Memorandum

 

DATE:     August 21, 2014

TO:         Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

FROM:    Anne McGahan

RE:         Updated Central Vision and Goals and Objectives

 

1          background

Staff presented a draft of the MPO’s central vision and goals and policies at the August 7 MPO meeting. MPO members discussed this information and made comments and suggestions. We prepared this memorandum to show our responses to the comments. Staff requests that MPO members review the responses to comments and revised information and provide any further input on the draft central vision and goals and objectives at the MPO meeting on August 21. The revisions are shown in Track Changes.

 

2          REVISED CENTRAL VISION AND GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

2.1      Central Vision Statement

The draft vision statement that staff presented at the August 7 meeting is shown below:

 

MPO Vision Statement—August 7, 2014

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization is committed to a transportation system that fosters sustainable cities and towns—where all people can access safe, healthy, efficient, and varied transportation options, and find jobs and services within easy reach of affordable housing. To this end, the MPO invests strategically in projects that maintain existing infrastructure and improve or expand the transportation system, where needed, in an equitable and effective manner. In addition to providing increased mobility and economic opportunities, these endeavors also benefit the environment, allow residents and visitors to enjoy improved air quality, and help transform the MPO’s vision into the region’s reality.

 

The MPO made several suggestions to shorten the vision and emphasize all activities, not just economic activity. Staff revised the central vision as shown below:

 

Revised MPO Vision Statement—Option 1

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization is committed to a transportation system that fosters sustainable cities and towns—where all people can access safe, healthy, efficient, and varied transportation options, and find jobs, services, and other activities within easy reach of affordable housing. To this end, the MPO invests strategically in projects that maintain existing infrastructure and improve or expand the transportation system, where needed, in an equitable and effective manner to increase livability, mobility and economic opportunities .

 

Revised MPO Vision Statement—Option 2

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization envisions a future transportation system that is safe, provides equitable access, excellent mobility, and varied transportation options—in support of a sustainable, highly livable, and economically sound region.

 

2.2      Goals and Objectives

Proposed goals and objectives also were presented at the August 7 MPO meeting.

 

Safety

 

System Preservation

 

Congestion Reduction

 

Transportation Options/ Healthy Modes

 

Greenhouse Gas (GHG)/Air Pollution

 

Transportation Equity

 

Economic Vitality and Freight Movement

 

Comment: Livability seems to have been eliminated in the goals and objectives. Response: The older livability policies have been included in the newly proposed Transportation Options/Mode Share and Economic Vitality goals and policies. As a reference, a list of the older policies from Paths to a Sustainable Region is provided below:

 

 

3          NEXT STEPS

Staff requests that MPO members review the material above and provide any further comments. Staff will then incorporate those into a final draft version, which we will send back to you for review before circulating it for public review and comment.

 

1 Some of these measures will be included in the Transportation Options and Mode Shift Goal.

2 Measures associated with increasing population and employment in close proximity to transit also may be considered measures under the Economic Vitality topic.