Draft Memorandum for the Record

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Meeting Minutes

December 18, 2025, Meeting

10:00 AM–11:25 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform

David Mohler, Chair, representing Phillip Eng, Interim Secretary of Transportation and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

Decisions

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) agreed to the following:

• Approve the minutes of the meeting of October 23, 2025
• Approve the minutes of the meeting of December 4, 2025
• Approve the work scope for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Fare Equity Analysis and Modal Allocation Factors
• Release the Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) 2026–30 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment Two for a 21-day public comment period

Meeting Agenda

1. Introductions

See attendance below.

2. Chair’s Report—David Mohler, MassDOT

There was none.

3. Executive Director’s Report—Tegin Teich, Executive Director, Central Transportation Planning Staff

T. Teich thanked members and staff for a successful annual meeting.

T. Teich announced Scott Pouder has joined the MPO as a Senior Transportation Planner on the Multimodal Planning and Design team. S. Pouder introduced himself.

T. Teich previewed the agenda and stated the next meeting would be held January 15, 2026, at 10:00 AM.

4. Public Comments

Ilias Benmokrane, Boston University student, shared that he created a free online game called Boston Bus Simulator where anyone can drive a bus on MBTA bus routes in and around Boston. The game has reached more than a million plays and helped foster discussion about public transit policy. He voiced his support for the MPO’s focus on fair equity and offered to share a research project he conducted on the 104, 111, and 455 bus routes potential for fare free pilots.

5. Committee Chairs’ Reports

There were none.

6. Community Advisory Council Report—Karl Alexander, Vice-Chair, Community Advisory Council

K. Alexander thanked the MPO for the opportunity to present at the annual meeting. He also shared they would be meeting next on January 12, 2026.

7. Action Item: Approval of October 23, 2025, Meeting Minutes

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• October 23, 2025, Minutes (pdf) (html)

Vote

A motion to approve the October 23, 2025, Meeting Minutes, was made by the City of Somerville (Brad Rawson) and seconded by the City of Boston (Jen Rowe). The motion carried. The following members abstained: City of Boston (Patrick Hoey), City of Everett (Eric Molinari).

8. Action Item: Approval of December 4, 2025, Meeting Minutes

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• December 4, 2025, Minutes (pdf) (html)

Vote

A motion to approve the December 4, 2025, Meeting Minutes, was made by the Town of Burlington (John Strauss) and seconded by the City of Boston (Jen Rowe). The motion carried. The following member abstained: MassDOT (John Romano).

9. Action Item: Work Scope for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Fare Equity Analysis and Modal Allocation Factors—Tanner Bonner, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• Fare Equity Analysis Work Scope (pdf) (html)

T. Bonner introduced the work scope with a budget of $250,000 over four years to continuously maintain a model to complete timely analysis for fare equity as required by Title VI.

Vote

A motion to approve the Work Scope for MBTA Fare Equity Analysis and Modal Allocation Factors was made by the MBTA (Sandy Johnston) and seconded by the Town of Brookline (Erin Chute). The motion carried.

10. Action Item: FFYs 2026–30 TIP Amendment Two—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• TIP Amendment Two (pdf) (html)

E. Lapointe stated that Amendment Two includes funding for five earmarks in the FFY 2026 Earmark Discretionary Program, a funding source change for design of improvements at Route 126 and 135 in Framingham, delays to nine Statewide Highway Program projects, and additional changes across MBTA projects.

Discussion

Dennis Giombetti, City of Framingham, asked for clarification on a $90 million increase for MBTA station improvements. E. Lapointe deferred to S. Johnston who stated he would provide that information.

John Strauss, Town of Burlington, asked if the stated delays are to be addressed by the revised project readiness standards. E. Lapointe noted these projects are all statewide highway projects that are not covered under those guidelines, but this does reflect MassDOT’s own assessments as they look ahead to the development of their 2027–31 TIP and are part of a broader effort to program projects in the year in which they are most likely to be advertised.

B. Rawson advocated for municipal consultation as part of process improvements for project programming.

Vote

A motion to release TIP Amendment Two for a 21-day public comment period was made by the City of Framingham (D. Giombetti) and seconded by the City of Somerville (B. Rawson). The motion carried.

11. Roadway Pricing: Balancing the Need for a Transition to Sustainable Mobility with Equity Considerations—Joe Delorto, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

• Roadway Pricing White Paper (pdf) (html)

J. Delorto stated the study’s background and purpose, which is to focus on data and tools to support analyses of roadway pricing. It also includes a test case of a hypothetical roadway-pricing scenario. The study’s structure included a literature review, exploration of data sources and identification of potential scenarios, development and analysis of a scenario, and documentation.

Discussion

Will Palmer, TransitMatters, encouraged the MPO to continue to explore roadway pricing strategies to reduce congestion and support public transit. He asked what is planned for further work. T. Teich responded that the MPO is both building up its understanding of technical tools and exploring how one could successfully engage stakeholders regarding congestion pricing. J. Delorto also pointed to the white paper, which explores further research questions.

Tom O’Rourke, Town of Norwood, asked about studying the potential economic impact of roadway pricing. J. Delorto stated that New York or London are areas where the MPO could look at for their experience with implementing roadway pricing and the economic impacts.

Lenard Diggins, Town of Arlington, asked about demographic and geographic breakdowns of those who travel to the potential cordon zone. J. Delorto responded that it was a great area for potential further research. L. Diggins also asked about increases in parking demand. J. Delorto responded that this was a first look at model interactions under this scenario, and they increased the park and ride capacity for this study. He highlighted the large increase in commuter rail ridership allowed by this change. L. Diggins also advocated for researching the impact of roadway pricing on accidents and injuries.

S. Johnston asked what would be needed to explore transit capacity expansion and service improvements that would accommodate mode shift in the model. J. Delorto responded that building up MPO staff capacity and methodologies would be most helpful.

B. Rawson advocated for a unified effort in community engagement and technical analysis to build space for dialogue and coalition building around roadway pricing. He also supported further building transit modeling capacity and making space for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s involvement with its land use and economic experience. 

T. Pollack also supported future research into other area’s roadway pricing programs. He asked about impacts on the bus network. J. Delorto responded those benefits must be quantified better; however, improvements were noted in both the bus network performance and street network since they are tied together.

J. Rowe thanked staff for their work and asked about avenues for staff to continue on the stakeholder engagement side. T. Teich responded that the UPWP was the best avenue for the board to direct resources toward roadway pricing research.

There was a question in the chat about distances traveled, which J. Delorto clarified was physical mileage traveled not “as the crow flies.”

12. Members’ Items

D. Mohler thanked staff for their hard work throughout the year.

13. Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by the Town of Arlington (L. Diggins) and seconded by the City of Somerville (B. Rawson). The motion carried.

Attendance

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 accommodations at meetings (such as assistive listening devices, materials in accessible formats and languages other than English, and interpreters in American Sign Language and other languages) or if you need this information in another language, please contact:

Boston Region MPO Title VI Specialist

10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150

Boston, MA 02116

Phone: 857.702.3700

Email: civilrights@ctps.org

For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service, www.mass.gov/massrelay. Please allow at least five business days for your request to be fulfilled.