Transportation Improvement Program and

Air Quality Conformity Determination

Federal Fiscal Years 2020-24

MPO Review Draft

Boston Region MPO

Endorsed by the MPO, xxxx

Prepared by

The Central Transportation Planning Staff:

Staff to the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

Directed by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization,

which is composed of the

Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

MBTA Advisory Board

Massachusetts Port Authority

Regional Transportation Advisory Council

City of Boston

City of Beverly

City of Everett

City of Framingham

City of Newton

City of Somerville

City of Woburn

Town of Arlington

Town of Bedford

Town of Braintree

Town of Lexington

Town of Medway

Town of Norwood

Federal Highway Administration (nonvoting)

Federal Transit Administration (nonvoting)

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS

The 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 programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), religion, creed, gender, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran’s status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background. Any person who believes herself/himself or any specific class of persons to have been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI, ADA, or another nondiscrimination statute or regulation may, herself/himself or via a representative, file a written complaint with the MPO. Complaints filed under federal law (based on race, color, national origin [including limited English proficiency], sex, age, or disability) must be filed no later than 180 calendar days after the date the person believes the discrimination occurred. Complaints filed under Massachusetts General Law (based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry) or Governor’s Executive Order 526, section 4 (based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran’s status [including Vietnam-era veterans], or background) must be filed no later than 300 calendar days after the date the person believes the discrimination occurred. A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO (see above) or at www.bostonmpo.org.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Cape Ann Transportation Authority, and MetroWest Regional Transit Authority, which are Federal Transit Administration Section 5307(c) applicants, have consulted with the MPO and concur that the public involvement process adopted by the MPO for the development of the Transportation Improvement Program satisfies the public hearing requirements that pertain to the development of the Program of Projects for regular Section 5307, Urbanized Area Formula Program, grant applications, including the provision for public notice and the time established for public review and comment.

Contact MPO staff:

By mail:

Boston Region MPO

Certification Activities Group, Central Transportation Planning Staff

10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150

Boston, MA 02116

By telephone:

857-702-3702 (voice), 617-570-9193 (TTY)

By fax:

617-570-9192

By email:

mgenova@ctps.org

Signature pages to be added

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

ffys 2020-24 tip investments

regional target program details

financing the ffys 2020-24 tiP

the tip development process

Approving the tip

updates to the tip

stay involved with the tiP

Chapter 1: 3C Transportation Planning and the Boston Region MPO

THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS

THE BOSTON REGION MPO

Chapter 2: The TIP Process

Introduction to the TIP Process

Funding the TIP

Investment Frameworks

Developing the TIP

Approving the TIP

Updating the TIP

Public Notice

Chapter 3: Summary of Highway and Transit Programming

detailed project descriptions

Chapter 4: Performance Analysis

Overview of Performance-Based Planning and Programming

Performance-based Planning and Programming Activities

The TIP’s Role in Performance-based Planning and Programming

FFYs 2020-24 Performance Analysis

Performance Monitoring, Reporting, and Evaluation

Chapter 5: Determination of Air Quality Conformity

Background

Conformity Determination

Conclusion

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: Project Prioritization and Scoring

Appendix B: Greenhouse Gas Monitoring and Evaluation

Appendix C: Public Outreach and Comments

Appendix D: Glossary of Acronyms

Appendix E: Geographic Distribution of TIP Funding

Appendix F: Regulatory Framework and MPO Membership

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

TABLE #

2-1:  Federal Highway Administration Programs Applicable to the FFYs 2020-24 TIP

2-2:  Federal Transit Administration Programs Applicable to the FFYs 2020-24 TI5

3-1:  Boston Region MPO Regional Target Program MPO Discretionary Funds Sourced from the Federal-Aid Highway Program

3-2:  Federal Fiscal Years 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Progra3

3-3:  Federal Fiscal Years 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Program MBTA Federal Capital Program
        FFY 2019 and FFY 2020-2024 TIP - Project List and Descriptions (80% Federal Share)

3-4:  Federal Fiscal Years 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Program MPO Transit List - CATA

3-5:  Federal Fiscal Years 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Program MPO Transit List - MWRTA

4-1:  National and Boston Region MPO Goal Areas

4-2:  Federally Required Transit Performance Measures

4-3:  Federally Required Roadway Performance Measures

4-4:  Boston Region MPO Regional Target Investment Summary

4-5:  MassDOT Investment Summary

4-6:  MBTA Investment Summary

4-7:  CATA and MWRTA Investment Summary

4-8:  Massachusetts Statewide Highway Safety Performance Baselines and CY 2019 Targets

4-9:  Regional Target Roadway Projects at Safety-Relevant Locations

4-10: Massachusetts and Boston Region NHS Bridge Condition Baselines

4-11: MassDOT NHS Bridge Condition Targets

4-12: Massachusetts NHS Pavement Condition Baselines and MassDOT NHS Pavement
Condition Performance Targets

4-13: Regional Target Projects Addressing Roadway System Preservation and
Modernization Performance

4-14: SFY 2018 Measures and SFY 2019 Targets for Transit Rolling Stock

4-15: SFY 2018 Measures and SFY 2019 Targets for Transit Equipment Vehicles

4-16: SFY 2018 Measures and SFY 2019 Targets for Transit Facilities

4-17: SFY 2018 Measures and SFY 2019 Targets for MBTA Transit Fixed Guideway Infrastructure

4-18: Travel Time Index Analysis for the Boston Region: 2012 to 2015

4-19: Travel Time Reliability Performance Targets

4-20: Truck Travel Time Reliability Performance Targets

4-21: Performance Targets for Annual Hours of Peak Hour Excessive Delay Per Capita for the Boston UZA

4-22: Performance Targets for Percent of Non-SOV Travel for the Boston UZA

4-23: Regional Target-Funded Roadway Projects Addressing Capacity Management and Mobility Performance

4-24: CMAQ Emissions Reduction Targets for the Boston Region

4-25: Regional Target-Funded Roadway Projects Addressing Clean Air and Sustainable Communities Performance

4-26: Regional Target-Funded Roadway Projects Addressing Economic Vitality Performance

4-27: Transportation Equity Populations in the Boston Region

4-28: Transportation Equity Populations within One-Half Mile of Regional Target-Funded Projects

4-29: MPO Investment Programs Serving Transportation Equity Populations

4-30: Funding per Person or Household for Transportation Equity Populations within One-Half Mile of Regional Target-Funded Projects

A-1:  Universe of Unprogrammed Projects (as presented to the Boston Region MPO board on February 7, 2019)

A-2:  TIP Project Evaluation Criteria

A-3:  TIP Project Evaluation Results

A-4:  Final Project Evaluation Results and First-Tier List

B-1:  Greenhouse Gas Regional Highway Project Tracking

B-2:  Greenhouse Gas Regional Transit Project Tracking

B-3:  Greenhouse Gas Regional Highway “Completed” Project Tracking

B-4:  Greenhouse Gas Regional Transit “Completed” Project Tracking

E-1:  Federal Highway Programming for Municipalities in the Boston Region FFYS 2020–24

Figure #

ES-1 FFYS 2020-24 TIP Regional Target Funding by Investment Program

ES-2 MPO Municipalities Containing FFYS 2020–24 TIP Program Projects by Community Type

1-1   Municipalities in the Boston Region

1-2   Boston Region MPO Organizational Chart

1-3   LRTP Goals and Objectives

1-4   Relationship between the LRTP, TIP, UPWP, and Performance-Based Planning Process

2-1:  MPO Investment Programs

2-2:  Transportation Improvement Program Evaluation Criteria

4-1:  Fatalities from Motor Vehicle Crashes

4-2:  Fatality Rate per 100 Million Vehicle-Miles Traveled

44-3: Serious Injuries from Motor Vehicle Crashes

4-4:  Serious Injury Rate per 100 Million Vehicle-Miles Traveled

4-5:  Nonmotorized Fatalities and Serious Injuries

4-6:  Nonmotorized Fatalities and Serious Injuries in Massachusetts

4-7:  Nonmotorized Fatalities and Serious Injuries in the Boston Region

4-8:  Historic Values and Performance Targets for the Percent of Non-SOV Travel in the Boston UZA

E-1:  Regional Distribution of Target Funding by Subregion FFYS 2020–24

E-2:  Regional Distribution of Target Funding by Municipality Type FFYS 2020–24

E-3:  All Federal Highway Funding in the Boston Region by Subregion FFYS 2020–24

E-4:  All Federal Highway Funding in the Boston Region by Municipality Type FFYS 2020–24

Executive Summary—Federal Fiscal Years 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Program

Introduction

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) five-year transportation capital investment plan, the Federal Fiscal Years (FFYs) 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), is the near-term investment program for the region’s transportation system. Guided by the Boston Region MPO’s vision, goals, and objectives, 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 roadway and intersection improvements, maintenance and expansion of the public transit system, bicycle path construction, and infrastructure improvements for pedestrians.

The Boston Region MPO is guided by a 22-member board with representatives of state agencies, regional organizations, and municipalities; its jurisdiction extends roughly from Boston north to Ipswich, south to Marshfield, and west to municipalities along 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 (CTPS), which is the staff to the MPO, manages the TIP development process.

MPO staff coordinates the evaluation of project funding requests, proposes programming of current and new projects based on anticipated funding levels, supports the MPO board in developing a draft TIP document, and facilitates a public review of the draft before the MPO board endorses the final document.

ffys 2020-24 tip investments

The complete TIP program is available in Chapter 3 of this document and online at www.ctps.org/tip. The TIP tables provide details of how funding is allocated to each programmed project and capital investment program. These tables are organized by federal fiscal year, and are grouped by highway and transit programs.

Highway Program

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

In Massachusetts, Federal-Aid Highway Program funding is apportioned by MassDOT, which allocates funding to Grant Anticipation Notes (GANs) payments, various statewide programs, and Regional Targets for the state’s MPOs. In the FFYs 2020–24 TIP, roadway, bridge, and bicycle and pedestrian programs account for more than $1.2 billion in funding to the Boston region. The Regional Target funding provided to the MPOs may be programmed for projects at the discretion of each MPO, whereas MassDOT has discretion to propose its recommended projects for statewide programs, such as those related to bridge repairs and interstate highway maintenance.

Transit Program

The Transit Program of the TIP provides funding for projects and programs that address the capital needs prioritized by the three transit authorities in the region: the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA), and the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA). The Transit Program is predominantly dedicated to achieving and maintaining a state of good repair for all assets throughout the transit system. The FFYs 2020–24 TIP includes $3.1 billion in transit investments by the transit authorities that will support state of good repair, modernize transit systems, and increase access to transit. The Green Line Extension project is a major project programmed in this TIP that will expand transit service.

regional target program details

During FFYs 2020–24, the Boston Region MPO plans to fund 47 projects and programs with its Regional Target funding:

• 26 Complete Streets projects, such as the rehabilitation of Essex Street in Lynn
• Four Major Infrastructure projects, such as the reconstruction of Rutherford Avenue in Boston
• Eleven Intersection Improvements projects, such as improvements to the intersection of Lowell Street and Woburn Street in Wilmington
• Four Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Connections projects, such as the extension of the Independence Greenway in Peabody
• A Community Transportation Program, which will support projects that provide first- and last-mile connections in the region

Figure ES-1 shows how the Regional Target funding for FFYs 2020–24 is distributed across the MPO’s investment programs. As the chart shows, the Boston Region MPO’s Regional Target Program is devoted primarily to modernizing and expanding the transportation network through Major Infrastructure and Complete Streets investments.

Figure ES-1
FFYS 2020-24 TIP Regional Target Funding by Investment Program

Boston Regional Target Program: $533.2 million

These investments will be implemented in 39 cities and towns throughout the MPO region, ranging from high-density, built-out, inner core communities to developing suburbs. Figure ES-2 identifies the type of communities—as defined by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)—that will receive these investments.

FIGURE ES-2
MPO Municipalities Containing FFYS 2020–24 TIP Program Projects by Community Type

• Developing suburb investments include roadway reconstruction and corridor improvements in Bellingham, Cohasset, Hopkinton, Ipswich, Littleton, and Walpole; and intersection improvements in Littleton and Wrentham.
• Regional urban center investments include intersection improvements in Beverly, Framingham, and Norwood; pedestrian and bike improvements in Peabody and Framingham; and roadway reconstruction and corridor improvements in Beverly, Framingham, Lynn, Milford, Peabody, Quincy, and Woburn.
• Inner core investments include corridor reconstructions in Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Newton, Watertown, and Winthrop; and the Green Line Extension in Cambridge, Medford, and Somerville.
• Maturing suburb investments include intersection improvements in Acton, Marblehead, Reading, Wilmington, and Ashland; bikeway extensions in Bedford and Sudbury; a community transportation program in Burlington; and corridor improvements in Ashland, Dedham, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Needham, and Wilmington.

financing the ffys 2020-24 tip

Highway Program

The TIP Highway Program was developed with the assumption that federal funding for the state would range between $676 million and $739 million annually over the next five years (these amounts include only federal funds and include the funds that would be set aside as payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program).

The process of deciding how to use this federal funding in the Boston region follows several steps. First, MassDOT reserves funding for GANs debt service payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program; annual GANs payments range between $81 million and $98 million annually over the five years of this TIP.

The remaining Federal-Aid Highway Program funds are budgeted to support state priorities and regional (that is, MPO) priorities. In this planning cycle, $734 million to $792 million annually was available for programming statewide (these amounts include both federal dollars and the local match). MassDOT customarily provides the local match (which can also be provided by other entities); thus, projects are typically funded with 80 percent federal dollars and 20 percent state dollars, depending on the funding program.

Next, MassDOT allocates one third of the remaining funding among the state’s MPOs for programming. This discretionary funding for MPOs is sub-allocated by formula to determine the Regional Target amounts. MassDOT develops these targets in consultation with the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA).This TIP was programmed with the assumption that the Boston Region MPO will have between $102 million and $110 million annually for Regional Target amounts (which consist of federal funding and state funding for the local match).

Finally, MassDOT allocates the remaining funding across the following funding categories:

• Reliability Programs: These programs include the Bridge Program—comprising inspections, systematic maintenance, and National Highway System (NHS) and non-NHS improvements—the Pavement Program, the Roadway Improvements Program, and the Safety Improvements Program.
• Modernization Programs: These programs include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Retrofit Program, the Intersection Improvement Program, the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Program, and the Roadway Reconstruction Program.
• Expansion Programs: These programs include the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program and the Capacity Program.

Each MPO may decide how to prioritize its Regional Target funding. Given that the Regional Target funding is a subset of the Highway Program, the MPO typically programs the majority of funding for roadway projects; however, the MPO has flexed portions of its highway funding to the Transit Program for both transit expansion and transit modernization projects. The TIP Highway Program details the projects that will receive Regional Target funding from the Boston Region MPO and statewide infrastructure projects within the Boston region.

Transit Program

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) allocates the funds programmed in the TIP Transit Program according to formula. The three regional transit authorities in the Boston Region MPO area that are recipients of these funds are the MBTA, CATA, and MWRTA. The MBTA, with its extensive transit program and infrastructure, is the recipient of the preponderance of the region’s federal transit funds.

Under the federal transportation legislation, Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, funding is allocated by the following categories:

• Section 5307 (Urbanized Area Formula Grants): Provides grants to urbanized areas to support public transportation based on levels 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
• Section 5309 (Fixed Guideway Capital Investment Grants): Provides grants for new and expanded rail, bus rapid transit, and ferry systems that reflect local priorities to improve transportation options in key corridors
• Section 5310 (Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities): Provides funding to support transportation to meet the special needs of older adults and persons with disabilities

the tip development process

Overview

When determining 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 board uses evaluation criteria in its project selection process to help identify and prioritize projects that advance the MPO’s goals, which are categorized as follows:

• Safety
• System Preservation
• Capacity Management/Mobility
• Clean Air/Sustainable Communities
• Transportation Equity
• Economic Vitality

Additionally, the MPO has established investment programs, which are designed to direct Regional Target funding towards MPO priority areas over the next 25 years, to help meet these goals. The investment programs used for the FFYs 2020-24 TIP, which were established by the MPO's current Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Charting Progress to 2040, are as follows:

• Intersection Improvements
• Complete Streets
• Major Infrastructure
• Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Connections
• Community Transportation/Parking/Clean Air and Mobility

Projects that the MPO selects to receive Regional Target funding through the TIP development process are included in one of the five programs listed above. Destination 2040, the MPO's new LRTP scheduled for completion in July 2019, is expected to add one new investment program to these five existing programs that allocates funding to transit modernization projects. Destination 2040 will also reflect an updated set of priorities for the MPO's Complete Streets investment program, adding dedicated bus lanes and climate resiliency measures to the types of projects targeted for funding through this program. The MPO will allocate funding to projects in these updated programs in future TIP cycles.

In recent years, the MPO has been incorporating performance-based planning and programming (PBPP) practices into its TIP development and other processes. These practices are designed to help direct MPO funds towards achieving specific outcomes for the transportation system. The MPO’s goals and investment programs are key components of its PBPP framework. In FFY 2018, the MPO began to set targets for specific performance measures. Over time, the MPO will more closely link its performance targets, investment decisions, and monitoring and evaluation activities.

Outreach and Data Collection

The outreach process begins early in the federal fiscal year, when cities and towns designate TIP contacts and begin developing a list of priority projects to be considered for federal funding, and the MPO staff asks the staffs of cities and towns in the region to identify their priority projects.

MPO staff compiles the project funding requests into a Universe of Unprogrammed Projects, a list of all projects identified as potential candidates to receive funding through the TIP. The Universe includes projects that are fully designed and ready to be advertised for construction, those that are undergoing preliminary engineering and design, and projects still in the conceptual or planning stage. MPO staff also collects data on each project in the Universe so that the projects may be evaluated.

Project Evaluation

MPO staff evaluates projects based on how well they address the MPO’s goals. In order for MPO staff to conduct a complete project evaluation, the project must have a functional design report or be at a 25-percent design stage; or its plans must include the level of detail defined in a functional design report. The evaluation results are posted on the MPO’s website where project proponents, municipal officials, and members of the public may review them and provide feedback.

TIP Readiness Day

An important step toward TIP programming takes place midway through the TIP development cycle at a meeting—referred to as TIP Readiness Day—that both MassDOT and MPO staff attend. At this meeting, MassDOT staff provide updates about cost and schedule changes related to currently programmed projects. These cost and schedule changes must be taken into account as MPO staff helps the MPO board consider updates to the already programmed years of the TIP, as well as the addition of new projects in the outermost year of the TIP.

Staff Recommendation and Draft TIP

Using the evaluation results and information about project readiness (that is, when a project likely would be fully designed and ready for construction), staff prepares the First-Tier List of Projects. This list contains those projects that are supported by a project proponent (a municipality or MassDOT) and that could be made ready for advertising within the TIP’s time horizon—the next five federal fiscal years. The projects are ranked based on the evaluation results.

MPO staff then prepares a recommendation or a series of programming scenarios for how to program the Regional Target funding in the TIP based on the First-Tier List of Projects and other considerations, such as whether a project was included in the LRTP, addresses an identified transportation need, or promotes distribution of transportation investments across the region.

The staff recommendation is always financially constrained—meaning, subject to available funding. There was approximately $533 million of Regional Target funding available to the Boston Region MPO for FFYs 2020–24. In this TIP cycle, the MPO discussed the staff recommendation and programming scenarios for the Regional Target Program for highway projects and selected a preferred program in March, 2019.

In addition to prioritizing the Regional Target funding, the MPO also reviews and endorses the Statewide Infrastructure Items and Bridge Programs that MassDOT recommends for programming. The MPO also reviews and endorses programming of funds for the MBTA’s, CATA’s, and MWRTA’s capital programs.

Approving the tip

After selecting a preferred programming scenario, usually in April, the MPO votes to release the draft TIP for a 21-day public review period, during which the MPO invites members of the public, municipal officials, and other stakeholders in the Boston region to review the proposed program. During the public review period, MPO staff hosts open-house style public meetings to discuss the draft TIP document and elicit additional comments.

After the public review period ends, the MPO reviews all municipal and public comments and may change elements of the document or its programming. The MPO then endorses the TIP and submits it to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for approval. MassDOT incorporates the MPO-endorsed TIP into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The FHWA, FTA, and US Environmental Protection Agency review the STIP for certification by September 30, the close of the federal fiscal year.

updates to the tip

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

Notices of administrative modifications and amendments are posted on the MPO’s website. If an amendment is necessary, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council—the public advisory board to the MPO—is informed, and the MPO notifies affected municipalities and other stakeholders via email. The MPO typically holds a 21-day public review period before taking final action on an amendment. In extraordinary circumstances, the MPO may vote to shorten the public comment period to a minimum of 15 days. Administrative modifications and adjustments are generally minor and usually do not warrant a public review 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 entire TIP, and to submit your comments. You also may wish to sign up for email news updates and notices by contacting publicinfo@ctps.org or signing up at www.ctps.org/subscribe.

To request a copy of the TIP in accessible formats, please contact the MPO staff by any of the following means:

Mail:               Boston Region MPO c/o CTPS

                        Certification Activities Group

                        10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150

                        Boston, MA  02116-3968

Telephone:    857.702.3700

TTY:                617.973.7089

Fax:                617.570.9192

Chapter 1—3C Transportation Planning and the Boston Region MPO

Decisions about how to allocate transportation funds in a metropolitan area are guided by information and ideas garnered from a broad group of people, including elected officials, municipal planners and engineers, transportation advocates, and interested residents. 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—also known as an urbanized area—is required by federal legislation to establish an MPO, which decides how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects and planning studies for the area. 

THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS

The federal government regulates the funding, planning, and operation of the surface transportation system through the federal transportation program, which was enacted into law through Titles 23 and 49 of the United States Code. Section 134 of Title 23 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act and Section 5303 of the Federal Transit Act, as amended, require that urbanized areas conduct a transportation planning process, resulting in plans and programs consistent with the planning objectives of the metropolitan area, in order to be eligible for federal funds.

The most recent reauthorization of the surface transportation law is the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. The FAST Act sets policies related to metropolitan transportation planning. The law requires all MPOs to carry out a continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative (3C) transportation planning process. 

3C Transportation Planning

The Boston Region MPO is responsible for carrying out the 3C planning process in the Boston region and has established the following objectives for the process:

• Identify transportation problems and develop possible solutions.
• Ensure that decision-making balances short- and long-range considerations and adequately reflects the range of possible future scenarios, options, and consequences.  
• Represent both regional and local considerations, as well as both transportation and non-transportation objectives and impacts, in the analysis of project issues.
• Assist implementing agencies in effecting timely policy and project decisions with adequate consideration of environmental, social, fiscal, and economic impacts, and with adequate opportunity for participation by other agencies, local governments, and 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 the FAST Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 12898 (regarding environmental justice), Executive Order 13166 (regarding outreach to populations with limited English-language proficiency), and Executive Order 13330 (regarding the coordination of human-services transportation).

More information about the federal, state, and regional guidance governing the transportation planning process and about the regulatory framework in which the MPO operates can be found in Appendix F.

THE BOSTON REGION MPO

The Boston Region MPO’s planning area extends across 97 cities and towns from Boston north to Ipswich, south to Marshfield, and west to Interstate 495.

Figure 1-1 shows the map of the Boston Region MPO’s member municipalities.

Figure 1-1
Municipalities in the Boston Region

The MPO’s board comprises 22 voting members. Several state agencies and regional organizations and the City of Boston are permanent voting members, while 12 municipalities are elected as voting members for three-year terms. Eight municipal members represent each of the eight subregions of the Boston region, and there are four at-large municipal seats. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participate on the MPO board as advisory (nonvoting) members. More details about the MPO’s permanent members can be found in Appendix F.

Figure 1-2 shows MPO membership and the organization of the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS), which serves as staff to the MPO.

Figure 1-2
Boston Region MPO Organizational Chart

MPO Central Vision Statement

The MPO board agreed upon the following vision statement on January 17, 2019, in preparation for the upcoming adoption of Destination 2040, the MPO’s next Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP):

The Boston Region MPO envisions a modern, well-maintained transportation system that supports a sustainable, healthy, livable, and economically vibrant region. To achieve this vision, the transportation system must be safe and resilient; incorporate emerging technologies; and provide equitable access, excellent mobility, and varied transportation options.

Certification Documents

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 quadrennial LRTP, are referred to as certification documents and are required for the MPO’s process to be certified as meeting federal requirements; this certification is a prerequisite for receiving federal transportation funds. In addition to the requirement to produce the LRTP, TIP, and UPWP, the MPO must establish and conduct an inclusive public participation process, as well as maintain transportation models and data resources to support air quality conformity determinations and long- and short-range planning work and initiatives. 

The following is a summary of each of the certification documents:

• The LRTP guides decision-making about investments that will be made in the Boston region’s transportation system over the next two decades. It defines an overarching vision of the future of transportation in the region, establishes goals and objectives that will lead to achieving that vision, and allocates projected revenue to transportation projects and programs consistent with established goals and objectives. The Boston Region MPO produces an LRTP every four years. Charting Progress to 2040 is the LRTP that was endorsed by the MPO board in 2015 and will be in effect until the next LRTP, Destination 2040, is adopted in 2019. Figure 1-3 shows the MPO’s goals and objectives, as approved by the MPO board in January 2019 in accordance with the preparation of Destination 2040.

• The TIP is a multiyear, multimodal program of transportation improvements that is consistent with the LRTP. It describes and prioritizes transportation projects that are expected to be implemented during a five-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 sources, current or proposed, for each project. The TIP serves as the implementation arm of the MPO’s LRTP, and the Boston Region MPO updates the TIP annually. An MPO-endorsed TIP is incorporated into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for submission to the FHWA, FTA, and US Environmental Protection Agency for approval. 

• The UPWP contains information about transportation planning studies that will be conducted by MPO staff during the course of a federal fiscal year, which runs from October 1 through September 30. The UPWP also describes all of the supportive planning activities undertaken by the MPO staff, including data resources management, preparation of the federally required certification documents, and ongoing regional transportation planning assistance. The UPWP, which is produced annually, is often a means to study transportation projects and alternatives before they are advanced for further design, construction, and possible future programming through the TIP. The studies and work products programmed for funding through the UPWP are integrally related to other planning initiatives conducted by the Boston Region MPO, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the Massachusetts Port Authority, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and municipalities in the Boston region. 

Figure 1-4 depicts the relationship between the three certification documents and the MPO’s performance-based planning and programming process, which is a means to monitor progress towards the MPO’s goals and continuously evaluate the MPO’s approach to achieving them.

Figure 1-3
LRTP Goals and Objectives, as of Spring 2019

Figure 1-4
Relationship between the LRTP, TIP, UPWP, and Performance-Based Planning Process

Chapter 2—The TIP Process

Introduction to the TIP Process

One of the most important decisions a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) faces is deciding how to allocate limited funds for transportation projects and programs. Transportation improvements are part of the solution to many critical regional, state, national, and even global problems, such as traffic congestion, air pollution, fatalities and injuries on roadways, climate change, and environmental injustice. Because there is not nearly enough funding available for all of the necessary and worthy projects that would address these problems, an MPO’s investment choices must be guided by policies that help identify the most viable and effective solutions.

As described in Chapter 1, the Boston Region MPO develops a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to prioritize the expenditure of federal funds on transportation projects. The MPO staff manages the development of both plans. The annual development process for the TIP involves evaluating project funding requests from municipalities and state transportation agencies. The MPO staff also proposes programming for new and ongoing projects based on anticipated yearly funding levels, supports the MPO board by creating a draft TIP document, and facilitates a public involvement process that affords the public an opportunity to comment on proposed projects and review the draft TIP before the MPO board endorses the final document.

Funding the TIP

Federal Funding Framework

The first step in allocating federal transportation funds is the passage by the United States Congress of a multi-year act that establishes a maximum level of federal transportation funding per federal fiscal year (FFY).1 The establishment of this level of funding is referred to as an authorization.

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

Federal Highway Program

The FFYs 2020-24 TIP’s Highway Program was developed with the assumption that funding from the Federal-Aid Highway Program for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts would range between approximately $676 million and $740 million annually over the next five years. These amounts include the funds that would be set aside initially by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) as payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program and exclude required matching funds.

The process of deciding how to use this federal funding in the Boston region follows several steps. MassDOT first reserves funding for Grant Anticipation Notes (GANs) debt service payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program; annual GANs payments range between approximately $82 million and $99 million annually over the five years of this TIP.

The remaining Federal-Aid Highway Program funds are budgeted to support state and regional (i.e., MPO) priorities. In the FFYs 2020-24 TIP, there is a total of approximately $734 million to $793 million assumed to be annually available statewide for programming (these amounts include both federal dollars and the state-provided local match). MassDOT customarily provides the local match (which can also be provided by other entities); thus, projects are typically funded with 80 percent federal dollars and 20 percent state dollars, depending on the funding program.

Regional Targets

The Regional Targets are discretionary funds for MPOs, suballocated by formula to each metropolitan planning region. (The Boston Region MPO receives about 43 percent of the total funds available statewide for Regional Targets.) MassDOT developed the target formula in consultation with the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA).

Each MPO in the state can decide how to prioritize its Regional Target funding. Given that the Regional Target funding originates from the Federal-Aid Highway Program, the Boston Region MPO board typically programs the majority of its target funding on roadway projects; however, the MPO board has flexed portions of its TIP Highway Program funding to the TIP’s Transit Program, as when the MPO board gave its support to the Green Line Extension transit expansion project.

During the next five years, the Boston Region MPO’s total Regional Target funding will be approximately $533 million, an average of $107 million per year. To decide how to spend its Regional Target funding, the MPO engages its 97 cities and towns in an annual TIP development process.

Federal Highway Administration Programs

The Federal-Aid Highway Program dollars discussed in this section come through several Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) funding programs, each of which has unique requirements. Table 2-1 shows these programs, which come from the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and fund projects in the FFYs 2020–24 TIP.

Table 2-1
Federal Highway Administration Programs Applicable to the FFYs 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Program

Source: Federal Highway Administration.

Federal Transit Program

Federal aid for public transit authorities is allocated by formula to urbanized areas (UZAs). MassDOT is the recipient of this federal aid in the Boston UZA. In UZAs with populations greater than 200,000, such as the Boston UZA, the distribution formula factors in passenger-miles traveled, population density, and other factors associated with each transit provider. The three regional transit authorities (RTAs) in the Boston Region MPO area are the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA), and Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA). The MBTA, with its extensive transit program and infrastructure, is the recipient of the preponderance of federal transit funds in the region.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) distributes funding to transit agencies through several different programs. Table 2-2 shows FTA programs that come from the FAST Act and support transit investments in the FFYs 2020-24 TIP.

Table 2-2
Federal Transit Administration Programs Applicable to the FFYs 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Program

 Source: Federal Transit Administration.

Investment Frameworks

MPO Investment Framework

As mentioned previously, each MPO in the state can decide how to prioritize the Regional Target funding it receives through the processes established by FHWA and MassDOT. The Boston Region MPO’s LRTP defines the investment framework that informs the specific investment decisions made in the TIP by establishing

• the MPO’s transportation vision, goals, and objectives, which shape the MPO’s TIP evaluation criteria;
• MPO investment programs; and
• other guidelines that help the MPO determine how to allocate funding across its investment programs.

MPO Goals and Objectives

The MPO’s goals and objectives provide the foundation for the TIP evaluation criteria the MPO board uses when selecting roadway projects to be funded with Regional Target dollars. MPO staff compares candidate projects’ characteristics to these criteria to evaluate whether individual projects can help the MPO advance its various goals. The criteria used to select projects for this TIP are based on the MPO’s goals and objectives, adopted as part of Charting Progress to 2040, which is the LRTP the MPO endorsed in 2015. The MPO made updates to its goals and objectives for Destination 2040, which are listed in Chapter 1.

MPO Investment Programs

In Charting Progress to 2040, the MPO strengthened the link between its spending and improvements to transportation performance by establishing a series of investment programs. These investment programs focus on specific types of projects that the MPO expects will help achieve its goals and objectives for the transportation system. The MPO created these programs to give municipalities the confidence that if they design these types of projects the MPO will be willing to fund them through the LRTP and TIP:

• Complete Streets
• Intersection Improvements
• Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Connections
• Major Infrastructure (including highway funds flexed to major transit infrastructure)
• Community Transportation/Parking/Clean Air and Mobility

Figure 2-1 provides details about the Charting Progress to 2040 investment programs and their relationship to the MPO’s goals. When developing the FFYs 2020–24 TIP, the MPO allocated its Regional Target dollars to these investment programs by assigning them to TIP projects that meet the investment programs’ criteria.

Figure 2-1
 Charting Progress to 2040 Investment Programs

Destination 2040, which is scheduled for completion in July 2019, is expected to add one new investment program to these five existing programs that allocates funding to transit modernization projects. Destination 2040 will also reflect an updated set of priorities for the MPO's Complete Streets investment program, adding dedicated bus lanes and climate resiliency measures to the types of projects targeted for funding through this program. The MPO will allocate funding to projects in these updated programs in future TIP cycles.

Other Funding Guidelines

When creating investment scenarios for Charting Progress to 2040, the MPO applied guidelines which were designed to strike a balance between large-scale projects that would be included in its Major Infrastructure program and lower cost, operations and management-type projects. (For the development of the FFYs 2020-24 TIP, the MPO defined major Infrastructure projects as those that cost more than $20 million or that add capacity to the transportation network). Such a balance would help the MPO address its goals and provide more opportunities for the MPO to distribute federal transportation dollars to projects throughout the region, as opposed to concentrating it in a few large-scale projects. Charting Progress to 2040 focused on investing federal transportation dollars over a 20-year period, but several guidelines are relevant to shorter-term TIP programming, including the following:

• No more than 50 percent of available funding in each LRTP five-year time band should be allocated to major infrastructure projects.
• If one major infrastructure project requires more than 50 percent of funding in a particular time band, it should not be programmed.

The MPO can consider LRTP-based guidelines such as these when determining how to program Regional Target funding over the relevant five-year period for the TIP. As the MPO continues to develop Destination 2040, it is anticipated that these guidelines may change to reflect an updated set of goals and investment programs. If and when these policy changes are finalized, they will guide programming decisions made during future TIP cycles.

MassDOT and Transit Agency Investment Frameworks

MassDOT, in coordination with the MBTA, updates its rolling five-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP) on an annual basis. This planning document identifies priority roadway, transit, bridge, and statewide infrastructure projects for the five MassDOT divisions and the MBTA. The CIP process uses a framework that prioritizes funding according to MassDOT’s strategic goals. Reliability is the top priority for MassDOT, followed by Modernization and Expansion. MassDOT and the MBTA have created investment programs for the CIP that relate to these strategic goals, and allocate funding to these goals and programs in ways that emphasize their priority. These goals and investment programs are as follows:

• Reliability: These investments are oriented toward maintaining and improving the overall condition and reliability of the transportation system. They include capital maintenance projects, state-of-good-repair projects, and other asset management and system preservation projects. MassDOT Highway Division programs in this area include the Bridge Program—including inspections, systematic maintenance, and National Highway System (NHS) and non-NHS improvements—the Pavement Program, the Roadway Improvements Program, and the Safety Improvements Program. MBTA Reliability programs include its Revenue Vehicles Program; Track, Signals, and Power Program; Bridge and Tunnel Program; Stations Program; Facilities Program; and Systems Upgrade/Other investments.
• Modernization: These investments enhance the transportation system to make it safer and more accessible and to accommodate growth. These projects address compliance with federal mandates or other statutory requirements for safety and/or accessibility improvements; exceed state-of-good-repair thresholds to substantially modernize existing assets; and provide expanded capacity to accommodate current or anticipated demand on transportation systems. MassDOT Highway Division programs in this area include the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Retrofit Program, the Intersection Improvement Program, the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Program, and the Roadway Reconstruction Program. MBTA programs in this area include the Red and Orange Improvements Program, the Commuter Rail Safety and Resiliency Program, the Accessibility Program, the Risk Management and Mitigation Program, the Automated Fare Collection (AFC) Program, and the Customer Experience and Technology Improvements Program.
• Expansion: These investments provide more diverse transportation options for communities throughout the Commonwealth. They expand highway, transit, and rail networks and/or services, or they expand bicycle and pedestrian networks to provide more transportation options and address health and sustainability objectives. MassDOT Highway Division programs in this area include the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program and the Capacity Program. The MBTA’s major expansion program is for the Green Line Extension.

Developing the TIP

Project Selection Process

Overview

The MPO applies its investment framework when developing the TIP. The MPO board’s process for selecting projects to receive highway discretionary—or Regional Target—funding relies on evaluation criteria to help identify and prioritize projects that advance the MPO’s goals. The criteria are based on the MPO’s goals and objectives, which were adopted for Charting Progress to 2040. All projects are required to show consistency with the LRTP and other statewide and regional plans. Other considerations include the readiness of a project for construction and municipal support for the project. Background information about the TIP project evaluation process is presented in Appendix A. Following adoption of the next LRTP, Destination 2040, in June 2019, the TIP evaluation criteria will be reviewed to determine if any changes or improvements are necessary to enhance alignment with the MPO’s revised goals and objectives, or to reflect up-to-date best practices in performance-based planning.

Outreach and Data Collection (October–December)

The TIP development process begins early in the federal fiscal year when cities and towns in the region designate staff as TIP contacts and begin developing a list of priority projects to be considered for federal funding. Each fall, the MPO staff asks these TIP contacts to identify their city or town’s priority projects and then the MPO staff elicits input from interested parties and members of the general public.

New projects must be initiated by the MassDOT Highway Division before they can be considered for programming in the TIP. MassDOT details the project initiation process and posts relevant documents on its Project Review Committee’s webpage, https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massdot-highway-initiating-a-project. 

Municipal TIP Contacts and the MPO staff coordinate to update each project’s Project Funding Application Form through the MPO’s Interactive TIP Database, https://www.ctps.org/maploc/www/apps/tipApp/index.html, which summarizes information about each project's background, infrastructure condition and needs, development status, and ability to help the region attain the MPO’s goals and objectives.

The MPO staff compiles the project funding requests into a Universe of Unprogrammed Projects list, which consists of all identified projects being advanced for possible funding. The Universe includes projects that are fully designed and ready to be advertised for construction, those that are undergoing preliminary engineering and design, and projects still in the conceptual planning stage.

The MPO staff also monitors the anticipated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that would result from each project in order to consider these impacts when prioritizing transportation investments. For more information on GHG emission monitoring and evaluation, see Appendix B.

Project Evaluation (December–February)

The MPO staff uses its project evaluation criteria to logically and transparently evaluate and select projects for programming in the TIP that advance the MPO’s vision for transportation. This process favors projects that support the following goals:

• Transportation by all modes will be safe
• Maintain and modernize the transportation system and plan for its resiliency
• Use existing facility capacity more efficiently and increase transportation options
• Create an environmentally friendly transportation system
• Ensure that all people receive comparable benefits from, and are not disproportionately burdened by, MPO investments, regardless of race, color, national origin, age, income, ability, or sex
• Ensure our transportation network provides a strong foundation for economic vitality

The project evaluation scoring methodology used to create the FFYs 2020-24 TIP consists of 28 criteria that support the MPO's goals and objectives as outlined in Charting Progress to 2040. A list of the TIP evaluation criteria (in Figure 2-2) provides an overview of the goals, criteria, and scoring values.

In order for the MPO staff to conduct a complete project evaluation, the project must have a functional design report or be at a 25 percent design stage, or its plans must include the level of detail defined in a functional design report. See MassDOT’s Project Development and Design Guide for information about the contents of a functional design report. This guide is available at

The summary of evaluation results for projects considered for programming in this TIP is available in Appendix A. The table contains the total project rating for each project. For more details about the evaluation criteria used to score projects, see Appendix A.

TIP Readiness Day (February)

The MPO staff meets with members of the MassDOT Highway Division to review cost and schedule changes related to currently programmed projects, which are undergoing design review, permitting, and right-of-way acquisition. The MPO board then considers these updated project construction costs and changes to the expected dates for construction advertisement when making decisions about changes to TIP programming. These changes have an impact on the ability of the MPO to program its target funds for new projects in the five-year TIP.

Staff Recommendation and Project Selection (March–April)

Using the evaluation ratings and information gathered about project readiness (when a project likely would be fully designed and ready for advertisement), staff prepares a First-Tier List of Projects. This list cites the projects that both earned the highest ratings in the MPO’s evaluation process and that could be made ready for advertising within the TIP’s time horizon—the next five FFYs.

The MPO staff strongly considers the First-Tier List of Projects when preparing a recommendation to the MPO for projects to program in the TIP. Other considerations for project selection include whether a project was programmed in the LRTP, LRTP-based guidelines for allocating funds to different programs or project types, distribution of investments across the region, and availability of sufficient funding.

Figure 2-2
Transportation Improvement Program Evaluation Criteria

Selection Process for State and Transit Agency Prioritized Projects

As discussed above, the selection of transit, bridge, and statewide infrastructure projects for programming in the TIP draws primarily from MassDOT’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP). MassDOT and the MBTA evaluate projects for inclusion in CIP programs using criteria established by the independent Project Selection Advisory Council (PSAC). The following criteria from the PSAC process guide project evaluation:

• System Preservation: Projects should contribute to a state of good repair on the system.
• Mobility: Projects should provide efficient and effective modal options.
• Cost Effectiveness: Projects should result in benefits commensurate with costs and should be aimed at maximizing the return on the public’s investment.
• Economic Impact: Projects should support strategic economic growth in the Commonwealth.
• Safety: Projects should contribute to the safety and security of people and goods in transit.
• Social Equity and Fairness: Projects should equitably distribute both the benefits and the burdens of investments among all communities.
• Environment and Health Impacts: Projects should maximize the potential positive health and environmental aspects of the transportation system.
• Policy Support: Projects should get credit if they support local or regional policies or plans or state policies not addressed through the other criteria.

Projects that receive the highest priority are those that meet MassDOT’s goals for maintaining and improving the overall condition and reliability of the system; modernizing the system to make it safer and more accessible and to accommodate growth; and expanding and diversifying transportation options for communities. These project prioritization processes may also reflect other planning initiatives, such as Focus40, the MBTA’s 25-year investment plan. Once project prioritization is complete, programming decisions are made based on these evaluations as well as on information regarding project readiness, program sizing, and existing asset management plans.

As discussed above, the transit element of the TIP also includes the Federal-Aid Programs of the other two RTAs in the region, CATA and MWRTA.

Once selection processes are complete, these agencies submit their lists of bridge projects, statewide infrastructure items, and transit capital projects to the MPO for review.

Approving the TIP

Approval of Draft TIP for Public Review

The MPO board considers the project evaluation results, First-Tier List of Projects, and staff recommendation when prioritizing projects for Regional Target funding. The body also considers public comments, the regional importance of projects, and other factors. In addition to prioritizing the Regional Target funding, the MPO board reviews 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.

The MPO board votes to release the draft document for public review and invites members of the public, municipal officials, and other stakeholders in the Boston region to review the proposed TIP. The MPO staff hosts outreach events during the public review period to elicit comments on the draft document (see Appendix C).

Approval of the Draft TIP

After the public review period ends, the MPO staff and board review all municipal and public comments, and the board may change the programming or the document as appropriate before endorsing the TIP. MassDOT staff incorporates the MPO-endorsed TIP into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) and submits it to the FHWA and FTA for approval. The FHWA, FTA, and US Environmental Protection Agency review the STIP and certify it by September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.

Updating the TIP

The TIP is a dynamic program that may be amended and adjusted throughout the year. Administrative modifications and amendments are often introduced because of changes in project status (advertisement readiness), project cost, project design scope, or available revenue. An amendment is a revision that requires public review and a demonstration of fiscal constraint.

Consistent with federal guidelines, the Boston Region MPO must release an amendment if there is (1) a change in project cost of $500,000 or more, for projects valued at $5 million or less, or (2) a change of 10 percent or more of the project cost, for projects valued greater than $5 million. Cost changes that are less than these threshold amounts may be considered in the form of administrative modifications or adjustments, which must still undergo MPO board action for approval. Although a public review period is not required for administrative modifications or adjustments, one may be offered at the MPO board’s discretion.

All proposed amendments are presented in a public setting at an MPO meeting, and details are posted on the MPO’s website, bostonmpo.org. Public notices are distributed through the MPO’s email contact list, which members of the public may join by signing up on the MPO’s website. TIP contacts at the affected municipalities and the public are notified of pending amendments at the start of an amendment’s public review period.

Public Notice

Notices of draft TIP amendments include a summary of the amendment’s contents, dates of the public review period, contact information for submitting a comment to the MPO, and the date, time, and location that the MPO will vote on that amendment. Also during the public review period, the MPO staff notifies and briefs the Regional Transportation Advisory Council about the amendment and relays comments from the Advisory Council, if any, to the MPO board. Municipal representatives and members of the public are invited to submit written or oral testimony at the MPO meetings at which amendments are discussed or voted upon.

The MPO typically holds a 21-day public review period before taking final action on an amendment. In extraordinary circumstances, the MPO may vote to shorten the public review period to a minimum of 15 days. (These circumstances are detailed in the MPO’s Public Participation Plan.)

The MPO’s website is the best place to find current information about the TIP. All changes to the draft TIP and changes to the endorsed TIP, such as amendments and modifications that have been approved by the MPO, are available on the TIP webpage, bostonmpo.org/tip.

Comments or questions about the draft TIP materials may be submitted directly to the MPO staff via the website, email, or US mail, or voiced at MPO meetings and other public MPO events.

Chapter 3
Summary of Highway and Transit Programming

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) tables included in this chapter present a listing of all the projects and programs funded with federal highway and transit aid in the Boston region during federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2020–24. These funding tables are also included as part of the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).

Table 3-1 presents a summary of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) share of Regional Target funds from the Federal-Aid Highway Program. The allocation of these funds is constrained by projections of available federal aid. As shown in Table 3-1, the MPO has programmed these discretionary funds within the limits of projected funding for highway funding programs. As such, the FFYs 2020–24 TIP Regional Target Program complies with financial constraint requirements. The details of this funding and the specific projects programmed with Regional Target funding are shown in Section 1A of each annual element of the TIP tables (Table 3- 2). Section 1A includes the regionally prioritized projects funded during a given federal fiscal year. The other sections in Table 3-2 (sections 1B, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3, and 4) list the following:
Projects funded with earmarks or discretionary grant funds
State-prioritized bridge repairs and rehabilitation, pavement maintenance, safety improvements, retrofits for accessibility (as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act), intersection improvements, roadway reconstruction, and bicycle and pedestrian projects
Projects funded by sources other than federal aid
Each annual element of Table 3-2 also lists the federally funded transit projects and programs in the Boston region that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), MetroWest Regional Transit Authority, and Cape Ann Transportation Authority plan to undertake. Table 3-3 provides additional information related to the MBTA’s programs and projects planned in the region.

The second part of the chapter includes detailed descriptions of projects, including evaluation scores (for projects funded by the MPO’s Regional Target Program), project proponents, and funding details. The pages are organized alphabetically by the municipality in which each project is located.

Table 3-1
Boston Region MPO Regional Target Program
MPO Discretionary Funds Sourced from the Federal-Aid Highway Program

Table 3-2
Federal Fiscal Years 2020-24 Transportation Improvement Program