Draft Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Meeting Minutes

April 16, 2026, Meeting

10:00 AM–11:00 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 work scope for Estimating Avoided Carbon Emissions
• Approve the work scope for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2027 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis
• Approve the Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) 2026–30 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Adjustment Three
• Endorse the FFYs 2026–30 TIP Amendment Three

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 provided staffing updates, gave a preview of the agenda, and announced that the next meeting would be on May 7 at 10:00 AM.

4. Public Comments  

There were none.

5. Committee Chairs’ Reports

Eric Molinari, City of Everett, reported that the Congestion Management Process Committee met that morning and staff gave members a preview of the CMP Network Viewer.

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

K. Alexander reported that the Community Advisory Council met on Monday, April 13 and had presentations on the connection between climate resilience and regional transportation infrastructure.

7. Action Item: Work Scope for Estimating Avoided Carbon Emissions—Rose McCarron, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1. Estimating Avoided Carbon Emissions work scope (pdf) (html)

R. McCarron presented the work scope for Estimating Avoided Carbon Emissions, which is fully funded by the MBTA with a budget of $168,000. The work is scheduled for one year.

Vote

A motion to approve the work scope for Estimating Avoided Carbon Emissions was made by the MBTA (Sandy Johnston) and seconded by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) (Eric Bourassa). The motion carried.

8. Action Item: Work Scope for MBTA SFY 2027 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis—Bradley Putnam, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

2. MBTA SFY 2027 National Transit Database Work Scope (pdf) (html)

B. Putnam presented the work scope for MBTA SFY 2027 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis, which is fully funded by the MBTA with a budget of $238,000. The work is scheduled for 18 months.

Discussion

Lenard Diggins, Town of Arlington, asked how trip length was determined by transfer surveys. B. Putnam explained that the links can be used to determine total distance traveled on the system, so the average trip length can be estimated using automatic passenger counters.

Vote

A motion to approve the work scope for the MBTA SFY 2027 National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis was made by the Town of Arlington (L. Diggins) and seconded by MAPC (E. Bourassa). The motion carried.

9. Federal Fiscal Years (FFYs) 2026–30 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Administrative Modification One—Ethan Lapointe, MPO Staff

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

3. FY26 Community Transit Grant Program Operating and Mobility Management Awards (pdf) (html)

E. Lapointe provided a notice for an administrative modification to the FFYs 2026–30 TIP. This modification would program Operating and Mobility Management awards for projects in the Boston region. On March 20, MassDOT announced 47 Operating and Mobility Management awards provided through the SFY 2026 Community Transit Grant Program and 15 of those awards support services within the Boston region.

Discussion

L. Diggins asked if the awards include measures for regional accessibility or cross municipal boundary trips. D. Mohler said he would provide a response from the MassDOT Rail and Transit Division.

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

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

4. Adjustment Three (pdf) (html)

E. Lapointe summarized an adjustment to the FFYs 2026–30 TIP, which includes three projects proposed for inclusion: two for the Cape Ann Transportation Authority and one for the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA).

Vote

A motion to approve the FFYs 2026–30 TIP Adjustment Three was made by the MWRTA (Tyler Terrasi) and seconded by MAPC (E. Bourassa). The motion carried.

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

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

5. Amendment Three (pdf) (html)

E. Lapointe summarized an amendment to the FFYs 2026–30 TIP. This amendment programs a new federal earmark for a project design, a cost increase for a project in the statewide highway program, three cost increases to Regional Target projects in final design stages, four delays of Regional Target projects from the FFY 2026 programming year, and transit and bikeshare fill-in projects.

Vote

A motion to approve the FFYs 2026–30 TIP Amendment Three was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the City of Somerville (Tom Bent). The motion carried.

12. MassDOT Capital Investment Plan—Michelle Scott, MassDOT

M. Scott presented MassDOT’s CIP, highlighting interrelationships between the CIP and the MPO’s TIP work. MassDOT’s CIP is a rolling five-year plan that funds the planning, construction, and capital maintenance of the transportation system. It is fiscally constrained and reflects planned spending and cash flows. The FFYs 2027–31 CIP is currently under development and includes investments in roads, bridges, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, state-funded transit items, the state rail network, public-use airports, MassDOT-wide enterprise services, and the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Discussion

E. Bourassa asked how MassDOT engages with MPOs from around the state on their TIPs. D. Mohler explained that the MPOs program funds for obligation and M. Scott works with the divisions to cash flow those projects, which show up in the CIP. E. Bourassa followed up asking if there are non-federally funded projects that would be in the CIP but not the MPO’s TIP. M. Scott responded that there are. The Tobin Bridge project is an example.

13. Members’ Items

There were none.

14. Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the Town of Arlington (L. Diggins). The motion carried.

Attendance