Draft Transportation Improvement Program
and Air Quality Conformity Determination:
Federal Fiscal Years 2015–18

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Staff

Directed by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is composed of the:

MassDOT Office of Planning and Programming                                City of Somerville  (Inner Core Committee)

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority                                 City of Woburn  (North Suburban Planning Council)

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board       Town of Arlington  (At-Large Town)

MassDOT Highway Department                                                         Town of Bedford 

Massachusetts Port Authority                                                          (Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination)

Metropolitan Area Planning Council                                                Town of Braintree  (South Shore Coalition)

Regional Transportation Advisory Council                                       Town of Framingham  (MetroWest Regional Collaborative)

City of Boston                                                                                     Town of Lexington  (At-Large Town)

City of Beverly  (North Shore Task Force)                                        Town of Medway  (South West Advisory Planning Committee)

City of Everett  (At-Large City)                                                        Town of Norwood  (Three Rivers Interlocal Council)

City of Newton  (At-Large City)                                                        Federal Highway Administration (nonvoting)

Federal Transit Administration (nonvoting)

The MPO complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal and state non-discrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, English proficiency, income, religious creed, ancestry, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or military service. Any person who believes herself/himself or any specific class of persons has been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI, ADA, or other non-discrimination statute or regulation may, herself/himself or via a representative, file a written complaint with the MPO. A complaint must be filed no later than 180 calendar days after the date on which the person believes the discrimination occurred. A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO (see below) or at www.bostonmpo.org.

For additional copies of this document or to request it in an accessible format, contact:

By mail                 Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

                             Certification Activities Group

                             10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150

                             Boston, MA 02116

By telephone        (617) 973-7107 (voice)

                             (617) 973-7089 (TTY)

By fax                   (617) 973-8855

By e-mail             spfalzer@ctps.org

Or download it at www.ctps.org

This document was funded in part through grants from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of the U.S. DOT.

PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK FOR SELF CERTIFICATION DOCUMENTS OF THE BOSTON REGION MPO TO BE INSERTED WHEN FINALIZED

Table of Contents

Executive summary

Chapter One – The 3C Process                                                                 

Chapter Two – The TIP Process

Chapter Three – Project Information

         Project Tables Draft FFYs 2015 – 18 TIP

         Highway Element  

         Transit Element 

Chapter FOUR – Tracking and Demonstrating Progress USING Performance Measures

Chapter Five – Determination of Air Quality Conformity

Chapter SIX – Financial Constraint

Chapter SEVEN – Operations and Maintenance

Appendices                                                                                                                                                     

      A   Universe of Projects 

      B   Project Information Forms and Evaluations

       C   Greenhouse Gas Monitoring and Evaluation

      D   FFY 2014 Highway Projects Status       

      E   Transit Projects Status

      F   Public Comments on the Draft FFYs 2015 – 18 TIP

Executive Summary

Draft Federal Fiscal Years 2015–2018 TIP

introduction

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO’s) four-year, nearly $2 billion transportation capital plan, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), is the near-term investment program for the region’s transportation system. Guided by the MPO’s visions and policies, the TIP prioritizes investments that preserve the current transportation system in a state of good repair, provide safe transportation for all modes, enhance livability, and improve mobility throughout the region. These investments fund major highway reconstruction, arterial and intersection improvements, maintenance and expansion of the public transit system, bicycle path construction, and improvements for pedestrians.

The Boston Region MPO is a 22-member board with representatives of state agencies, regional organizations, and municipalities; its jurisdiction extends from Boston north to Ipswich, south to Duxbury, and west to Interstate 495. Each year, the MPO conducts a process to decide how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects. The Central Transportation Planning Staff, which is the staff to the MPO, manages the TIP-development process.

MPO staff coordinate the evaluation of project requests, propose the programming of current and new projects based on anticipated funding levels, support the MPO in the development of a draft document, and facilitate a public review of the draft document before the MPO endorses the final document.

DRAFT FFYs 2015–18 Tip overview

The federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2015–18 TIP consists of approximately $670 million worth of transportation investments in the Highway Program and more than $1.3 billion in the transit program. These investments reflect the MPO’s goal of targeting a majority of transportation resources to preserving and modernizing the existing roadway and transit system and maintaining it in a state of good repair.

This draft TIP also devotes a greater portion of funding for the targeted expansion of the rapid transit system and new shared-use paths than previous TIPs. In addition, a number of the infrastructure investments in this TIP address needs identified in the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, Paths to a Sustainable Region, or implement recommendations from past studies and reports that were funded through the MPO’s Unified Planning Work Program.

DRAFT FFYs 2015–18 TIP investments

Transit Program

The Transit Program of the TIP provides funding for projects and programs that address capital needs that had been given priority by the three transit agencies in the region: the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA), and the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA). The Transit Program is predominately dedicated to achieving and maintaining a state of good repair for all assets throughout the transit system.

Over the next four fiscal years, the MBTA will invest heavily in modernizing subway, commuter rail, and bus fleets, including $400 million for procuring new cars for the Red and Orange subway lines (part of a $750 million project).

The MBTA will also invest in the MBTA’s bridges (of which there are 476) and tunnels. Funds will also be dedicated to improving accessibility at MBTA subway stations—including Government Center Station–and other light rail, commuter rail, Silver Line, and bus stations throughout the system. Transit expansion will be funded in the Highway Program, discussed below.

Highway Program

The Highway Program of the TIP funds priority transportation projects advanced by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and cities and towns within the 101-municipality MPO region. The program is primarily devoted to preserving and modernizing the existing roadway network through the resurfacing of highways, replacement of bridges, and reconstruction of arterial roadways.

Over the next four years, nearly $206 million (31 percent) of funds in the Highway Program will be used to resurface almost 50 miles of interstate highways, replace highway lighting, and add travel lanes and shoulders to more than three miles of Route 128. Approximately $155 million (23 percent) will be spent to modernize roadways in order to balance the needs of all users—motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Multimodal projects such as the improvements to Commonwealth Avenue in Boston and Route 9 in Brookline will improve safety and enhance access for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and automobiles. In total, roadway modernization projects will result in nearly 27 miles of new bicycle accommodations. More than $190 million (29 percent) of the Highway Program will invest in addressing—functionally obsolete and—structurally deficient bridges.

The program also invests in the targeted expansion of transit service and bicycle and pedestrian facilities to grow the transit, bicycle, and pedestrian networks. In this draft TIP, $78 million (12 percent) of the Highway Program funds are flexed to transit to extend the Green Line beyond College Avenue to Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway in Medford. More than $35 million (5 percent) will be invested in extending rail trails, constructing shared-use paths, and improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities around schools—adding more than 20 miles to the off-road bicycle network. A majority of these facilities will also provide direct access to MBTA commuter rail stations: the Tri‑Community Bikeway will connect to Winchester Center and Wedgemere stations; the Assabet River Rail Trail will terminate at South Acton Station, and the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail will link to West Concord Station.

financing the draft ffys 2015–18 tip

Transit Program

Funds programmed in the Transit Program of the TIP are allocated by the Federal Transit Administration by formula. The three regional transit authorities (RTAs) in the Boston Region MPO area that are recipients of these formula funds are: the MBTA, MWRTA, and CATA. The MBTA, with its extensive transit program and infrastructure, is the recipient of the preponderance of federal transit funds in the region.

Funding is allocated by the following funding categories, under the federal transportation legislation, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21):

• Section 5307 (Urbanized Area Formula Grants): Provides grants to urbanized areas to support public transportation based on the level of transit service, population, and other factors.

• Section 5337 (Fixed Guideway/Bus): Seeks to maintain public transportation systems in a state of good repair through replacement and rehabilitation capital projects.

• Section 5339 (Bus and Bus Facilities): Provides funding to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment, and to construct bus-related facilities.

Highway Program

The Highway Program of the TIP was developed under the assumption that there would be $600 million of federal dollars available annually over the next four years for highway projects statewide. In Massachusetts, federal highway program funding is allocated to several main funding categories.

First, MassDOT allocates federal funding to Grant Anticipation Note (GANs) payments. Over the four years of this TIP, approximately $308 million of the Highway Program is dedicated to GANs payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program. MassDOT matches the remaining amount of federal funding with an 80 percent (federal) and 20 percent (state) split.

Next, MassDOT allocates funding across the following funding categories:

• Statewide Infrastructure Items: Interstate highway maintenance, intelligent transportation systems, Safe Routes to School programs, and other infrastructure needs

• Bridge Program: Replacement or rehabilitation of public bridges

• Regional Major Infrastructure Projects: Modernization of major highway infrastructure

• Other Statewide Items: Change orders for existing contracts

After these needs have been satisfied, MassDOT allocates the remaining federal funding among the state’s MPOs for programming. This discretionary funding for MPOs is suballocated by formula to determine “Regional Target” amounts. These targets are developed by MassDOT in consultation with the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies. Each MPO can decide how the Regional Target funding they receive is prioritized.

the tip development process

Overview

In order to determine which projects to fund through the Regional Target funding process, MPO members collaborate with municipalities, state agencies, members of the public, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders. The MPO’s project selection process uses evaluation criteria to help identify and prioritize projects that advance the MPO’s goals. The criteria are based on the MPO’s visions and policies, which were adopted for its Long-Range Transportation Plan, Paths to a Sustainable Region.

Outreach and Data Collection

The outreach process begins early in the fiscal year, when MPO staff begin to brief local officials and members of the public on the upcoming year’s development process. In November MPO staff ask the staffs of cities and towns in the region to identify their priority projects for consideration for federal funding. MPO staff compile the project requests and relevant information into a Universe of Projects list for the MPO. The Universe of Projects list includes projects in varied stages of development, from projects in the conceptual stage to those that are fully designed and ready to be advertised for construction. MPO staff also collect data on each project in the universe so that the projects can be evaluated.

Project Evaluation

Once project updates are complete, the staff evaluates projects based on how well they address the MPO’s policies in the following categories:

• System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency

• Livability and Economic Benefit

• Mobility

• Environment and Climate Change

• Environmental Justice

• Safety and Security

This year, the staff was able to increase the number of projects that have complete evaluations from 50 to 60 projects. A basic level of design is needed to provide enough information to fully evaluate a potential TIP project. In some cases not enough information is available to fully evaluate a project across all six policy categories. The evaluation results are posted on the MPO’s website, allowing municipal officials and members of the public to view and provide feedback on the evaluation results.

Staff Recommendation and Draft TIP

MPO staff use the project information and evaluation results to prepare a First-Tier List of Projects—projects that have received high scores through the TIP evaluation process and that could be made ready for advertisement within the time frame of the upcoming TIP. MPO staff then prepare a staff recommendation for the TIP considering the First-Tier list and other factors, such as the construction readiness of a project, the estimated project cost, community priority, geographic equity (to ensure that needs are addressed throughout the region), and consistency with the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan. The staff recommendation proposes the projects to be funded with the MPO’s Regional Target funding over the next four years.

The staff recommendation is always financially constrained. This year it is constrained to the approximately $293 million available for MPO Regional Target projects in FFYs 2015–18. The staff recommendation was submitted to the MPO and was discussed in April 2014.

approving the tip

The MPO considers the evaluation results, First-Tier List of Projects, and staff recommendation when prioritizing which projects should receive Regional Target funding. In addition to prioritizing the Regional Target funding, the MPO also reviews the Statewide Infrastructure Items and Bridge Programs, and the capital programs for the MBTA, CATA, and MWRTA, before voting to release a draft TIP for public review.

This year, the MPO voted in mid-May to release the draft FFYs 2015–18 TIP for a 30-day public comment period. In early June, the MPO voted to revise the draft FFYs 2015-18 TIP and extend the public comment period. The MPO invites members of the public, regional and local officials, and other stakeholders in the Boston region to review the proposed program during that time period. Several outreach sessions are held during the public comment period, as well, to solicit comments on the draft TIP.

After the comment period ends, the MPO reviews all of the comments it has received and makes changes to the document as appropriate. This year, the MPO is scheduled to take action on the draft FFYs 2015–2018 TIP on July 10, 2014. Once the TIP has been endorsed by the MPO, it is incorporated into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)—which is a compilation of TIPs from all of the MPOs in Massachusetts—and sent to the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration to enable the document to be approved by the federal agencies by September 30, before the start of FFY 2015.

Updates to the TIP

Even after the TIP has been finalized, administrative modifications and amendments must often be introduced because of changes in project status, project cost, or available revenues. This may necessitate reprogramming a project to a later funding year or programming additional funds for a project.

Notices of amendments and administrative modifications are posted on the MPO’s website. If there must be an amendment, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council is informed and the affected municipalities and other stakeholders are notified through the MPO’s email listserv, MPOinfo. The MPO holds a 30-day public comment period before taking action on an amendment. Administrative modifications are generally minor adjustments that usually do not warrant a public comment period.

stay involved with the Tip

Public input is an important aspect of the transportation-planning process. Please visit www.bostonmpo.org for more information about the MPO, to view the full TIP, and to submit your comments. You may also want to sign up for our email news updates by contacting us at publicinformation@ctps.org.

To request a copy of the TIP in CD or accessible formats, please contact us by any of the following means:

Mail:                Boston Region MPO

                        Certification Activities Group

                        10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150

                        Boston, MA 02116

Telephone:   617-973-7100

                        617-973-7089 (TTY)

Fax:                 617-973-8855

Email:            publicinformation@ctps.org

Chapter One

The 3C Process

introduction to the 3C process

Decisions about how to spend transportation funds in a metropolitan area are guided by information and ideas from a broad group of people, including elected officials, municipal planners and engineers, transportation advocates, other advocates, and other interested persons. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are the bodies responsible for providing a forum for this decision-making process. Each metropolitan area in the United States with a population of 50,000 or more has an MPO, which decides how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects and planning studies.

In order to be eligible for federal funds, metropolitan areas are required to maintain a continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive (3C) transportation-planning process that results in plans and programs consistent with the planning objectives of the metropolitan area. 1 The 3C transportation-planning process in the Boston region is the responsibility of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which has established the following objectives for the process:

• Identify transportation problems and develop possible solutions

• Balance short- and long-range considerations so that beneficial incremental actions adequately reflect an understanding of probable future consequences and possible future options

• Represent both regional and local considerations, and both transportation and non-transportation objectives and impacts when analyzing project issues

• Assist implementing agencies in effecting timely policy and project decisions, with adequate consideration of environmental, land-use, social, fiscal, and economic impacts, and with adequate opportunity for participation by other agencies, local governments, and members of the public

• Help implementing agencies to prioritize transportation activities in a manner consistent with the region’s needs and resources

• Comply with the requirements of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Clean Air Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

The Boston Region MPO is a 22-member board consisting of state agencies, regional organizations, and municipalities; its jurisdiction extends from Boston to Ipswich in the north, Duxbury in the south, and approximately to Interstate 495 in the west. The map that follows the title page of this document shows the 101 cities and towns that make up this area.

As part of its 3C process, the Boston Region MPO annually produces the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). These documents, along with the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), are required for the MPO’s process to be certified as meeting federal requirements; this certification is a prerequisite for receiving federal transportation funds.

This TIP was developed and approved by the MPO members listed below. The permanent MPO voting members are the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT); Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC); MBTA Advisory Board; Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA); Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport); City of Boston, and Regional Transportation Advisory Council. The elected MPO voting members and their respective seats are:

City of Beverly – North Shore Task Force
City of Everett – At-Large City
City of Newton – At-Large City
City of Somerville – Inner Core Committee
City of Woburn – North Suburban Planning Council
Town of Arlington – At-Large Town
Town of Bedford – Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination
Town of Braintree – South Shore Coalition
Town of Framingham – MetroWest Regional Collaborative
Town of Lexington – At-Large Town
Town of Medway – SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee
Town of Norwood – Three Rivers Interlocal Council

In addition, the FHWA and the FTA participate in the MPO as advisory (nonvoting) members. The organization chart on the following page also shows MPO membership and the MPO’s staff, Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS).

• The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was established on November 1, 2009, under Chapter 25 (“An Act Modernizing the Transportation Systems of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts”) of the Acts of 2009, which was signed by Governor Deval Patrick in June 2009. Accordingly, MassDOT is a merger of the former Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works (EOT) and its divisions with the former Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, the Massachusetts Highway Department, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and the Massachusetts

Aeronautics Commission. The legislation also established MassDOT oversight of the MBTA and the Commonwealth’s regional transit authorities (RTAs). In addition, it authorized ownership of the Tobin Bridge to be transferred from Massport to MassDOT and for MassDOT to assume responsibility for many of the bridges and parkways formerly operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

• The MassDOT Highway Divisionhas jurisdiction over the roadways, bridges, and tunnels of the former Massachusetts Highway Department and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, and over the Tobin Bridge. The Division also has jurisdiction over the former DCR bridges and parkways, as mentioned above. The Highway Division is responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of the Commonwealth’s state highways and bridges. The Division is responsible for overseeing traffic safety and engineering activities, including the Highway Operations Control Center, to ensure safe road and travel conditions.

• The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)has the statutory responsibility within its district, under the provisions of Chapter 161A of the Massachusetts General Laws (MGL), of preparing the engineering and architectural designs for transit development projects, constructing and operating transit development projects, and operating the public transportation system. The MBTA district comprises 175 communities, including all of the 101 cities and towns of the Boston Region MPO area. The MassDOT board of directors consists of a chairman and eight other directors, appointed by the governor.

• The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board was created by the Legislature in 1964 through the same legislation that created the MBTA. The Advisory Board consists of representatives of the 175 cities and towns that compose the MBTA district. Cities are represented by either the city manager or mayor, and towns by the chairperson of the board of selectmen. Specific responsibilities of the Advisory Board include review of and comment on the Program for Mass Transportation (PMT), proposed fare increases, and the annual MBTA Capital Investment Program (CIP); review of the MBTA’s documentation of its net operating investment per passenger; and review of the MBTA’s operating budget.

• The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) has the statutory responsibility under Chapter 465 of the Acts of 1956, as amended, of planning, constructing, owning, and operating such transportation and related facilities as may be necessary for developing and improving commerce in Boston and the surrounding metropolitan area. Massport owns and operates the Boston Seaport, Logan International Airport, and Hanscom Field.

• The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning agency for the 101 cities and towns in the MAPC/MPO district. It is composed of the chief executive (or her/his designee) of each city and town in the district, 21 gubernatorial appointees, and 12 ex officio members. It has statutory responsibility for comprehensive regional planning in the district under Chapter 40B of the MGL. It is the Boston Metropolitan Clearinghouse under Section 204 of the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966 and Title VI of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968. Its district also has been designated an economic development district under Title IV of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended. MAPC’s responsibilities for comprehensive planning include technical assistance to communities, transportation planning, and the development of zoning, land use, and demographic and environmental studies.

• The City of Boston—six elected cities (currently Beverly, Braintree, Everett, Newton, Somerville, and Woburn), and six elected towns (currently Arlington, Bedford, Framingham, Lexington, Medway, and Norwood)—represent the region’s 101 municipalities in the Boston Region MPO. The City of Boston is a permanent MPO member (with two seats); there is one elected municipal seat for each of the eight MAPC subregions; and there are four at-large elected municipalities (two cities and two towns). The elected at-large municipalities serve staggered three-year terms, as do the eight municipalities representing the MAPC subregions.

• The Regional Transportation Advisory Council, the MPO’s public advisory group, provides the opportunity for transportation-related organizations, agencies, and municipal representatives to become actively involved in the decision-making processes of the MPO for planning and programming transportation projects in the region. The Advisory Council reviews, comments on, and makes recommendations for certification documents. It also provides information about transportation topics in the region, identifying issues, advocating for ways to address the region’s transportation needs, and generating interest in the work of the MPO among members of the general public.

Two members participate in the Boston Region MPO in an advisory (nonvoting) capacity, reviewing the LRTP, the TIP, and the UPWP to ensure compliance with federal planning and programming requirements:

• The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration oversee the highway and transit programs of the US Department of Transportation under pertinent legislation and the provisions of MAP-21.

Two other entities assist MPO members in carrying out the responsibilities of the MPO’s 3C planning process through policy implementation, technical support, and public participation:

• The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) was created by the MPO to carry out general and 3C transportation-planning activities on behalf of the MPO and to provide agencies with analyses required for their decision making.

• The MAPC subregional groupsbring together representatives (usually appointed or elected officials or their staff) of the communities within a subregion of the MAPC district to address shared concerns regarding transportation and land use issues. MAPC has promoted and supported the formation of subregional groups in order to foster better communication and cooperation among communities. It has played an important role in the MPO’s participatory process, including the developing the TIP and UPWP project priorities.

Certification Documents

The following section briefly describes the three documents the MPO produces as part of its federally required 3C process:

• The Long-Range Transportation Plan and Air Quality Conformity Determination (LRTP) states the MPO’s transportation goals and policies, describes the public-participation process for transportation planning, assesses the current state of the region’s transportation system, estimates future needs and resources, and lays out a program for preserving and expanding the system for the upcoming 20-year period. In the Boston Region MPO, the LRTP is produced every four years. The current LRTP, Paths to a Sustainable Region, commits future transportation investments that advance the MPO’s goals for the region to the end of 2035.

• The Transportation Improvement Program and Air Quality Conformity Determination (TIP)is a staged, multiyear, intermodal program of transportation improvements that is consistent with the LRTP. It describes and prioritizes transportation projects that are expected to be implemented during a four-year period. The types of transportation projects funded include major highway reconstruction and maintenance, arterial and intersection improvements, public transit expansion and maintenance, bicycle paths and facilities, and improvements for pedestrians. The TIP contains a financial plan that shows the revenue source or sources, current or proposed, for each project. One function of the TIP is to monitor progress towards implementing the LRTP. The Boston Region MPO updates the TIP annually. An MPO-endorsed TIP is incorporated into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for its submission to FHWA, FTA, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval.

• The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)describes a fiscal year’s transportation-related planning activities and presents budgets for projects using FHWA and FTA planning funds. The UPWP identifies the funding used to effect each component of the transportation-planning process in the region, including producing the LRTP, the TIP, and their Air Quality Conformity Determinations. The UPWP has a one-year scope and is produced annually.

Consistency with Federal Planning Regulations

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21)

This legislation requires all MPOs to carry out the 3C process. To meet this requirement, MPOs must perform the following activities:

• Produce the LRTP, the TIP, and the UPWP

• Establish and oversee the public-participation process

• Maintain transportation models and data resources to support air-quality conformity determinations as well as long- and short-range planning work

The MAP-21 legislation establishes national goals for federal highway programs, including:

1. Safety—Achieve significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads

2. Infrastructure condition—Maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair

3. Congestion reduction—Achieve significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System

4. System reliability—Improve efficiency of the surface transportation system

5. Freight movement and economic vitality—Improve the national freight network, strengthen the ability of rural communities to access national and international trade markets, and support regional economic development

6. Environmental sustainability—Enhance performance of the transportation system while protecting and enriching the natural environment

7. Reduced project delivery delays—Reduce project costs, promote jobs and the economy, and expedite movement of people and goods by accelerating project completion through eliminating delays in the development and delivery process, including lessening regulatory burdens and improving agencies’ work practices

MAP-21 also establishes performance-based planning as an integral part of the metropolitan planning process. Under MAP-21, states will develop performance goals, guided by the national goals cited in MAP-21, and MPOs will work with state departments of transportation (DOTs) to develop MPO performance targets. The TIP will integrate the MPO’s performance measures and link transportation-investment decisions to progress toward achieving performance goals.

Consistency with Other Federal Legislative Requirements

Nondiscrimination Mandates

The Boston Region MPO complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other federal and state nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all of its programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, English proficiency, income, religious creed, ancestry, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or military service. The major federal requirements are discussed below.

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act

This statute requires that no person be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, under any program or activity provided by an agency receiving federal financial assistance.

Executive Order 13166, dated August 11, 2000, extends Title VI protections to persons who, as a result of national origin, have limited English-language proficiency (LEP). Specifically, it calls for improved access to federally conducted and assisted programs and activities and requires MPOs to develop and implement a system by which LEP persons can meaningfully participate in the transportation-planning process.

Environmental Justice Executive Orders

Executive Order 12898, dated February 11, 1994, further expands upon Title VI, requiring 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 or low-income populations.

On April 15, 1997, the US Department of Transportation issued its Final Order to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations. Among other provisions, this order requires programming and planning activities to:

• Explicitly consider the effects of transportation decisions on minority and low-income populations

• Provide meaningful opportunities for public involvement by members of minority and low-income populations

• Gather (where relevant, appropriate, and practical) demographic information such as the race, color, national origin, and income level of the populations affected by transportation decisions

• Minimize or mitigate any adverse impact on minority or low-income populations

The Americans with Disabilities Act

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires all transportation projects, plans, and programs to be accessible to people with disabilities. At the MPO level, this means that public meetings must be held in accessible buildings and MPO materials must be made available in accessible formats.

The 1990 Clean Air Act

Air-quality conformity determinations must be performed for capital improvement projects that receive federal funding and for those that are considered regionally significant, regardless of the funding source. These determinations must show that the MPO’s LRTP and TIP will not cause or contribute to any new air-quality violations, will not increase the frequency or severity of any existing air-quality violations in any area, and will not delay the timely attainment of the air-quality standards in any area.

Transportation control measures (TCMs) identified in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the attainment of air-quality standards are federally enforceable and must be given first priority when using federal funds. Such projects include parking-freeze programs in Boston and Cambridge, statewide rideshare programs, rapid-transit and commuter-rail extension programs, park-and-ride facilities, residential parking-sticker programs, and the operation of high-occupancy-vehicle lanes.

CONSISTENCY WITH STATE REQUIREMENTS

Global Warming Solutions Act

The Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), which Governor Deval Patrick signed into law in August 2008, makes Massachusetts a leader in setting aggressive and enforceable greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets and implementing policies and initiatives to achieve these targets. In keeping with this law, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA), in consultation with other state agencies and the public, developed the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020. This implementation plan, released on December 29, 2010, establishes the following targets for overall, statewide GHG emissions:

• By 2020: 25 percent reduction below statewide 1990 GHG emission levels

• By 2050: 80 percent reduction below statewide 1990 GHG emission levels

GreenDOT Policy

The transportation sector is the single largest contributor of greenhouse gases, accounting for more than one-third of GHG emissions, and therefore is a major focus of the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020. MassDOT’s approach to supporting implementation of the plan is presented in its GreenDOT Policy Directive, a comprehensive sustainability initiative that sets three principal objectives:

• Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. MassDOT will achieve this by taking GHG emissions into account in all of its responsibilities, from strategic planning to project design and construction and system operations.

• Promote the healthy transportation modes of walking, bicycling, and taking public transit. MassDOT will achieve this by pursuing multimodal, “complete streets” design standards, providing choices in transportation services, and working with MPOs and other partners to prioritize and program a balance among projects that serve drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit riders.

• To support smart-growth development. MassDOT will achieve this by working with MPOs and other partners to make transportation investments that make denser, smart-growth development patterns, which support reduced GHG emissions, possible.

The Commonwealth’s 13 MPOs are integrally involved in helping to achieve the GreenDOT objectives and supporting the GHG reductions mandated under the GWSA. The MPOs seek to realize these objectives by prioritizing projects in the LRTP and TIP. The Boston Region MPO’s TIP project evaluation criteria are used to score projects based on GHG emissions impacts, multimodal “complete streets” accommodations, and their ability to support smart-growth development. Tracking and evaluating GHG emissions by project will enable the MPOs to identify anticipated GHG impacts of the planned and programmed projects and also to use GHG impacts as a criterion to prioritize transportation investments.

Coordination with Other Planning Activities

Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)

The MPO considered the degree to which a proposed TIP project would advance the policies that guided the development of its LRTP. The MPO also reviewed TIP projects within the context of the recommended projects included in the LRTP.

Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)

The MPO aims to implement the recommendations of past studies and reports of the UPWP. This information was considered by the MPO in the development of the draft TIP.

Congestion Management Process (CMP)

The purpose of the CMP is to monitor transit, roadway, park-and-ride facilities, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the MPO region and identify “problem” locations. Projects that help address problems identified in the most recent CMP monitoring were considered for inclusion in this TIP.

The MBTA’s Program for Mass Transportation (PMT)

In 2009, the MBTA adopted its current PMT, which is the MBTA’s long-range capital plan. The PMT was developed with extensive public involvement and was approved by the MBTA Advisory Board. The PMT includes projects that are currently in design for inclusion in the TIP.

youMove Massachusetts (YMM)

YMM, a statewide initiative designed as a bottom-up approach to transportation planning, developed 10 core themes derived from a broad-based public participation process that articulated the expressed concerns, needs, and aspirations of Massachusetts residents related to their transportation network. These themes formed the basis for the YMM Interim Report (2009), and were considered in the development of this TIP.

weMove Massachusetts (WMM)

WMM is MassDOT’s statewide strategic multimodal plan. The initiative is a product of the transportation reform legislation of 2009 and the YMM civic engagement process. In December, 2013, MassDOT released WMM: Planning for Performance, a single, multimodal Long-Range Transportation Plan. The WMM Planning for Performance incorporates performance management into investment decision making to calculate the differences in performance outcomes resulting from different funding levels available to MassDOT. In the future, MassDOT will use this scenario tool to update and refine investment priorities. The TIP builds on this data-driven method to prioritize transportation investments.

Healthy Transportation Compact (HTC)

The HTC is a major requirement of the Massachusetts landmark transportation reform legislation that took effect on November 1, 2009. It is an interagency initiative that will help ensure that the transportation decisions the Commonwealth makes balance the needs of all transportation users, expand mobility, improve public health, support a cleaner environment, and create stronger communities.

The agencies work together to achieve positive health outcomes by coordinating land use, transportation, and public health policy. HTC membership is made up of the Secretary of Transportation or designee (co-chair), the Secretary of Health and Human Services or designee (co-chair), the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs or designee, the Administrator of Transportation for Highways or designee, the Administrator of Transportation for Mass Transit or designee, and the Commissioner of Public Health or designee.

The HTC also promotes improved coordination among the public and private sectors, and advocacy groups, as well as transportation, land-use, and public health stakeholders. As part of the framework for the HTC, MassDOT established a Healthy Transportation Advisory Group comprised of advocates and leaders in the fields of land-use, transportation, and public health policy.

Accelerated Bridge Program (ABP)

The $3 billion Patrick-Murray ABP Program represents a monumental investment in Massachusetts bridges. This program will greatly reduce the number of structurally deficient bridges in the state system, while creating thousands of construction jobs.

To complete this program, MassDOT and the DCR have relied on innovative and accelerated project development and construction techniques. As a result, projects have been completed on time, on budget, and with minimum disruption to people and commerce.

Since 2008, the number of former structurally deficient bridges has dropped, from 543 to 416, a decline of more than 23 percent. As of April 1, 2014, the ABP Program has completed 155 bridge projects, with another 29 bridge projects currently in construction and an additional 15 bridge projects scheduled to start construction within the next calendar year. Over the course of the eight-year ABP program, in excess of 200 bridges will be replaced or repaired.

MassDOT Mode Shift Goal

In the fall of 2012, MassDOT announced a statewide mode shift goal: to triple the share of travel in Massachusetts that uses bicycling, transit, and walking. The mode shift goal aims to foster improved quality of life by enhancing our environment and preserving the capacity of our highway network. In addition, positive public health outcomes will be achieved by providing more healthy transportation options. On September 9, 2013, MassDOT passed the Healthy Transportation Policy Directive to formalize its commitment to implementing and maintaining transportation networks that serve all mode choices. This directive will ensure that all MassDOT projects are designed and implemented in ways that would provide all customers with access to safe and comfortable walking, bicycling, and transit options.

Consistency with MPO Policies

In choosing projects to include in the TIP, the Boston Region MPO considers the degree to which a project promotes the following MPO policies—which were adopted in April 2010, and are the basis for the TIP evaluation process:

System Preservation, Modernization, and Efficiency

Maximizing efficiency, reliability, mobility, and accessibility within our existing infrastructure, and current and ongoing fiscal constraints, will require following a program of strategic, needs-based investments. To accomplish this, the MPO will put a priority on programs, services, and projects that:

• Develop low-cost strategies; pursue alternative funding sources and mechanisms

• Use intelligent transportation systems (ITS), new technologies, transportation systems management, and management and operations; turn to technology before expansion

• Bring the transportation network—particularly the transit, bicycle, and pedestrian systems—into a state of good repair and maintain them at that level; set funding levels to make this possible

• Maintain bridges and roads

• Support the increase of Chapter 90 (the grant program to fund municipalities’ highway capital improvements) funding so that local road maintenance can remain funded by that program

Livability

To make livability a hallmark of communities in the MPO region and to achieve mobility, foster sustainable communities, and expand economic opportunities and prosperity, the MPO will put a priority on programs, services, and projects that:

• Are consistent with MetroFuture land use planning; this means supporting transportation projects serving: already-developed locations of residential or commercial/industrial activity; locations with adequate sewer and water infrastructure; areas identified for economic development by state, regional, and local planning agencies; and areas with relatively high-density development 2

• Support health-promoting transportation options, such as bicycle and pedestrian modes, and activities that reduce single-occupant-vehicle use and overall vehicle-miles (VMT) traveled

• Expand, and close gaps in, the bicycle and pedestrian network; promote a “complete streets” philosophy

• Support transportation design and reasonably priced enhancements that protect community cohesiveness, identity, and quality of life

Mobility

To improve mobility for people and freight, the MPO will put a priority on programs, services, and projects that:

• Strengthen existing connections and create new connections within and between modes

• Improve access to transit for all persons; and the accessibility of transit for persons with disabilities

• Improve frequency, span, and reliability of transit services

• Expand transit, bicycle, and pedestrian networks while focusing bicycle investments (lanes and paths) on moving people between activity centers and linking with transit

• Integrate payment methods for fares and parking across modes

• Support transportation-demand management, Transportation Management Associations, shuttles, and carpooling

• Address capacity constraints and bottlenecks in the existing roadway system using low-cost approaches (transportation system management strategies, management and operations strategies, ITS, and new technologies) before expansion

Environment

To protect the environment and minimize the impacts from transportation systems, the MPO will put a priority on programs, services, and projects that:

• Improve transportation in areas of existing development, which will reduce pressure to develop greenfields and possibly support development that will clean up brownfields for productive use

• Promote energy conservation, fleet management and modernization, and high-occupancy travel options to reduce fuel consumption and emissions of pollutants

• Protect community character and cultural resources

• Protect natural resources by planning early to avoid or mitigate impacts on storm water or groundwater and on other resources

• Protect public health by reducing air pollutants, including fine particulates; avoid funding projects that increase exposure of at-risk populations to ultrafine particulates

• Lower the life-cycle costs from construction to operation

• Increase the mode share for transit and nonmotorized modes

• Promote energy conservation and the use of alternative energy sources

• Promote a context-sensitive design philosophy, consistent with the MassDOT Highway Division design guidelines

Transportation Equity

To provide for the equitable sharing of the benefits and burdens of transportation investments among all residents of the region, the MPO will put a priority on programs, services, and projects that:

• Continue outreach to low-income and minority residents and expand data collection and analysis that include the elderly, youth, and LEP populations in order to identify these residents’ transportation needs

• Continue to monitor system performance

• Address identified transportation equity issues and needs related to service and to removing or minimizing burdens (air pollution, unsafe conditions, community impacts)

• Track implementing agencies’ actions responding to transportation needs identified in MPO outreach and analysis that are related to transportation equity; encourage action to address needs

• Strengthen avenues for involving low-income and minority persons in decision making

• Reduce trip times for residents of low-income and minority neighborhoods and increase transit service capacity

• Give priority to heavily used transit services over new, yet-to-be-proven services

Climate Change

To meet targets for reducing GHG emissions, the MPO will put a priority on programs, services, and projects that:

• Implement action to meet defined targets for reducing VMT; tie transportation funding to VMT reduction

• Support stronger land use and smart growth strategies

• Increase transit, bicycle, and pedestrian options

• Invest in adaptations that protect critical infrastructure from the effects of climate change

• Encourage strategies that utilize transportation-demand management

• Promote fleet management and modernization, idling reduction, and alternative fuel use

• Contribute to reduced energy use in the region; energy use will be part of the environmental-impact analysis of all projects

Safety and Security

To provide for maximum transportation safety and to support security in the region, the MPO will put a priority on programs, services, and projects that:

• Implement actions stemming from all-hazards planning

• Maintain the transportation system in a state of good repair

• Use state-of-the-practice safety elements; address roadway safety deficiencies (after safety audits) in order to reduce crashes; address transit safety (this will include following federal mandates)

• Support incident-management programs and ITS

• Protect critical transportation infrastructure from natural hazards and human threats; address transit security vulnerabilities; upgrade key transportation infrastructure to a “hardened” design standard

• Improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists; ensure that safety provisions are incorporated into shared-use corridors

• Reduce the severity of crashes, especially via measures that improve safety for all

• Promote safety through supporting the reduction of base speed limits (in municipalities) to 25 miles per hour and through education about and enforcement of rules of the road, for all modes that use the roadways

• Improve the transportation infrastructure to better support emergency response and evacuations

Chapter Two

The TIP Process

INTRODUCTION TO THE TIP Process

Among the most important decisions faced in planning for the future are those involving how to spend scarce funds to achieve the best possible transportation system. Transportation improvements are part of the solution to many critical regional, state, national, and even global problems, such as traffic congestion, air pollution, traffic fatalities and injuries, climate change, and environmental justice. With not nearly enough transportation funding available to build all of the needed and worthy projects that would address these problems, investments should be guided by policies that help identify the most viable solutions. The TIP prioritizes these transportation investments through its annual development process.

Each year, the MPO conducts a TIP development process to decide how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects. The Central Transportation Planning Staff to the Boston Region MPO manages the annual development process for the TIP. The MPO staff coordinates the evaluation of project requests, proposes programming of current and new projects based on anticipated funding levels, supports the MPO in the development a draft document, and facilitates public review of the draft document before the final MPO endorsement.

FINANCING THE PROGRAM

Federal Framework

The first step in the process of allocating federal transportation funds is a multiyear federal transportation authorization act that establishes a maximum level of federal transportation funding per federal fiscal year. The establishment of this level of funding is referred to as an authorization. The most recent authorization act is Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), which was signed into law on July 6, 2012.

Once the authorization level has been established, the United States Department of Transportation annually allocates funding among the states, based on various federal formulas. This allocation is referred to as an apportionment. The annual apportionment rarely represents the actual amount of federal funds that is committed to a state because of federally imposed funding limitations on spending in a given fiscal year, referred to as the obligation authority.

Obligation authority may be imposed in a multiyear authorization act, in the annual appropriations act, or in both. Obligation authority is typically less than a state’s apportionment. In Massachusetts, TIPs are developed based on the estimated obligation authority.

Two of the most important distinctions between apportionment and obligation authority are: (1) apportionment is allocated on a per-program basis, while obligation authority is generally allocated as a lump sum; and (2) unused apportionment carries forward into successive federal fiscal years (FFYs), but unused obligation authority does not. Unused apportionment that is carried forward is referred to as an unobligated balance. Although a state’s unobligated balance can be used to increase the amount of federal aid programmed within a particular funding category in a given FFY, it cannot be used to increase the total amount of the state’s highway apportionment.

Federal Highway Program

Federal regulations require states to “provide MPOs with estimates of Federal and State funds which the MPOs shall utilize in developing financial plans” for TIPs. 3 The FFYs 2015–18 TIP was developed under the assumption that the Statewide Federal Highway Program funding would be $600 million annually over the next four years. In Massachusetts, federal highway program funding is allocated to several major funding categories. First, MassDOT allocates federal funding to repay Grant Anticipation Notes (GANs) used to fund the Accelerated Bridge Program. Over the four years of this TIP, approximately $308 million of the Highway Program is dedicated to GANs payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program. MassDOT matches the remaining amount of federal funding with an 80 percent (federal) and 20 percent (state) split. Next, MassDOT allocates funding based on the following funding categories:

• Statewide Infrastructure Items: Interstate highway maintenance, intelligent transportation systems, Safe Routes to Schools Program, and other infrastructure needs
• Bridge Program: Replacement or rehabilitation of public bridges
• Regional Major Infrastructure Projects: Modernization of major highway infrastructure
• Other Statewide Items: Change orders for existing contracts

After these needs have been satisfied, the remaining federal funding is allocated to the state’s MPOs for programming. This discretionary funding for MPOs is suballocated by formula to determine “regional target” amounts, which are developed in consultation with the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies. Each MPO decides how its Regional Target funding is prioritized. Over the next four years, the Boston Region MPO’s total Regional Target Program funding is approximately $293.3 million, an average of $73.3 million annually. To decide how to spend its Regional Target funding, the Boston Region MPO engages its 101 cities and towns in an annual development process.

Federal Transit Program

The Federal Transit Program is allocated within the Boston Urbanized Area (UZA) by formula to the transit service operators. The formula considers passenger-miles, population density, and other factors associated with each transit provider. The three regional transit authorities (RTAs) in the Boston Region MPO area are the MBTA, the MWRTA, and the CATA. The MBTA, with its extensive transit program and infrastructure, is the recipient of the preponderance of federal transit funds in the region.

Funding Programs

Many federal-aid transportation programs support transportation activities in metropolitan areas, each area having different requirements and program characteristics. Non-federal aid (state funds) for the Statewide Infrastructure Items, the Bridge Program, and the Regional Targets is derived from various sources, including the Commonwealth’s Transportation Bond Bill. Under MAP-21, federal programs that fund projects in the FFYs 2015–18 TIP are listed in the following two tables.

TABLE 2-1

Federal Transit Administration Programs

TABLE 2-2

Federal Highway Administration Programs

developing the tip

Highway Discretionary (“Regional Target”) Funding Project Selection Process

Overview

The MPO’s project selection process for highway discretionary (“regional target”) funding uses evaluation criteria to help identify and prioritize projects that advance the MPO’s goals. The criteria are based on the MPO’s visions and policies, which were adopted for its current Long-Range Transportation Plan, Paths to a Sustainable Region.

All projects are required to show consistency with the Long-Range Transportation Plan and other statewide and regional plans (for example, the MBTA’s Program for Mass Transportation and the Massachusetts Statewide Bicycle Transportation Plan).

The MPO staff evaluates each project that is considered for inclusion in the TIP based on the specific criteria that were developed by the MPO. Other criteria include project readiness and municipal support. Additional background information on the TIP project evaluation process is in Appendix B and on the MPO’s website, http://bostonmpo.org/Drupal/tip. The MPO reviews the effectiveness of this evaluation method and makes alterations to the process as appropriate.

Outreach and Data Collection (November 2013–February 2014)

The outreach process begins early in the federal fiscal year, when the MPO staff begins to brief local officials and members of the public on the year’s development process. Every November, the MPO staff asks the staffs of cities and towns in the region to identify their priority projects for  consideration for federal funding. The MPO also solicits input from interested parties and members of the general public. The staff then compiles the project funding requests and relevant information 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; including projects in various stages of development, from the conceptual stage to the stage when a project is fully designed and ready to be advertised for construction.

New projects must be initiated by the MassDOT Highway Division before they can be considered for programming in the TIP. Details of the project initiation process and relevant documents can be found on MassDOT’s Project Review Committee’s webpage, www.mhd.state.ma.us. Municipal TIP Contacts and the MPO staff coordinate with each other to update each project´s Project Funding Application Form through the MPO´s Interactive TIP Database, www.bostonmpo.org. The form provides information on each project´s background, the conditions and needs of the existing infrastructure, the development status, and the potential of the project to help the region attain the MPO’s visions. More information on the Project Funding Application Forms is in Appendix B.

The MPO has begun to monitor the anticipated greenhouse gas (GHG) emission impacts of planned and programmed projects. This tracking will enable the MPO to consider the anticipated impacts when prioritizing transportation investments. For more information on the GHG emission monitoring and evaluation, see Appendix C.

Evaluation of Projects (February–March 2014)

The MPO uses TIP project evaluation criteria to develop a numeric score that gives an indication of how well a project would help the region attain the visions established by the MPO. This score can then be used to guide the MPO in selecting the projects that will be most successful. The MPO’s visions include: to maintain a state of good repair, focus investments on existing activity centers, improve mobility for people and freight, reduce the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, minimize environmental burdens from transportation facilities on low-income and minority populations, and provide safe transportation in all modes. Projects with components and outcomes that help attain the MPO’s goals receive higher scores.

The project evaluation criteria consist of 35 questions across six policy categories. A figure that illustrates the TIP evaluation criteria (on the following page) provides an overview of the policy categories, their point values, and the criteria measures.

The MPO staff requires a Functional Design Report (FDR) to conduct a complete evaluation (see MassDOT’s Project Development and Design Guide for information about what is included in a Functional Design Report). If not enough information is available, a project cannot be fully evaluated across all categories.

The summary of evaluation results for projects being considered for the federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2015–18 TIP is available in Table A-1, in Appendix A. The table contains the total project rating for each project. For more details on the evaluation criteria used to score projects, see Appendix B.

Staff Recommendation (March–April 2014)

The MPO staff used evaluations and project readiness information to prepare a First-Tier List of Projects. This is a list of the projects with the highest ratings that could be made ready for advertising within the TIP’s time horizon (the next four federal fiscal years). The staff relies on the MassDOT Highway Division to provide information about what year a project would be ready for advertising. In developing the staff recommendation for the draft TIP, the MPO staff strongly considered the First-Tier List of Projects. The MPO staff also factored in projects that are listed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) in order to implement the LRTP, considered geographic equity to help ensure that the list of projects addresses needs throughout the region, and accounted for costs to comply with the fiscal constraint requirement.

Bridge Program - Project Selection Process

The project selection criteria for the Bridge Program are based on MassDOT’s continuous, ongoing prioritization process. The underlying basis of this prioritization is the condition of the bridges, based largely on information gathered through the Bridge Inspection Management System.

Statewide Infrastructure Items – Project Selection Process

The project selection process for the Statewide Infrastructure Items involves coordination between the MassDOT divisions to review and prioritize projects that advance important statewide policy goals for improving mobility, protecting the environment, promoting economic growth, and improving public health and quality of life. Other prioritization factors include project readiness and consistency with MassDOT’s GreenDOT sustainability policy, the Bay State Greenway Priority 100, and the Safe Routes to School Program.

Transit – Project Selection Process

The process of selecting transit projects for the TIP draws primarily from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Capital Investment Program (CIP). The CIP is a rolling five-year plan that outlines the transit system´s infrastructure needs and planned investments within that short-range time frame. The MBTA updates the CIP annually. Prioritization of projects for inclusion in the CIP is based on their impacts on the following, as defined in the MBTA’s enabling legislation: the effectiveness of the commonwealth’s transportation system; service quality; the environment, health, and safety; the state of good repair of MBTA infrastructure; and the MBTA’s operating costs and debt service.

Projects that receive the highest priority are those with the greatest benefit and the least cost, as prioritized by the following criteria:

• Health and the Environment: To qualify for points in this area, proposed projects must correct an existing deficiency for passengers and/or employees in health and/or the environment.
• State of Good Repair: This criterion measures the degree to which proposed projects improve the condition of the MBTA’s existing infrastructure.
• Cost-Benefit: Projects receive scores based on the number of passengers they benefit, their net operating costs, and the debt service necessary to support their capital costs.
• Operational Impact: This measures the extent to which proposed projects are deemed operationally critical, as well as a project’s ability to improve the effectiveness of the commonwealth’s transportation network in general.
• Legal Commitments: To qualify for points in this area, projects must contribute to fulfilling a legal obligation of the MBTA, such as the MBTA’s Key Station Plan.

The transit element of the TIP also includes the federal-aid programs of the other two transit authorities in the region, the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA) and MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA). CATA and MWRTA coordinate with the MassDOT Rail and Transit Division to develop their capital programs.

approving the tip

Approval of the Draft TIP for Public Review

The MPO considers the evaluation results, First-Tier List of Projects, and staff recommendation in prioritizing projects for Regional Target funding. They also consider public input, regional importance, and other factors in the development of the draft TIP. In addition to prioritizing the Regional Target funding, the MPO reviews the Statewide Infrastructure Items, the Bridge Program, and the capital programs for the MBTA, CATA, and MWRTA, before voting to release a draft TIP for public review.

This year, the MPO voted in mid-May to release the draft federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2015–18 TIP for a 30-day public review and comment period. In early June, the MPO voted to revise the draft FFYs 2015-18 TIP and extend the public comment period. The MPO invites members of the public, regional and local officials, and other stakeholders in the Boston region to review the proposed program. Several TIP outreach sessions are held during the public comment period to solicit comments on the draft TIP. Summaries of the comments received on the draft TIP are in Appendix F.

Approval of the Draft TIP

After the comment period ends, the MPO reviews all comments and makes changes to the document as appropriate. This year, the MPO is scheduled to take action on the draft FFYs 2015–2018 TIP on July 10, 2014. Once the TIP has been endorsed by the MPO, it is incorporated into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and sent to the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration in order to obtain federal approval by September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.

Updating the TIP

The TIP is a dynamic program that is amended and adjusted throughout the year. Administrative modifications and amendments must often be introduced due to changes in project status, project cost, or available revenues.

Consistent with federal guidelines, if a project is valued at $5 million or less, the threshold for defining an amendment is a change of $500,000 or more. The threshold for projects valued at greater than $5 million is 10 percent or more of the project value. Changes below these thresholds may be considered administrative modifications. The MPO acts on administrative modifications, and, although no public review period is required, one may be provided at the MPO’s discretion.

Affected municipalities and constituencies are notified of pending amendments. Legal notices of amendments are placed in the region’s major newspaper, in its most widely read minority newspaper and Spanish-language newspaper, and on the MPO’s website, www.bostonmpo.org. In addition, a notice of a pending amendment is distributed to the MPO’s email listserv, MPOinfo, and, along with the actual amendment, is posted on the MPO’s website. These notices include information on the 30-day public comment period that precedes MPO action on an amendment. The Regional Transportation Advisory Council is notified and briefed during this period and provides comments to the MPO. Municipal representatives and members of the public may also submit written or oral testimony at the MPO meetings at which amendments are discussed.

Because the print version of the TIP is prepared prior to the start of each federal fiscal year, it may not reflect all of the changes to the program and projects that occur during the course of the year. The MPO’s website is the best place to find current information about the TIP.

All changes to the draft TIP that have been approved by the MPO, and changes to the endorsed TIP, such as amendments and modifications, that have been approved by the MPO, are available on the TIP webpage on the MPO’s website (www.bostonmpo.org). Comments or questions on the draft materials may be submitted directly through the website, as well as at MPO meetings at which the materials are discussed, and via US mail.

Chapter Three

Project Information

This chapter begins with tables listing, by year, the projects and programs funded in FFYs 2015–18.

Following the tables, information on projects and programs funded in the Highway and Transit Programs is presented. Projects funded under the Highway Program are listed by municipality, while programs funded under the Transit Program are listed by transit agency.

Highway Program - project information key

ID Number: Projects in MassDOT’s project-tracking system are given a number; those projects not in the

Project-tracking system have no number. Transit projects are identified by regional transit agency.

Municipality(ies): The municipality (or municipalities) in which a project is located.

Project Name: The location or name of the project.

Project Type: The category of the project (e.g., Major Highway, Arterial and Intersection, or Bicycle and Pedestrian).

Air Quality Status: The air quality status of the project in the MPO’s regional travel demand model.

CO₂ Impact: The quantified or assumed annual tons of carbon dioxide reduced by the project.

See Appendix C for more details on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission monitoring and evaluation.

Evaluation Rating: The number of points scored by the project based on the evaluation criteria, if it has been evaluated.

MPO/CTPS Study: Past UPWP-funded studies or reports conducted within the project area.

LRTP Status: The time band that the project is listed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan, if applicable.

Project Length: The length of the project in miles.

Project Description: The description of the project, if available.

Year: The programming year(s) of the project.

Funding Program: The funding program(s) of the project. See Chapter 2 for more details on funding programs.

Total Funding Programmed: The total funding programmed for the project based on the year of expenditure.

Information regarding TIP projects changes periodically. For more information on all projects please visit the Interactive TIP Database at www.bostonmpo.org.

Transit Program - Project information key

Transit Agency: Regional transit agency that is the proponent of the project.

Program/Project Name: The description of the program or project.

Air Quality Status: The air quality status of the project in the MPO’s regional travel demand model.

CO₂ Impact: The quantified or assumed annual tons of carbon dioxide reduced by the project.

See Appendix C for more details on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission monitoring and evaluation.

Project Description: The description of the program or project, if available.

Year: The programming year(s) of the program or project.

Funding Program: The funding program(s) of the project. See Chapter 2 for more details on funding programs.

Total Funding Programmed: The total funding programmed for the program or project based on the year of expenditure.

Highway Program

Transit Program