP Committee and MPO
|
0.7 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.1 | 4.4 | $5,256 | $5,120 | $10,375 |
|
7.
Identify Opportunities to Improve the UPWP Process and Document
|
0.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 5.2 | $6,403 | $6,237 | $12,640 |
|
Total
|
8.7 | 0.7 | 6.4 | 20.9 | 0.3 | 37.0 | $46,500 | $45,300 | $91,800 |
Memorandum
Date November 7, 2013
TO Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
FROM: Karl H. Quackenbush,
CTPS Executive Director
RE Work Plan for: 3C Planning and MPO Support
Review
Certification Requirements
90011-90090
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Principal: Elizabeth Moore
Manager: Pam Wolfe
MPO Planning Contract #78890
MPO §5303 Planning Contract #78922
This is MPO work and will be carried out in conformance with the priorities established by the MPO.
This work program encompasses the following 3C activities that support the federally mandated “continuing,” “cooperative,” and “comprehensive” transportation-planning process:
There are four primary objectives of the 3C Planning and MPO Support program:
Although there is much overlap among the various activities conducted by the MPO, the work described here supports the program management, planning, coordination, and general administration of the organization. Tasks that require specialized technical expertise, such as Air Quality Analysis, Title VI compliance, and the MPO’s certification documents are presented in separate work programs.
This work is conducted on an ongoing basis, in compliance with the continuing portion of the 3C process. In order to be fully inclusive, the work is performed in close communication and consultation with all of the region’s municipalities and with a broad base of agencies, organizations, and interest groups. The MPO posts and distributes extensive information related to transportation in the region and to the matters before the MPO for decision making. Being inclusive and open in this way, the MPO takes a fully cooperative stance, fulfilling the second precept of the 3C process. Finally, to meet the comprehensive principle of the 3C process, this work covers all transportation modes, populations and areas of the region, and addresses their individual needs.
This task is focused on the day-to-day operations of the MPO. In addition to the specific tasks described below, staff will keep informed on federal requirements and national best practices for this work, incorporate them as appropriate, and prepare memoranda to brief the MPO on developments, if needed.
Staff will undertake numerous activities in this subtask:
The MPO meets twice a month. Staff will attend, plan, and provide support for all aspects of these meetings:
In addition, staff will ensure that: all MPO meetings are held on or near public transportation routes; the venues are physically accessible to persons with disabilities; adequate amplification and assistive-listening devices are present for all meeting proceedings; MPO meeting materials are posted on the Internet in a screen-readable format; and meeting materials are provided in other accessible formats and in languages other than English, upon request. Staff will also ensure that these accommodations are made for all MPO-related meetings discussed in Tasks 1, 4, and 6 of this work program.
The MPO currently has three committees: Administration and Finance, Congestion Management Process, and Unified Planning Work Program. The MPO may form additional committees to focus on other issues that the MPO believes are important. Staff will support the work of these committees by:
This task allows MPO staff to study and keep current on planning topics that call for staff expertise or that may be highlighted or referenced in federal guidance but do not necessarily apply to an existing MPO project. Examples of these topics, past or current, are healthcare, freight transport, economic effects, and environmental issues.
As topics arise, staff will conduct research, often through contact with state agencies and municipalities, and will attend professional seminars and conferences.
Documentation may take the form of a memorandum, white paper, report, or map. In 2009, this task produced a memorandum on hazards planning in the region and laid the groundwork for the All Hazards Planning study and subsequent related mapping projects. Prior to that, this task resulted in the region’s first Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan and has funded the staff time needed to keep current on freight transport issues.
Memoranda, white papers, maps, and reports, as needed
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) subregional groups bring together planners and other interested municipal officials and members of the public to discuss and document relevant land use, transportation, and planning issues.
Staff will attend MAPC subregional group meetings where transportation issues are discussed. Local officials attending these meetings are typically well informed and good sources of information and input for MPO planning and certification document development. In addition, at subregional meetings, MPO staff will provide updates on MPO activities and conduct targeted discussions to gather input on the development of certification documents, the public participation program, and other MPO initiatives.
MPO staff will continue to provide ongoing support to the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (Advisory Council), the MPO’s citizen advisory committee, which comprises approximately 65 entities. The Advisory Council’s role is to provide a broad-based forum for discussion of regional transportation issues and MPO certification documents, reports, studies, policies, and decisions. It is charged with eliciting for the MPO views and inputs from municipalities, transportation-related interest groups, public entities from around the region with transportation interests, and non-transportation agencies.
Staff will provide coordination, planning and comprehensive administrative backing to the Advisory Council, and facilitates its monthly meetings. Support activities include:
Periodically, the Advisory Council may conduct a field trip to highlight issues related to a particular transportation project or problem. Staff anticipates that it may be called upon to plan one field trip or site visit in FFY 2014, and will manage the associated organization, notifications, and logistics.
The Advisory Council has several standing committees and forms other committees as needed. The standing committees are: Program, Nominating, and Membership.
Staff will continue to provide ongoing support to these committees and will be responsible for committee notifications and communications, meeting planning, meeting materials, minutes, and implementation of the decisions and guidance that stem from the meetings.
In addition to the tasks noted above, staff support may involve:
The MPO produces a bimonthly newsletter, TRANSreport, which is an important part of the MPO’s public involvement and communication program. TRANSreport conveys information about MPO activities and decisions, important transportation news in the region, and work undertaken by MPO staff. In addition, the newsletter is used to solicit information and ideas from members of the public on MPO planning initiatives and documents.
Staff will be responsible for all tasks associated with the production and circulation of this bulletin, including:
TRANSreport is primarily distributed in electronic-transfer format and posted on the MPO website. Staff will produce hard copies and copies in accessible formats upon request.
Six editions of TRANSreport in electronic and print formats
Public participation is at the core of the metropolitan planning process and relates to all of the elements of the 3C process—continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive. The goal of the Public Participation Program is to maintain a two-way flow of information among the MPO and state, regional, and local officials, transportation advocacy and interest groups, environmental interest groups, operators of transportation services, freight operators, members of the disability community, low-income and minority populations, persons with limited English proficiency, the elderly, and other members of the general public.
The public participation program, which is documented through a public participation plan (discussed in Subtask 6.1 below), relies on the use of several types of media (discussed in Subtasks 6.2–6.5) to both provide and gather information.
It is both good practice and a federal requirement for an MPO to develop a public participation program to provide useful, convenient, and effective avenues for involving the public in MPO discussions and decisions. This program is documented in a public participation plan and made available in a way that facilitates public involvement with the MPO. Outreach through the public participation program supports the development of the MPO's three major certification documents—the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)—and other ongoing programs.
Under this task, staff will update the current public participation program and document it in a plan that will replace the current one, which was developed more than a decade ago. The goals of this update are to: improve the clarity of the MPO’s messages and communications; improve the general public’s understanding of the 3C process; increase participation in MPO activities; continue to improve the quality of the ideas, information, and views gathered as part of this program; and adopt contemporary practices, as appropriate.
In this task, staff will continue the research on federal guidance and practices at other MPOs that was begun in FFY 2013, and which will complete an evaluation of our current plan. Staff will produce a memorandum summarizing the results of the research and evaluation. This work will be presented to the MPO for its input on ways to improve the public participation process.
Staff will produce a draft plan for the MPO to review. After incorporating any additional MPO guidance, the draft will be circulated for a 60-day public review and comment period. During this time, the draft will be discussed at four public meetings to facilitate the public review.
Staff will prepare a final version of the plan for endorsement by the MPO. After endorsement, the document will be posted on the MPO website so that all the municipalities in the region may reference it.
Subtasks 6.2–6.5 discuss various communication avenues that are essential for implementing the public participation program. During development of the new program, staff will explore ways to engage the public more effectively using these types of communication techniques.
The MPO's website is a critical communication platform, as most of the information provided to the MPO and materials developed for MPO decision making are posted on the website. Further information about studies and reports, and material about the MPO and the metropolitan planning process and activities also are available on the website.
The MPO website—through surveys and the Contact Us and Comments functions—is a way to gather views and solicit feedback. In addition, the website provides a critical avenue for submitting information to the MPO, such as TIP project-funding data. and bicycle and pedestrian counts.
Staff will continue to maintain and regularly update several contact databases used to distribute MPO notices and communicate with various audiences. The MPO's one-way email listserve, MPOinfo, utilizes more than 2,000 email addresses found in the contact databases These contacts include local officials in all 101 municipalities in the MPO, the Advisory Council members, Access Advisory Committee to the MBTA contacts, legislators, freight operators, transportation-management agencies, regional transit authorities, Transportation Equity contacts, TRANSreport recipients, environmental agencies and interest groups, councils on aging, previous MPO meeting attendees, and many other interested parties. MPOinfo is used by staff to distribute important information such as a notice of an upcoming MPO-sponsored meeting or the public comment period for an amendment to a certification document.
MPO staff will continue to conduct public outreach through a variety of meeting venues. Staff will hold quarterly public meetings that provide opportunities for members of the public to hear about current MPO activities, recent studies, and the status of the certification documents. Members of the public are invited to submit ideas and comments at these meetings. Staff will also survey meeting participants to assess the effectiveness of the public participation program.
As the certification documents are developed in the annual 3C cycle, staff will hold as many as five public meetings and will attend sixteen MAPC subregion meetings to gather input and engage members of the public and interested parties in the documents’ development. These public discussions take place at MPO-sponsored TIP and UPWP-Building Seminars, designed for instructing local officials, other interested parties, and the public about how to advance their ideas and projects through the UPWP and TIP processes.
Once the draft certification documents are developed and out for public review, MPO staff will hold as many as four workshops to discuss them again with local officials, all interested parties, and the public in order to gather more input and ideas.
The MPO may conduct special forums and listening sessions in order to consult with various interested parties, such as the Transportation Equity contacts, environmental agencies, or with members of the general public. The purpose of these forums might be to support the update of the Public Participation Plan, the Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan, or the MPO’s Performance Measures. Staff will also respond to requests for attendance at regularly scheduled meetings of other organizations interested in learning about the MPO and providing input into its documents.
Press releases to announce public meetings, important MPO milestones, and the availability of draft documents for public review will be prepared and made available to the regional newspapers.
Members of the public contact MPO staff with questions and requests for information. The rate of these requests varies, but can be numerous during particular document development phases. Staff will collect and respond to these questions and comments.
The MPO's website serves a critical role in public outreach by providing information regarding the MPO's activities, posting meeting materials and schedules, as well as reports and studies produced by staff for the MPO, transportation agencies, and other entities. The website also hosts a data catalogue and several interactive mapping applications. Staff will continue to develop, maintain, and improve the website and will ensure that the materials presented are accessible to individuals with visual impairments.
MPO staff will continue to maintain its technical expertise in part by participating in courses, programs, and workshops offered by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Transportation Research Board, Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Institute of Transportation Engineers, and other public and private organizations. This task will fund staff to take advantage of professional development opportunities that arise throughout the year.
Under this task, staff will provide graphics to MPO agencies including: the design and production of maps, charts, illustrations, report covers, brochures, slides, and photographs; the application of other visualization techniques; and the creation of other products that improve communication.
It is estimated that the tasks presented in this work program will be completed throughout the 12 months of FFY 2014. The proposed schedule, by task, is shown in Exhibit 1.
The total cost of this project is estimated to be $634,200. This includes the cost of 238.4 person-weeks of staff time, overhead at the rate of 97.42 percent, printing, travel, equipment, consultants, and other direct costs. A detailed breakdown of estimated costs is presented in Exhibit 2.
KQ/PW/pw
Task |
Month | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|
1.
Provide Support to the MPO and Its Committees |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
2.
Research Planning Topics |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
3.
Conduct Subregional Outreach |
Deliverable , delivered by Month 1
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
4.
Support the Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
5.
Produce TRANSreport |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
6.
Conduct Public Participation for the MPO Process |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
7.
Support the Boston Region MPO's Website |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
8.
Provide Professional Development Opportunities |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
9.
Provide General Graphics Support |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
Task |
Person-Weeks | Direct Salary |
Overhead (97.42%) |
Total Cost |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | P-5 | P-4 | P-3 | P-2 | Temp | Total | ||||
|
1.
Provide Support to the MPO and Its Committees
|
52.0 | 12.2 | 6.2 | 17.5 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 92.9 | $138,606 | $135,030 | $273,637 |
|
2.
Research Planning Topics
|
0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 3.4 | $3,727 | $3,630 | $7,357 |
|
3.
Conduct Subregional Outreach
|
0.3 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.9 | $6,401 | $6,235 | $12,636 |
|
4.
Support the Regional Transportation Advisory Council
|
0.5 | 1.0 | 24.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 27.4 | $34,398 | $33,511 | $67,909 |
|
5.
Produce TRANSreport
|
1.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 14.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 16.2 | $18,289 | $17,817 | $36,107 |
|
6.
Conduct Public Participation for the MPO Process
|
7.5 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 8.5 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 31.0 | $37,325 | $36,362 | $73,687 |
|
7.
Support the Boston Region MPO's Website
|
2.5 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12.5 | $19,468 | $18,966 | $38,434 |
|
8.
Provide Professional Development Opportunities
|
1.0 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 6.1 | $8,106 | $7,896 | $16,002 |
|
9.
Provide General Graphics Support
|
10.0 | 0.0 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 14.0 | 0.0 | 44.0 | $54,924 | $53,507 | $108,431 |
|
Total
|
75.2 | 26.2 | 59.6 | 47.8 | 19.9 | 9.7 | 238.4 | $321,244 | $312,956 | $634,200 |
Memorandum
Date November 7, 2013
TO Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
FROM Karl H. Quackenbush,
CTPS Executive Director
RE Work Plan for: Air Quality Conformity Determinations
Review
Certification Requirements
10112
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Principal: Pam Wolfe
Manager: Anne McGahan
MPO Planning Contract #78890
MPO §5303 Contract #78922
This is MPO work and will be carried out in conformance with the priorities established by the MPO.
Under the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1990, states must monitor emissions from transportation and other sources to determine whether ambient emissions levels exceed health-based allowable levels of air pollutants. Areas in which the emissions exceed the allowable levels are designated as nonattainment areas, and the state must develop a State Implementation Plan (SIP) that establishes emissions budgets that show how the area would reduce emissions sufficiently to comply with the CAA air quality standards. MPOs with nonattainment areas must complete air quality conformity determinations to demonstrate the conformity of transportation plans, programs, and projects with the CAA. Typically, a conformity determination is performed annually for the TIP and every four years for a new LRTP. However, a conformity determination may be required if an LRTP amendment is undertaken during the year.
The city of Boston, the surrounding cities and towns, and the city of Waltham are classified as maintenance areas for carbon monoxide (CO). A maintenance area is an area that had been in nonattainment but was re-classified as attainment for which a maintenance plan was approved as part of the Massachusetts SIP. Since the Boston area is classified as maintenance, the region must show that, overall, its federally funded transportation programs maintain air quality in a manner consistent with the Massachusetts SIP.
The Boston Region MPO had also previously been classified as a non-attainment area for ozone but was re-classified as an attainment area under the new 2008 ozone standard. Because this was a new standard, a maintenance plan was not required, and the area was not classified as a maintenance area. As an attainment area, the MPO is not required to demonstrate that the LRTP and TIP are in conformity with the two pollutants that form ozone: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
This work program covers the tasks needed to demonstrate that the MPO’s federally funded transportation programs meet conformity requirements. This work is closely coordinated with the activities completed under the Air Quality Support Activities work program.
The objective of this program is to ensure that the MPO’s plans, programs, and projects comply with the CAA of 1990 and its amendments and allow for the flow of federal funding into the Boston MPO’s transportation system.
This work is conducted on an ongoing basis with the following tasks:
The travel demand model and the emissions model, Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) are used to analyze various pollutant emissions for the entire Boston Region MPO area. The analysis provides the collective emissions from all regionally significant transportation projects included in the LRTP and the TIP. A regionally significant project is a project that adds capacity to the system or costs of more than $10,000,000.
If there are changes to regionally significant projects in the LRTP and the TIP, a systemwide conformity determination will be prepared. Any new conformity determination will be done only for carbon monoxide in the maintenance areas. Although not part of the conformity determination, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will be calculated to provide information for GreenDOT Implementation.
If there are no changes to regionally significant projects, a conformity determination is done every year with each TIP to show that the State Implementation Plan projects are being funded and are advancing in a timely manner.
A detailed analysis of the potential VOC, NOx (the two precursors of ozone), CO, and CO2 impacts of each project to receive Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality (CMAQ) Program funding in the TIP and those that would help to meet the GreenDOT initiative will be conducted in accordance with US Department of Transportation and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines. Although the two ozone precursors are not required for conformity, analysis is provided at the project level to ensure the projects have a positive impact on air quality. The specifics of the analysis are determined through consultation between the state’s transportation and environmental agencies.
This project is ongoing from year to year. It is estimated that the tasks presented in this work program will be completed throughout the 12 months of federal fiscal year 2014. The proposed schedule, by task, is shown in Exhibit 1.
The total cost of this project is estimated to be $13,000. This includes the cost of 5.2 person-weeks of staff time, overhead at the rate of 97.42 percent. A detailed breakdown of estimated costs is presented in Exhibit 2.
KQ/AM/am
Task |
Month | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|
1.
Perform System-Level Analysis |
From month 6 to 9.
| |||||||||||
|
2.
Perform Project-Level Analysis |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
Task |
Person-Weeks | Direct Salary |
Overhead (97.42%) |
Total Cost |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | P-5 | P-4 | Temp | Total | ||||
|
1.
Perform System-Level Analysis
|
0.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 2.0 | $3,107 | $3,027 | $6,134 |
|
2.
Perform Project-Level Analysis
|
0.0 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 3.1 | $3,478 | $3,388 | $6,866 |
|
Total
|
0.1 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 5.2 | $6,585 | $6,415 | $13,000 |
Memorandum
Date November 7, 2013
TO Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
FROM Karl H. Quackenbush,
CTPS Executive Director
RE Work Plan for: Air Quality Support Activity
Review
Certification Requirements
90061
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Principal: Pam Wolfe
Manager: Anne McGahan
MPO Planning Contract #78890
MPO §5303 Contract #78922
This is MPO work and will be carried out in conformance with the priorities established by the MPO.
This project complements the Air Quality Conformity Determinations of the LRTP and the TIP (Air Quality Conformity is described in another work program). Information and products produced through the Air Quality Support program are critical to the MPO’s ability to conduct transportation planning in the current regulatory and policy framework. The Air Quality Support program funds research and analysis for air quality and climate change issues that come to the MPO. It allows for additional support in implementing air-quality-related transportation programs and projects and includes consultation, research, and coordination between CTPS and federal, state, local, and private agencies. Much of the research, analysis, and coordination with federal and state agencies lead to products used by the MPO, including mobile source emission factors used in all of the MPO’s regional and project-level air quality analyses and conformity with the Massachusetts State Implementation Plan (SIP).
The primary objective of this program is to provide ongoing support services for the MPO to maintain a technical capability in air quality and climate change matters, including conforming to federal air quality requirements and the state’s climate change policies. This program funds activities that support the MPO’s response to changing requirements for planning, analysis, and reporting. This includes initiatives known today and also some capacity for participation in those issues that might emerge during the course of the year.
This work is conducted on an ongoing basis with the following tasks:
Activities include analysis of transportation control measures (TCMs), park-and-ride facilities, and proposed high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) projects throughout the Boston Region MPO area as requested by MassDOT (including the Highway Division and the Office of Transportation Planning), the MBTA, and Massport, and evaluation of emerging and innovative highway and transit clean-air activities.
Staff will integrate climate change concerns and emission-reduction opportunities into the MPO’s and state agencies’ planning processes. Activities in this task include:
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is required to submit a SIP to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) documenting strategies and actions designed to bring Massachusetts into compliance with air-quality standards, as needed. Under this task, staff will complete the following activities:
Air-quality analyses of specific projects and programs
This work includes continued support and coordination on the following activities:
This project is ongoing from year to year. It is estimated that the tasks presented in this work program will be completed throughout the 12 months of federal fiscal year (FFY) 2014. The proposed schedule, by task, is shown in Exhibit 1.
The total cost of this project is estimated to be $43,300. This includes the cost of 14.4 person-weeks of staff time and overhead at the rate of 97.42 percent. A detailed breakdown of estimated costs is presented in Exhibit 2.
KQ/AM/am
Task |
Month | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|
1.
Support MassDOT, MBTA, and Massport |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
2.
Support Climate Change Initiatives |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
3.
Support Mobile-Source Element of SIP |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
4.
Support Other Agencies |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
Task |
Person-Weeks | Direct Salary |
Overhead (97.42%) |
Total Cost |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | P-5 | P-4 | P-3 | Temp | Total | ||||
|
1.
Support MassDOT, MBTA, and Massport
|
0.6 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.1 | $6,944 | $6,765 | $13,710 |
|
2.
Support Climate Change Initiatives
|
0.5 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 4.5 | $5,344 | $5,206 | $10,550 |
|
3.
Support Mobile-Source Element of SIP
|
0.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | $2,198 | $2,142 | $4,340 |
|
4.
Support Other Agencies
|
0.0 | 4.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.4 | $7,446 | $7,254 | $14,700 |
|
Total
|
1.1 | 10.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 14.4 | $21,933 | $21,367 | $43,300 |
Memorandum
Date November 7, 2013
TO Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
FROM Karl H. Quackenbush
CTPS Executive Director
RE Work Plan for: Boston Region MPO Title VI Reporting
Review
Certification Requirements
11355
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Principal: Pam Wolfe
Manager: Alicia Wilson
MPO Planning Contract #78890
MPO §5303 Contract #78922
This is MPO work and will be carried out in conformance with the priorities established by the MPO.
Part of the MPO’s 3C work is the development and implementation of a program that demonstrates that the MPO does not discriminate against protected populations in its programs, services, and activities.
Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance either directly or via contract. As a part of the national origin protections, Executive Order 13166 provides for equal access to services and benefits for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). Additional executive orders and federal statutes extend protection from discrimination to low-income populations, people with disabilities, women, and elders. The Federal Transit Administration’s Title VI Circular 4702.1B and the Federal Highway Administration’s Title VI/
Nondiscrimination Program require direct recipients of federal aid to submit a comprehensive report every three years that documents compliance with Title VI and other nondiscrimination mandates. As subrecipients of aid through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the MPO is required to report its activities to MassDOT through a comprehensive report every three years and annual updates that address any changes that have occurred since the previous report. This program is ongoing and is underway year-round. The focus of this work program is the development of a triennial MPO Title VI report to MassDOT.
The objective of this program is to compile a report of Title VI–related activities undertaken by the MPO during the last three years to show that the MPO is fully compliant with the requirements of both the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Title VI Circular 4702.1B and the FHWA Title VI/Nondiscrimination Program.
In the past, MassDOT has supplied all Massachusetts MPOs with a template to follow when reporting Title VI activities. MassDOT is currently in the process of updating the template and will soon be meeting with all of the MPOs in the state to inform them of any changes in the reporting requirements. Based on the existing template and current federal guidance, it is anticipated that the Boston Region MPO’s triennial report will include the following:
MassDOT’s general reporting requirements for all agencies:
MassDOT’s MPO-specific requirements include:
MPO staff will assemble all of the required documentation and produce a final report for submittal to MassDOT based on these and any additional requirements identified by MassDOT.
A Triennial Title VI report
The current FTA Title VI circular requires that an MPO’s Title VI program be approved by the MPO. Under this task, MPO staff will prepare presentation materials about the MPO’s Title VI program, as set forth in the triennial Title VI Report, and will present them to the MPO.
Presentation to the MPO
Staff may update one or more of the elements in the MPO’s Title VI program or respond to questions about the program, as needed. Staff will also coordinate activities with MassDOT’s Office of Civil Rights to ensure that the MPO is compliant with Title VI requirements.
This project is ongoing from year to year. It is estimated that the tasks presented in this work program will be completed throughout the 12 months of FFY 2014. The proposed schedule, by task, is shown in Exhibit 1.
The total cost of this project is estimated to be $14,000. This includes the cost of 4.2 person-weeks of staff time and overhead at the rate of 97.42% percent. A detailed breakdown of estimated costs is presented in Exhibit 2.
KQ/AW/aw
Task |
Month | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|
1.
Prepare a Triennial Title VI Report |
From month 1 to 2.8.
Deliverable A, Triennial Title VI Report delivered by Month 2.6
| |||||||||||
|
2.
Present Title VI Materials to the MPO |
From month 2.8 to 3.5.
Deliverable B, Presentation to the MPO delivered by Month 3.5
| |||||||||||
|
3.
Provide Ongoing Title VI Support |
From month 1 to 12.8.
| |||||||||||
Task |
Person-Weeks | Direct Salary |
Overhead (97.42%) |
Total Cost |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | P-5 | Total | ||||
|
1.
Prepare a Triennial Title VI Report
|
0.4 | 2.5 | 2.9 | $4,889 | $4,763 | $9,651 |
|
2.
Present Title VI Materials to the MPO
|
0.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | $1,357 | $1,322 | $2,679 |
|
3.
Provide Ongoing Title VI Support
|
0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | $846 | $824 | $1,670 |
|
Total
|
0.7 | 3.5 | 4.2 | $7,092 | $6,909 | $14,000 |
Memorandum
Date November 7, 2013
TO Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
FROM Karl H. Quackenbush
CTPS Executive Director
RE Work Plan for: Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support
Review
Certification Requirements
11132
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Principal: Pam Wolfe
Manager: Alicia Wilson
MPO Planning Contract #78890
MPO §5303 Contract #78922
This is MPO work and will be carried out in conformance with the priorities established by the MPO.
The federal government’s Environmental Justice Executive Order 12898 of February 11, 1994, requires 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 and low-income populations. This and other regulations and guidance provide direction for MPOs. For the Boston Region MPO, these requirements mean understanding the mobility and access to transportation needs of these populations, as well as for people with disabilities, limited English proficiency (LEP), and elders, and considering these needs in MPO planning and decision making.
The MPO embraces the letter and spirit of these requirements and demonstrates its full commitment to meeting these needs through its Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program. The MPO’s policy is to treat all people equitably, including those who identify as minority, and those with low-incomes, disabilities, and/or limited English proficiency, in the provision of transportation services and projects, and to provide for the full participation of these populations in advising the MPO during its planning and decision-making processes.
This program provides for a systematic method of considering environmental justice in all of the MPO’s transportation-planning work. The findings from this program are incorporated into the development of MPO plans and studies. In addition, the program seeks to support activities that advance the provision of transportation services to elders, those who identify as minority, and those with low-incomes, disabilities, and/or limited English proficiency.
This work program focuses on the MPO’s activities related to the Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program.
The main objectives of the Transportation Equity/Environmental Justice Support program are to:
This work is conducted on an ongoing basis through the following tasks:
Staff will continue to analyze the most current demographic data obtained from the US Census and other sources. Staff will also analyze data obtained from various surveys, such as the Massachusetts Household Survey, that also pertain to low-income, minority, and LEP populations, as well as to elders and people with disabilities. Part of the analytical work in this task includes mapping the various types of demographic data, as well as the transportation characteristics associated with different populations, such as the locations of zero-vehicle households.
These analyses form the basis of the MPO’s Transportation Equity Program as they give information on the size and location of various populations and help to identify and address their transportation issues. Data from some of the analyses will also support the MPO’s Title VI activities.
Staff will produce memoranda summarizing the results of the various analyses and will present them to the MPO.
In this task, staff will continue to conduct a public involvement program targeted specifically to groups that do not routinely participate in the transportation-planning process. These groups include low-income, minority, and LEP populations, as well as elders and people with disabilities, in the region. The goal of this task is to communicate with organizations that work with these populations that can help articulate their transportation needs. Staff will provide information to organizations serving these populations to improve their awareness of the MPO and the transportation services and facilities available to them.
Staff will seek to increase the effectiveness of MPO outreach by translating MPO meeting notices into a larger number of languages in hopes of bringing more LEP people into the planning process. In addition, the database of transportation equity organizations and contacts will be updated on an ongoing basis to facilitate continued contact.
Staff will also gather information on the transportation needs of these populations through various means. In addition to meetings, staff will continue to gather information through online surveys. In addition, MPO staff will conduct one or more forums and/or focus groups with organizations and/or the public to provide opportunities for them to share their views on transportation issues of concern. Because the Metropolitan Area Planning Council conducts outreach efforts in many of the same communities as does the MPO, several joint activities may be planned.
The results of the outreach activities will be summarized in one or more memoranda to the MPO. The effectiveness of the program will be measured by the increase in participation in the Transportation Equity Program. This will include an increase in the number of surveys returned, attendance at meetings, and comments submitted on MPO documents and planning issues.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Rail and Transit Division has previously conducted project solicitation for several state and federal programs. In the past, the division has requested that MPOs inform agencies and organizations in their transportation equity databases when these solicitations occur. It is anticipated that the MPO may be asked to do this during this federal fiscal year. In addition, the Boston Region MPO might be called upon to participate in scoring project proposals for federal Section 5310 funding (Section 5310 of the Transportation Equity Act is a federal program of capital assistance to address the mobility needs of elders and people with disabilities).
Solicitation materials for contacts in the Transportation Equity database
As required by federal transportation legislation, the MPO has developed a Coordinated Human-Services Transportation Plan, which catalogs existing transportation services and identifies the transportation needs of populations served through the Transportation Equity Program, and gaps and barriers in the transportation system that are experienced by these populations. Under this task, staff will update the existing plan to include transportation services that have been established since the last iteration of the plan, as well as newly identified gaps in transportation services and any additional newly emerging transportation needs that have been identified in the region.
As part of this update, MPO staff will plan for and convene a forum for various transportation agencies, councils on aging, and human-services groups in the MPO region to jointly discuss the transportation needs and problems of their clientele, and to discuss successful existing transportation services. Many of these agencies and organizations provide services to meet the transportation needs of underserved areas and populations. In many instances, they can or will serve only one particular type of trip. Therefore, a person might call one agency to arrange a medical trip and another agency to arrange a social trip. Several agencies in the region have been successful in coordinating an individual’s many trips. Sharing their insights would be beneficial to other agencies and the populations they serve.
The focus of this forum is to bring together diverse groups to discuss and advance coordination efforts at local and regional levels; to discuss transportation needs in their communities, service areas, or areas of concern; to share information on best practices; and assist the MPO in gathering information on specific transportation needs and services for many communities’ or areas’ low-income and minority populations, people with disabilities or limited English proficiency, and elders. This coordination dovetails with ongoing state agency programs whose mission is to provide transportation options through communication, coordination, and cooperation among the many entities that provide transportation services in the state and bringing them to bear on the local and regional transportation needs of these underserved populations.
Staff will keep the MPO informed about Transportation Equity Program activities and information gathered, through briefings and by presenting memoranda produced in Tasks 2 and 3 at MPO meetings. These discussions are typically scheduled when the Transportation Equity Program is about to launch new outreach or when there are results to discuss with the MPO.
PowerPoint presentations and other meeting materials to support discussions with the MPO
Periodically, MassDOT requests that the MPO analyze various data, provide information in various formats, and generally conform with MassDOT’s processes to remain compliant with federal regulations. Under this task, staff will respond to these requests, as needed.
Guidance and practices are changing in the field of transportation equity. Staff will maintain awareness and knowledge of current requirements and best practices.
Under this task, staff will track developments in federal regulations and guidance and integrate required changes into the MPO Transportation Equity Program. In addition, staff will explore best practices and conduct analyses and research to enhance the Transportation Equity Program.
This project is ongoing from year to year. It is estimated that the tasks presented in this work program will be completed throughout the 12 months of FFY 2014. The proposed schedule, by task, is shown in Exhibit 1.
The total cost of this project is estimated to be $96,000. This includes the cost of 31.9 person-weeks of staff time and overhead at the rate of 97.42% percent. A detailed breakdown of estimated costs is presented in Exhibit 2.
KQ/AW/aw
Task |
Month | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|
1.
Analyze Demographic and Survey Data |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
2.
Conduct Outreach |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
3.
Participate in MassDOT Grant Solicitation and Proposal Scoring |
From month 4.9 to 7.
Deliverable C, Solicitation materials for Transportation Equity database delivered by Month 6.8
| |||||||||||
|
4.
Update the Coordinated Human-Services Transportation Plan and Hold Forum |
From month 1 to 10.
Deliverable D, Updated Coordinated Human-Services Transportation Plan delivered by Month 10
| |||||||||||
|
5.
Report to the MPO |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
6.
Provide Ongoing Technical Support |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
|
7.
Track and Integrate Innovations in Transportation Equity Planning |
From month 1 to 13.
| |||||||||||
Task |
Person-Weeks | Direct Salary |
Overhead (97.42%) |
Total Cost |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-1 | P-5 | P-4 | P-3 | Temp | Total | ||||
|
1.
Analyze Demographic and Survey Data
|
0.8 | 6.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 8.7 | $13,744 | $13,390 | $27,134 |
|
2.
Conduct Outreach
|
1.2 | 5.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 8.1 | $11,811 | $11,506 | $23,317 |
|
3.
Participate in MassDOT Grant Solicitation and Proposal Scoring
|
0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | $677 | $659 | $1,336 |
|
4.
Update the Coordinated Human-Services Transportation Plan and Hold Forum
|
1.1 | 5.4 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 7.7 | $11,727 | $11,425 | $23,152 |
|
5.
Report to the MPO
|
0.8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.8 | $4,746 | $4,624 | $9,370 |
|
6.
Provide Ongoing Technical Support
|
0.2 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.6 | $4,906 | $4,780 | $9,686 |
|
7.
Track and Integrate Innovations in Transportation Equity Planning
|
0.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | $1,015 | $989 | $2,005 |
|
Total
|
4.1 | 22.8 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 4.2 | 31.9 | $48,627 | $47,373 | $96,000 |