WHAT IS THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM?

The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) maps out five years of funding for transportation projects in the Boston region. Each year, the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) decides how to spend approximately $130–160 million in federal funding (called Regional Target funding) to complement state and local transportation infrastructure investments in the Boston region.

Funding Transportation Projects—TIP

The Boston Region MPO TIP includes:

• MPO-prioritized projects based on the MPO’s goals and investment programs
• Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)-prioritized projects
• Transit projects for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA), and Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA)

The MPO decides which projects to fund using a variety of quantitative and qualitative criteria based on the MPO’s six goal areas. These criteria assess how projects support equity, improve air quality and the environment, increase safety for different modes, promote economic development, improve mobility, and preserve and modernize existing infrastructure. Scores based on those criteria are balanced with considerations related to the project’s investment program category, readiness for construction and cost, and the availability of funding. The MPO recently updated the criteria used to assess projects. To learn more about these changes, visit the TIP Criteria Development webpage.

What types of projects does the MPO fund?

The MPO prioritizes investments that focus on

• preserving, maintaining, and modernizing the transportation system;
• providing safe transportation for all modes;
• enhancing livability, economic vitality, and equity; and
• improving mobility throughout the region.

These investments fund projects like Complete Streets construction, intersection improvements, shared-use path expansion, transit enhancements, and pedestrian infrastructure improvements that align with the MPO’s vision, goals, and objectives established in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Destination 2040.

What is an MPO?

MPOs, or metropolitan planning organizations, are federally required regional planning entities that engage government representatives, elected officials, transportation agencies, residents, and other stakeholders in a collaborative and transparent public process to

• Develop a vision in the Long-Range Transportation Plan for multimodal transportation in the region
• Distribute federal funds to construction projects that support the vision through the Transportation Improvement Program
• Carry out multimodal transportation planning at a regional scale through the Unified Planning Work Program

What types of projects and programs does the TIP fund?

The Boston Region MPO Investment Programs guide MPO decision making and help municipalities understand MPO priorities.

COMPLETE STREETS

• Continuous sidewalks
• Cycle tracks
• Dedicated bus lanes

INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS

• Modernized signals
• Shorter crosswalks

BICYCLE NETWORK AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS

• Shared-use paths
• Bicycle facilities

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

• First- and last-mile connections
• Wayfinding

TRANSIT MODERNIZATION

• Transit station improvements
• Climate resiliency

MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE

• New transit lines
• Large-scale Complete Streets projects

How does the MPO develop the TIP?

For a project to be eligible for inclusion in the TIP, it must be approved by the MassDOT Project Review Committee.

Information on this process is available on MassDOT's project initiation web page.

October and November

• MPO staff contact municipalities to confirm municipal representatives (also known as TIP contacts) who will provide information to municipalities on how to seek project funding, and to pass along information during the TIP process.
  
• MPO staff gather input from the TIP contacts on new and existing projects being considered for funding, known as the Universe of Projects.
  
• MPO staff engage the public to gather input on proposed projects.

DECEMBER

Municipalities submit project information for MPO project evaluations.

January and February

• MPO staff complete and release initial project evaluations, and continue to gather public input on proposed projects.
• Municipalities submit feedback on staff project evaluations.
• MPO staff present comments on initial evaluations and updated results based on municipal feedback.

March

• The MPO board discusses the status updates of TIP projects programmed in prior years to see if they are on track or if changes need to be made to project schedules.
• The MPO board discusses staff recommendations for new project programming and selects a draft list of projects to fund.

April

The MPO board votes to release the draft TIP for a 21-day public comment period.

May

• MPO staff conduct outreach to hear feedback from the public on the TIP.
• The MPO board endorses the final TIP at the end of the public comment period after reviewing and considering all feedback.

June, July, August, and September

MPO staff gather feedback about the TIP process and projects to prepare for the next funding cycle.

How can I get involved?

Advocate for MPO projects in your community or across the region by:

Submit a Comment

Send a comment in the comment form on the MPO website.

Keep up-to-date

Subscribe to the MPO’s email list, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn at @BostonRegionMPO.

Chat with staff

MPO staff regularly attends outreach events. Check @BostonRegionMPO on Twitter and visit the MPO’s meeting calendar to find an event that is convenient for you.

Attend an MPO Meeting

Observe the MPO in action and express your views at the MPO board and committee meetings. Find meeting notices on the MPO’s meeting calendar.

Invite Us Over

Reach out to MPO Public Engagement staff, at publicinfo@ctps.org or 857.702.3675, if you would like MPO staff to visit or attend your meeting to discuss transportation issues that are important to you.

Join our Advisory Council

The Regional Transportation Advisory Council, a voting member of the MPO, is an independent body that brings public viewpoints and advice on transportation policy and planning to the MPO. Contact Stella Jordan, Public Engagement staff, at sjordan@ctps.org or 857.702.3675, to learn more about becoming a member.

Ethan Lapointe
Transportation Improvement Program Manager
elapointe@ctps.org
857.702.3702

Logan Casey
Capital Programming Planner
lcasey@ctps.org
857.702.3706

Welcome. Bem Vinda. Bienvenido. Akeyi. 欢迎. 歡迎. You are invited to participate in our transportation planning process, regardless of your 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, or background. Read our full notice of rights and protections at www. bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination.

To request special accommodations, or if you need this information in another language, contact the MPO at 857.702.3700 (voice), or civilrights@ctps.org (please allow 14 days). For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service at Relay Using TTY or Hearing Carry-over: 800.439.2370, Relay Using Voice Carry-over: 866.887.6619, or Relay Using Text to Speech: 866.645.9870. For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay.

Español (Spanish) Si necesita esta información en otro idioma, por favor contacte la Boston Region MPO al 857.702.3700.

简体中文 (Simplified Chinese) 如果需要使用其它语言了解信息，请联系波士顿大都会规划组织 (Boston Region MPO) 《民权法案》第六章专员，电话 857.702.3700.

繁體中文 (Traditional Chinese) 如果需要使用其他語言瞭解資訊，請聯繫波士顿大都會規劃組織（Boston Region MPO）《民權法案》第六章專員，電話 857.702.3700.

Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole) Si yon moun vle genyen enfòmasyon sa yo nan yon lòt lang, tanpri kontakte Espesyalis Boston Region MPO Title VI la nan nimewo 857.702.3700.

Português (Portuguese) Caso estas informações sejam necessárias em outro idioma, por favor, contate o MPO da Região de Boston pelo telefone 857.702.3700.

Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese) Nếu quý vị cần thông tin này bằng một ngôn ngữ khác, vui lòng liên lạc Boston Region MPO theo số 857.702.3700.