TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM

DATE:   January 15, 2026

TO:         Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Board

FROM:   Erin Maguire, MPO Staff

RE:         Destination 2050 Amendment Two

This memorandum summarizes a proposed amendment to the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Long-Range Transportation Plan (the Plan), Destination 2050. The primary reason for this amendment is to include a line item in the Recommended Projects list to reflect the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Blue Hill Avenue Multimodal Corridor Project, which is anticipated to be funded through a combination of federal, state, and local sources.

1          Background

The Boston Region MPO is responsible for the development and maintenance of a Long-Range Transportation Plan for the 97 cities and towns within the MPO’s borders. The Plan is required to have a planning horizon of at least twenty years, outline a vision and goals for the region’s multimodal transportation system, and document a fiscally constrained list of large-scale, “regionally significant” projects that are pursuing federal funding. The region’s current plan, Destination 2050, was endorsed in July 2023 and was amended in November 2024. The MPO’s Public Engagement Plan calls for a 30-day public comment period for amendments to the Plan.

2          Amendment Two

Amendment Two to Destination 2050 would add a single line item to the Plan’s Recommended Projects list to program funding for the Blue Hill Avenue Multimodal Corridor Project. (See Item 10 in Table 1.) Table 1 reflects the proposed amendment, which would be a revision to Chapter 5 of the Plan.

Table 1
Proposed Revision to Recommended Projects List

2.1      Blue Hill Avenue Multimodal Corridor Project

The Blue Hill Avenue Multimodal Corridor Project is a 3.1 mile transit priority initiative extending from Grove Hall south to Mattapan Station in Boston.​ The project focuses on comprehensive roadway and streetscape improvements, including significant renovations to Mattapan Square to improve safety, transit operations, the rider experience, and the overall transportation network.​ The project would improve transit speed and reliability; create safer, more attractive walking and biking facilities; and improve bus stops with amenities including shelters and real-​time information.

The project’s improved pedestrian,​ bicycle,​ and transit facilities and operations will enhance safety and support transit and active transportation travel choices. The resulting decrease in vehicle-miles traveled will reduce criteria air pollutant emissions.1 Improvements to transit speed and reliability will move people through the corridor more efficiently. Emergency vehicles will also have a faster and more reliable path of travel. Furthermore, bus stop upgrades,​ along with mixed-use development along Blue Hill Avenue, will provide the necessary infrastructure to foster increased transit ridership and nonmotorized access.​

To address environmental impacts, the project will upgrade traffic signals and street lighting with new, energy-efficient LED fixtures.​ A key focus of the project is the preservation and addition of trees to mitigate the urban heat island effect and sequester carbon dioxide, complemented by​ green infrastructure designed for improved stormwater management.

2.2      Funding Source

The primary cause of this proposed amendment is to comply with federal requirements for the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) 5309 Core Capacity Small Starts Grant to fund the MBTA’s Blue Hill Avenue Multimodal Corridor Project. Before entering the Small Starts Grant Agreement phase, the project proponent must complete a series of actions associated with project development. One key element of project development includes the adoption of the proposed project in the “fiscally constrained long range transportation plan.”2

The funding plan for this project includes $80.3 million requested from the FTA’s 5309 CIG Small Starts grant, $15 million committed from the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant, and $69.2 million from a combination of state, local, and MBTA capital revenues and bonds.

The inclusion of this project in the fiscally constrained long-range plan does not impact the funding availability of the Boston Region MPO’s discretionary Regional Target funds.

3          Requested Action

MPO staff request that the MPO board votes to release the Destination 2050 Amendment Two for a 30-day public comment period to enable the MBTA to move to the next phase of the 5309 CIG Small Starts grant for the Blue Hill Avenue Multimodal Corridor Project.

CIVIL RIGHTS NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

Welcome. Bem Vinda. Bienvenido. Akeyi. 欢迎. 歡迎

You are invited to participate in our transportation planning process, free from discrimination. The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is committed to nondiscrimination in all activities and complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency). Related federal and state nondiscrimination laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, disability, and additional protected characteristics.

For additional information or to file a civil rights complaint, visit www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination.

To request this information in a different language or format, please contact:

Boston Region MPO Title VI Specialist

10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150

Boston, MA 02116

Phone: 857.702.3700

Email: civilrights@ctps.org

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