Endorsed by the Boston Region

Metropolitan Planning Organization

on July 28, 2016

Table of Contents

Executive summary

Chapter One – The 3C Process

Chapter Two – The TIP Process

Chapter Three – summary of highway and transit programming        

         Project Tables FFYs 2017 – 21 TIP

         MPO Target Program 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 2016 Highway Projects Status        

E   Transit Projects Status

F   Public Comments on the Draft FFYs 2017 – 21 TIP

G  MPO Glossary of Acronyms

H  FFYs 2008 – 2021 TIP Funding by Municipality

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 Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (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 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.

Please visit www.ctps.org to view the full TIP. 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 02116-3968

Telephone:           857.702.3700

TTY:                     617.973.7089

Fax:                     617.570.9192

Email:                   publicinformation@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.

Executive Summary

Federal Fiscal Years 2017–202.1 Transportation Improvement Program

introduction

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO’s) five-year transportation capital investment plan, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), is the near-term investment program for the region’s transportation system. Guided by the 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 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 (CTPS), which is the staff to the MPO, manages the TIP-development process.

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

Federal fiscal years 2017–2021 Tip overview

The federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2017–2021 TIP consists of transportation investments in the Highway Program and Transit Program. These investments reflect the MPO’s goal of targeting a majority of transportation resources to preserve and modernize the existing roadway and transit system and maintain them in a state of good repair.

This TIP also devotes a significant portion of funding for the targeted expansion of the rapid transit system and new shared-use paths. In addition, a number of the infrastructure investments in this TIP address needs identified in the MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Charting Progress to 2040, or implement recommendations from past studies and reports that were funded through the MPO’s Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The TIP also supports the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)’s strategic priorities of:

• Reliability: Maintain and improve overall condition and reliability of the transportation system
• Modernization: Modernize the transportation system to make it safer and more accessible to accommodate growth
• Expansion: Expand diverse transportation options for communities throughout the Commonwealth

FFYs 2017–2021 TIP investments

Transit Program

The Transit Program of the TIP provides funding for projects and programs that address the capital needs prioritized by the three transit agencies 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.

Highway Program

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

Transit Program

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) allocates the funds programmed in the TIP Transit Program by 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 their 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

Highway Program

The TIP Highway Program was developed with the assumption that federal funding would range between $615- and-$640 million annually over the next five years. In Massachusetts, federal highway program funding is allocated to several main funding categories.

First, MassDOT allocates federal funding to Grant Anticipation Notes (GANs) payments for the Accelerated Bridge Program. Annual GANs payments range between $59 and $82 million over the five years of this TIP. MassDOT matches the remaining amount of federal funding with an 80 percent (federal) and 20 percent (state) split, resulting in $681 million to $695 million available statewide for programming.

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 (funding for this category will conclude in 2017 after reconstruction of the I-91 Viaduct in Springfield has been completed)
• Other Statewide Items: Change orders for existing contracts

After these needs have been satisfied, MassDOT allocates the remaining funding among the state’s MPOs for programming. This discretionary funding for MPOs is sub-allocated by formula to determine “Regional Target” amounts. MassDOT develops these targets in consultation with the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies.

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

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:

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

These goals also shape a series of MPO investment programs, which are designed to direct Regional Target funding towards MPO priority areas over the next 25 years:

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

Projects that the MPO will select to receive Regional Target Funding through the MPO’s TIP Development Process are included in one of these five programs.

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. Each November, MPO staff ask the staffs of cities and towns in the region to identify their priority projects.

MPO staff compile the project funding requests into a Universe of Projects list for the MPO, 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, as well as projects still in the conceptual or planning stage. 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, staff evaluates projects based on how well they address the MPO’s goals.

This year, staff completed evaluations for more than 50 projects. A basic level of design is needed to provide enough information to fully evaluate a potential TIP project. The evaluation results are posted on the MPO’s website, allowing municipal officials and members of the public to view them and provide feedback.

Staff Recommendation and Draft TIP

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

MPO staff then prepare a recommendation for the TIP based on their First-Tier list, among other factors, such as whether a project was included in the LRTP, equity of investments across the region, and if sufficient funding is available for the proposed projects. The staff recommendation proposes the projects to be funded with the MPO’s Regional Target funding over the next five years.

The staff recommendation is always financially constrained. This year, there was approximately $440 million available for MPO Regional Target projects in FFYs 2017–2021. The MPO discussed the staff recommendation for the discretionary highway target program in June.

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, as well as the capital programs for the MBTA, CATA, and MWRTA before voting to release a draft TIP for public review.

In June 2016, the MPO voted to release the draft FFYs 2017–2021 TIP for a 30-day public comment period, during which the MPO invited members of the public, regional and local officials, and other stakeholders in the Boston region to review the proposed program. During the public comment period, MPO staff hosted “Office Hours” to discuss the draft document and solicit additional comments on the draft TIP.

After the comment period concluded, the MPO reviewed all municipal and public comments and made changes to the document as appropriate. It then endorsed the TIP and submitted it to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the FTA for approval. MassDOT incorporates the MPO-endorsed TIP into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The FHWA, FTA and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review the STIP for certification by September 30, the federal fiscal year-end.

REGIONAL TARGET PROGRAM DETAILS

The MPO’s Target Program is devoted primarily to modernizing and expanding the transportation network through major infrastructure and Complete Streets investments, as shown in Figure ES-1 (which indicates how the Regional Target funding is distributed across these the MPO’s investment programs).

During FFYs 2017–2021, the Boston Region MPO plans to fund 28 projects and programs with its Regional Target funding:

• 14 Complete Streets projects, such as reconstructing Ferry Street in Everett
• Nine Major Infrastructure projects, such as reconstructing and widening Route 18 in Weymouth
• Three Intersection Improvements projects, such as Derby, Whiting, and Gardner Streets in Hingham
• One Bicycle Network and Pedestrian Infrastructure project to extend the Canal Street Rail Trail in Salem
• One Community Transportation program to support first-mile/last-mile connections across the region

Collectively, these investments will improve nearly 70 lane miles of substandard pavement and serve 780,000 vehicles daily (including more than 1400 bus trips). These improvements are anticipated to reduce passenger delay by nearly 7,900 hours and add more than 50 miles to the region’s bicycle network.

FIGURE ES-1

FFYs 2017-21 TIP Highway Program Funding, by Project Priority Type

These investments will be implemented in 25 cities and towns throughout the MPO region, ranging from high-density, built-out Inner Core communities to Developing Suburbs with large expanses of vacant developable land. Figure ES-3 identifies these 25 municipalities by their Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) community type.

FIGURE ES-2

FFYs 2017-21 TIP Regional Target Funding, by Investment Program Type

^{Data Source: CTPS.}

Updates to the TIP

Even after the TIP has been finalized, administrative modifications and amendments often must 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 an amendment is necessary, the Regional Transportation Advisory Council is informed, and the MPO notifies affected municipalities and other stakeholders via email. 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 also may 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 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

Email:            tip@ctps.org or publicinformation@ctps.org

Chapter One

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 continuous, comprehensive, and cooperative (3C) transportation-planning process that results in plans and programs consistent with the objectives of the metropolitan area. 1 The 3C transportation-planning process in the Boston region is the responsibility of the Boston Region 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 as well as both transportation and non-transportation objectives and impacts when analyzing project issues.
• Assist agencies responsible for implementing projects 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 Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act); Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); Clean Air Act; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations; Executive Order 13330: Human Services Transportation Coordination; and Executive Order 13166: Improving Access to Services for Persons With Limited English Proficiency.

The Boston Region MPO

The Boston Region MPO is a 22-member board consisting of state agencies and regional and municipal organizations. Its jurisdiction extends from Boston north to Ipswich, south to Duxbury, and west to Interstate 495. There are 101 cities and towns that make up this area. Those municipalities are divided into eight subregional areas (as shown in Figure 1-1).

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 to be certified as meeting federal requirements, which, in turn, is a prerequisite for receiving federal transportation funds.

This TIP was developed and approved by the permanent and elected MPO voting members. The permanent voting members are:

• Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
• Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
• MBTA Advisory Board
• Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)
• City of Boston
• Regional Transportation Advisory Council (Advisory Council)

Municipal MPO members are elected by chief elected officials of the 101 municipalities in the MPO region to represent the entire region. There are seats designated for at-large cities and towns, which may be filled by any city and town in the region, as well as seats for cities and towns within specific subregions. The elected municipal MPO voting members and their respective seats are:

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

Figure 1-1: Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) Subregional Groups

In addition, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participate in the MPO as advisory (nonvoting) members. Figure 1-2 is an organization chart of MPO membership and of the MPO’s staff, the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS).

More details about the MPO’s members are cited below. Apart from MassDOT and the City of Boston, which hold three seats and two seats, respectively, each entity holds one seat each.

MassDOT was established under Chapter 25 (“An Act Modernizing the Transportation Systems of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts”) of the Acts of 2009. It includes four Divisions: Highway, Rail and Transit, Aeronautics, and Registry of Motor Vehicles. The MassDOT Board of Directors, comprised of 11 members appointed by the Governor, oversees all four divisions and all MassDOT operations, including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).

• The MassDOT Highway Division has jurisdiction over the roadways, bridges, and tunnels of the former Massachusetts Highway Department and the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. It also has jurisdiction over many bridges and parkways previously under the authority of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The Highway Division is responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of the Commonwealth’s state highways and bridges. It is also responsible for overseeing traffic safety and engineering activities for the state highway system. These activities include operating the Highway Operations Control Center to ensure safe road and travel conditions.
• The Rail and Transit Division oversees MassDOT’s freight and passenger rail program and provides oversight for Massachusetts’s 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), as well as for the intercity bus services, MBTA paratransit (THE RIDE), and the Massachusetts Mobility Management Center, a resource that helps communities develop the capacity to better serve people with mobility challenges.

MassDOT has three seats on the MPO, including one for the Highway Division.

The MBTAhas the statutory responsibility within its district, under the provisions of Chapter 161A of the Massachusetts General Laws (MGLs), 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. Starting in April 2015, as a result of an action plan to improve the MBTA, a five-member Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) was created to oversee the MBTA’s finances and management and to increase accountability over a three-to-five-year period. By statute, the MBTA FMCB consists of five members, one with experience in transportation finance, one with experience in mass transit operations, and three who are also members of the MassDOT Board.

The MBTA Advisory Board was created by the State Legislature in 1964 through the same legislation that created the MBTA. The Advisory Board consists of representatives from the 175 cities and towns that compose the MBTA district. Cities are represented by either the city manager or mayor, and towns are represented by the chairperson of the board of selectmen (a New England variation on the city council). Specific responsibilities of the Advisory Board include providing public oversight of MBTA expenditures; reviewing and offering advice on the MBTA’s long-range plan, the Program for Mass Transportation (PMT); evaluating the MBTA’s annual budget; evaluating proposed fare changes and substantial changes in transit service; and consulting with the MBTA about service quality standards.

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 Boston’s Logan International Airport, Conley Terminal, Cruiseport Boston, Hanscom Field, Worcester Regional Airport, and various maritime/waterfront properties, including parks in East Boston, South Boston, and Charlestown.

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 officer (or their 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 MGLs. 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 as 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 MPO’s decision-making processes 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, identifies issues, advocates for ways to address the region’s transportation needs, and generates 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 FHWA and FTA oversee the highway and transit programs of the US Department of Transportation under the pertinent legislation and the provisions of FAST Act.

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:

• CTPS was created by the MPO to fulfill general and 3C transportation-planning activities on behalf of the MPO and to provide MPO member agencies with the 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 about 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 helping to develop the TIP and UPWP project priorities.

Certification Documents

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

• The Long-Range Transportation Plan and Air Quality Conformity Determination (LRTP) guides investment in the transportation system of the Boston metropolitan region for the next 25 years. It defines an overarching vision of the future of transportation in the region, establishes goals and objectives that will lead to achievement of 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, the current LRTP, which was endorsed by the MPO in 2015, guided the development of the document you are now reading.

The Transportation Improvement Program and Air Quality Conformity Determination (TIP)is a 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 five-year period. The types of 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.

Figure 1-2: Boston Region MPO Organizational Chart

The TIP contains a financial plan that shows the revenue source or sources, current or proposed, for each project. The TIP serves as the implementation arm of the MPO’s LRTP; the Boston Region MPO updates the TIP annually. An MPO-endorsed TIP is incorporated into the State Transportation Improvement Program for submission to FHWA, FTA, and the Environmental Protection Agency for approval.

• The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)contains information about surface transportation planning projects that will be conducted in the Boston metropolitan region. The UPWP has a one-year scope, and is produced annually. The UPWP is an essential planning tool for the region and often a first step in determining whether or not a project will be implemented. It is integrally related to other planning initiatives conducted by the Boston Region MPO, as well as to initiatives by MassDOT, the MBTA, and Massport.

Consistency with Federal Planning Regulations

FAST Act Legislation

FAST Act legislation requires all MPOs to fulfill 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 in the development of those documents.
• Maintain transportation models and data resources to support both air-quality conformity determinations and long- and short-range planning work.

FAST Act legislation also maintains 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, eliminating delays in the development and delivery process, lessening regulatory burdens, and improving the work practices of the agencies involved.

In addition, the FAST Act maintains the federal planning factors established in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and adds two new planning factors. In accordance with the legislation, the MPO shall comply with the following factors:

1. Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efficiency.
2. Increase the safety of the transportation system for all motorized and nonmotorized users.
3. Increase the ability of the transportation system to support homeland security and to safeguard the personal security of all motorized and nonmotorized users.
4. Increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight.
5. Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and state and local planned growth and economic development patterns.
6. Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight.
7. Promote efficient system management and operation.
8. Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system.
9. Improve the resiliency and reliability of the transportation system and reduce or mitigate stormwater impacts of surface transportation.
10. Enhance travel and tourism.

FAST Act continues to emphasize performance-based planning as an integral part of the metropolitan planning process: states are to develop performance goals, guided by the national goals, and then MPOs will work with state departments of transportation (DOTs) to develop MPO performance targets. The TIP will integrate the MPOs’ performance measures and link transportation investment decisions to progress toward achieving performance goals.

Consistency with Other Federal Legislative Requirements

The Clean Air Act of 1990

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 air-quality standards in any area.

Transportation control measures identified in the Commonwealth’s State Implementation Plan 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 operation of high-occupancy-vehicle lanes.

Nondiscrimination Mandates

The Boston Region MPO complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the ADA, and other federal and state nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all of its programs and activities. The MPO does not discriminate based on 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 Civil Rights Act of 1964

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, or 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 (ADA) 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.

Executive Order 13330

This executive order, dated February 26, 2004, calls for the establishment of the Interagency Transportation Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility, under the aegis of the Secretary of Transportation. This executive order reinforces both environmental justice and ADA requirements by charging the Council with developing policies and methods for improving access for people with disabilities, low-income persons, and older adults.

CONSISTENCY WITH STATE REQUIREMENTS

Global Warming Solutions Act

The Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) 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, 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 GHGs—accounting for more than one-third—and therefore is a major focus of the Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020. MassDOT’s approach to fulfilling its part of the plan is presented in its GreenDOT Policy Directive, a comprehensive sustainability initiative that sets three principal objectives:

• Reduce 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.
• Support smart-growth development. MassDOT will achieve this by working with MPOs and other partners to invest in transportation projects that make denser smart-growth development patterns—which support reduced GHG emissions—possible.

The Commonwealth’s 13 MPOs are integrally involved in helping MassDOT achieve its GreenDOT objectives and supporting the GHG reductions mandated under the GWSA. The MPOs seek to realize these objectives by prioritizing projects that will help accomplish them 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 anticipate GHG impacts of the planned and programmed projects and also to use GHG impacts as a criterion for prioritizing transportation investments.

Coordination with Other Planning Activities

Long-Range Transportation Plan

The MPO considers the degree to which a proposed TIP project would advance the goals and objectives of its LRTP. The MPO also reviews TIP projects within the context of the recommended projects already included in the LRTP.

Unified Planning Work Program

The MPO aims to implement the findings and recommendations of the UPWP’s past studies and reports in developing the TIP.

Congestion Management Process

The purpose of the Congestion Management Process (CMP) is to  monitor and analyze the performance of transportation facilities and services;  develop strategies to alleviate congestion; and  move these strategies into the implementation stage by providing decision makers in the region with information and recommendations. The CMP monitors roadways and park-and-ride facilities in the MPO region for safety, congestion, and mobility, and identifies “problem” locations. Projects that help address problems identified in the most recent CMP monitoring endeavor were considered for inclusion in this TIP.

The MBTA’s Program for Mass Transportation

In 2009, the MBTA adopted its current PMT. The PMT was developed with extensive public involvement and was approved by the MBTA Advisory Board.

The next PMT, Focus40, is under development. Focus40 is the 25-year strategic vision for MBTA investments. This process will engage customers—as well as elected officials, major employers and business leaders, academic institutions, the advocacy community, and other stakeholders—in developing a financially responsible, long-term investment strategy that positions the MBTA to better serve the region’s present concerns, as well as those of Greater Boston as projected for 2040. Focus40 will be an open and frank conversation about a number of critical issues, including:

• Necessary repair investments, in order to keep our system operating well and working safely.
• The Commonwealth’s financial capacity to expand the system’s footprint.
• The potential for transformative change on local streets through strong partnerships between the MBTA and municipalities.
• The Boston Region in 2040: Shifting demographics, new technology, and climate change all may affect how the MBTA must operate in the future.

The first phase of Focus40 will culminate in the release of the State of the System series of reports, which is intended to provide a clear picture of where the MBTA stands today in terms of asset inventory, condition, and service performance. The second phase of the Focus40 effort is centered on developing a better understanding of the world in which the MBTA will be operating in 2040. Finally, Focus40 will work with the public and stakeholders to develop and evaluate various investment strategies that address both current and future needs.

MetroFuture

MetroFuture, which was developed by MAPC and adopted in 2008, is the long-range plan for land use, housing, economic development, and environmental preservation in the Boston region. It includes a vision for the region’s future and a set of strategies for achieving that future, and it was adopted as the future land-use scenario for the MPO’s LRTP, Charting Progress to 2040. MetroFuture’s goals, objectives, and strategies were considered in the development of this TIP.

youMove Massachusetts and weMove Massachusetts

A statewide initiative designed as a bottom-up approach to transportation planning, youMove Massachusetts (YMM) derived 10 core themes from a broad-based public participation process that articulated the expressed concerns, needs, and aspirations of Massachusetts residents related to their transportation network. Those themes have been considered in the development of this TIP.

MassDOT’s statewide strategic multimodal plan, weMove Massachusetts (WMM), is a product of the transportation reform legislation of 2009 and the YMM civic engagement process. In May 2014, MassDOT released WMM: Planning for Performance, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ 2040 LRTP. WMM identifies high-level policy priorities that were considered in the development of this TIP. WMM also 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-based tool to update and refine investment priorities. The TIP builds on this data-driven method to prioritize transportation investments.

Healthy Transportation Compact

The Healthy Transportation Compact (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 made by the Commonwealth 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 (co-chair), secretary of health and human services (co-chair), secretary of energy and environmental affairs, administrator of transportation for highways, administrator of transportation for mass transit, and the commissioner of public health (each of whom may select a representative to serve in their stead).

The HTC also promotes improved coordination among the public sector, private sector and advocacy groups, as well as among 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

The $3 billion Accelerated Bridge Program (ABP) represents a monumental investment in Massachusetts’ bridges. This program has greatly reduced the number of structurally deficient bridges in the state system while creating thousands of construction jobs.

In 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 minimal disruption to people and commerce.

When finished, the eight-year program, which began in 2008, will have resulted in the replacement or repair of more than 270 bridges in the Commonwealth.

MassDOT Mode Shift Goal

In the fall of 2012, MassDOT announced a statewide mode shift goal: to triple the share of travel modes in Massachusetts that uses bicycling, transit, and walking. The mode shift goal aims to foster improved quality of life by protecting 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 provide all customers with access to safe and comfortable walking, bicycling, and transit options.

In November 2015, MassDOT released the Separated Bike Lane Planning & Design Guide. This guide represents the next—but not the last—step in MassDOT’s continuing commitment to Complete Streets, sustainable transportation, and to creating more safe and convenient transportation options for Massachusetts’s residents.

This guide may be used by project planners and designers as a resource for considering, evaluating and designing separated bike lanes as part of a Complete Streets approach.

Consistency with MPO goals and objectives

In the development of the LRTP, Charting Progress to 2040 (endorsed in July 2015), the Boston Region MPO updated its vision, goals, and objectives. These updated goals and objectives, listed on the following page, guided this year’s update of the TIP evaluation criteria to better align with future investment decisions.

Investments in the FFYs 2017-2021 TIP will:

• Provide safe transportation for all modes.
• Maintain the transportation system.
• Use existing facility capacity more efficiently.
• Increase healthy transportation options.
• Create an environmentally friendly transportation system.
• Afford comparable access and service quality among communities, regardless of income level or minority population.
• Ensure that our transportation network serves as a strong foundation for economic vitality.

Chapter 4 demonstrates in detail how transportation investments over the next five years would advance the MPO’s goals and objectives.

Figure 1-3: Central Vision Statement

Chapter Two

The TIP Process

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 goals and objectives, which were adopted for its current Long-Range Transportation Plan, Charting Progress to 2040.

All projects are required to show consistency with the Long-Range Transportation Plan and other statewide and regional plans.

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 for construction and municipal support for the project. Background information about the TIP project evaluation process is presented in Appendix B.

Outreach and Data Collection (November 2015–February 2016)

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. Each November, MPO staff asks the staff 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.

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, <www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/Departments/ProjectManagement/ProjectReviewCommittee.aspx>. Municipal TIP Contacts and the MPO staff coordinate to update each project´s Project Funding Application Form through the MPO´s Interactive TIP Database, <www.bostonmpo.org/apps/tip11/tip_query.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. More information on the Project Funding Application Forms is presented in Appendix B.

MPO staff compiles the project funding requests into a Universe of Projects list for the MPO, 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 also projects still in the conceptual planning stage.

The MPO staff also monitors the anticipated greenhouse gas (GHG) emission impacts of each planned and programmed project in order to consider these impacts when prioritizing transportation investments. For more information on GHG emission monitoring and evaluation, see Appendix C.

Project Evaluation (February–March 2016)

The MPO uses TIP project-evaluation criteria to logically and transparently evaluate and select projects for programming in the TIP that advance the transportation future envisioned by the MPO. This process favors projects that:

• Provide safe transportation for all modes.
• Maintain the transportation system.
• Use existing facility capacity more efficiently and increase the number of healthy transportation options.
• Create an environmentally friendly transportation system.
• Offer comparable access and service quality across communities, regardless of income level or minority population.
• Ensure that our transportation network serves as a strong foundation for economic vitality.

The project evaluation criteria consist of 28 questions that relate to six goals. A figure that illustrates the TIP evaluation criteria (on the following page) provides an overview of the goals, criteria, and their point values.

In order for MPO staff to conduct a complete project evaluation, the project must have a Functional Design Report. See MassDOT’s Project Development and Design Guide for information about what is included in a Functional Design Report. This report is available at www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/DoingBusinessWithUs/ManualsPublicationsForms/ProjectDevelopmentDesignGuide.aspx.

The summary of evaluation results for projects being considered for the federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2017–21 TIP is available in Table A-1, 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 B.

Staff Recommendation (April 2016)

Using the evaluation ratings and information gathered about project readiness (when a project likely would be fully designed and ready for construction), 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 which could be made ready for advertising within the TIP’s time horizon—the next five federal fiscal years.

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 factors considered include whether a project was included in the LRTP, equity of investments across the region, and whether sufficient funding is available for the proposed projects.

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The graphic shows the 28 evaluation criteria across six goals that the MPO uses to score TIP projects.

Figure 2-1: TIP Evaluation Criteria

Selection Process for State Prioritized Projects

The process of selecting transit, bridge, and statewide infrastructure projects to be programmed in the TIP draws primarily from MassDOT’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP), which is a fully integrated capital plan produced by all MassDOT divisions and the MBTA.

Projects in the CIP are selected from MassDOT’s Universe of Projects. They are prioritized based on a process recommended by the independent Project Selection Advisory Council and on data from asset management systems maintained by MassDOT agencies.

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. The following criteria guide project selection:

• 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.

The transit element of the TIP also includes the federal-aid programs of the other two transit authorities in the region, CATA and 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. The body also considers public input, regional importance, and other factors in developing the draft TIP. In addition to prioritizing the regional target funding, the MPO 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 votes to release the draft document for a 30-day public review and comment period and invites members of the public, regional and local officials, and other stakeholders in the Boston region to review the proposed program. MPO staff hosted "Office Hours" during the public comment period to solicit comments on the draft document; summaries of these are listed in Appendix F.

Approval of the Draft TIP

After the comment period ends, the MPO reviews all municipal and public comments and makes changes to the document as appropriate. It then endorses the TIP and submits it to FHWA and FTA for approval. MassDOT incorporates the MPO-endorsed TIP into the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The FHWA, FTA and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) review the STIP for certification by September 30, the federal fiscal year-end.

Updating the TIP

The TIP is a dynamic program that is amended and adjusted throughout the year. Administrative modifications and amendments often must be introduced because of 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 that are less than these thresholds may be considered in the form of administrative modifications. The MPO acts on administrative modifications, and although a public review period is not required, one may be provided at the MPO’s discretion.

Affected municipalities and constituencies and the public are notified of pending amendments at the start of an amendment’s 30-day public review period. The proposed amendments are posted on the MPO’s website, www.bostonmpo.org. Public notices are distributed to the media via press releases, and through MPOinfo, the MPO’s email contact list, which members of the public may join by signing up on the MPO’s website <http://www.ctps.org/stay connected>. These notices provide a summary of the amendment’s contents, dates of the 30-day public review period, how to submit a comment to the MPO, and the date, time and location that the MPO will take a vote on that amendment. Also during the public review period, the MPO staff notifies and briefs the Regional Transportation Advisory Council on the amendment and provides comments from the Council to the MPO. Municipal representatives and members of the public are also invited to submit written or oral testimony at the MPO meetings at which amendments are discussed or voted upon.

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, http://www.bostonmpo.org/tip. Comments or questions about the draft materials may be submitted directly through the website, voiced at MPO meetings, or submitted via US mail.

Chapter Three

Summary of Highway and Transit Programming

This chapter begins with tables listing, by year, the projects and programs funded in FFYs 2017–21. These are often referred to as the "TIP tables."

Following the tables, detail pages on each project and program funded in the TIP’s Highway Program are presented. Projects and programs funded under the Highway Program are listed by municipality.