Image of report cover.

Unified Planning Work Program
Federal Fiscal Year 2023

Boston Region MPO

ENDORSED BY THE MPO, AUGUST 18, 2022

Contents

Executive Summary
Chapter 1: 3C Transportation Planning and the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Chapter 2: About the Unified Planning Work Program
Chapter 3: Certification Requirements
Chapter 4: Boston Region MPO Planning Studies and Technical Analyses
Chapter 5: Agency and Other Client-Funded Transportation Planning Studies and Technical Analyses
Chapter 6: Resource Management and Support Activities
Chapter 7: Metropolitan Area Planning Council Activities
Chapter 8: Boston Region MPO Budget and Operating Summaries

Appendices

Certification of the Boston Region MPO Transportation Planning Process

Abbreviations

 

 

 


Prepared by
The Central Transportation Planning Staff:
Staff to the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

Directed by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization,
which is composed of the

Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
MBTA Advisory Board
Massachusetts Port Authority
Regional Transportation Advisory Council
City of Boston
City of Beverly
City of Everett
City of Framingham
City of Newton
City of Somerville
City of Woburn
Town of Arlington
Town of Acton
Town of Rockland
Town of Lexington
Town of Medway
Town of Norwood
Federal Highway Administration (nonvoting)
Federal Transit Administration (nonvoting)


This is a map of the cities and towns in the Boston Region. There are 97 cities and towns within the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s planning area.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited English proficiency, in compliance with US Department of Transportation policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166.

The Boston Region MPO also complies with the Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a, which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor’s Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities, and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran’s status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background.

A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination. To request this information in a different language or in an accessible format, please contact

Title VI Specialist

Boston Region MPO
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116

civilrights@ctps.org

By telephone:

857.702.3700 (voice)

For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service:

Relay Using TTY or Hearing Carry-over: 800.439.2370
Relay Using Voice Carry-over: 866.887.6619
Relay Using Text to Speech: 866.645.9870

For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay


Contact MPO staff:

By mail:

Srilekha Murthy
UPWP Manager, Central Transportation Planning Staff
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116

By telephone:

857.702.3700 (voice)

For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service:

Relay Using TTY or Hearing Carry-over: 800.439.2370
Relay Using Voice Carry-over: 866.887.6619
Relay Using Text to Speech: 866.645.9870

For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay

By fax:

617.570.9192

By email:

smurthy@ctps.org

This document was funded in part through grants from the US Department of Transportation. Its contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the US Department of Transportation.

 

 



 

 

Executive Summary

What is the Boston Region MPO?

Decisions about how to allocate transportation funds in a metropolitan area are guided by information and ideas garnered from a broad group of people, including elected officials, municipal planners and engineers, transportation advocates, and interested residents. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) 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—also known as an urbanized area—is required by federal legislation to establish an MPO, which decides how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects and planning studies for the area.

 

Boston Region MPO Jurisdiction and Membership

The Boston Region MPO’s planning area extends across 97 cities and towns from Boston north to Ipswich, south to Marshfield, and west to Interstate 495.

Figure ES-1 shows the map of the Boston Region MPO’s member municipalities.

 


 

Figure ES-1
Municipalities in the Boston Region

This is a map of the cities and towns in the Boston Region. There are 97 cities and towns within the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s planning area


 

The MPO’s board comprises 22 voting members. Several state agencies, regional organizations, and the City of Boston are permanent voting members, while 12 municipalities are elected as voting members for three-year terms. Eight municipal members represent each of the eight subregions of the Boston region, and there are four at-large municipal seats. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participate on the MPO board as advisory (nonvoting) members. More details about the MPO’s permanent members can be found in Appendix F.

 

Figure ES-2 shows MPO membership and the organization of the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS), which serves as staff to the MPO.

 


 

Figure ES-2
Boston Region MPO Organizational Chart


This figure shows the organizational chart for the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Central Transportation Planning Staff.

The Transportation Planning Process

 

The federal government regulates the funding, planning, and operation of the surface transportation system through the federal transportation program, which was enacted into law through Titles 23 and 49 of the United States Code. Section 134 of Title 23 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act and Section 5303 of the Federal Transit Act, as amended, require that urbanized areas conduct a transportation planning process to be eligible for federal funds, resulting in plans and programs consistent with the planning objectives of the metropolitan area.

 

The most recent reauthorization of the surface transportation law is the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL sets policies related to metropolitan transportation planning. The law requires all MPOs to carry out a continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative (3C) transportation planning process. As part of its 3C planning process, the Boston Region MPO annually produces the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). These documents, along with the quadrennial Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), are referred to as certification documents and are required for the MPO to be certified as meeting federal requirements; this certification is a prerequisite for receiving federal transportation funds. In addition to the requirement to produce the certification documents, the MPO must establish and conduct an inclusive public participation process, as well as maintain travel models and data resources to support air quality conformity determinations, transportation equity analyses, and long- and short-range planning work and initiatives.

 

Appendix E explains the regulatory and legislative context in which the MPO operates in greater detail.

 

The 3C Planning Process

 

The 3C planning process is an approach for conducting meaningful transportation planning. The federal government requires that MPOs conduct a process that is continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative:

 

Chapter 1 explains the 3C process in greater detail.

 

What is the UPWP?

 

The UPWP, produced by the Boston Region MPO, explains how the Boston region’s federal transportation planning funds will be spent in a given federal fiscal year (FFY). Specifically, the UPWP is a financial plan that is produced in compliance with the federally mandated metropolitan transportation planning process described above.

 

The development of the UPWP involves the prioritization of all potential transportation planning studies and technical analyses that could be undertaken to benefit the region in a given year. The scopes and budgets of the prioritized studies are documented in the UPWP. The aim is to ensure that the outcomes of the studies help achieve the transportation goals that the MPO, through its public processes, has set for the region.

 

The UPWP serves as a source for the following information:

How does the UPWP relate to the goals of the Boston Region MPO?

 

The Boston Region MPO plans for the transportation future of the Boston region. The MPO is guided by a 20-year vision for a modern, safe, equitable, sustainable, and technologically advanced transportation system for the region. This vision is described in the MPO’s current LRTP, Destination 2040. The transportation planning work funded through the UPWP is an integral part of achieving this regional vision.

 

The transportation goals of the Boston region, as defined in Destination 2040, are as follows:

  1. Safety: Transportation by all modes will be safe.
  2. System Preservation: Maintain and modernize the transportation system and plan for its resiliency.
  3. Clean Air/Clean Communities: Create an environmentally friendly transportation system.
  4. Capacity Management/Mobility: Use existing facility capacity more efficiently and increase transportation options.
  5. Transportation Equity: Ensure that all people receive comparable benefits from, and are not disproportionately burdened by, MPO investments, regardless of race, color, national origin, age, income, ability, or sex.
  6. Economic Vitality: Ensure our transportation network provides a strong foundation for economic vitality.

 

The MPO is currently in the process of developing its next LRTP. In addition to the LRTP and the UPWP, the MPO also produces the TIP for the Boston region. As the near-term capital investment plan of the MPO, the TIP describes and prioritizes transportation construction projects that are expected to be implemented during the upcoming five-year period. Figure ES-3 illustrates the relationship between the LRTP vision and goals; the planning foundation for the MPO’s work, the UPWP; the TIP; and the process for monitoring and evaluating progress towards achieving the region’s goals.


 

Figure ES-3
Links Between LRTP, TIP, and UPWP

This figure shows the organizational chart for the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Central Transportation Planning Staff.

 

What are federal metropolitan planning funds?

 

The total federal funding programmed in this UPWP is $6,955,046. All federal funds programmed in the UPWP are awarded to the Boston Region MPO by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) as FHWA 3C Planning (PL) funds. However, these federal funds initially come from two sources: the FHWA and the FTA. The federal funds, which are supplemented by a local match provided by MassDOT, include the following initial sources:

 

Are there other funding sources in the UPWP?

Yes, in addition to MPO-funded work, CTPS performs planning analyses and studies funded by state transportation agencies, including MassDOT, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). More detail about these agency-funded studies can be found in Chapter 5. For FFY 2023, the agency funding amounts programmed in this UPWP for projects to be conducted by MPO staff are as follows:

What Studies and Activities are in this FFY 2023 UPWP?

Throughout the following chapters, there is detailed information about work programs, studies, support activities, and technical analyses that are organized in the following categories:

 

Table ES-1 contains the budget allocated for the MPO’s 3C planning activities in FFY 2023. The table reflects the FHWA metropolitan PL funds and FTA Section 5303 funds, which CTPS and MAPC expect to spend in FFY 2023. The table also reflects the work that CTPS will conduct with funds provided by other transportation agencies.

 

Chapters 3 through 6 provide detailed information about the transportation-planning activities that will be performed by CTPS during FFY 2023. The new studies chosen for funding in FFY 2023 are summarized below in Table ES-2 and described in more detail in Chapter 4.

 


 

Table ES-1
Unified Planning Work Program Budget for FFY 2023

 

3C Studies and Programs by Budget Categories

Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget

Resource Management and Support Activities

$280,000

MPO Certification Requirements

$4,026,088

Continuing MPO-Funded Planning Studies and Technical Analyses

$238,500

New MPO-Funded Discrete Studies

$653,000

MassDOT-Directed PL Funds*

$352,579

Direct Support

$120,000

Total for CTPS 3C Studies and Programs

$5,670,167

 

Agency-Funded CTPS Work

Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget

MassDOT SPR Funds

$500,000

MassDOT Other Funds

$52,000

MBTA Funds

$721,755

Other

$80,000

Total for Agency-Funded CTPS Project Work

$1,353,755

 

Total FFY 2023 CTPS Budget (3C + Agency Work)

$7,023,922

 

Note: This budget includes salary, overhead, and direct support costs.

* Projects in this category are conducted on behalf of MassDOT but funded through the MPO 3C contract.         

 

 

3C Studies and Programs by MAPC Budget Categories

Proposed FFY 2023 MAPC Budget

MAPC Planning Studies and Technical Analyses

 $679,361

MAPC Administration, Resource Management, and Support Activities

 $506,000

Total MAPC FFY 2023 UPWP Funds

 $1,185,361

 

Agency Supporting MPO/3C Work

Proposed FFY 2023 Budget

CTPS

$5,670,167

MAPC

 $1,185,361

3C Budget Subtotal

$6,855,528

 

Agency-Funded CTPS Work

$1,353,755

 

FFY 2023 UPWP Budget

$8,209,283

 


 

Table ES-2
New Discrete Funded Studies in FFY 2023

 

Universe ID Project  ID Study or Program Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
N/A 2823 Multimodal Mobility Infrastructure Program $323,000
A-3 13803 Update Bicycle/Pedestrian Count Database $80,000
T-1 13804 Flexible Fixed-Route Bus Service $20,000
T-2 13805 Transit Modernization Program $37,500
M-1 13806 Lab and Municipal Parking Study $80,000
TE-1 13807 Learning from Roadway Pricing Experiences $45,000
TE-4 13808 Sustainability and Decarbonization in the Freight and Logistics Sector in the North Suffolk Area $67,500
Total for New Discrete and Recurring Studies blank blank $653,000

 

 

 

 

What is the Process for Creating the UPWP and Monitoring Progress on Studies?

Developing the UPWP

 

The annual process of creating the UPWP includes both generating and evaluating ideas for new studies, as well as updating the scopes and anticipated deliverables for ongoing technical analysis activities, certification requirements, and administrative support activities.

 

Ideas for new studies come from a combination of the following resources:

 

Ideas for new studies are compiled into the Universe of Proposed Studies. Each proposal is evaluated based on how it would help the region accomplish the LRTP goals. In selecting the final list of studies, the UPWP Committee also considers the utility of the projected study results to MPO stakeholders; whether sufficient staff resources are available to execute the needed work; and whether the work to be carried out is coordinated, rather than redundant, with work being done in other agencies.

 

The MPO continually seeks to improve its process through inclusive and collaborative decision-making. For this reason, the MPO seeks to involve a broad and diverse range of stakeholders throughout the UPWP development process.

The MPO staff will continue to seek public input for ideas for the Universe of Proposed New Studies and engage participants in discussing, evaluating, and eventually prioritizing studies for inclusion in the UPWP. Staff also continue to monitor and enhance the MPO’s communication channels, such as those listed below:

What is the public review process?

Feedback from public outreach forms a significant part of the input into the UPWP every year. Towards the end of every UPWP development process, the MPO votes to release for public review a draft document that describes ongoing work, new studies, and financial information. Then the MPO invites the public to comment on the Draft UPWP. The MPO staff posts the document for downloading via the MPO’s website (www.bostonmpo.org) and publicizes its release via an email distribution list that includes municipal contacts, interested members of the public, and other stakeholders in the region and social media. Email messages inform these contacts about upcoming opportunities for public comment and involvement in MPO decision-making, and for announcing other events sponsored or held by the MPO. The MPO staff also solicit public input during CTPS open houses and at public events hosted by the MPO or its transportation partners (including MassDOT and the MBTA). The MPO staff compiles all of the comments made during this public review period and presents them to the MPO board.

 

Information about the public review process for the Draft FFY 2023 UPWP is provided in Appendix B.

How are progress and outcomes monitored?

The MPO monitors the progress of studies funded through the UPWP by performing the following tasks:

Overview of this Document

This UPWP document is structured as follows:

 

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Chapter 1
3C Transportation Planning and the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

 

Decisions about how to allocate transportation funds in a metropolitan area are guided by information and ideas gathered from a broad group of people, including elected officials, municipal planners and engineers, transportation advocates, and interested residents. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) 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, also known as an urbanized area, is required by federal legislation to establish an MPO, which decides how to spend federal transportation funds for capital projects and planning studies for the area.

THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS

The federal government regulates the funding, planning, and operation of the surface transportation system through the federal transportation program, which was enacted into law through Titles 23 and 49 of the United States Code. Section 134 of Title 23 of the Federal Aid Highway Act, as amended, and Section 5303 of Title 49 of the Federal Transit Act, as amended, require that urbanized areas conduct a transportation planning process, resulting in plans and programs consistent with the planning objectives of the metropolitan area, in order to be eligible for federal funds.

 

The most recent reauthorization of the federal surface transportation law is the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which has succeeded the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. The BIL sets policies related to metropolitan transportation planning, and requires that all MPOs carry out a continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative (3C) transportation planning process.

3C Transportation Planning

The Boston Region MPO is responsible for carrying out the 3C planning process in the Boston region. The MPO has established the following objectives for the process:

 

More information about the federal, state, and regional guidance governing the transportation planning process, and about the regulatory framework in which the MPO operates can be found in Appendix E.

THE BOSTON REGION MPO

 

The Boston Region MPO’s planning area extends across 97 cities and towns from Boston north to Ipswich, south to Marshfield, and west to Interstate 495.

Figure 1-1 shows the map of the Boston Region MPO’s member municipalities.

 

Figure 1-1
Municipalities in the Boston Region

 

 This is a map of the cities and towns in the Boston Region. There are 97 cities and towns within the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s planning area

 

The MPO’s board comprises 22 voting members. Several state agencies, regional organizations, and the City of Boston are permanent voting members, while 12 municipalities are elected as voting members for three-year terms. Eight municipal members represent each of the eight subregions of the Boston region, and there are four at-large municipal seats. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) participate on the MPO board as advisory (nonvoting) members. More details about the MPO’s permanent members can be found in Appendix F.

 

Figure 1-2 shows MPO membership and the organization of the Central Transportation Planning Staff, which serves as staff to the MPO.

 

Figure 1-2
Boston Region MPO Organizational Chart

 

This figure shows the organizational chart for the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Central Transportation Planning Staff.  

 

MPO Central Vision Statement

The following paragraph is the MPO’s central vision statement, as adopted in Destination 2040, the MPO’s current Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

 

The Boston Region MPO envisions a modern, well-maintained transportation system that supports a sustainable, healthy, livable, and economically vibrant region. To achieve this vision, the transportation system must be safe and resilient; incorporate emerging technologies; and provide equitable access, excellent mobility, and varied transportation options.

This vision statement takes into consideration the significant public input received during the drafting of the Needs Assessment for Destination 2040. This statement also reflects the MPO’s desire to add emphasis to the maintenance and resilience of the transportation system while supporting the MPO’s six core goals: Safety, System Preservation and Modernization, Capacity Management and Mobility, Clean Air and Sustainable Communities, Transportation Equity, and Economic Vitality. More information on the MPO’s vision, goals, and objectives for the transportation system is available in Figure 1-3.

 

Certification Documents

 

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 quadrennial LRTP, are referred to as certification documents and are required for the federal government to certify the MPO’s planning process. This federal certification is a prerequisite for the MPO to receive federal transportation funds. In addition to the requirement to produce the LRTP, TIP, and UPWP, the MPO must establish and conduct an inclusive public participation process, and maintain transportation models and data resources to support air quality conformity determinations and long- and short-range planning work and initiatives.

 

The following is a summary of each of the certification documents.

Figure 1-3
LRTP Goals and Objectives

 

Central Vision Statement

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization envisions a modern, well-maintained transportation system that supports a sustainable, healthy, livable, and economically vibrant region. To achieve this vision, the transportation system must be safe and resilient; incorporate emerging technologies; and provide equitable access, excellent mobility, and varied transportation options.

Goals Objectives

SAFETY: Transportation by all modes will be safe

  • Reduce the number and severity of crashes and safety incidents for all modes
  • Reduce serious injuries and fatalities from transportation
  • Make investments and support initiatives that help protect transportation customers, employees, and the public from safety and security threats

SYSTEM PRESERVATION: Maintain and modernize the transportation system and plan for its resiliency

  • Maintain the transportation system, including roadway, transit, and active transportation infrastructure, in a state of good repair
  • Modernize transportation infrastructure across all modes
  • Prioritize projects that support planned response capability to existing or future extreme conditions (sea level rise, flooding, and other natural and security-related man-made impacts)

CAPACITY MANAGEMENT AND MOBILITY: Use existing facility capacity more efficiently and increase transportation options

  •  Improve access to and accessibility of all modes, especially transit and active transportation
  • Support implementation of roadway management and operations strategies to improve travel reliability, mitigate congestion, and support non-single-occupant vehicle travel options
  • Emphasize capacity management through low-cost investments; prioritize projects that focus on lower-cost operations/management-type improvements
    such as intersection improvements, transit priority, and Complete Streets solutions
  • Improve reliability of transit
  • Increase percentage of population and employment within one-quarter mile of transit stations and stops
  • Support community-based and private-initiative services and programs to meet first- and last-mile, reverse commute, and other non-traditional transit/ transportation needs, including those of people 75 years old or older and people with a disability
  • Support strategies to better manage automobile and bicycle parking capacity and usage at transit stations
  • Fund improvements to bicycle/pedestrian networks aimed at creating a connected network of bicycle and accessible sidewalk facilities (both regionally and in neighborhoods) by expanding existing facilities and closing gaps
  • Increase percentage of population and places of employment with access to facilities on the bicycle network
  • Eliminate bottlenecks on freight network; improve freight reliability
  • Enhance freight intermodal connections

TRANSPORTATION EQUITY: Ensure that all people receive comparable benefits from, and are not disproportionately burdened by, MPO investments, regardless of race, color, national origin, age, income, ability, or sex

  •  Prioritize MPO investments that benefit equity populations*
  • Minimize potential harmful environmental, health, and safety effects of MPO-funded projects for all equity populations*
  • Promote investments that support transportation for all ages (age-friendly communities)
  • Promote investments that are accessible to all people regardless of ability

    *Equity populations include people who identify as minority, have limited English proficiency, are 75 years old or older or 17 years old or younger, or have a disability; or are members of low-income households.

CLEAN AIR/SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES: Create an environmentally friendly transportation system

  • Reduce greenhouse gases generated in Boston region by all transportation modes
  • Reduce other transportation-related pollutants
  • Minimize negative environmental impacts of the transportation system
  • Support land use policies consistent with smart, healthy, and resilient growth

ECONOMIC VITALITY: Ensure our transportation network provides a strong foundation for economic vitality

  • Respond to mobility needs of the workforce population
  • Minimize burden of housing/transportation costs for residents in the region
  • Prioritize transportation investments that serve residential, commercial, and logistics targeted development sites and “Priority Places” identified in MBTA’s Focus 40 plan
  • Prioritize transportation investments consistent with compact-growth strategies of the regional land-use plan

 

 

 

Figure 1-4 depicts the relationship between the three certification documents and the MPO’s performance-based planning and programming process, which is a means to monitor progress towards the MPO’s goals and to evaluate the MPO’s approach to achieving those goals.

 

 

 

Figure 1-4
Relationship between the LRTP, TIP, UPWP,
and Performance-Based Planning Process

 

This figure shows the relationships between the planning and programming documents that the MPO creates in order to guide transportation planning and investment throughout the region. The figure shows the relationships between the LRTP, TIP, and UPWP. Performance measures and performance targets allow the MPO to monitor progress and evaluate their approach to transportation planning and improvements in the region.

 

 

 

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Chapter 2
About the Unified Planning Work Program 

Background

This chapter explains the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and its connection to the overall regional transportation vision developed in the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). As outlined in Chapter 1, the UPWP plays an integral part of achieving the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) vision and mandate by documenting the federal funding that will be spent on surface transportation studies and work programs in the Boston region during a given federal fiscal year (FFY). This plan also serves as the basis for financing the ongoing work of the staff to the Boston Region MPO.

What Does the UPWP Do?

 

The UPWP is a financial plan that the MPO produces annually in compliance with the federally mandated continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive (3C) metropolitan planning process described in Chapter 1.

 

As the basis for transportation planning at the Boston Region MPO, the UPWP prioritizes federal funding for transportation planning work that will be implemented in the 97-municipality area of the Boston region. The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) or the staff of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) conduct this work (CTPS is the staff of the MPO and MAPC is the Boston region’s regional planning agency). This work primarily consists of the following four parts.

 

Certification Requirements and Other MPO Support Activities. The UPWP includes activities that the federal government requires the MPO to conduct to remain certified as an MPO and be eligible to receive and distribute federal transportation dollars. Work in this category includes preparing federally required plans such as the LRTP and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The LRTP allocates funding for transportation construction projects and programs over a 20-year period, while the TIP allocates funding for the implementation of projects during the next five years. This category also includes air quality conformity and transportation equity-related compliance and other planning activities associated with the LRTP and TIP. In addition, the UPWP programs the MPO’s public participation activities, including support to the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (Advisory Council) and support to meetings of the MPO and its committees.

 

The UPWP also funds other activities that support MPO planning and certification requirements, including graphics and editing support; managing data and computer resources; and maintaining the MPO’s regional travel demand model, which is used to forecast the potential impacts that changes to the transportation system will have on traffic congestion and transit ridership. See Chapters 3 and 6 for more detail about these areas of work.

 

Ongoing/Continuing Work Programs. Ongoing and continuing work programs support technical analyses and planning studies for cities and towns in the region. Examples of these programs include Bicycle and Pedestrian Support Activities, Regional Transit Service Planning Technical Support, and Community Transportation Technical Assistance. See Chapter 4 for more detail about these programs.

 

New Studies. Every year, funds are available for the MPO staff to perform new studies. CTPS conducts these activities to enhance staff’s and the MPO’s knowledge of transportation planning practices, augment analytical methods, and evaluate strategies. Examples of these studies in the FFY 2022 UPWP include Addressing Equity and Access in the Blue Hills and Identifying Transportation Inequities in the Boston Region. See Chapter 4 for more detail about these new studies.

 

Agency Studies and Technical Analyses. CTPS conducts planning analyses and studies funded by state transportation agencies, including the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Massachusetts Port Authority. CTPS also occasionally conducts planning analyses and studies funded by municipalities. See Chapter 5 for more details on these agency-funded studies.

 

The Process of Creating and Monitoring the UPWP

MPO staff produces the UPWP each year under the supervision and guidance of the MPO’s UPWP Committee. The UPWP Committee, supported by MPO staff, convened 10 times in FFY 2022 to consider and provide input on the UPWP development process. Discussion included the following topics:

These meetings resulted in the committee’s recommendation for the Draft FFY 2023 UPWP. The MPO approved the UPWP Committee’s recommendations for public review of the Draft FFY 2023 UPWP on July 21, 2022.

 

Below are details about the process for selecting studies and programs for the FFY 2023 UPWP.

 

Developing the New FFY UPWP

To develop new planning studies for the FFY 2023 UPWP, the MPO drew from the following sources to generate a listing known as the Universe of Proposed New Studies (see Appendix C) for evaluation by MPO staff and the MPO’s UPWP Committee.

  1. Public outreach: Staff held meetings to gain input from subregional planning groups and other stakeholders. Subregional groups—organized by MAPC—involve municipal representatives who are focused on regional planning topics (Figure 1-1). Staff also visited meetings of community-based organizations and transportation advocacy groups during the fall outreach period, and provided opportunities for input at UPWP committee meetings.
  2. Advisory Council: MPO staff met several times with the Advisory Council to present preliminary drafts of the FFY 2023 Universe of Proposed New Studies and gain ideas and input on transportation planning priorities. The Advisory Council is an independent body that brings public viewpoints and advice on transportation planning to the MPO.
  3. UPWP Committee: MPO staff met with the UPWP Committee of the MPO throughout development of the UPWP. The committee oversaw the entire document development process and contributed to generating, analyzing, and prioritizing new study ideas.
  4. Existing planning documents: Various plans and programs developed and conducted by the MPO and other state agencies document transportation issues that require further study. These include the regional Congestion Management Process, which monitors the transportation network to identify locations and sources of congestion; Focus40, the MBTA’s long-range capital plan; the MPO’s long-range planning documents, including the current LRTP Destination 2040; MetroCommon, MAPC’s long-range plan for the region; MassDOT’s statewide modal plans; and other recent studies.
  5. Past guidance: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issue guidance on addressing the planning emphasis areas.
  6. FFY 2022 UPWP public comment letters and study proposals: MPO staff received numerous emails and letters from the public regarding potential study ideas, which were integrated into the Universe of Proposed Studies.
  7. Consultations with MassDOT, the MBTA, and MAPC: MPO staff consulted with its partner agencies to identify study ideas.
  8. MPO staff-identified needs: MPO staff shared a survey with other CTPS staff to encourage discussion and sharing of study concepts.

 

MPO staff works continuously to enhance public participation in the UPWP and other MPO activities, and strives to achieve continued improvements in the volume, diversity, and quality of public input. More information about the MPO’s public outreach process is available in Chapter 3, and at www.bostonmpo.org/public_involvement.

 

Evaluating and Selecting New Studies

MPO staff evaluated each new proposal in the Universe of Proposed New Studies based on how it helps the region accomplish the MPO’s goals as laid out in the LRTP; whether staff has the capacity to carry it out; and a variety of other factors.

 

In addition to conducting the study evaluation process, MPO staff defined general scopes and estimated costs for proposed planning studies and considered potentially feasible issues to study. Staff considered these factors with input from the public, MPO members, and partner agencies, along with the availability of funds for new studies, when identifying a recommended set of new proposed planning studies for review by the UPWP committee.

 

Table 2-1 shows the studies in the FFY 2023 universe that were selected for funding in FFY 2023. Chapter 4 provides detailed descriptions of these studies.

 

Table 2-1
FFY 2023 New Discrete Funded Studies

 

Project  ID Study or Program Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
2823 Multimodal Mobility Infrastructure Program $323,000
13803 Update Bicycle/Pedestrian Count Database $80,000
13804 Flexible Fixed-Route Bus Service $20,000
13805 Transit Modernization Program $37,500
13806 Lab and Municipal Parking Study $80,000
13807 Learning from Roadway Pricing Experiences $45,000
13808 Sustainability and Decarbonization in the Freight and Logistics Sector in the North Suffolk Area $67,500
Total for New Discrete and Recurring Studies blank $653,000

 

 

 

Updates to Ongoing and Continuing Activities

In addition to the process of selecting new discrete transportation planning studies, the MPO reviews activities for ongoing programs and work. MPO staff identifies and develops budgets for these continuing programs that will be carried out in the upcoming FFY. Staff proposes changes to the budget of any program resulting from revisions to planned activities.

 

Examples of ongoing and continuing activities comprise work that is required of the MPO, including certification requirements (see Chapter 3), ongoing technical assistance to municipalities (see Chapter 4), and resource management and support activities (see Chapter 6).

 

The annual study program review and budget development process defines the amount of 3C funding (from federal grants that support the 3C process) that is available for new studies in the UPWP. After accounting for 3C-funded continuing and ongoing programs, the remaining funding is available for new studies.

 

Public Review of the Draft UPWP

MPO staff incorporates into the draft UPWP descriptive and financial information about ongoing and new UPWP studies, information about the UPWP development process, and other major transportation planning studies that will occur in the region during the relevant federal fiscal year. Appendix D provides an analysis of the distribution of UPWP-funded work products by subregion and municipality. Once the MPO votes to release the draft for public review, MPO staff posts the document to the MPO website (www.bostonmpo.org) and provides notice of its availability through various communication outlets.

 

As previously noted, public outreach forms a major part of the input to the UPWP each FFY. After the MPO approves the draft UPWP, there is a public comment period. During this time, MPO staff members solicit public input via the MPO email list, the MPO website, and social media outlets. Staff compiles all public comments received during this period and presents them to the MPO.

 

Information about the public review process for the Draft FFY 2023 UPWP is available in Appendix B.

 

Other Regionally Significant Transportation Planning Studies

The UPWP also includes a list (Appendix A) of other federally funded and/or regionally significant transportation planning activities active in the region during the relevant FFY. These activities are not funded with the MPO’s planning funds, but may be funded and implemented by individual transportation agencies, municipalities, or academic institutions. Often, these efforts make use of the expertise and tools that CTPS is uniquely able to provide.

 

Monitoring Progress of UPWP Studies

The MPO approved the following procedures for monitoring the studies in the FFY 2023 UPWP:

 

Amendments and Administrative Modifications to the UPWP

If necessary, MPO staff can make amendments and administrative modifications to the UPWP throughout the year. All 3C documents endorsed by MPOs, such as the TIP, LRTP, and the UPWP, must follow standardized procedures regarding amendments and/or administrative modifications. If an amendment is under consideration, MPO staff notifies the Advisory Council and other interested parties, including any affected communities. The MPO follows the procedures specified in the MPO’s Public Engagement Plan.

 

The following are the guidelines regarding the conditions that constitute an amendment to the UPWP, as received from FHWA by MassDOT and the MPO in FFY 2023 for future UPWPs.

 

Amendments to the UPWP, defined as significant changes to the overall UPWP that require federal approval, include the following:

 

Administrative modifications to the UPWP, defined as minor adjustments to the overall UPWP that do not require federal approval, include the following:

 

Staff must present all proposed amendments and administrative modifications to the MPO for consultation prior to endorsement. The UPWP Committee will review both amendments and administrative modifications before forwarding them to the MPO. MPO members must vote to approve both amendments and administrative modifications. For amendments, the MPO will vote to either release the amendment for a 21-day public comment period or waive said comment period (upon recommendation from the UPWP Committee) prior to an endorsement vote. Members of the public may attend and provide comments at UPWP committee meetings and MPO meetings at which amendments and administrative modifications are discussed. The MPO may make administrative modifications without a public review period at the MPO’s discretion, although information will be shared with MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning (OTP). When submitting the standard Budget Reallocation Request form to OTP, staff must fill out all fields with clear indication that the MPO was consulted prior to submission. Staff must submit back-up documentation, including the UPWP description of task(s) affected, original budget, revised budget, and justification for the request. Amendments will go into effect after approval by FHWA.

How is the Work Funded?

See Chapter 8 for detailed information about the UPWP budget.

 

 

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Chapter 3
Certification Requirements

Introduction

The programs and activities described in this chapter are categorized as certification requirements because they include work that the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) must complete to fulfill the continuous, comprehensive, and cooperative (3C) process and to maintain its certification by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Several of these programs include activities that are necessary to comply with other federal and state laws, such as the federal Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA).

 

The certification requirement activities serve to further the MPO operations and decision-making responsibilities. In addition, various programs described in this chapter directly relate to the MPO’s planning and programming activities, including the development of the regional Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Other activities described in this chapter support all other projects, studies, and programs contained in this Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) in compliance with the 3C planning process and planning regulations. These activities foster the implementation of MPO policies, federal planning factors and guidance, and all applicable orders and requirements.

 

Table 3-1 summarizes the ongoing programs conducted as part of the MPO’s certification requirements and related MPO support. The table presents the funding in federal fiscal year (FFY) 2022 and FFY 2023 and includes a brief description of the work, progress, and products for these ongoing programs. Although many of these programs generally comprise the same type of task from year to year, often there are variations in budgets that reflect greater or lesser emphasis in certain efforts or tasks. For example, MPO staff may undertake new or additional analyses under specific line items; expand or change the form of public outreach; fold tasks undertaken in one year into an ongoing activity in a subsequent year; take on a new initiative of the MPO; or experience fluctuations in staffing levels that account for budget changes. Where appropriate, the table and individual program descriptions explain these differences.

 

The budget tables that accompany each of the individual program descriptions in this chapter include the salary and overhead costs associated with these programs. In this chapter, the programs are grouped into two general activity areas: (1) programs that support the MPO and its 3C process (see the section on Support to the MPO and Its 3C Process) and (2) programs that support the 3C planning and programming activities (see the section on 3C Planning and Other Certification Requirements). Any direct costs associated with the projects are presented in Chapter 6 in the Direct Support budget table, under the Administration, Resource Management, and Support Activities section.

 

 

Table 3-1
FFY 2023 Certification Requirements

 

Project Name ID FFY
2022 Funding
FFY 2022 Work Progress and Products  FFY 2023 Funding FFY 2023 Planned Work Progress and Products
Support to the MPO      
Support to the MPO and its Committees 9123 $240,000 Continued support to the meetings and activities of the MPO board and its committees. Work entailed
• Preparing meeting and information materials, including agendas, minutes, notices, document translations, memoranda, reports, correspondence, summaries, website content, maps, charts, illustrations, and other visual materials as needed to support MPO discussion and actions
• Posting meeting materials in digital form on the MPO meeting calendar webpage and in hard copies that are provided at meetings
• Hosting approximately 24 MPO meetings and 18 MPO subcommittee meetings, and performing the associated tasks and pre- and post-meeting logistics
• Conducting activities to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance, including coordination with neighboring MPOs, MassDOT, and federal partners
$355,088 Tasks and work products generally remain the same from year to year, with variations to the level of effort based on the specific requests by the MPO and state and federal partners.
Generally, the expected effort includes
• Hosting approximately 24 MPO meetings and 10 MPO subcommittee meetings, and performing the associated tasks and pre- and post-meeting logistics
• Coordinating 3C planning and programming activities and programs
• Coordinating with state and federal partners
• Coordinating with neighboring MPOs
• Supporting the Transportation Policy Task Force
Regional Transportation Advisory Council (Advisory Council) Support 9323 $40,000 Continued support to the Advisory Council. Tasks generally consist of organizing and conducting the Advisory Council’s monthly meetings and annual field trip, including
• Preparing and distributing informational materials, including documents posted on the MPO’s website and via email
• Organizing and hosting virtual Advisory Council meetings and subcommittee meetings
• Attending and recording meetings
• Completing meeting follow-up activities, such as maintaining the information flow for members of the Advisory Council and the public, and preparing meeting minutes
$18,000 • Organizing and hosting approximately 11 Advisory Council meetings and several subcommittee meetings, as needed, and performing associated support tasks and pre- and post-meeting logistics
• Conducting targeted outreach efforts to expand Advisory Council membership and seek representation on the Advisory Council from organizations representing people with disabilities, people with low incomes, people who identify as a race other than white and/or who identify as Hispanic or Latino/a/x, people with limited English proficiency, young people, and older adults
• Aligning Advisory Council activities with the broader Public Engagement Program of the MPO
Public Engagement Process 9623 $180,000 • Supported the MPO’s commitment to engage the people of the Boston region in the transportation planning process, including residents of communities that have been underserved by the transportation system
• Communicated about the MPO’s meetings and planning activities via the web, emails, newsletters, blog posts, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Engaged the public through virtual outreach events, MAPC subregional meetings, virtual meetings with stakeholder organizations, focus groups, surveys, and other digital communications
• Conveyed public comments and input to MPO members and staff about MPO programs and processes
$278,000 • Continue support of the MPO’s commitment to inclusion through timely communications and accessible engagement opportunities
• Engage in continuous conversations with stakeholders and the public to inform the MPO's decision-making and work on certification documents, projects, and other programs
• Deliver MPO communications to municipalities, stakeholders, and the public
• Evaluate the Public Engagement Plan and recommend improvements
• Expand engagement with non-English speaking communities
General Graphics 9223 $180,000 Provided graphics support to the MPO and its member
agencies. This includes
• Designing and producing maps, charts, illustrations, report
covers, brochures, slides, and photographs
• Applying other visualization techniques
• Creating other products that improve communication
$278,000 In FFY 2023, Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats will be incorporated in the General Graphics line item. Tasks and work products for both line items generally remain the same from year to year, although the level of effort varies based on the specific work products and reports that the MPO produces each year and those that need to be converted into accessible formats.
General Editorial 9723 N/A N/A (new program as of FFY 2023) $174,000 In FFY 2023, the General Editorial line item will be introduced. Tasks and work products for this line item generally remain the same from year to year, although the level of effort varies based on the specific work products and reports that the MPO produces each year.
Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats 3123 $102,040 Supported the MPO and CTPS in
• Producing accessible materials in PDF and HTML formats for posting on the Boston Region MPO website
• Assisting in producing materials, including meeting minutes, work scopes, memoranda, reports, and other public materials
• Reviewing accessibility requirements and current CTPS standards and processes
• Implementing standards within memorandum and report templates
N/A In FFY 2023, Provision of Materials in Accessible Formats will be incorporated in the General Graphics line item. 
3C Planning and Other Certification Requirements        
Long-Range Transportation Plan 8123 $326,000 • Continued to implement Destination 2040, the LRTP adopted in August 2019, including by carrying out and refining investment programs and initiatives outlined in the LRTP. Established new guidelines for the LRTP Major Infrastructure Program, which is now being implemented in the TIP
• Synthesized and presented feedback gathered during the Informing the Big Ideas behind the MPO’s scenario planning process
• Conducted public outreach on LRTP topics, including Needs Assessment updates and the MPO's vision, goals, and objectives
• Continued to monitor current state-of-the-practice communications methods, planning tools, and approaches
• Conducted research and analysis and started developing materials for the Needs Assessment for
Destination 2050
• Created and made updates to a web page for the
Destination 2050 development process.
• Continued to coordinate with MassDOT, MAPC, and other MPOs to develop socioeconomic projections for 2050
• Began processes to develop and analyze scenarios to support the MPO's next LRTP.
• Cooordinated with MassDOT, the MBTA, the region's RTAs, other MPOs, and other stakeholders regarding LRTP development

$362,500 • Finalize the Needs Assessment for Destination 2050, share results and materials, and develop processes for maintaining and updating information over time
• Complete exploratory scenario planning work to support Destination 2050 development
• Continue to review the MPO’s planning framework and make updates as necessary
• Conduct and report about public outreach to support
Destination 2050 activities, including scenario planning; creating a planning framework, and selecting investment programs and projects
• Identify, evaluate, and select projects and programs for the recommended LRTP
• Analyze the recommended plan with respect to greenhouse gas emissions and equity outcomes
• Document, seek public feedback on, and finalize the next LRTP,
Destination 2050
• Address comments on
Destination 2050 from state and federal agencies
• Continue implementation of
Destination 2040 and prepare amendments if necessary
• Continue to monitor best practices in planning and communication, as well as developments in key issue areas
• Respond to changes to the SIP 
Transportation Improvement Program  8223 $274,000 • Developed the FFYs 2023–27 TIP
• Administered amendments to the FFYs 2022–26 TIP
• Conducted outreach to municipalities, TIP contacts, and subregional groups about TIP development and specific TIP projects, both funded and being considered for funding
• Coordinated with MassDOT Highway District offices, MassDOT's Office of Transportation Planning, and MPO members on TIP projects, TIP amendments, and the TIP process
• Continued updating the public-facing TIP project web application
• Continued implementing TIP project selection criteria through the creation of new scoring methodologies and other supporting materials
• Implemented MPO policy development on project cost changes and other TIP programming issues as approved by the MPO's Project Cost Ad Hoc Committee
$323,000 Activities generally remain the same year to year, with staff supporting the MPO in developing its five-year (FFYs 2024–28) TIP. FFY 2023 work will also focus on
• Continuing to refine the public-facing TIP web application and the internal TIP project database to reflect evolving MPO needs on project cost tracking and related concerns
• Enhancing outreach to municipalities and TIP contacts to communicate the changes to TIP programming policies
• Sourcing projects to fund through the TIP within the LRTP's new investment programs, including transit modernization, dedicated bus lane, and resiliency projects
• Making further improvements to the TIP development process to make it clearer and more engaging for municipal stakeholders, MPO members, and the public
• Continuing to report on the progress of the MPO's PBPP program
Performance-Based Planning and Programming 8823 $125,000 • Conducted analysis, made presentations, and developed documents to help the MPO set or update targets for federally required roadway safety, transit safety, transit asset management, congestion, and emissions performance measures. Began analyzing data to support target-setting for other federally required performance measures
• Incorporated information about federally required measures and other metrics in the Needs Assessment for Destination 2050, the MPO's next LRTP
• Coordinated with MassDOT, the MBTA, CATA, MWRTA, FHWA, and other stakeholders on target setting and other PBPP topics
• Analyzed project-level data and created a performance report for the FFYs 2023–27 TIP
• Developed the Full Performance Period CMAQ Progress Report for the first federal performance period and the CMAQ Performance Plan for the second federal performance period
• Explored the functionality and potential applications of Conveyal destination access analysis software
• Monitored federal guidance and identified ways to integrate PBPP into MPO processes, including TIP and LRTP development
• Updated data and content in the MPO's Performance Dashboard and on the PBPP page of the MPO website
• Explored software applications to support performance management, target setting and methods for displaying performance data
• Attended conferences and webinars and participated in working groups to learn ways to expand the MPO's PBPP practice

$117,000 • Support the MPO in setting targets for federally required measures and other measures, as requested. Analyze data and prepare related presentations, memoranda, and other supporting documents and materials
• Enhance activities to integrate performance management into MPO project and program evaluations, to manage data, and to anticipate and monitor the outcomes of MPO investments
• Produce or update performance reports, such as those required for the LRTP and TIP.
• Develop and/or update MPO applications that include performance data
• Explore other measures and methods that the MPO could incorporate into its PBPP process, as well as tools the MPO can apply to PBPP work
• Develop or update materials to explain PBPP concepts and activities, including the MPO’s PBPP web page
• Coordinate with MPO program managers, MPO board members, MassDOT, the region’s public transportation providers, other states and MPOs, federal agencies, and other partners to research measures, identify investment strategies, set targets, and otherwise implement PBPP practices
• Work with fellow staff, the MPO, and other stakeholders to link MPO investment processes more closely to performance outcomes. Produce memoranda and presentations describing related recommendations
Air Quality Conformity and Support 8423 $25,500 • Performed project-level air quality analysis for conformity with Federal and State Requirements for the TIP
• Attended statewide CMAQ consultation meetings
• Supported MPO's climate change initiatives
• Attended EPA MOVES 3 training and trained staff to run the new MOVES 3 model with MPO specific inputs
• Responded to requests for information on the Boston MPO's air quality analysis using MOVES and the travel demand model and other environmental issues
• Attended other MPO environmental consultation meetings and began to prepare for the Boston MPO environmental consulation meeting
$21,500 • Continue to work with state and local agencies in developing additional emission factors as needed for transportation project analyses 
• Perform system-level and project-level air quality analysis for the TIP and any required LRTP Amendments
• Continue to support the MPO's climate change initiatives
• Continue to prepare for and hold the Boston MPO environmrntal consulation meeting
Unified Planning Work Program  8323 $116,000 • Developed the FFY 2023 UPWP
• Conducted outreach to municipalities and other stakeholders in the region through MAPC subregional meetings, digital communications, and conversations with agencies to develop study ideas for the UPWP
• Conducted outreach to advocacy and policy groups and interested citizens to gauge needs and collect study ideas for the FFY 2023 UPWP and beyond
• Discussed UPWP matters with Advisory Council, including development of study ideas for the UPWP and education about the UPWP products and process
• Held internal discussions on potential future changes to the UPWP process and document
$101,500 Activities generally remain the same year to year, with staff supporting the MPO in producing its annual (FFY 2024) UPWP. A potential point of emphasis in FFY 2024 may be streamlining the outreach and development processes to ensure effective communication with stakeholders and the committee.
Transportation Equity Program  8523 $139,000 • Supported the MPO’s public participation program in outreach to and engagement with Title VI, EJ, and other nondiscrimination populations
• Provided technical support to the LRTP Needs Assessment, TIP, and MPO-guided studies
• Finished revising metrics analyzed in the LRTP DI/DB analysis
• Developed staff language assistance guide
• Updated the website to new translation tool
• Maintained equity Census data for the MPO
• Supported project-related EJ analyses
$177,000 Activities generally remain the same year to year. New activities will include completing a Triennial Title VI Report, completing a new Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan, continuing the development of equity performance metrics as initiated in the study Identifying Transportation Inequities in the Boston Region, and supporting the LRTP Needs Assessment and Scenario Planning for the LRTP.
Congestion Management Process 2123 $100,500 • Monitored the performance of the MPO Region's arterial roadways and freeways using electronic travel-time and speed data
• Mapped and tabulated electronic data for analysis and performance evaluation
• Coordinated and supported the MPO's programs and documents (LRTP, PBPP, TIP, and UPWP)
• Supported the MPO's CMP committee
$134,000 • Monitor the performance of MPO-region arterial roadways and freeways using electronic travel-time and speed data
• Map and tabulate electronic data for analysis and performance evaluation
• Monitor the performance of the MBTA Park and Ride Lots
• Coordinate with and support the MPO's programs and documents (LRTP, TIP, PBPP, and UPWP)
• Support the MPO's CMP committee
Freight Planning Support 2223 $65,000 • Modernized format and availability of data previously collected by the Freight Program
• Supported required MPO freight and comprehensive planning
• Held dialogue with CTPS model development team in support of advanced model implementation
• Pursued opportunities for collaborative work with partners on freight planning
• Built relationships with key freight stakeholders
• Conducted freight-related research on several topics
$93,000 • Research and publish freight-related memoranda or studies
• Support stakeholder freight-related analytical or planning needs
• Support required MPO freight and other comprehensive planning
• Collaborate with other teams at CTPS, including model improvement and implementation, TIP evaluation, and LRTP support
• Pursue opportunities for collaborative and externally funded work
• Continue to modernize MPO freight data both internally and for public availability
• Develop an interactive freight data application for the web page
Regional Model Enhancement 7123 $840,000 • Conducted regular meetings with model steering committee with CTPS, MAPC, OTP, and Boston Region MPO board members to guide maintenance priorities, development of the next generation model for the 2023 LRTP, and definition of other modeling tools
• Defined updates to TAZ geography to improve consistency with 2020 census data boundaries.
• Developed 2023 LRTP travel demand model (TDM23) detailed design
• Implemented TDM23 core components in Python and TransCAD
• Initiated system and component level validation
• Maintained and enhanced the TDM19 trip-based regional travel demand model 
$890,000 • Implement airport ground access, commercial vehicle, and special generator components to TDM23
• Finalize land use, transit, and highway networks for a 2019 model base year
• Complete validation, conduct training, and move to maintenance and support phase for TDM23
• Adoption of TDM23 features for current trip-based travel demand model for near-term applications
• Continue engagement with model steering committee and broader set of stakeholders to promote understanding of model capabilities and limitations and stakeholder needs
Research Next Generation Data and Tools 7123 $57,790 • Obtained, reviewed, and enchanced detailed employment data from Data Axle
• Reviewed tools for conducting data analysis and visualizing and sharing data
• Reviewed articles about data strategy, analysis, and reporting methods
  see Data Program
Transit Working Group Support 8923 $50,000 • Hosted four working group meetings and a series of small discussion groups ("coffee chats"), and managed pre- and post-meeting communications and logistics
• Updated the MPO about Transit Working Group development and activities
• Updated the Transit Working Group web page
• Summarized meeting discussions
• Hosted a forum on microtransit in cooperation with MAPC and the MBTA Advisory Board
• Researched topics and issues that may be relevant to future Transit Working Group meetings
$42,000 • Host quarterly working group meetings
• Host one to two coffee chats per month
• Host one-off additional events as proposed
• Manage pre- and post-meeting logistics
• Develop materials and resources to support working group meeting and activities, as needed
• Provide updates to the MPO about the transit working group
• Support communication for and about the group using email, social media, and the MPO website
• Prepare documentation about pilot working group meetings, activities, and participant feedback for the MPO

MPO Resilience Program 8723 $11,000 • Met internally on a monthly basis to coordinate on resiliency issues on work within the agency
• Met with state and regional agencies on an ongoing basis. Meetings were held on a bimonthly or as needed basis with MassDOT Environmental, MBTA Resiliency staff, MAPC staff from the Clean Energy and Environmental groups, and the Resilient Mystic Collaborative
• Continued to inventory resiliency work being conducted at the municpal level through the Municipal Vulnerability Program
• Worked with MassDOT to obtain sea level rise data from the MCFRM. This information will be used as part of the MPO's LRTP in the Needs Assessment
• Staff continued to familiarize themselves with resiliency issues throughout the region
$44,000 • Prepare and present information on the MPO's All-Hazards Planning application at an upcoming FHWA webinar
• Contribute resiliency materials to the upcoming LRTP, Destination 2050
• Continue to coordinate and inventory climate resiliency activities in the MPO region
• Coordinate and collaborate with other entities conducting resilience work
• Participate on resiliency-focused groups at the state, local, and regional level
• Pursue educational opportunities to gain subject-matter expertise
• Conduct monthly internal Resiliency Committee meetings
Data Program 5023 n/a n/a; program new in FFY 2022 $572,000 • Develop a guiding vision for our data and related processes
• Develop a data strategy plan to attain progress towards the vision
• Develop and maintain a data roadmap
• Develop a process and guidelines for serving data requests
• Respond to requests for data and small-scale data processing studies
• Assess existing and emerging datasets, analytical tools, and techniques
• Create design requirement specifications describing the necessary components of new analytical tools and data sets
• Recommend data for planning application
• Develop foundational work on socioeconomic datasets
• Maintain, curate, and enhance spatial and tabular reference data, tools, and distribution channels
• Maintain the MPO website
• Create design requirement specifications for new processes, services, and platforms
• Adopt documentation platforms along with standards and procedures for use
• Adopt a data publication platform and data publication standards

 

 

 

 

 

Support to the MPO and its 3C Process

These programs provide staff support to the MPO, its committees, and the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (Advisory Council). Other aspects of the work involve the MPO’s external communications and public engagement activities. These activities are described in the following work program efforts.

Other programs that support 3C planning and programming activities are described in Chapter 4.

 

 

 

Support to the MPO and its Committees

 

Project ID Number

 9123

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$355,088

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

Support to the MPO and its committees includes implementing MPO policies, planning and coordinating delivery of information for MPO decision-making, and supporting the operation of the MPO and its committees. It involves providing support for MPO meeting management and agenda planning.

 

Approach

MPO staff will perform the following tasks related to MPO board and committee meetings.

Technical and process support is provided to the MPO’s UPWP Committee, Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee, Congestion Management Process (CMP) Committee, and other ad hoc committees. The identified committees of the MPO conduct their work as follows.

MPO support also includes conducting metropolitan transportation planning for the MPO. The goal of this work is to ensure compliance with federal requirements and to provide excellence in transportation planning processes, techniques, and outcomes. The work involves researching, analyzing, and reporting information on 3C planning topics, responding to federal recommendations, and incorporating new requirements into the MPO’s 3C program. MPO staff will implement the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requirements (see Chapter 2 and Appendix E) as guidance is communicated to the MPO, and staff will be prepared to implement future legislation. Staff also participates in training to support compliance with federal requirements and guidance. Staff will support updates to governing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Boston MPO and partner agencies when necessary.

 

This effort also includes collaboration with other entities involved in 3C planning activities, other Massachusetts MPOs (particularly those in the Boston region urbanized area), and Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) subregional municipal groups.

 

Other activities include overseeing 3C program-related activities, collecting and fielding comments and inquiries, and responding to requests for information and support.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 


 

Regional Transportation Advisory Council Support

 

Project ID Number

 9323

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$18,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose and Approach

The Advisory Council is the MPO’s public advisory committee. MPO staff provides operations support to this body and its subcommittees. This includes planning programs and meetings; scheduling speakers; and preparing and distributing agendas, meeting notices, informational packets, and meeting minutes. It also includes helping to facilitate meetings; attending and making presentations at meetings; organizing and conducting field trips; soliciting new members; implementing and updating the bylaws; coordinating other activities, such as Advisory Council elections; and maintaining contact lists.

 

MPO staff regularly provide information, updates, and briefings on MPO activities, studies, and reports; requests and coordinates comments on MPO documents; and works with the Advisory Council and its committees as they conduct their programs, planning, and reviews.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes


 

 

Public Engagement Process

 

Project ID Number

 9623

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$278,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

Public engagement is one of the core functions of an MPO. Engaging the public in the transportation planning process improves decision-making by helping to illuminate the social, economic, and environmental impacts of transportation planning decisions. Continuous engagement supports a communication loop that allows the MPO to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders, advocates, community leaders, and members of the public. The MPO’s vision for public engagement in the region is to hear, value, and consider, throughout all planning work, the needs and views from the full spectrum of the public and incorporate this input in decision-making.

 

Staff coordinates public engagement efforts with the MPO’s Transportation Equity (TE) Program to ensure that all members of the public—including populations that have been traditionally underserved by the transportation system and/or have historically lacked access to the decision-making process—are given the opportunity to participate in the transportation planning process that shapes the Boston region.

 

Approach

Implementing the Public Engagement Process

MPO staff implement the MPO’s Public Engagement Process according to the MPO’s Public Engagement Plan (PEP). The process includes coordinating and implementing the MPO’s public engagement activities via external communication and proactive engagement efforts. This process provides information to individuals, organizations, and representatives of communities and populations, and collects input from them for MPO use in planning and decision-making, and in developing certification documents. During FFY 2023, staff will evaluate the Public Engagement Plan to ensure that it reflects current best practices and the MPO’s engagement goals.

Communication Methods

MPO staff endeavor to provide convenient, timely, and meaningful opportunities for engagement while disseminating information that is concise, current, and accessible. Staff will use in-person and virtual meetings, printed materials, conversations with the news media, and digital tools such as website content, email campaigns, and social media, for external communications.

 

Engagement Methods

Through the MPO’s Public Engagement Process, staff work to provide opportunities for members of the public to participate in transportation planning and to ensure that everyone’s voice may be heard, valued, and considered. These opportunities include the following:

Program Administration

MPO staff will continue to explore and refine the Public Engagement Process to increase public understanding of the MPO’s work and improve its efforts to break down barriers to participation.

 

In accordance with the MPO’s Language Assistance Plan, the Public Engagement Process supports the MPO’s federally required efforts to provide language access (both interpreter and translation services) at MPO-sponsored meetings, as well as outreach events as necessary. Translation and interpreter services are funded as a direct cost. As public engagement is a critical avenue for members of the public to be involved in and benefit from the planning process, staff provide translations of outreach documents, emails, the MPO website, and other materials that allow for participation that is comparable to those with English language fluency. Translations are provided in the six most commonly spoken non-English languages in the MPO region.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

 

General Graphics

 

Project ID Number

 9223

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$278,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

MPO staff will provide graphics support to the MPO and its member agencies. This includes designing and producing maps, charts, illustrations, report covers, brochures, slides, story maps, guidebooks, presentations, and photographs; applying other visualization techniques; and creating other products that improve communication.

 

The MPO conducts its transportation planning activities and public outreach process in accordance with ADA, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as amended in 1998, and other policies and regulations governing accessibility standards. MPO staff will produce materials in adherence to these policies and regulations as appropriate to enhance public outreach and engagement and provide access to MPO informational materials and reports for more stakeholders in the region.

 

Approach

In support of the above-referenced accessibility standards, the MPO produces written and electronic materials in accessible formats. The MPO also maintains a library of document templates that incorporate accessibility guidelines and standards. To ensure web access for people with low or no vision who use screen readers, all documents are posted to the MPO website and meeting calendar in both PDF and HTML formats. In addition, the MPO makes every effort to make data presented in tables fully navigable by a screen reader and provides alternative text to describe tables, figures, and images that cannot be read by a screen reader.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

General Editorial

 

Project ID Number

9723

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$174,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

The MPO’s editorial staff members work with staff throughout CTPS to develop written products that communicate the MPO’s work, deliver study results, and provide the MPO board, committees, and the public with discussion materials. This work includes reviewing and editing reports, memoranda, guidebooks, presentations, and other public-facing materials, as well as documents internal to CTPS. The editorial process focuses on making improvements to document structure, correcting grammar, ensuring proper word usage, and adhering to accessibility requirements.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 


 

3C Planning and Other Certification Requirements

These programs produce the core documents and work products that the MPO’s federal partners require and are the center of the MPO’s transportation planning work. These programs cover budgeting, planning, capital programming, and performance management, among other topics, and include the following programs:

 


 

Long-Range Transportation Plan

 

Project ID Number

8123

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$362,500

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

The LRTP guides transportation system investments for the Boston metropolitan region for at least the next 20 years and must be updated every four years per federal regulations. The MPO adopted its most recent LRTP, Destination 2040, in August 2019. This LRTP serves as the Boston Region MPO’s guiding document: it establishes regional goals and objectives and investment approaches that the MPO will use for future decision-making until September 30, 2023.During FFY 2023, staff will work with MPO members to finish creating Destination 2050, the next LRTP, which will go into effect in FFY 2024. Staff will also continue to implement Destination 2040, the current plan, and will carry out other activities to strengthen the MPO’s long-range planning process.

Approach

LRTP Needs Assessment

The MPO’s LRTP Needs Assessment provides data, analysis, summaries of research and public feedback, and recommendations to guide the development of the LRTP. It can also inform decision making for the TIP and UPWP and support other MPO work, such as selecting corridor study locations. The Destination 2040 Needs Assessment and related resources are available on the MPO’s website.

 

In FFYs 2021 and 2022, MPO staff gathered data and stakeholder feedback, conducted analysis, identified preliminary recommendations, and prepared materials to be included in the Destination 2050 Needs Assessment. MPO staff also explored ways to effectively present and share the results of staff’s data gathering, research, and analysis. During FFY 2023, MPO staff will finalize Needs Assessment materials and share those with MPO members and the public. This activity will involve incorporating new information based on finalized socioeconomic projections for 2050. MPO staff will also share preliminary recommendations for the LRTP, such as ideas for investment program modifications, with the MPO and the region’s stakeholders. Finally, staff will develop a process for maintaining and updating information over time to meet the needs of the MPO and other stakeholders.

 

Scenario Planning

During FFY 2022, MPO staff began an exploratory scenario planning process designed to help the MPO to envision multiple possible futures for the Boston region and assess how to best prepare for uncertainties while pursuing an overarching vision. The MPO’s process involves using travel demand modeling and other tools to represent scenarios and the effects of different strategies on transportation, the economy, land use, and other areas. During FFY 2023, the MPO expects to complete its exploratory scenario planning process for Destination 2050, including completing analysis of scenarios of interest, documenting results, and engaging MPO members and other stakeholders on the process and findings. This exploratory scenario planning process is interrelated with the Needs Assessment, and both will shape staff’s and the MPO’s recommendations for Destination 2050. Moreover, the MPO can continue conducting scenario planning after the Destination 2050 is completed to meet the needs of the MPO and partner entities.

 

Reviewing the MPO Planning Framework

Destination 2040 includes the MPO’s vision for the region’s transportation system, along with goals and objectives to guide the MPO’s investments to help achieve that desired future. When developing Destination 2050, MPO staff will work with the MPO to revisit the elements of Destination 2040’s planning framework—its vision, goals, and objectives—and determine whether structure or content updates are needed. Staff will support this process by organizing information, sharing recommendations, and gathering input from the public.

 

Selecting LRTP Projects and Programs

Staff will work with the MPO and other stakeholders to select projects and programs to include in the LRTP (and ultimately fund through the TIP). These investment strategies are intended to meet the region’s transportation needs and make progress toward performance goals. Tasks will include

Documenting and Finalizing the LRTP

Staff will create a draft Destination 2050 document that describes recommended transportation projects and programs, summarizes the process used to create the recommended plan, and organizes relevant information from the various stages of LRTP development, including state- and federally required information. Once staff has addressed MPO member feedback and received approval, staff will release the draft plan for public review and conduct outreach to gather feedback. After sharing that feedback with the MPO, MPO staff will make necessary adjustments and receive MPO endorsement of Destination 2050. The endorsed Destination 2050 plan then will be submitted to MassDOT and the relevant federal and state agencies for review and approval.

 

Implement Destination 2040 and Managing Amendments

Staff will continue to implement Destination 2040 during FFY 2023, including by connecting its recommendations to TIP and UPWP decisions. If any changes are made to regionally significant projects in the FFYs 2023–27 TIP, an amendment to the LRTP Destination 2040 might be required. Staff will prepare the informational materials for MPO decision-making and follow MPO procedures for informing and involving the public.

Monitoring Planning Best Practices

The LRTP program plays an important role in keeping the MPO abreast of current state-of-the-practice communications methods, issue areas, and planning tools and approaches. This information also supports work happening in other MPO programs. In collaboration with MAPC, the MPO staff will continue to explore effective ways to gather information, understand the Boston region’s needs, analyze transportation and land-use options, and apply best practices in metropolitan transportation planning and other facets of planning.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Work Products

 

 

Transportation Improvement Program

 

Project ID Number

 8223

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$323,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

The Boston Region MPO’s TIP represents a five-year, financially constrained program of planned investments in the metropolitan area’s transportation system. Although federal regulations require that the TIP be updated every four years, Massachusetts and its MPOs are committed to producing annual updates.

 

Approach

Development of the FFYs 2024−28 TIP

MPO staff conducts outreach to municipalities and TIP contacts; collects TIP project-funding requests; evaluates and scores proposed new projects; updates the scores of previously scored unprogrammed projects (as needed); proposes programming of current and new projects based on anticipated funding levels; supports the MPO in its decision-making about programming those funds; develops a draft document; and facilitates public review of the draft document before the MPO endorses the final TIP.

 

Outreach and Compilation of the Universe of Projects

MPO staff communicates with the cities and towns in the region through online TIP informational sessions, MAPC subregional meetings with municipalities, and correspondence with municipal TIP contacts and elected officials to gather information on existing and new TIP project-funding requests. MPO staff compiles the projects into a Universe of Projects list for consideration by the MPO.

 

Project Evaluation

The MPO uses TIP project evaluation criteria to identify projects that will help the region attain the vision, goals, and objectives established by the LRTP. The MPO’s evaluation criteria support decision-making for the programming of transportation projects in the region by establishing a transparent, inclusive, and data-driven process through which funds are allocated.

 

In coordination with the development and endorsement of the current LRTP, Destination 2040, staff examined the TIP evaluation criteria and revised them to continue to align the TIP process with LRTP goals and objectives as well as state-of-the-practice transportation project metrics. These new criteria were first implemented for the FFYs 2022–26 TIP and will continue to be used in the development of the FFYs 2024–28 TIP.

 

Staff Recommendation

MPO staff develops a recommendation that proposes how to prioritize the MPO’s Regional Target funding. Staff prepares a list of projects containing the evaluation scores and project-readiness information. Staff then develops programming recommendations that include a selection of these projects while considering the geographic distribution of investments across the region, project design status, LRTP-identified needs, and cost.

 

In addition to preparing a recommendation for regionally prioritized projects, MPO staff prepares and presents MassDOT state-prioritized projects and the capital programs for the MBTA, the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, and the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority for the MPO’s consideration.

 

TIP Document Preparation and Endorsement

MPO staff prepares a draft TIP that maintains compliance with federal regulations and requirements for a public review and comment period. During the public comment period, staff compiles and summarizes comments on the draft TIP and relays the comments to the MPO for consideration before endorsing the final TIP document.

 

Amendments and Administrative Modifications

In a typical year, various projects experience cost or schedule changes that require an amendment or administrative modification to the TIP. MPO staff manages all public review processes regarding TIP amendments and administrative modifications, including posting TIP materials on the MPO website.

 

Staff will prepare for the possibility of implementing several amendments and/or administrative modifications to the FFYs 2023–27 TIP during FFY 2023.

For more information about the TIP development process or the administrative modifications and amendments procedures, refer to Chapter 2 of the TIP, available online at www.bostonmpo.org/tip.

 

Implementing Performance-Based Planning

The FFYs 2024–28 TIP document will continue to report on the MPO’s implementation of its performance-based planning program. The TIP will highlight the results of monitoring trends in the region and will note any progress made toward established performance targets.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes


 

Performance-Based Planning and Programming

 

Project ID Number

 8823

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$117,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

Purpose

PBPP applies data to inform decisions aimed at helping to achieve desired outcomes for the region’s multimodal transportation system. The PBPP process involves the following tasks:

Federal legislation directs states, public transportation providers, and MPOs to use this performance-driven, outcome-based approach in their transportation planning processes. The Boston Region MPO can also use PBPP practices to help achieve its goals for improving the region’s transportation system.

 

Approach

Develop Targets for Federally Required Performance Measures

In FFY 2023, staff will continue to provide information and recommendations to MPO members as they set, revisit, or update targets for federally required performance measures. This includes annual updates to federally required performance targets pertaining to roadway safety, transit asset management, and transit safety. This work also involves updating federally required targets that have two-year or four-year time horizons, including those related to National Highway System infrastructure condition, travel time reliability, congestion, and transportation-related emissions. MPO staff will review and respond to federal regulations and guidance; gather and analyze data; develop performance baselines; and explore ways to improve target-setting methodologies. Staff will continue to coordinate with MassDOT, federal agencies, other MPOs and states, the region’s public transportation providers, and other stakeholders as part of this work.

 

Continue to Integrate PBPP Elements into MPO Planning

During FFY 2023, MPO staff will continue to examine the links between programmed or funded capital projects and potential improvements in various performance areas.

 

Staff will build upon prior work to include PBPP elements in LRTP and TIP processes, and other processes as appropriate. Activities will include

 

Monitor and Report on Performance

The MPO currently reports on performance in its Destination 2040 (LRTP) and TIP documents, through the CMP, and on its web-based Performance Dashboard. In FFY 2023, MPO staff will

 

 

Staff will enhance these existing reports and tools by adding and/or updating baseline and trend data and may create additional reports or tools. When developing these documents and resources, staff will incorporate information on performance targets and, to the extent practicable, describe the effect that MPO investments may have on performance.

 

Enhance the MPO’s PBPP Practice

The MPO’s PBPP practice can expand beyond meeting federal requirements to address other aspects of the MPO’s goals and objectives. During FFY 2023, MPO staff will

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

 

Air Quality Conformity and Support Activities

 

Project ID Number

 8423

FFY 2022 Total Budget

$21,500

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

 

Approach

Air Quality Conformity Determinations

This program covers the tasks needed to demonstrate that an MPO’s federally funded transportation programs meet conformity requirements. Typically, a conformity determination is performed annually for the TIP and every four years for a new LRTP (or if an LRTP amendment is undertaken).

 

Under the CAAA, states must monitor emissions from transportation vehicles and other sources to determine whether ambient emissions levels exceed health-based allowable levels of air pollutants. Areas in which the emissions exceed the allowable levels are designated as nonattainment areas. For these, the state must develop a SIP that establishes emissions budgets and shows how the plan would reduce emissions in the area sufficiently to comply with national ambient air quality standards. MPOs with nonattainment areas must complete air quality conformity determinations to demonstrate the conformity of transportation plans, programs, and projects with the Massachusetts SIP.

 

The Boston Region MPO area previously had been classified as a nonattainment area for ozone, but it was reclassified as an attainment area under the new 2008 ozone standard. Because the reclassification resulted from a new standard, a maintenance plan was not required, and the area was not classified as a maintenance area. A maintenance area is an area that had been reclassified from nonattainment to attainment. It is an area for which a maintenance plan has been approved as part of the Massachusetts SIP.

 

As an attainment area, the MPO was not required to demonstrate that the LRTP and TIP conform to national standards for the two pollutants that form ozone: volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). A new ozone standard was recently proposed and released for public comment by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Boston Region MPO area might again be classified as a nonattainment area if this standard is approved. If the MPO area is reclassified as a nonattainment area, conformity determinations for ozone would be required.

 

In 2018, the FHWA and the FTA released new guidance regarding transportation conformity requirements. The United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit issued a decision in the South Coast Air Quality Management District v. EPA, No. 15-1115 in February 2018, which struck down portions of the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) SIP Requirements Rule concerning the ozone NAAQS.

 

The portions of the 2008 Ozone NAAQS SIP Requirements Rule addressed implementation requirements of the 2008 ozone NAAQS and the anti-backsliding requirements (ensuring that areas do not revert to nonattainment) associated with the revocation of the 1997 ozone NAAQS. The impact of the decision addresses two groups of ozone areas described in the decision, one of which affects Massachusetts. It affects areas that were designated as nonattainment for the 1997 ozone NAAQS at the time of revocation and are designated as attainment for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. These areas have not been required to make transportation conformity determinations for any ozone NAAQS since the 1997 ozone NAAQS were revoked by EPA in April 2016.

 

With this new court ruling, Massachusetts is now required to perform a transportation conformity determination on any new LRTP and TIP, updates, and amendments that include the addition of a project that is not exempt (also known as a regionally significant project) from transportation conformity.

 

The City of Boston and surrounding cities and towns were classified as a maintenance area for carbon monoxide (CO). However, as of April 1, 2016, the 20-year maintenance period expired and conformity is not required for this area. The city of Waltham, however, is classified as attainment with a limited maintenance plan in place, and projects in this city still must comply with certain requirements. The MPO must still show that it is complying with transportation control measure requirements outlined in the Massachusetts SIP.

 

Other Air Quality Support

This ongoing Air Quality Conformity and Support Activities program supports the MPO’s expertise in air quality and climate-change matters, as well as the MPO’s response to changing requirements for planning, analysis, and reporting. This includes initiatives known today, as well as the ability to participate in issues that might emerge during the year. This program also supports implementation of air quality-related transportation programs and projects, and it includes consultation, research, and coordination between the MPO and federal, state, local, and private entities.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Conformity Determinations

Perform and present conformity determinations as noted below. These include a detailed analysis of air quality impacts (VOC, NOx, CO, and carbon dioxide) of the projects in the FFYs 2023–27 TIP, Destination 2040 LRTP amendments, if required, the new LRTP, Destination 2050 to be adopted in spring 2023, and any work required for implementing the Massachusetts GWSA.

 

Support to MassDOT (including the Highway Division, the Office of Transportation Planning, and the MBTA) and Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)

Activities will include analysis of transportation-control measures, park-and-ride facilities, and proposed high-occupancy-vehicle projects throughout the Boston Region MPO area, as well as evaluation of emerging and innovative highway and transit clean-air activities.

 

Support for Climate-Change Initiatives

Activities will include integrating concerns about climate change and opportunities for emissions reduction into the MPO’s planning process relative to the regional travel-demand model set, the TIP, project-specific work products, the LRTP, the CMP, the UPWP, and performance measures. Staff will work with MassDOT to comply with the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) GWSA requirements for the Transportation Sector and MassDOT. Staff will also confer with agencies and organizations concerned about climate-change issues to inform actions in the MPO region.

 

Mobile-Source Element of the SIP

The Massachusetts DEP is required to submit a SIP to the EPA documenting strategies and actions to bring Massachusetts into compliance with air quality standards. MPO staff support will include the following activities:

 

 

Unified Planning Work Program

 

Project ID Number

 8323

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$101,500

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

The UPWP, a federally required document that supports the 3C transportation planning process, has two main purposes.

 

  1. Provide budget information to federal and state officials about the expenditure of federal funds for transportation planning projects being carried out by the Boston Region MPO
  2. Provide information to government officials, local communities, and the general public about surface transportation planning projects expected to take place in the Boston Region MPO area

The UPWP document includes descriptions and budgets for work that MPO staff will conduct during the upcoming federal fiscal year, including 3C-funded work conducted by Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) for the MPO; work conducted by CTPS and funded by state agencies or other entities; and 3C-funded work executed by MAPC, which receives approximately one-third of the Boston region’s allotment of 3C funding. Appendix A provides supplementary information about transportation studies happening in the Boston region that are either regionally significant or supported by federal, but not MPO, funds.

 

Chapter 2 contains a thorough description of the UPWP process and document.

 

Approach

Work on the UPWP is ongoing throughout the year, with the twin goals of developing the coming year’s UPWP and supporting staff, the MPO, and its UPWP Committee in monitoring implementation of the current UPWP.

MPO staff coordinates and prepares materials for all phases of development of the upcoming UPWP, including

 

In support of the implementation of the current year’s UPWP, staff will

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 


 

Transportation Equity Program

 

Project ID Number

 8523

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$177,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

The TE program is designed to ensure that the transportation needs of populations underserved by the transportation system and underrepresented in the planning process are addressed throughout all of the MPO’s activities. These populations—referred to as TE populations—include those covered by the regulations listed below. They include the minority population, low-income population, people with limited English proficiency, elderly population, youth population, and people with disabilities.

 

Staff undertake several activities under the program. Staff ensure MPO compliance with FTA and FHWA Title VI, environmental justice (EJ), and other nondiscrimination requirements, as described above. Staff also conduct inclusive and accessible public outreach and communications, collect and analyze demographic and other data related to equity, and use the outcomes of these analyses and outreach to support other MPO programs. These tasks not only help the MPO comply with federal regulations, but also go beyond compliance by supporting the building of an equitable transportation system that serves all people, regardless of their background.

Approach

Complying with Title VI, EJ, and Nondiscrimination Requirements and Preparing Title VI Report

The MPO will continue to implement its Title VI program and respond to MassDOT requests regarding changes to the program. MPO staff will also prepare and submit an annual or triennial Title VI report to MassDOT as requested. The report documents the MPO’s compliance with Title VI, EJ, and other nondiscrimination requirements, as well as MPO areas of focus of import to MassDOT.

 

Providing Meaningful Opportunities for Underrepresented Populations to Participate in the Transportation Planning Process

In collaboration with the MPO’s Public Participation Process, staff will ensure that TE populations remain central to the MPO’s public outreach process. This will include a continued focus on expanding participation opportunities to people with limited English proficiency and expanding language support where possible, both written and oral. These engagement activities are described in the MPO’s Public Engagement Plan.

 

Develop and Refine Equity-Related Analytical Techniques

To improve the effectiveness of the analyses that evaluate the impacts of the MPO’s activities on TE populations, staff will refine current methods and develop new ones. This includes work that will support analyses undertaken for the LRTP, TIP, and UPWP, although the specific analyses will be funded under their respective programs. Work funded under the TE program will include, but is not limited to, analyses of demographic data, background research to support MPO programs, and refinement of existing and development of new processes. . Under this task, staff will continue to coordinate with CTPS’s regional travel-demand modeling staff, as well as with the CTPS Census Corps. Staff will also leverage other lighter-weight analytical tools, such as the accessibility analysis tool Conveyal and the health impacts model Integrated Transport and Health Impact Model, in order to expand the MPO’s capacity for assessing project impacts. In addition, staff will undertake analyses that address the recommendations that emerge from the FFY 2022 study, Identifying Transportation Inequities in the Boston Region.

 

Project Support

Staff will coordinate with other staff at CTPS who conduct EJ analyses for client work to ensure consistency between analyses for client projects and between MPO-conducted analyses and client project analyses.

 

Coordinating with and Supporting Other Agencies

MPO staff will continue to coordinate with MassDOT’s Office of Diversity and Civil Rights to ensure consistency of MPO Title VI-related processes, procedures, and activities. Staff will also continue to support the MassDOT Rail and Transit Division in its evaluation of applications for funding from the Community Transit Grant Program.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

Congestion Management Process

 

Project ID Number

 2123

FFY 2022 Total Budget

$134,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

The MPO’s CMP is a federally mandated requirement that seeks to monitor congestion, mobility, and safety needs; it also recommends appropriate strategies for reducing congestion. The CMP is developed in an integrated manner along with the MPO’s certification documents (LRTP, TIP, and UPWP) to ensure cohesive strategy evaluation and implementation.

 

Approach

In the Boston Region MPO area, the CMP follows federal guidelines and recommendations from the MPO’s CMP Committee to fulfill the following activities:

Depending upon CMP Committee recommendations, monitoring and analysis will continue for highways, arterial roads, park-and-ride lots, freight movements, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. CMP activities will include using electronic travel-time and speed data to monitor roadways, identify existing conditions, and recommend appropriate improvements in accordance with federal guidelines.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

CMP activities will include monitoring performance, assessing needs, and recommending strategies for multimodal facilities and services, including the following tasks:

 

 

Freight Planning Support

Project ID Number

 2223

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$93,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

Planning for the policies and infrastructure that enable the movement of freight and goods by road, rail, water, and air is a mandatory part of the federal 3C  planning process. The goals for MPO freight planning are to

Approach

Freight program priorities and activities were described in an action plan prepared in 2013, which was updated in FFY 2019. The MPO’s freight planning and analysis  is ongoing and conducted on a multiyear basis. Typical activities include

The freight program supports the MPO’s freight planning needs. Freight planning at the MPO focuses on freight movement between metropolitan areas and, increasingly, with regional and local distribution of goods and packages (first- and last-mile delivery). Freight planning frequently includes investigation, analysis, and classification of truck movement, including commercial and service vehicles.

 

Specific study topics are chosen in consultation with MPO members and other stakeholders. The choice of topic sometimes hinges on complex regulatory and land use issues outside the direct scope of MPO activities, and freight planning activities often support planning efforts underway through other entities.

Outreach and MPO support activities will continue as opportunities and needs are identified. Freight model development activities, generally funded under the Regional Model Enhancement task, are able to take advantage of ongoing freight program findings and data.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Anticipated FFY 2023 efforts may include

 

 

Regional Model Enhancement

 

Project ID Number

 7123

FFY 2022 Total Budget

$890,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

The long-term goal of the travel demand modeling practice at CTPS is to have a reliable, robust set of well-documented travel demand tools, data, and procedures that address a diverse set of needs for transportation planning in the Boston region and statewide with engaged and informed stakeholders and a coordinated team of modelers who have the skills, knowledge, and experience to effectively

Through the Regional Model Enhancement work program, CTPS supports the maintenance and development aspects of the long-term goal. This has been realized through the development and maintenance of a regional travel-demand model and support of other tools for assessing the area’s transportation needs and evaluating alternatives to improve the transportation system. The regional travel-demand model estimates the millions of individual decisions that generate travel throughout the region and simulates the impact of those decisions on an abstracted representation of the region’s roadway and transit networks. Through variations of the inputs and assumptions, the regional travel-demand model provides insights to planners to current and future travel activity and conditions. Metrics produced by the model aid in developing policy, performing technical and equity analyses, and meeting federal reporting requirements, including the MPO’s certification requirements. The model is also used by the MPO and state and regional agencies to support planning and policy analysis.

 

Approach

Model enhancement work is balanced across support for the current model application work, completing development and supporting applications of a new model for the 2023 LRTP, and efforts to evaluate and adopt new tools for long-term needs. CTPS will continue to engage a model steering committee composed of stakeholders internal and external to the agency to solicit feedback and guidance on model enhancement activities and build an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of model tools.

 

Maintain Legacy Regional Travel-Demand Modeling Materials

The current trip-based regional model (TDM19), developed to support the 2019 LRTP, will be phased out in FFY 2023 as 2023 LRTP travel demand model (TDM23) is completed. As such, CTPS will maintain a reference version of TDM19, but will work to transfer work and enhancements to the new model platform. Maintenance work that is independent of model version, such as tracking and updating the model roadway and travel networks and revising and developing documentation and training materials, will continue in FFY 2023.

 

Deliver a New Model for the 2023 LRTP and Applications

TDM23 will be in use for LRTP scenario planning and needs assessment at the beginning of FFY 2023. TDM23 may be refined and enhanced based on the results of the LRTP model runs. Prior to adoption of the LRTP, CTPS will complete the model validation and produce reports associated with those results following the completion of the regional demographics, expected in late FFY 2022.

 

TDM23 will have a similar structure and platform as TDM19, but each component, or submodel, will be revised to better meet the current MPO planning needs. The implementation of TDM23 will be largely redeveloped to be more readable and extensible.

 

A key new feature of TDM23 is the integration with FHWA’s Travel Model Improvement Program Exploratory Modeling and Analysis Tool. This utility facilitates the definition of a range of scenario inputs, an efficient modeling procedure to produce outputs, and visualization tools to explore outputs across scenarios varying in multiple dimensions.

 

Planning for the Long Term

In FFY 2023, CTPS will continue development of a long-term plan with the model steering committee that identifies and prioritizes other model tools and practices.

The TDM23 development process began with the identification of planning needs for model support. Not all of the identified needs will be met by TDM23 because of time and resource constraints as well as the limitations intrinsic in the model structure. CTPS will work to address those needs through complementary tools and data and endeavor to maintain a suite of next generation practices and tools that will serve regional transportation planning needs. The suite will define practice areas, procedures, and tools for common activities. The potential tools and data to be included in this suite include

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Staff will complete development of the next generation travel demand model and will advance materials to support use of this model in standard applications as well as in new ways leveraging the exploratory modeling capabilities of the tool that enhance the MPOs ability to provide state-of-the-practice support for MPO staff, member agencies, and partner organizations.

 


 

Data Program

 

Project ID Number

5023

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$572,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

The purpose of this ongoing program is to support the data needs of the MPO and its stakeholders. There are four main areas of focus for this program:

 

This work program allows MPO staff to effectively

Approach

Data Vision, Strategy, and Roadmap

CTPS will create a vision of how it obtains, develops, manages, and shares data. To work towards this vision, staff will develop a strategy that identifies the structures and forces that drive data processes and determine how to use those critical forces to move towards CTPS’s vision.

 

The data roadmap will lay out the steps required to reach defined vision around obtaining, developing, managing, and sharing our data. It will include a data inventory; the high-level data needs of the agency; a gap analysis; and an approach and timeline toward meeting our data vision and strategy. The data vision, strategy, and roadmap will be updated each year to meet the current needs of the MPO and its stakeholders and to keep up with the evolution of data and tools in the industry. 

 

Manage and Respond to Data Requests

Data requests are one of the services that CTPS provides to support municipalities, peer agencies, private sector consultants, research institutions, and the broader public. While CTPS and its peer agencies have made more and more data publicly available, there is still a need to respond to ad hoc, quick-response data gathering, processing, and analysis requests for our constituencies throughout the year. CTPS will create more rigorous internal and external policies and guidelines for fulfilling data requests. These structures will provide data requestors with clear expectations in terms of acceptable scopes of work and timelines.

 

Research Next Generation Data and Tools

The goal of this ongoing effort is to conduct coordinated, strategic assessments of leading-edge, continuously evolving data sources and analytical techniques to address current and future needs. These assessments will inform CTPS’s long-term investments into the tools and staff skills that are required to meet the evolving needs of the MPO and its stakeholders. This work allows MPO staff to effectively research new data and tools, consider how these new tools apply to our work, and develop best practices around the management and use of those tools.

 

Data Management, Coordination, and Support

CTPS conducts foundational work that supports data users across the organization. Consolidating this effort under this work program ensures that the staff is making decisions about key datasets in a thought-out, collaborative manner. Datasets, tools, and work activities that will be managed under this program include the following:

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Data Vision, Strategy, and Roadmap

Manage and Respond to Data Requests

Research Next Generation Data and Tools

Data Management, Coordination, and Support


 

Transit Working Group Support

 

Project ID Number

 8923

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$42,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

This task supports the MPO’s Transit Working Group, which provides a forum for coordination and dialogue among transit providers and stakeholders in the Boston region.

 

Approach

Staff worked in FFYs 2019–21 to develop and conduct a pilot of an MPO transit working group. After a successful pilot, the MPO formalized the Working Group’s status as a permanent MPO activity during FFY 2022. The Working Group meets quarterly, as well as holding informal “coffee chats” one to two times per month and co-sponsoring or supporting other one-off events on occasion. MPO staff support for the Working Group includes the following activities:

 

This task also supports MPO staff in providing the MPO with information, updates, and briefings about the Working Group.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes


MPO Resiliency Program

 

Project ID Number

8723

FFY 2022 Total Budget

$44,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

In the 2014 federal planning certification review, the FHWA issued a recommendation that the Boston Region MPO incorporate resiliency in its TIP project selection criteria. In 2019, FHWA issued a corrective action on resiliency as part of the MPO’s federal planning certification review. That corrective action advised the MPO to address resiliency of the transportation system in the LRTP and TIP selection criteria and to seek other opportunities to emphasize the importance of climate resiliency in transportation planning and programming of projects.

 

The Boston Region MPO incorporated resiliency into its Charting Progress to 2040 LRTP, adopted in 2015, through its vision, goals, and objectives. The MPO’s next LRTP, Destination 2040, further strengthened its goals and objectives and identified actions to address resiliency as part of the Needs Assessment under the System Preservation and Modernization goal area. The MPO’s project selection criteria for resiliency were recently strengthened to reflect the enhanced focus on it and to properly account for projects that prioritize resiliency investments. In addition, a study on Exploring Resiliency in MPO-Funded Corridor and Intersection Studies was conducted using funding in the FFY 2020 UPWP as a discrete study. Funding was also programmed in FFY 2021 to update the MPO’s All-Hazards Planning Application, again as a discrete study. In FFY 2022, the MPO established this discrete Resiliency Program. Resiliency will continue to be addressed as part of the next LRTP, Destination 2050.

 

Approach

Over the last three years, staff performed work to strengthen resiliency in the MPO’s transportation planning process. That work included

Prior to establishing this new resiliency program, work performed regarding resiliency was  funded in the Needs Assessment task of the LRTP. The work listed above will be funded under this resiliency program, while some work will continue to be funded under the Needs Assessment task of the new LRTP, Destination 2050.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

This program will allow staff to identify areas that may require additional studies through the UPWP, assistance through the MPO’s Technical Assistance programs, projects that could potentially be funded in the TIP, and partnerships with regional entities.

 

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Chapter 4
Boston Region MPO Planning Studies and Technical Analyses

Introduction

As described in Chapter 1, each federal fiscal year (FFY), the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) receives federal transportation planning funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Combined with the local Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) matching amount, these funds form the budget that allows the MPO staff—Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS)—to accomplish the certification requirement activities described in Chapter 3; the planning studies and technical analyses described in this chapter; and the administrative tasks and data management described in Chapter 6.

 

To prepare each Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) accurately, the Boston Region MPO must understand the status of the previous year’s studies and work activities. In general, throughout the UPWP’s development, the MPO tracks a study’s progress according to the four categories cited below.

 

In addition, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), an MPO member agency, conducts planning studies and technical assistance throughout the region (see Chapter 7, Metropolitan Area Planning Council Activities).

 

The project descriptions throughout this chapter describe new transportation planning studies chosen for funding in FFY 2023. They provide detailed updates for the FFY 2023 funding and work products for the MPO’s and MAPC’s ongoing programs.

 

Some titles of these products and activities may change as they are finalized. All certification documents and many other work products are, or will be, available for download from the MPO website (www.bostonmpo.org). Work products not found on the MPO website may be requested by contacting CTPS at 857.702.3700 (voice), 711 (MassRelay), or ctps@ctps.org (email).

 

Table 4-1
Completed MPO-Funded Transportation Planning Studies, FFY 2022–23

 

Project Name ID FFY 2022 Budgeted Total Funding Work Products
(reports, technical memoranda, and other work products or activities)
FFY 2022 Studies      
Trip Generation Follow-Up 13310 $20,000 A technical memo that includes a literature review on the relationship between parking policy and auto ownership and uses, detailing available datasets that can be used to inform research on the impact of parking policy in the Boston region.
Travel Demand Management Follow-Up 13311 $10,000 A memorandum and presentation to the MPO on Travel Demand Management and options for MPO involvement in the field.
Addressing Equity and Access in the Blue Hills 13304 $40,000 A StoryMap and presentation to the MPO on equity of access to the Blue Hills and proposed possible solutions.
Identifying Transportation Inequities in the Boston Region 13315 $70,000 This study will result in a report, interactive application, data analysis online repository, and public engagement materials to report on the development of a baseline assessment of existing transportation inequities for environmental justice populations.
Staff Generated Research and Technical Assitance 20906 $20,000 This research project will result in an interactive web app that allows users to investigate durable transit ridership corridors since the start of the pandemic and a technical memo documenting study methods and findings.
The Future of the Curb Phase 3 13313 $70,000 An online guide presenting case study summaries and guidelines for data collection and analysis to measure curb management strategy effectiveness.
FFY 2021 Studies      
Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways FFY2021 13421 $19,000 Completed final report, presented the study to MPO, and published it on PMO Website.
Addressing Priority Corridors from the Long-Range Transportation Plan Needs Assessment FFY 2021 13521 $24,000 Final report and presentation to MPO.
Low-Cost Improvements to Express-Highway Bottleneck Locations 13621 $13,500 Completed final report, presented the study to MPO, and published it on PMO Website.
Intersection Improvement Program 13305 $17,000 Completed recommendations, finalized intersection memos, and prepared for presentation to the MPO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 4-2
Discrete Boston Region MPO Planning Studies and Technical Analyses Continued into FFY 2023

 

Project Name ID Previous Funding Percent Complete by End of FFY 2022 FFY 2022 Work Products and Progress FFY 2023 Funding Work Products
(reports, technical memoranda, and other work products or activities)
FFY 2022            
Multimodal Mobility            
Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways 13422 $133,000 95% Completed a preliminary draft report and prepare to present the findings and proposed improvements to the study adviosry members from Canton, Sharon, Stoughton, and MassDOT. $8,500 Complete development of recommendations, finalize study reports, and present to the MPO.
Addressing Priority Corridors from the LRTP Needs Assessment 13522 $145,000 95% Investigated the concerns and issues at select segments of Route 9 in Framingham and Natick, completed existing condition evaluation, and completed needs assessment. $9,500 Complete development of recommendations, finalize study reports, and present to the MPO.
Safety Operations at Selected Intersections 13722 $82,000 95% Investigated the concerns and issues at selected municipal locations, completed existing condition evaluations, and completed needs assessments. $4,500 Complete development of recommendations, finalize study reports, and present to the MPO.

 

 

 

 

Table 4-3
Ongoing Boston Region MPO Technical Analyses, FFY 2022–23

 

 

Project Name ID FFY 2022 Funding FFY 2022 Work Products and Progress FFY 2023 Funding FFY 2023 Planned Work Products and Progress
CTPS Activities          
Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program*

2423, MAPC5 $67,000 Responded to various communities' inquiries related to transportation issues:

Salem—Provided assistance analyzing potential impacts associated with changing residential streets to one-way streets to prevent diversions from a congested main street

Concord—Provided guidance regarding a possible bicycle count program that Concord would like to conduct associated with the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and the West Concord MBTA station

Coordinated with MAPC about various technical assistance outreach needs and possible study locations
$68,000 Respond to various communities' inquiries related to transportation issues:

Salem—Revise previous work to post pandemic conditions analyzing impacts associated with diversions from Route 114

Quincy—Provide assistance analyzing safety at the Skyline Trail crossing of Route 28 in the Blue Hills Reservation

Medway—Provide assistance analyzing potential impacts associated with change in land use and redevelopment of town-owned land
Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities 
2523 $74,000 Conducted Spring and Fall 2021 bicycle and pedestrian counts.

Maintained awareness of bicycle- and pedestrian-related work and developments in the Boston metropolitan region.

Followed national and global bicycle- and pedestrian-planning best practices and developments.

Studied locations that currently affect the safety and comfort of bicycling and walking in the Boston region.
$83,500 Coordinate with state agencies, MAPC, other MPOs, MassDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program, WalkBoston, MassBike, LivableStreets, municipalities, and other groups regarding bicycle and pedestrian planning for the region.

Collect data on bicycle and pedestrian volumes at on-road and off-road facilities in the Boston region, and post collected count data to the Boston Region MPO’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Database for public use.

Provide ongoing technical support to communities for current tools and practices regarding bicycle and pedestrian issues, with particular focus on promoting safety.

Examine potential routes, both on-road and off-road, to increase the connectivity of the existing transportation system, including trails, on-road facilities, and public transit, emphasizing connections on the Bay State Greenway, LandLine Network, and Emerald Network, where applicable; consider development of future possible strategic bicycle and pedestrian safety plans.

Coordinate regional efforts to coincide with the vision and goals outlined in the Massachusetts Bicycle and Pedestrian Statewide Transportation Plans.
Regional Transit Service Planning Technical Support
4123 $50,000 Supported City of Peabody and North Shore TMA with a survey on potential public transit in Peabody. Analyzed survey results and presented them to the City of Peabody and the North Shore TMA. $50,000 Continue support to communities seeking transit service planning technical assistance.
Roadway Safety Audits 2323 $13,000 Provided support to MassDOT and communities for safety audits conducted in the Boston Region MPO area. $14,500 Provide support to MassDOT and communities for safety audits conducted in the Boston Region MPO area.

 

 

*This program is shared between MAPC and CTPS.

 

 

 

Table 4-4
Unified Planning Work Program Budget—MPO New Discrete Studies, FFY 2023

Project  ID Study or Program Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
2823 Multimodal Mobility Infrastructure Program $323,000
13803 Update Bicycle/Pedestrian Count Database $80,000
13804 Flexible Fixed-Route Bus Service $20,000
13805 Transit Modernization Program $37,500
13806 Lab and Municipal Parking Study $80,000
13807 Learning from Roadway Pricing Experiences $45,000
13808 Sustainability and Decarbonization in the Freight and Logistics Sector in the North Suffolk Area $67,500
Total for New Discrete and Recurring Studies blank $653,000

 

 

NOTE: This information may be updated as the FFY 2023 UPWP budget continues to develop.


 

Planning Studies

 

The project descriptions in this section describe the new studies chosen by the MPO for funding in FFY 2023. As described in Chapter 2 and Appendix B, CTPS gathers new study ideas each year and classifies them into the following categories: active transportation; land use, environment, and economy; multimodal mobility; transit; safety and security; and other technical work. Each of the project descriptions on the following pages begins with a funding table that shows the project identification number, category, funding sources, and total budget.

 

 

Update Bicycle/Pedestrian Count Database

 

Project ID Number

13803

Category

Active Transportation

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$80,000

Schedule

10/2022 through 9/2023

 

Purpose

This study would aim to update the Boston Region MPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Database application. This database has not been updated since 2019 due to COVID-related uncertainties. The work would include building a new home on the MPO’s website for the Boston region’s bicycle and pedestrian counts that is more user friendly and relevant for the needs of the public. Part of this process will feature a reassessment of the locations suggested for bicycle and pedestrian counts in the Boston region to ensure that a broad range of geographies and future project locations are included.

 

Approach

Staff will assess ideal locations for data collection, with a goal to expand counts beyond just the Greater Boston Area. Particular focus will be given to suburban and rural bikeways to develop a more comprehensive and accurate database of bicyclist and pedestrian counts.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

An updated, public-facing database of bicycle and pedestrian counts with an expanded geography.

 

 


 

Flexible Fixed-Route Bus Service

Project ID Number

13804

Category

Transit

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$20,000

Schedule

10/2022 through 9/2023

 

 

Purpose

This study aims to understand the costs and benefits of transit providers allowing on-demand stops (in between existing stops) on low-ridership bus routes and/or during off-peak service. The goal of this study would be to understand what transit providers need to take into account when considering flexible stops. Some considerations would include the transportation needs of older adults and those with limited access to essential businesses, accessibility issues, and infrastructure.

 

Approach

Staff will conduct a literature review and preliminary interviews with regional transit authorities (RTA) who have either implemented this policy or are considering its implementation. In this phase of work, staff may develop preliminary dataset mapping RTA routes and identify potential routes for on-demand stops.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

A literature review of existing transit providers with on-demand stops and early qualitative data collection.

 


 

Transit Modernization Program

Project ID Number

13805

Category

Transit

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$37,500

Schedule

10/2022 through 9/2023

 

 

Purpose

A Transit Modernization Investment Program was established as part of the Boston MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Destination 2040, adopted in 2019. This program set aside five percent of the MPO’s regional target funds beginning in fiscal year 2025. The Transit Modernization investment program would flex MPO discretionary funding to transit maintenance and modernization projects identified through coordination with the MassDOT, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA), and the Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA). It could also include climate resiliency projects to improve transit infrastructure. Increasing investments in transit modernization and maintenance projects would allow the MPO to use its discretionary funding to augment planned transit improvements throughout the region and help the MPO reach its goals established in the LRTP.

 

The following are examples of projects that could be funded through this investment program:

Approach

This study would dedicate staff time to develop materials and direction for this program. This information would assist CATA, MWRTA, and the MBTA in identifying eligible needs and coordinating efforts with municipalities before the funding program solicits applications.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

The anticipated outcomes would include guidelines and materials to assist transportation agencies in coordinating with municipalities during the application process for the Transit Modernization Program.


 

 

Lab and Municipal Parking Study

Project ID Number

13806

Category

Multimodal Mobility

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$80,000

Schedule

10/2022 through 9/2023

 

 

Purpose

The Boston region is experiencing a boom in laboratory and life sciences development. With prices for the necessary real estate rising, development in this category has begun to spread from longstanding centers such as the Kendall section of Cambridge to a diverse set of areas across the region. MAPC and CTPS have heard from numerous stakeholders, especially municipal planners, across the region that there is a need for rigorous research to determine parameters for parking regulation for such developments. As more lab facilities are proposed throughout the Greater Boston region, developers are suggesting that high amounts of parking are needed on-site, which is sparking concern from municipalities about the potential impacts on local and regional transportation systems. As such, MAPC and CTPS propose collaborating on a research study to assess regional parking demand and use at commercial/mixed-use developments, with a particular focus on lab/life science facilities.

 

Approach

This research would proceed from the basis of MAPC's Perfect Fit Parking research (https://perfectfitparking.mapc.org/), which assessed regional parking demand and use at multifamily housing developments. It would adapt the Perfect Fit Parking approach to better fit the specific characteristics of lab development, including lower worker density per square foot and work hours that do not always fit a 9-to-5 model. The study would involve intensive around-the-clock data collection at certain developments to be determined in collaboration with municipal planners and other stakeholders, analysis, and development of a public-facing interface presenting a model or calculator relating parking dynamics at lab developments relative to the built environment, as well as the raw data.  

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

The study will produce a written report and a database organizing parking rates, policies, permit programs of municipal and lab parking spaces in the Boston region, as well as a model or calculator detailing best practices around parking at lab facilities given the surrounding community.

 


 

Learning from Roadway Pricing Experiences

Project ID Number

13807

Category

Transportation Equity

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$45,000

Schedule

10/2022 through 9/2023

 

 

Purpose

Congestion pricing has been implemented or proposed in numerous metropolitan areas around the world, including an initial US project in New York City. Since this paradigm has not been used previously in the Boston region, it is incumbent upon planners to proactively understand what challenges and opportunities may arise around future implementations in the area.

Approach

The literature around congestion pricing is extensive and does not need replication. This study will take a more on-the-ground approach and tackle knotty questions about roadway pricing by engaging with those best qualified to talk about it. MPO staff will interview and learn from planners and policymakers who have implemented, or are implementing, roadway pricing in the United States (and within the planning process of which the MPO is a key part) in various forms, including but not limited to

Topics for research may include the following:

Time and budget allowing, staff may host a forum on this topic, promulgate a survey, or conduct further interviews with local stakeholders.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Staff will prepare a memo or paper summarizing lessons learned from these conversations. These findings will allow the Boston region, both the MPO and its constituent municipalities and other entities, to be better informed and prepared to meet challenges to implement some form of roadway pricing at a future point.  


 

Sustainability and Decarbonization in the Freight and Logistics Sector in the North Suffolk Area

Project ID Number

13808

Category

Transportation Equity

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$67,500

Schedule

10/2022 through 9/2023

 

 

Purpose

The proposed project area encompasses a concentration of vital light industrial and industrial uses in northern Suffolk County, including parts of Chelsea, Everett, Revere, East Boston, and Winthrop. Densely settled and largely populated by Environmental Justice (EJ) communities, this area serves as a key node for freight transportation servicing the entire Boston region and much of New England. Sustaining the regional economy, this area encompasses sizable clusters of important industries and critical regional infrastructure. Industrial and commercial uses require the existence of intense transportation corridors for the distribution of road salt, fuel storage, and produce. The transportation sector plays an outsized role in emitting carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, particulate matter, and ultrafine particulate matter, degrading public health.

 

This study seeks to balance the preservation of this economically critical industrial and logistical cluster, which supports numerous blue-collar jobs in a heavily immigrant community, with relief of the environmental and health burdens it imposes on the surrounding municipalities. Originally proposed by the City of Chelsea, the study is being advanced by the MAPC and the Boston Region MPO and its staff, the CTPS. Other sponsors include local municipalities. This study will serve as a proof of concept for future similar analyses around the Boston region.

 

Approach

The study is designed to be conducted in several modules. The UPWP may fund one or more of these modules, or possibly some combination thereof, in FFY 2023 and MPO and MAPC staff are also looking into the possibility of seeking outside funding. The modules include

  1. Literature review, examining other examples of area-based freight decarbonization efforts; benefits and burdens of public policy inducing mode shift in the freight sector; and economic, policy, and equity challenges. Estimated budget: $60,000.
  2. Documentation of existing conditions, including documentation and mapping of existing goods and vehicle movement; equity analysis; mapping of infrastructure; analysis of the emissions and air quality impacts of different subsectors; and stakeholder interviews, most extensively with industry. Estimated budget: $120,000.

Policy recommendations, including documentation of various barriers to decarbonization; identification of opportunities for carbon and emissions reductions through technological improvements and mode shift; and documentation of what actions can be taken at which levels of government, with an emphasis on identifying tools that can be used at the local level.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

MPO and MAPC staff will execute at least one of the above modules, working toward what will likely be a multi-year work program to create a conceptual plan to advance the sustainability and electrification of freight and logistics uses in the North Suffolk area. The end result will be a memorandum and/or set of data products for presentation to the MPO and relevant municipalities.

 


 

Technical Analysis and Support

The project descriptions in this section consist of ongoing MPO programs that provide technical planning assistance, support, and analyses to cities, towns, and other entities throughout the region. The major areas of technical analyses include data provision and analysis, bicycle and pedestrian support, transit service planning, and community-level transportation planning and technical assistance.

 

 

Roadway Safety Audits

Project ID Number

2323

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$14,500

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

This program supports CTPS participation in roadway safety audits (RSA).

 

Approach

An RSA, as defined by FHWA, is a formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent audit team. MassDOT guidelines require an RSA to be conducted where Highway Safety Improvement Program-eligible crash clusters are present. The program has expanded to cover additional high-crash locations and individual crash types, such as pedestrian and bicycle hot spots. The RSA examines the location to develop both short- and long-term recommendations to improve safety for vehicles, for people who walk, and for people who bike. These recommendations help communities identify safety improvements that can be implemented in the short term, and determine if more substantial improvements are needed as part of a larger, long-term improvement process.

 

Audit teams include MassDOT headquarters and district office staff, MassDOT consultants, municipal planners and engineers, local and state police, local emergency response personnel, and CTPS personnel, as requested. In the RSA process, the audit team (1) reviews available crash data; (2) meets and communicates with local officials, planners, engineers, and other stakeholders; (3) visits the site to observe traffic operations and identify safety issues; and (4) develops and documents recommendations.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

The anticipated outcome is participation in audit teams as requested by MassDOT.

 


 

 

Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program

Project ID Number

2423, MAPC5

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$68,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

Through this ongoing program, MPO staff and MAPC provide technical advice to municipalities throughout the region about identified transportation issues of concern.

 

Approach

This program is a mechanism for providing quick-response advice to communities that have identified transportation issues of concern about which they would like to have technical advice. In this program, a team of CTPS and MAPC engineers and planners will meet with community officials to learn more about specific problems and provide advice on next steps concerning issues that the community may have identified, such as those related to parking, traffic calming, walking, bicycling, and bus stops. In many cases, there will be a site visit with local officials to understand the potential problem, review existing data, and make suggestions for additional data that may be needed. Analysis of the identified problem and possible solutions, appropriate follow up, and contact information for appropriate MPO and MassDOT staff could be recommended. Descriptions of the various planning processes at MassDOT, the MBTA, the MPO, and MAPC, as well as guidance on how communities can get involved, could also be provided. Technical assistance activities could produce conceptual designs for some project locations.

 

This work will advance the MPO’s goals for system preservation, modernization, and efficiency; mobility; and land use and economic development. It will be consistent with the MPO’s congestion management process (CMP) and other staff-identified needs. In addition, it will include a safety component in which staff will respond to community requests to conduct analyses at crash locations and recommend possible mitigation strategies.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

In FFY 2023, MPO staff will solicit municipal technical assistance requests. The number of technical assistance cases will depend on the funding amount, and MAPC and CTPS will coordinate and collaborate on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the complexity of the specific technical assistance requests from municipalities, CTPS and MAPC, the number of projects may vary each FFY. MPO staff will document the work, recommendations, and outcomes of these consultations in the form of technical memoranda.

 


 

Bicycle/Pedestrian Support Activities

Project ID Number

2523

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$83,500

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

MPO staff supports the MPO’s and the region’s need for bicycle and pedestrian planning through ongoing data collection, analysis, and technical assistance in this program.

 

Approach

Bicycle and pedestrian planning studies are identified collaboratively by MPO members, communities, bicycle and pedestrian advisory groups, and CTPS. Through such studies, MPO staff provide support to communities by creating bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects that can be advanced through the MassDOT Project Development process. In addition to these planning studies, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Support Activities program works to improve safety and comfort for people walking and bicycling through the following efforts:

 

In addition to these ongoing responsibilities, the program may support the following activities:

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Anticipated outcomes include

 


 

Regional Transit Service Planning Technical Support

 

Project ID Number

4123

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$50,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

 

Purpose

Through this ongoing program, the MPO provides technical support to regional transit authorities, municipalities, MAPC subregions, and transportation management associations. This work is focused on improving or expanding transit service and reducing single-occupancy-vehicle (SOV) travel in the region.

 

Approach

The MPO’s policy is to support transit services and reduce SOV travel in the region. As such, MPO staff provides technical support to RTAs to promote best practices and address issues of ridership, cost-effectiveness, route planning, first- and last-mile strategies, and other service characteristics. The MPO also extends support to transportation management associations (TMA), MAPC subregions, and municipalities seeking to improve the transit services that they operate or fund.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

MPO staff will provide technical assistance to RTAs, municipalities, MAPC subregions, and TMAs as described above.

 


Multimodal Mobility Infrastructure Program

 

Project ID Number

2823

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$338,000

Schedule

Ongoing

 

Purpose

This permanent program, new in the FFY 2023 UPWP, is the successor to four long-running recurring UPWP studies:

 

For nearly a decade, the first two studies have been funded each year in the UPWP, and the second two trade off every other year. Discussions between MPO staff and the UPWP Committee in spring 2022 revealed a readiness to make these long-standing studies a permanent program. Doing so will allow staff to continue to provide the same types of studies to communities as previously conducted, while addressing additional mobility topics and tackling problems on a more flexible and responsive basis as they emerge.

 

The purpose of this new program is to provide studies that will address both regional and community multimodal transportation needs. During MPO outreach, communities often identify transportation problems and issues relating to congestion, safety, bottlenecks, and lack of access to multimodal transportation facilities in their areas. These issues can affect livability, quality of life, crash incidence, and air quality along highways, arterial roadways, local streets, and major and local intersections. If problems are not addressed, mobility, access, safety, economic development, and air quality are compromised. These studies will develop conceptual design recommendations that address regional multimodal transportation needs.

 

Approach

Potential studies and analyses will be largely identified in the same methods used in the previous recurring studies. MPO staff will reach out to MAPC subregions, municipalities, and other groups to identify problem corridors, areas, and intersections, and use the LRTP Needs Assessment and other CTPS tools such as the CMP and crash information databases to identify further candidates. Consistent with federal planning emphasis areas, MPO staff will incorporate issues that are identified by the relevant subregional groups and include EJ and Title VI considerations. Study locations will be screened by staff and final choices made in cooperation with the MPO’s UPWP Committee. In addition to Complete Streets, operational, and safety considerations, analysis will also concentrate on transit services, nonmotorized modes of transportation, curb usage, and truck activity along these arterial segments. MPO staff will consider numerous strategies to improve these study areas, including examining and evaluating any or all the following factors:

The improvement recommendations and strategies will help develop a guide for designing and implementing a Complete Streets corridor or improved intersection. This guide will be provided to communities and implementing agencies, which may choose to fund improvements through various federal, state, and local sources, either separately or in combination.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Through these studies, MPO staff will recommend conceptual improvement recommendations for an undetermined number of studies based on budget, with further information about the capabilities of the program to be provided as it develops. Study candidate areas will be identified by outreach, the CMP, and the LRTP as part of the Needs Assessment process, and confirmed with the UPWP Committee. The studies will provide communities with the opportunity to review the requirements of a specific study area, starting at the conceptual level, before committing design and engineering funds to a project. If the project qualifies for federal funds for construction of the recommended upgrades, the study’s documentation will be useful to MassDOT and the community.

 

 

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Chapter 5
Agency and Other Client Transportation Planning Studies and Technical Analyses

INTRODUCTION

The transportation studies and technical analysis work described in this chapter will be conducted to support the work of various transportation agencies in the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) area.

 

Some of the contracts described in this chapter are issued to the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) every year and generally coincide with either the federal fiscal year (FFY) or the state fiscal year (SFY). Examples include the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) PL and MassDOT Statewide Planning and Research (SPR) contracts. Other contracts are issued for tasks and technical support to be conducted over a multi-year period, and they might be renewed with the agencies after several years. A third contract type covers the work for discrete studies or technical analyses intended to be completed within a specified timeframe. These may either be one-time contracts in which CTPS conducts analysis or technical support to further a specific agency project, such as MassDOT’s Dorchester Bay City Redevelopment DEIR Modeling Support project, or they can be contracts in which CTPS provides technical support to an agency for data collection and analysis that is undertaken annually, such as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) National Transit Database (NTD): Data Collection and Analysis contract.

 

The work conducted on behalf of the agencies includes data collection and analyses covering a broad range of topics, including travel demand modeling, air quality, traffic engineering, Title VI, and environmental justice. The products of this work are vital to support compliance with federal and state regulations such as the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. CTPS also enhances regional understanding of critical transportation issues through the preparation of graphics, maps, and other materials for agency studies and presentations. The work described in this chapter is organized by agency and includes studies and technical analyses for MassDOT, the MBTA, and other agencies in the Boston region.

 

Table 5-1
Unified Planning Work Program Budget—New and Continuing Agency Transportation Planning Studies and Technical Analyses for FFY 2023

 

Project ID Name Total Contracta Funding Source FFY 2023 Agency Funds Direct Support  Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
Varies by project MassDOT SPR Program Support $500,000 SPR $500,000 $0 $500,000
13155 MassDOT Title VI Program  $95,000   MassDOT  $10,000 $0 $10,000
Varies by project MassDOT - Directed PL Projects  n/a   MPO 3C PLb  $352,579 $0 $352,579
11495 Silver Line Extension Alternatives $211,115  MassDOT  $42,000 $0 $42,000
MassDOT Subtotal blank blank blank $552,000 $0 $552,000
11415 AFC 2.0 Equity Analysis  $76,972   MBTA  $19,000 $0 $19,000
11497 MBTA 2023 Triennial Title VI Report $145,800  MBTA  $84,500 $0 $84,500
11429 MBTA 2022 Title VI Program Monitoring $79,700  MBTA  $40,000 $250 $40,250
11496 MBTA Mapping Support $18,000  MBTA  $5,000 $0 $5,000
11500 MBTA Map and Signage Support to Bus Network Redesign $31,755 MBTA $31,755 $0 $31,755
14376 MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Support IV $31,342  MBTA  $7,000 $0 $7,000
14374 MBTA SFY 2022 National Transit Database (NTD) Support $127,288  MBTA  $6,000 $0 $6,000
14375 MBTA SFY 2023 National Transit Database (NTD) Support $165,145  MBTA  $120,000 $250 $120,250
11498 MBTA North Shore Busway $108,819  MBTA  $90,000 $0 $90,000
11499 MBTA Bus Tool Ongoing Support $60,000  MBTA  $40,000 $0 $40,000
14378 MBTA SFY 2024 National Transit Database (NTD) Support    MBTA  $39,900 $100 $40,000
11422 MBTA Transit Service Data Collection XI  $540,000   MBTA  $13,000 $0 $13,000
11430 MBTA Transit Service Data Collection XI $590,000  MBTA  $180,000 $0 $180,000
14358 Service Equity Analysis Support to the MBTA  $115,000   MBTA  $45,000 $0 $45,000
MBTA Subtotal blank blank blank $721,155 $600 $721,755
blank Other (Massport, Municipalities, etc.)  $80,000   Other  $80,000 $0 $80,000
Other Subtotal blank blank blank $80,000 $0 $80,000
Agency-Funded and Client-Funded Subtotal blank blank blank $1,35,155 $600 $1,353,755

 

 

a The total contract amounts include direct costs. Annual direct costs are not included in the FFY budget amounts in the table and are shown separately in the Direct Support column.

bThis project is conducted on behalf of MassDOT but funded through the MPO 3C Planning contract, and thus is not included in totals in this table.


 

MassDOT

 

The contracts and technical analyses in this section are being undertaken for MassDOT.

 

MassDOT Statewide Planning and Research Program Support

Project ID Number

Varies

Funding Source

MassDOT SPR

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$500,000

 

Purpose

CTPS provides support to MassDOT’s SPR program as requested. These contracts will include multiple individual projects or tasks throughout the federal fiscal year.

Approach

CTPS will conduct studies and analyses and provide technical assistance upon request. Three of the projects that are either underway or expected to begin in FFY 2023 are the Roadway Inventory and Related Support Maintenance, the Statewide Model Improvements, and the Statewide Model Assistance Project.

 

Other projects may be added throughout FFY 2023.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Activities and work products will depend on tasks requested by MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning.

 

 

 

MassDOT Title VI Program

 

Project ID Number

13155

Funding Source

MassDOT Other

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$10,000

 

Purpose

Under this contract, CTPS will continue to provide technical support to MassDOT for implementing its Title VI Program for both the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Approach

MassDOT, as a recipient of federal funds from both FHWA and the FTA, is required to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and with protections enacted through several other laws and executive orders that prohibit discrimination based on gender, age, income, and disability. Through this technical support work, CTPS will assist MassDOT in complying with these nondiscrimination laws.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Staff will provide technical support to MassDOT as described above.

 


 

MassDOT Directed PL Projects

Project ID Number

Varies

Funding Source

MassDOT 3C PL

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$352,579

 

 

Purpose

CTPS will provide transit-planning assistance to MassDOT and the MBTA by conducting various studies under MassDOT’s FHWA-funded PL Program. This task will include multiple individual projects or tasks throughout the federal fiscal year.

Approach

In FFY 2023, CTPS will continue to assist MassDOT and the MBTA with the Bus Network Redesign Service Equity Analysis. Following the MBTA’s Disparate Impact/Disproportionate Burden (DI/DB) Policy, staff will evaluate whether the effects of the proposed changes in weekly revenue vehicle hours and route length are equitable. Staff will prepare formal Title VI equity analyses for the MBTA Board at critical points throughout this process.

 

Over the course of the FFY, CTPS may take on additional work through this task, as assigned by MassDOT.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

For the Bus Network Redesign Service Equity Analysis, staff will generate the results of several Title VI Service Equity Analyses and produce a final analysis for the system change packages that are likely to move forward from the Bus Network Redesign process. Staff will also create graphics and provide technical assistance as requested by MassDOT and the MBTA.


 

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

 

The contracts and technical analyses in this section are being undertaken for the MBTA.

 

MBTA National Transit Database: Data Collection and Analysis

Project ID Number

14374 (SFY 2022)

14375 (SFY 2023)

14378 (SFY 2024)

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract*

$465,837

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$6,000 (SFY 2022)

$120,250 (SFY 2023)

$40,000 (SFY 2024)

*Multiple contract years are represented.

 

Purpose

For many years, in support of the MBTA’s NTD submittals to the FTA, CTPS has produced passenger-miles traveled and unlinked trip estimates for MBTA services. This project will develop these estimates for the following modes:

Approach

CTPS will use the following methods to collect the data on which these estimates will be based:

 

The MBTA will submit its SFY 2022 NTD passenger-miles traveled and unlinked trip estimates for various transit modes to the FTA with the aid of CTPS during FFY 2023. The final technical memoranda for SFY 2023 NTD will be completed in FFY 2024.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

In FFY 2023, staff will complete the final technical memoranda and auditing process for SFY 2022 NTD reporting and will complete data collection begun in FFY 2022 for SFY 2023. Field staff will begin collecting data for SFY 2024 NTD reporting.


 

MBTA Title VI Program Monitoring

 

Project ID Number

 

11429 (CY 2022)

11497 (CY 2023)

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract*

$225,500

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$40,250 (CY 2022)

$84,500 (CY 2023)

*Multiple contract years are represented.

 

Purpose

Under this contract, CTPS provides the MBTA with technical assistance by collecting and analyzing MBTA service data to compare service provided to minority riders with service provided to nonminority riders. This work supports the MBTA’s compliance with Title VI requirements.

Approach

Staff will collect and analyze data on the following service indicators:

 

The data-collection and analysis activities will help to fulfill monitoring required as part of the MBTA’s ongoing Title VI Program. The results of the data collection efforts and analyses will be reported in a memorandum to the MBTA for internal review and follow up and will be included in the next triennial program.

 

In addition to conducting annual Title VI service monitoring, CTPS will produce the MBTA’s 2023 Triennial Title VI program for submission to the FTA. The triennial program will include the service equity analyses and fare equity analyses that were conducted for the MBTA in the preceding three years, demographic and service profile maps and charts, and additional documentation to meet the MBTA’s general reporting requirements.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

CTPS will provide documentation about selected service monitoring evaluations for SFY 2021 MBTA service and amenities, and staff will prepare the MBTA’s 2023 Triennial Title VI program.


 

MBTA Transit Service Data Collection

 

Project ID Number

11422, 11430

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract

$1,130,000

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$193,000

 

Purpose

The work conducted under this contract will help the MBTA to assess bus and rapid transit service changes.

Approach

The MBTA requires ongoing data collection regarding its transit system to assess service changes. As part of this project, CTPS collects ridership and performance data to support future MBTA service changes. Work may also include support for improving the ridecheck database so that it will be compatible with new software and data sources. CTPS also may provide analytical assistance to the MBTA as requested.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

 

MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Support

 

Project ID Number

14376 (SFY 2022–25)

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract

$31,342

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$7,000

 

Purpose

The MBTA established a Rider Oversight Committee (ROC) in 2004 to provide ongoing public input on a number of different issues, including strategies for increasing ridership, developing new fare structures, and prioritizing capital improvements. Through this contract, CTPS supports the MBTA by providing technical assistance to the ROC on an ongoing basis.

Approach

Over the past several years, the assistance provided by CTPS has included offering insights into the MBTA’s planning processes, providing data analysis, and attending committee meetings, at which staff may respond directly to ROC members’ questions.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

CTPS will continue to provide technical assistance to the MBTA ROC and attend committee and subcommittee meetings.

 

 

Service Equity Analysis Support to the MBTA

 

Project ID Number

14358

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract

$115,000

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$45,000

 

Purpose

CTPS will support the MBTA in conducting the required Title VI service equity analyses for major service changes that take place during the duration of this contract.

Approach

CTPS will conduct service equity analyses for as many as two major service changes.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

CTPS will prepare technical memoranda documenting service equity analyses for each major service change.

 

 


 

MBTA North Shore Busway Study

 

Project ID Number

11498

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract

$108,819

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$90,000

 

Purpose

The MBTA has proposed a center-running bus lane facility linking Wonderland Station in Revere to Lynn (at the intersection of Broad and Chestnut Street/Atlantic Street) via North Shore Road, General Edwards Bridge, the Lynnway, and Broad Street. This bus rapid transit (BRT) facility would produce a two-seat rapid-transit service between downtown Lynn and Boston. The BRT facility will be created by a variety of methods: the conversion of general-purpose lanes, lane narrowing, reduced parking, and the creation of cycle lanes or protected bicycle lanes. This reconstruction will primarily affect vehicular traffic along the project corridor as well as on parallel roadways, such as Revere Beach Boulevard, Route 107, and US Route 1. There is specific concern about traffic volumes on North Shore Road given its importance as a roadway connection between North Shore communities and Boston. The principal objective of this study is to support the MBTA and its project team in planning tasks that are associated with the busway project, to provide the information and data necessary for studying the traffic and transit impacts of the project, and for engaging with stakeholders and the public.

Approach

CTPS will support the MBTA with transportation analysis of a conceptual bus lane scenario and evaluation of the potential trip diversions and reroutings that will result from the reconstruction of these roadways. The MBTA has requested information about the impacts of the bus lane on general-purpose vehicular traffic, specifically the locations and volumes of diversions. The effects on roadways in Revere (such as North Shore Road, Revere Beach Boulevard, and Bell Circle) are of particular interest, as are the effects on the tunnels and bridges that serve as the Boston Harbor crossings. CTPS will support MBTA and its project team by assessing the existing traffic conditions and travel patterns, and by providing modeling results and analyses for use in the evaluation of the proposed reconstruction scenario.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

 

MBTA Bus Delay Tool Ongoing Support

 

Project ID Number

11499

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract

$60,000

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$40,000

 

Purpose

During 2020 and 2021, CTPS developed an interactive bus delay tool for the MBTA. The purpose of this project is to fully activate and maintain the new bus delay tool at regular intervals.

Approach

 

Upgrades will be made to match schedule and route changes as they occur. Ongoing bus delay data, including segment data, corridor data, passenger retention analysis, summaries of the most delayed routes, and stop-to- intersection analysis data, will be maintained. CTPS staff will report on tool usage and registered users on an annual basis. Funding will provide for two small and two large updates through 2023.

Upgrades will be made to match schedule and route changes as they occur. Ongoing bus delay data, including segment data, corridor data, passenger retention analysis, summaries of the most delayed routes, and stop-to- intersection analysis data, will be maintained. CTPS staff will report on tool usage and registered users on an annual basis. Funding will provide for two small and two large updates through 2023.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

 

MBTA Mapping Support

 

Project ID Number

11496

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract

$18,000

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$5,000

 

Purpose

The objective of this work is to provide map-making support, upon request from the MBTA. At the time of each request, CTPS will provide the MBTA with an estimate of the specific cost and schedule for completing the map(s).

Approach

CTPS will update MBTA maps, upon request from the MBTA, within the budget provided for this project.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Updated district maps to reflect changes in bus routes and bus route garage assignments. Upon request from the MBTA, CTPS staff will update other existing CTPS-created MBTA maps within the budget provided for this project.

 

 

 

Map and Signage Support to the MBTA Bus Network Redesign

 

Project ID Number

11500

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract

$31,755

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$31,755

 

 

Purpose

The objective of this work is to provide map-making support, upon request from the MBTA.

 

Approach

CTPS will update MBTA maps, upon request from the MBTA, within the budget provided for this project.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Updated rapid transit, system, bus, and neighborhood maps to reflect changes to bus routes in accordance with the MBTA Bus Network Redesign. Upon request from the MBTA, CTPS staff will update other existing CTPS-created MBTA maps within the budget provided for this project.


 

Silver Line Extension Ridership Projections

 

Project ID Number

11495

Funding Source

MassDOT

Total Contract

$211,155

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$42,000

 

Purpose

MassDOT is analyzing alternatives for potential extension of the Silver Line from its current Silver Line 3 terminus in the City of Chelsea to connect through the City of Everett to the MBTA’s Orange Line. CTPS will continue to be engaged in developing ridership projections for this work.

Approach

Staff will be provided with station locations and Silver Line operations data for the development of ridership projections for up to five service alternatives using data provided by a MassDOT consultant.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Staff will develop a Ridership Technical Memorandum documenting the assumptions used to generate the ridership projections. Ridership estimates will include estimates of ridership by station and by access mode for specific Silver Line stations, potential connecting MBTA subway and commuter rail stations, and connecting bus routes.

 


 

AFC 2.0 Equity Analysis

 

Project ID Number

11415

Funding Source

MBTA

Total Contract

$76,972

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$19,000

 

 

Purpose

 

The MBTA is developing a new AFC system, known as AFC 2.0, to supplant its existing fare payment system. In late 2017, the contract for the design, integration, and implementation of AFC 2.0 was awarded to Cubic | John Laing. This change in the MBTA’s fare payment system will also lead to changes that may negatively affect some riders. The MBTA has requested that CTPS analyze the equity of the impacts of the following three components of AFC 2.0.

 

  1. Elimination of cash on board

    Once AFC 2.0 has been implemented, cash will no longer be accepted on board MBTA vehicles. As part of the project, the MBTA will be vastly increasing its retail network and installing fare vending machines at bus stops. The MBTA wants to ensure that access to locations where riders may purchase fares using cash is equitable.
  2. Fee for specific fare media

    Unlike the MBTA’s current system, passengers may need to purchase some types of fare media for a small fee. Accompanied by this change is the ability for passengers to ‘go negative’ in stored value to complete a single, complete one-way trip using that fare media. The MBTA wants to determine whether this fee presents a barrier for riders who are classified as low-income or minority riders. Depending on the findings from the analysis, there may also be an evaluation of the effectiveness of any proposed mitigation from the MBTA.
  3. Potential changes in fare structure

    The new system will also give the MBTA the opportunity to implement fare structure changes, such as allowing discounted transfers between modes that are not currently offered; changing the existing periods of validity for pass products; and eliminating the differential between fares paid using CharlieCards and fares paid using cash or CharlieTickets. The MBTA wants to evaluate whether any proposed fare structure changes would result in inequities.

 

Approach

 

CTPS will evaluate the distribution of fare vending machines and other fare media sales locations, the equity impacts of charging for a fare card, and a package of various fare structure changes that may be implemented with AFC 2.0. Tasks in this project include

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

CTPS will produce a memorandum documenting the equity analysis of the set of proposed fare structure changes.

 

CTPS will produce a memorandum documenting the equity analysis of the fare card fee.

 

CTPS will produce a memorandum documenting the equity analysis of proposed fare sales locations.

 

 

 

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Chapter 6
Resource Management and Support Activities

Introduction

To support core Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) activities and studies, staff conduct various ongoing computer and other support activities.

 

For each activity described in this chapter, we cite the purpose of the work, describe how the work is accomplished, and provide a summary of the anticipated federal fiscal year (FFY) 2023 work products. The budget tables at the head of each project description give salary and overhead costs associated with the projects. Any direct costs associated with the projects are included in the Direct Support section beginning on page 6-7. 

 

Table 6-1 summarizes the funding assigned to each of the activities in this chapter that were also assigned in FFY 2022, a summary of the work products and/or progress made in FFY 2022, the funding proposed for each of these activities in FFY 2023, and the anticipated work products and/or progress in FFY 2023.

 

Although many of the activities in this chapter generally comprise similar tasks from year to year, often there are variations in budgets that reflect greater or lesser emphasis on certain efforts. For example, MPO staff may undertake new or additional work under specific line items; the tasks undertaken as part of one line item in one year might be folded into an ongoing activity in a subsequent year; or there simply could be fluctuations in staffing levels. Where appropriate, these differences are explained in Table 6-1.

 

 

Table 6-1
CTPS Ongoing Resource Management and Support Activities, FFY 2023

 

Project Name ID FFY 2022 Funding FFY 2022 Work Products and Progress FFY 2023 Funding FFY 2023 Planned Work Progress and Products 
CTPS Activities          
Computer Resource Management Varies by Task $282,000 Provided maintenance and enhancements to CTPS’s desktop and server computer systems; computer network back-up system; and peripheral devices, such as printers, plotters, and mass storage devices. $280,000 Tasks and work products generally remain the same from year to year.
Data Resources Management Varies by Task $320,100 Provided database maintenance and enhanced CTPS’s database of standard reference GIS layers and GIS layers required to carry out particular projects.

Updated databases with new versions of standard reference GIS layers released by MassGIS, the MassDOT OTP, and other agencies.

Created GIS maps, computer map files, tables of socioeconomic and travel-related data, and databases.
Analyzed data.
n/a This task has been integrated into the Data Program.
Professional Development 2023 $44,500 Cover the labor expenses of staff attending conferences and seminars related to MPO work. $64,500 Cover the labor expenses of staff attending conferences and seminars related to MPO work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CTPS Activities

 

The following sections contain details on the administration, resource management, and support activities undertaken by Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) each FFY.

 

 

Computer Resource Management

 

Project ID Number

See Individual Tasks Below

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$280,000

 

 

Purpose

In order to fulfill the Boston Region MPO functions, CTPS maintains state-of-the-practice computer resources.

 

Approach

CTPS performs the following subtasks as part of computer resource management.

6023 Computer Resource Management

01 System Administration and Computer Room Management

Manage and maintain hardware and software for all CTPS computer systems to ensure that staff has maximum access to the computing resources required for its work, including an intranet site. Continue to ensure the security and integrity of all hardware, software, and data resources. Plan, monitor, and maintain CTPS’s server room and computing facilities.

02 Software Development

Develop computer software to support CTPS’s analytical, administrative, and documentation requirements. Maintain and enhance software developed by CTPS and/or others when program maintenance is no longer available from the original vendor.

03 Staff Assistance and Training

Assist staff in using computer resources; organize and distribute vendor-supplied documentation; and, where appropriate, provide written and online user guides for particular resources.

04 Computing Resource Purchasing and Maintenance

Purchase and maintain CTPS’s computing resources. These include in-house assets such as servers, desktop and laptop computers, tablets and handheld computers, mass-storage devices, networking and communications hardware, printers and plotters, system and application software, and consumable supplies. These also include out-of-house resources, such as software purchased as a service, cloud-based storage, and other cloud-based computing resources.

05 Computer Resource Planning

Update the CTPS Five-Year Plan for Computer Resource Development in conjunction with developing the next CTPS budget.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Work on these tasks will continue as described above.

 

Professional Development

Project ID

2023

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$64,500

Schedule

Ongoing

Purpose and Approach

MPO staff maintains its technical expertise in part by participating in courses, programs, and workshops offered by the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Transportation Research Board, the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, and other public, private, and nonprofit organizations. Previous professional development endeavors have been related to topics such as performance-based planning, traffic engineering issues and applications, regional modeling, bicycle/pedestrian issues, transit planning, public involvement, environmental justice, air quality, computer operations and maintenance, database applications, and other areas related to the provision of technical support services.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

Staff will attend conferences, peer exchanges, trainings, and other enrichment and professional advancement opportunities.

 

Direct Support

Project ID Number

Varies

MPO 3C Planning Funds

$100,000

Extended FFY 2023 MPO 3C Planning Funds

$414,901

3C-Funded Work Direct Support Total

$514,901

SPR Funds

$600

MassDOT Other Funds

$0

MBTA Funds

$500

Other Funds

$0

Agency-Funded Work Direct Support Total

$1,100

 

Purpose

Through this activity, CTPS provides integral direct support for all CTPS projects and functions.

Approach

Computer Equipment

CTPS computer needs are programmed in the CTPS Five-Year Plan for Computer Resource Development, as amended.

Consultants

Consultants are hired periodically to perform specialized, time-specific tasks as project work demands. During FFY 2023, CTPS plans to procure support from Caliper, the developer of the travel demand software TransCAD used by the Boston Region MPO. Caliper’s support provides a one-time opportunity to accelerate the development of the next phase of travel demand modeling tools.

Membership Dues

Annual dues are paid to some organizations of which the MPO is a member. These organizations provide coordination opportunities with other MPOs and transportation planning resources.

Printing

Project-specific printing costs, such as those for surveys, maps, reports, presentation boards, and other informational materials, are included in this budget.

Travel

Periodically, the US Department of Transportation and other organizations sponsor courses and seminars that enhance staff’s ability to do project work; the costs of registration, travel, and lodging associated with attending such programs are direct-support expenditures. Mileage, tolls, and parking expenses associated with project work are also charged as direct-support expenditures.

Translation and Interpretation Services

To meet the needs of persons with limited English proficiency, the MPO translates vital documents into the six most widely spoken non-English languages in the MPO region, currently Chinese (both traditional and simplified), Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese, which is new for FFY 2023. Translation expenses are considered a direct cost. The MPO also provides real-time interpretation of meetings and events upon request with one week of advance notice, which is also considered a direct cost.

Other

Various other expenditures may become necessary during the term of this Unified Planning Work Program, such as postage for return mail or services for preparing and processing data for specific projects. Other nonrecurring costs, such as software for specific project work, equipment for conducting passenger surveys, or traffic-counting equipment, also may be funded through this line item.

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

Direct costs include computer and general office equipment, professional consulting services, in-state project-related travel, out-of-state travel associated with staff attendance at professional and training conferences, and other costs deemed appropriate.

 

 

 

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Chapter 7
Metropolitan Area Planning Council Activities

INTRODUCTION

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) receives approximately 20 percent of the Boston region’s annual combined 3C PL and §5303 funding. With this funding, MAPC staff conduct various studies, technical analyses, and outreach and support activities to help fulfill the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) functions as a regional planning body. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) provides the match to both the Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration funds described in this chapter.

 

Table 7-1
UPWP-Funded MAPC Activities, FFY 2023

Project Name ID FFY 2022 Funding FFY 2022 Work Products and Progress FFY 2023 Funding FFY 2023 Planned Work Products and Progress
MAPC Planning Studies and Technical Analyses          
Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies MAPC1 $191,768 Local parking management plans; data collection and analysis to repurpose on-street parking spaces for dedicated bus and bike lanes; planning products and engagement support for MBTA Better Bus Project; multimodal transportation plans for select corridors or subregions. $213,000 Local parking management plans in selected communities; planning projects and engagement support for MBTA Better Bus Project; multimodal transportation planning for selected corridors or subareas; coordinated housing and transportation plan.
Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination MAPC2 $204,713 Planning to support the advancement of zero emission vehicles with a focus on charging station siting and incentives for vehicle purchases; expansion and strategic planning of the Blue Bikes bikeshare system; advancement of the LandLine regional greenway system with conceptual planning to connect key gaps and continued updating of region-wide mapping tools; completed municipal bicycle and pedestrian plans in Milton and Wakefield. $218,509 Planning to support the advancement of zero-emission vehicles; bicycle- and pedestrian-planning support; expansion of the LandLine regional greenway system through planning and mapping efforts.
MetroCommon 2050 MAPC3 $95,000  Final updated plan with policy recommendations and identification of planning needs to mitigate impacts of scenarios. $105,000 Support implementation and coordination of plan through outreach and engagement; expand outreach to municipalities and members of the public through regionwide discussion with partner organizations to expand knowledge and understanding of equitable transit-oriented development planning, transportation opportunities, and GHG emissions reduction; continued research and evaluation of planning practices.
Land Use Development Project Reviews MAPC4 $89,696  Technical memos with transportation recommendations for development projects and large transportation infrastructure projects with a land use component. $94,696 Technical memos reviewing development projects with a significant land use component using the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act.
Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program* MAPC5, 2421 $48,156 Responded to various communities' inquiries related to transportation issues: Salem—Provided assistance analyzing potential impacts associated with changing residential streets to one-way streets to prevent diversions from a congested main  street; Concord—Provided guidance regarding a possible bicycle count program that Concord would like to conduct associated with the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and the West Concord MBTA station. Coordinated with MAPC about various technical assistance outreach needs and possible study locations. $48,156  Responded to various communities' inquiries related to transportation issues: Salem—Revised previous work to post pandemic conditions analyzing impacts associated with diversions from Route 114; Quincy—Provided assistance analyzing safety at the Skyline Trail crossing of Route 28 in the Blue Hills Reservation; Medway—Provided assistance analyzing potential impacts associated with change in land use and redevelopment of town-owned land.
MAPC Administration and Support Activities          
MPO/MAPC Liaison and Support Activities MAPC6 $167,000  Continue to support the MPO process to develop the TIP, UPWP, and LRTP with robust public engagement, as well as participate in related regional planning efforts conducted by MassDOT, MBTA, municipalities, or federal partners.  $175,000 Continue to support the MPO process to develop the TIP, UPWP, and LRTP with robust public engagement, as well as participate in related regional planning efforts conducted by MassDOT, MBTA, municipalities, or federal partners. 
UPWP Support MAPC7 $10,000  Support the UPWP development process and attend relevant meetings. $12,000 Tasks and work products generally remain the same from year to year.
Land Use Data and Forecasts for Transportation Modeling MAPC8 $95,000  Improved land use allocation model; multiple demographic and land use scenarios for transportation modeling; updated development data and analysis; documentation; and mapping products to support advanced transportation modeling year to year. $105,000 Continued improvement of land use allocation model; multiple demographic and land use scenarios for transportation modeling; updated development data and analysis;  documentation; and mapping products to support advanced transportation modeling year to year.
Subregional Support Activities MAPC9 $187,000  Support subregional groups. Includes preparing agendas, coordinating with transportation agencies, reviewing transportation studies in subregions, and helping to set subregional transportation priorities. $214,000 Tasks and work products generally remain the same from year to year.

 

*This section is also included in Chapter 5.

 

 

 

MAPC PLANNING STUDIES AND TECHNICAL ANALYSES

 

MAPC conducts transportation planning studies through four ongoing programs: Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies, Alternative Mode Planning and Coordination, MetroCommon 2050 Implementation, and Land Use Development Project Reviews. MAPC and Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) also collaborate on the Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program (MAPC5), which is described in Chapter 4.

 

Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies

 

Project ID Number

MAPC1

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$213,000

 

 

Purpose

 

This Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) task includes funding to support MAPC’s work on several corridor and subarea studies in the region. Some of these projects will be funded jointly through the UPWP and other funding that MAPC receives through its assessment on cities and towns, state contracts, and other planning grants.

 

Approach

 

This area of work is accomplished through the following subtasks.

 

Local Parking Management Plans in Selected Communities ($50,000)

 

MAPC will work with selected municipalities to develop local parking management plans to provide optimal parking supply to stimulate local economic prosperity, reduce congestion caused by circling vehicles, help municipalities plan for greater land use density by decreasing parking requirements, and encourage mode shift away from single-occupant vehicle trips. This work will involve on- and off-street parking, as well as understanding trade-offs associated with repurposing on-street parking for dedicated bus lanes, bike lanes, or wider sidewalks. The goal of this work program is to address the problems that municipalities face from not managing their parking supply in commercial and mixed-used areas, and to identify whether space that is currently dedicated for parked cars could be used more efficiently for other transportation or land use purposes. This work would benefit local air quality and congestion by managing parking supply and demand and creating places where people can park once and then walk to multiple destinations. In locations where parking requirements can be reduced, the number of households with one or more vehicles could decline, which could result in higher percentages of walking, biking, and transit ridership.

 

Supporting MBTA Better Bus Project ($50,000) 

 

MAPC will support the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority’s (MBTA) Better Bus Project, a multifaceted planning effort to improve the bus system through bus priority infrastructure, a redesigned bus network with changed and new routes, an increase in bus vehicles through planning for fleets and facilities, and improved bus stops with better shelters, street furniture, and electronic information signs. MAPC will convene municipal officials and other stakeholders to coordinate planning. MAPC will provide technical assistance at the corridor level to understand the trade-off of repurposing parking or travel lanes for more dedicated bus space. MAPC will support community engagement at the corridor level. 

 

Corridor/Subarea Multimodal Transportation Planning ($58,000)

 

MAPC will work in a selected subregion or roadway corridor to coordinate multimodal transportation planning, safety improvements, and transit service operations to be implemented by MassDOT, MBTA, Regional Transit Authorities, Transportation Management Agencies, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), employers, and/or municipalities with local land use planning to achieve livability and smart growth goals. The goal is to provide more mobility options for a variety of different users and trip types, as well as safer conditions for all users.

 

Coordinated Housing and Transportation Planning ($55,000)

 

MAPC will work with selected municipalities to help them comply with the new state requirement to allow for multi-family residential development near MBTA transit stations. MAPC will support zoning, transportation planning, transportation demand management, and other activities to establish transit-oriented housing as required by Section 3A of M.G.L. Chapter 40A. MAPC will also conduct regional research on topics related to this new state law to support more cities and towns to comply with the requirement.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination

 

Project ID Number

MAPC2

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$218,509

 

 

Purpose

MAPC provides alternative-mode transportation-planning support to the Boston Region MPO and municipalities that focuses on non-single-occupancy vehicle modes and promoting zero emission vehicles (ZEV). This work benefits bicycle and pedestrian transportation, encourages transit in areas that currently are underserved by existing regional transit authorities, improves the region’s understanding of transportation network companies, advances ZEVs, and identifies and supports transportation demand management strategies.

 

Approach

 

This area of work is accomplished through the following subtasks.

 

Zero Emission Vehicle Support ($35,000)

 

MAPC will support municipalities in planning for ZEVs, such as electric vehicle charging infrastructure, transitioning or retrofitting municipal fleets, advancing electric school buses, electric cargo bikes, promoting zero emission car sharing and ride-hailing, and other initiatives. This work will increase the number of ZEVs in the region, thereby helping the state meet greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals.   

 

Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning ($43,509)

 

MAPC will work with municipalities to identify local bicycle and pedestrian improvements with a focus on closing sidewalk gaps, implementing separated bicycle facilities, supporting bike and pedestrian safety plans, complete streets prioritizations plans, and other improvements at the local level. This work will lead to safer infrastructure, increase the rate of cycling and walking in the region, and decrease bicycle and pedestrian injuries.

 

Regional Bike Share Planning ($40,000)

 

MAPC will continue to support municipalities in the region to plan for the implementation and expansion of the BlueBikes bicycle sharing program. This work will include analyzing trip data, supporting station siting, coordinating funding opportunities, planning for electric bikes, supporting new municipalities that join, and researching future governance and funding structures. 

 

Regional Greenway Planning and Mapping ($100,000)

 

MAPC will continue to work with MassDOT, CTPS, DCR, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, municipalities, and trail organizations to plan, map, design, and implement portions of a regional bicycle and pedestrian network of off-road and on-road connections (a greenway) that form a contiguous system around greater Boston. In 2015, MAPC worked with the above-cited partners to develop the branding of this system named the LandLine. The trails consist of shared-use paths along former railroad rights-of-way, hiking trails through conservation land, and historic corridors that connect points of interest. The binding theme of the proposed and completed corridors is creating attractive places to walk, bike, or otherwise travel through low-traffic or no-traffic green areas.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

MetroCommon 2050: Greater Boston’s Next Regional Vision 

 

Project ID Number

MAPC3

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$105,000

 

 

Purpose

 

This UPWP study area will continue to support the ongoing coordination and implementation of the new regional plan, MetroCommon 2050, the Boston region’s 30-year comprehensive plan (through the year 2050) for sustainable equitable growth and development. The new plan establishes goals for topics including mobility, climate mitigation, and resiliency, as well as actionable recommendations needed to accomplish these goals. The agency is aligning its annual workplan and technical assistance priorities to implement the recommendations of MetroCommon.

 

Approach

 

This area of work is accomplished through the following subtasks.

 

MetroCommon 2050 Implementation and Education ($35,000)

 

Changing demographics and location preferences, planned investments in public transportation, and emerging transportation technologies will have a profound influence on the Boston region in the decades ahead. The regional plan includes recommendations for improving mobility, reducing GHG emissions from the transportation sector, and expanding the access, capacity, and affordability of public and active transportation. This task will include outreach and education to municipal leaders about the mobility focused recommendations, seeking commitments to work towards implementing specific action items.

 

Building Constituencies for Local, Regional, and State Decisions that Enable Livable Communities and Sustainable Transportation ($35,000)

 

MAPC will continue to work with municipal and state officials and residents to seek changes in land use that will support livable communities and sustainable transportation. This will include engaging the public in planning and dialogue that enhances equitable transit-oriented development planning, and influences other decision-making to improve development outcomes, transportation opportunities, and reduction of GHG emissions. As part of the plan update, MAPC will hold regional discussions regarding challenges and opportunities in making long-term improvements to the Boston region’s transportation system, including restoring and expanding service to equitable transit-oriented development locations. This is especially critical with the new state law that requires cities and towns to zone for multifamily districts around transit stations. Task outputs are expected to include engaging at least 500 people with a focus on diverse and underserved communities and partnering with organizations that serve those communities. Outputs also include hosting at least 10 different events or activities as part of the engagement.

 

Research and Evaluation that Support Livable Communities and Sustainable Transportation ($35,000)

 

Incorporation of best practices and evaluation is important to improving MAPC’s work and for advancing implementation at the local and state levels. Transportation and integrated land use planning practices will be evaluated to determine if improvements can be made to our practices, with a particular emphasis on evaluating the equity outcomes and processes of these plans.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

Anticipated outcomes include a stronger constituency for sustainable land use and transportation investments and programs; case studies or best practices for regional and local mobility; and local commitments to implement the regional plan’s recommendations.

 

Land Use Development Project Reviews

 

Project ID Number

MAPC4

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$94,696

 

 

Purpose

 

This UPWP task supports MAPC’s review of potential development projects in the region. In particular, MAPC will review projects for consistency with its sustainable land use and transportation goals, impacts on the transportation network and projects identified in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), and consistency with the MPO’s livability goals.

 

Approach

 

MAPC tracks all projects reviewed in the region under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), and provides a regional-planning analysis to MassDOT and the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs for all developments considered to have significant impact. Special attention is given to mitigation and planning requirements that serve to reduce auto travel by encouraging carpooling, transit, parking regulations, and other travel demand management techniques. MAPC coordinates these reviews with MassDOT and the municipalities, and works with MassDOT to identify updated requirements to be included in the transportation impact assessments that must be conducted by developers.

 

MAPC also reviews notices of offered railroad property from MassDOT, consults with municipalities as necessary, and provides appropriate input. Often, these notices involve rail trails, but they also may involve other types of proposed developments.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

Anticipated outcomes include analysis and reports of MEPA reviews, development of mitigation recommendations, coordination with municipalities and transportation agencies, maintenance and updates of MAPC’s development database, and input into the project evaluations for the TIP and LRTP. In addition, MAPC will continue to review and respond to notices of offered railroad property.

 

MAPC ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT ACTIVITIES

The following section contains details on the administration, resource management, and support activities undertaken by MAPC every federal fiscal year.

 

MPO/MAPC Liaison and Support Activities

 

Project ID Number

MAPC6

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$175,000

 

 

Purpose

 

This project includes working with MPO members and staff to establish work priorities and meeting agendas. It also includes implementing the continuous, comprehensive, and cooperative (3C) transportation planning process and engagement in regional transportation planning led by MassDOT, the MBTA, or municipalities in the region. It also includes reporting to the MAPC executive committee, MAPC council members, MAPC subregions, and MAPC staff on MPO activities to ensure strong coordination of land use and transportation planning across the region.

 

Approach

 

Statewide and Regional Planning Committees and Processes ($95,000)

 

In addition to participating in the Boston MPO process, MAPC actively participates in and attends statewide and regional planning committees, task forces, working groups, and commissions to represent the interests of the region, with a particular focus on the critical links between land use and transportation. These committees include the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies; Regional Coordinating Councils; MassDOT and MBTA board meetings; and various MassDOT, MBTA, or municipally led transportation working groups or study advisory committees. MAPC will also be actively involved in regional transportation plans and programs related to land use and transportation. Advisory committees may change from year to year as studies are started or completed, but participation in various advisory committees is an ongoing task.

 

Support the Public Participation Process for Metropolitan Planning Documents ($10,000)

 

MAPC provides education and outreach for a wide variety of transportation-related and land use-related topics in the region, with emphasis on outreach through the subregions to municipal officials. MAPC also supports CTPS in its outreach to environmental justice and senior populations and to people with disabilities.

 

MPO Elections ($10,000)

 

Working with the MBTA Advisory Board, MAPC will coordinate and implement annual elections for municipal representatives in the MPO.

 

Performance-Based Planning and Programming (PBPP) ($10,000)

 

MAPC will review PBPP targets and follow progress toward meeting targets and objectives, with a focus on coordinating state, local, and regional safety planning and goal setting.

 

TIP Evaluation and Criteria ($25,000)

 

MAPC will work with CTPS to finalize the TIP scoring criteria and to advise CTPS about the land use and economic-development aspects of the TIP evaluations. MAPC will provide updated TIP criteria and help implement the comprehensive regional growth plan, MetroCommon. MAPC will evaluate TIP projects and work with municipalities to advance TIP projects.

 

MPO Agenda Setting, Meetings, and Coordination ($25,000)

 

MAPC will work with CTPS and MassDOT to develop MPO meeting agendas and presentations, and participate in MPO processes.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

Outcomes of this program will result in interagency coordination; work scopes and agendas; participation in advisory and corridor committees; public participation and outreach; reports to the MAPC executive committee, MAPC Council members, MAPC subregions, and MAPC staff; MPO elections; PBPP targets and data; LRTP scenarios; TIP criteria update and project evaluations; and attendance at relevant meetings.

 

UPWP Support

 

Project ID Number

MAPC7

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$12,000

 

 

Purpose

 

This UPWP task supports MAPC’s management and oversight of UPWP-funded planning studies, projects, and programs, including preparing updates and budget information in monthly reports to MassDOT.

 

Approach

 

MAPC assists with the annual development of the UPWP and coordinates with MassDOT and CTPS to support development of UPWP project ideas and specific work scopes. Through community liaison and subregional support activities, MAPC staff also helps communities identify and develop studies for inclusion in the UPWP.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

MAPC staff will prepare UPWP project listings and monthly reports on UPWP activities. MAPC will assist with annual development of the UPWP and support development of specific project proposals and work scopes. MAPC staff will also assist communities in identifying and developing studies to be included in the UPWP through community liaison and subregional support activities.

 

 

Land Use Data and Forecasts for Transportation Modeling

 

Project ID Number

MAPC8

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$105,000

 

 

Purpose

 

This program allows MAPC to support the MPO’s planning and decision-making by providing CTPS with detailed population, household, employment, and land use data (current conditions and scenarios of future growth) for transportation modeling and project evaluation.

 

Approach

 

MAPC will continue to investigate, acquire, and improve additional sources of employment and built environment data to inform land use allocation modeling. MAPC will continue to refine and improve Zoning Atlas data and corresponding development capacity estimates that serve as key inputs to the land use allocation model.

 

MAPC will continue to monitor development projects that are being planned across the region and will maintain an up-to-date development database in an online portal at www.massbuilds.com. MAPC will support CTPS and MassDOT in applying these data for project evaluation or updates to the regional travel demand model.

 

MAPC will collaborate with MassDOT and other stakeholders on the development of regional population, household, and employment control totals for the Boston MPO region and the next LRTP.

 

MAPC will use the UrbanSim Land use allocation model to develop scenarios of future land use, represented as population and employment forecasts at the transportation analysis zone and Census Block level, which can be incorporated into CTPS’s travel demand model.

 

MAPC will continue frequent and regular communication and coordination with the CTPS modeling staff to support travel model improvements and integration of the land use allocation and travel demand models. MAPC will also help to plan and participate in webinars and other peer exchange opportunities involving other regional agencies to improve our understanding of the state of practice regarding demographic and land use forecasting. 

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

Anticipated outcomes include new data sources; an improved land use allocation model; multiple demographic and land use scenarios for transportation modeling; updated development data and analysis; documentation; and mapping products to support advanced transportation modeling.

 

 

Subregional Support Activities (MAPC)

 

Project ID Number

MAPC9

FFY 2023 Total Budget

$214,000

 

Purpose

 

The Boston MPO region consists of 97 cities and towns. The region is subdivided into eight geographic areas that are represented by subregional councils comprising municipal officials, business leaders, community-based organizations, and other local participants. MAPC staff planners are assigned as coordinators to each of the subregional groups to help members develop an understanding of subregional and regional transportation and land use issues. This project supports community involvement in the development of transportation planning documents.

 

Approach

 

Subregions jointly identify and review the transportation priorities in their areas and recommend subregional projects and priorities for the TIP, LRTP, UPWP, and the MassDOT and MBTA capital investment plans.

 

Subregional coordinators and MAPC transportation staff report to the MPO through formal and informal communications. MAPC subregional groups will continue to participate in local corridor advisory committees whenever these committees are appropriate vehicles for working on projects in their areas. The subregions will continue to identify priority transportation needs, plan for first- and last-mile connections to transit, identify regional trail connections, pilot new technology to support increased mobility, and support planning for transit-oriented housing around MBTA stations.

 

MAPC staff ensures timely discussions of transportation-related issues by placing the topics on meeting agendas, leading and participating in the discussions, and distributing appropriate documents and notices relating to region and statewide transportation meetings.

 

FFY 2023 Anticipated Outcomes

 

Outcomes of this program include preparing monthly meeting agendas for transportation topics at subregional meetings; coordinating with transportation agencies; reviewing transportation studies in subregions; supporting subregional and corridor advisory committee meetings; generating public input on MPO processes and certification documents; and helping to set subregional transportation priorities.

 

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Chapter 8
Boston Region MPO Budget and Operating Summaries

This chapter contains overall budget information for the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) federal fiscal year (FFY) 2023 activities. The information is organized according to the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) categories described in Chapters 3 through 7 and recipient agencies and funding sources are indicated.

 

 

UPWP Work Areas Total Budget
Certification Requirements $4,026,088
MassDOT-Directed PL Projects $352,579
Continuing MPO Planning Studies and Technical Analyses $238,500
MAPC Planning Studies and Technical Analyses $679,361
New MPO-Funded Discrete Studies $653,000
Agency and Other Client Planning Studies and Technical Support $1,353,755
CTPS Administration, Resource Management, and Support Activities $280,000
MAPC Resource Management and Support Activities $506,000
Direct Costs (3C) $120,000
Total $8,209,283

 

The funding for the projects, programs, and activities listed in Chapters 3 through 7 comes from the following sources, which are described in Chapter 2.

 

Funding Source Total Programmed Funds
FHWA 3C PL/MassDOT Local Match $4,484,682
FTA 3C PL (Section 5303)/MassDOT Local Match $2,470,364
FHWA SPR/MassDOT Local Match $500,000
MassDOT $52,000
MBTA $721,755
Other $80,000
Total $8,308,801

 

 

The 10 tables on the following pages summarize the funding information presented in the preceding chapters. There is one table for each UPWP category of work conducted by Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS), one for each UPWP category of work conducted by Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), and two summary tables. These summaries assist federal and state contract administrators in reviewing each work program in detail.

 

The total federal funding programmed in this UPWP is $6,955,046. All federal funds programmed in the UPWP are awarded to the Boston Region MPO by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) as Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 3C Planning (PL) funds. However, these federal funds initially come from two sources: the FHWA and the Federal Transportation Authority (FTA). The federal funds, which are supplemented by a local match provided by MassDOT, include the following initial sources:

 

This budget also reflects projects funded with Statewide Planning and Research and other funds from MassDOT; projects funded with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority funds; and projects funded from other sources. These projects are listed in Table 8-4.

 

Project status and financial data reported in the following tables are subject to change.

 

Table 8-1
UPWP Budget—Certification Requirements for FFY 2023

 

Project ID Name FFY 2022 CTPS UPWP Budget  Expected Project Status as of 10/1/2022 Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
9123 Support to the MPO and its Committees $240,000 Ongoing $355,088
9323 Regional Transportation Advisory Council Support $40,000 Ongoing $18,000
9623 Public Participation Process $180,000 Ongoing $278,000
9723 General Editorial  N/A Ongoing $174,000
9223 General Graphics $93,800 Ongoing $243,500
9523 Professional Development $64,500 Ongoing $80,000
Support to the MPO Subtotal blank $618,300 blank $1,148,588
8123 Long-Range Transportation Plan $326,000 Ongoing $362,500
8223 Transportation Improvement Program $274,000 Ongoing $323,000
8823 Performance-Based Planning and Programming $125,000 Ongoing $117,000
8423 Air Quality Conformity Determinations and Support $25,500 Ongoing $21,500
8323 Unified Planning Work Program $116,000 Ongoing $101,500
8523 Transportation Equity Program $139,000 Ongoing $177,000
2123 Congestion Management Process $100,500 Ongoing $134,000
2223 Freight Planning Support $65,000 Ongoing $93,000
7123 Regional Model Enhancement $840,000  Ongoing  $890,000
7223 Research Next Generation Data and Tools $57,790  Ongoing  $0
5023 Data Program $218,000  Ongoing  $572,000
8923 Transit Working Group Support $50,000.00  Ongoing  $42,000
8723 MPO Resilience Program $11,000.00  Ongoing  $44,000
3C Planning and Other Certification Requirements Activities Subtotal blank $2,347,790 blank $2,877,500
Certification Requirements Subtotal blank $2,966,090 blank $4,026,088

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 8-2
UPWP Budget—Ongoing and Continuing MPO Planning Studies
and Technical Analyses for FFY 2023

 

Project ID Name FFY 2022 CTPS UPWP Budget  Expected Project Status/Completion as of 10/1/2022 Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
13422 Addressing Safety, Mobility, and Access on Subregional Priority Roadways FFY 2022 $133,000 95% $8,500
13522 Addressing Priority Corridors from the LRTP Needs Assessment FFY 2022 $145,000 95% $9,500
13722 Safety and Operations at Selected Intersections FFY 2022 $82,000 95% $4,500
Planning Studies Subtotal (Continuing FFY 2022 Initiated Work) blank $360,000 blank $22,500
2323 Roadway Safety Audits $13,000  Ongoing  $14,500
2423 Community Transportation Technical Assistance $67,000 Ongoing $68,000
2523 Bicycle and Pedestrian Support Activities $74,000 Ongoing $83,500
4123 Regional Transit Service Planning Technical Support $50,000 Ongoing $50,000
Technical Analysis and Support Subtotal blank $204,000 blank $216,000
MPO-Funded Planning Studies and Technical Analyses Subtotal blank $564,000 blank $238,500

 

 

 

Table 8-3
UPWP Budget—MPO New Discrete Studies for FFY 2023

 

Universe ID Project  ID Study or Program Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
  2823  Multimodal Mobility Infrastructure Program $323,000
A-3 13803 Update Bicycle/Pedestrian Count Database $80,000
T-1 13804 Flexible Fixed-Route Bus Service $20,000
T-2 13805 Transit Modernization Program $37,500
M-1 13806 Lab and Municipal Parking Study $80,000
TE-1 13807  Learning from Roadway Pricing Experiences $45,000
TE-4 13808 Sustainability and Decarbonization in the Freight and Logistics Sector in the North Suffolk Area $67,500
Total for New Discrete and Recurring Studies blank blank $653,000

 

 

 

 

Table 8-4
UPWP Budget—New and Continuing Agency Transportation Planning Studies and Technical Analyses for FFY 2023

 

Project ID Name Total Contracta Funding Source FFY 2023 Agency Funds Direct Support  Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
Varies by project MassDOT SPR Program Supportb $500,000 SPR $500,000 $0 $500,000
13155 MassDOT Title VI Program  $95,000   MassDOT  $10,000 $0 $10,000
Varies by project MassDOT - Directed PL Projects  n/a   MPO 3C PL  $352,579 $0 $352,579
11495 Silver Line Extension Alternatives $211,115  MassDOT  $42,000 $0 $42,000
MassDOT Subtotal blank blank blank $552,000 $0 $552,000
11415 AFC 2.0 Equity Analysis  $76,972   MBTA  $19,000 $0 $19,000
11497 MBTA 2023 Triennial Title VI Report $145,800  MBTA  $84,500 $0 $84,500
11429 MBTA 2022 Title VI Program Monitoring $79,700  MBTA  $40,000 $250 $40,250
11496 MBTA Mapping Support $18,000  MBTA  $5,000 $0 $5,000
11500 MBTA Map and Signage Support to Bus Network Redesign $31,755 MBTA $31,755 $0 $31,755
14376 MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Support IV $31,342  MBTA  $7,000 $0 $7,000
14374 MBTA SFY 2022 National Transit Database (NTD) Support $127,288  MBTA  $6,000 $0 $6,000
14375 MBTA SFY 2023 National Transit Database (NTD) Support $165,145  MBTA  $120,000 $250 $120,250
11498 MBTA North Shore Busway $108,819  MBTA  $90,000 $0 $90,000
11499 MBTA Bus Tool Ongoing Support $60,000  MBTA  $40,000 $0 $40,000
14378 MBTA SFY 2024 National Transit Database (NTD) Support    MBTA  $39,900 $100 $40,000
11422 MBTA Transit Service Data Collection XI  $540,000   MBTA  $13,000 $0 $13,000
11430 MBTA Transit Service Data Collection XI $590,000  MBTA  $180,000 $0 $180,000
14358 Service Equity Analysis Support to the MBTA  $115,000   MBTA  $45,000 $0 $45,000
MBTA Subtotal blank blank blank $721,155 $600 $721,755
blank Other (Massport, Municipalities, etc.)  $80,000   Other  $80,000 $0 $80,000
Other Subtotal blank blank blank $80,000 $0 $80,000
Agency-Funded and Client-Funded Subtotal blank blank blank $1,353,155 $600 $1,353,755

 

 

 

a The total contract amounts include direct costs. Annual direct costs are not included in the FFY budget amounts in the table and are shown separately in the Direct Support column.

b This project is conducted on behalf of MassDOT but funded through the MPO 3C Planning contract, and thus is not included in totals in this table.

 

 

 

 

Table 8-5
UPWP Budget—Resource Management and Support Activities for FFY 2023

 

Project ID Name FFY 2022 CTPS UPWP Budget  Expected Project Status as of 10/1/2022 Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
6023 Computer Resource Management $282,000  Ongoing  $280,000
Resource Management and Support Activities Subtotal* blank $282,000 blank $280,000

 

 

*Does not include Direct Support.

 

 

Table 8-6
UPWP Budget—MAPC Planning Studies and Technical Analyses for FFY 2023

 

Project ID Name FFY 2022 MAPC UPWP Budget  Proposed FFY 2023 MAPC Budget 
MAPC1 Corridor/Subarea Planning Studies $191,768 $213,000
MAPC2 Alternative-Mode Planning and Coordination $204,713 $218,509
MAPC3 MetroCommon 2050 $95,000 $105,000
MAPC4 Land Use Development Project Reviews $89,696 $94,696
MAPC5, 2421 Community Transportation Technical Assistance Program* $48,156 $48,156
MAPC Planning Studies and Technical Analyses Subtotal blank $629,333 $679,361

 

 

*This project is shared

 

 

 

 

 

Table 8-7
UPWP Budget—MAPC Resource Management and Support Activities for FFY 2023

 

Project ID Name FFY 2022 MAPC UPWP Budget  Proposed FFY 2023 MAPC Budget
MAPC6 MPO/MAPC Liaison and Support Activities $167,000 $175,000
MAPC7 UPWP Support $10,000 $12,000
MAPC8 Land Use Data and Forecasts for Transportation Modeling $95,000 $105,000
MAPC9 Subregional Support Activities $187,000 $214,000
MAPC Resource Management and Support Activities blank $459,000 $506,000

 

 

 

Table 8-8
UPWP Budget—Summary of FFY 2023 Budgets for CTPS

 

 

3C Studies and Programs by Budget Categories Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
Resource Management and Support Activities $280,000
MPO Certification Requirements $4,026,088
Continuing MPO-Funded Planning Studies and Technical Analyses $238,500
New MPO-Funded Discrete Studies  $653,000
MassDOT-Directed PL Funds* $352,579
Direct Support $120,000
Total for CTPS 3C Studies and Programs  $5,670,167

Agency-Funded CTPS Work Proposed FFY 2023 CTPS Budget
MassDOT SPR Funds $500,000
MassDOT Other Funds $52,000
MBTA Funds $721,755
Other $80,000
Total for Agency-Funded CTPS Project Work $1,543,755

Total FFY 2023 CTPS Budget  (3C + Agency Work) $7,023,922

 

 

Note: Budget figures include salary, overhead, and direct support.

* This project is conducted on behalf of MassDOT but funded through the MPO 3C contract.

 

 

 

 

 

Table 8-9
UPWP Budget—Summary of FFY 2023 Budgets for MAPC

 

3C Studies and Programs by MAPC Budget Categories Proposed FFY 2023 MAPC Budget
MAPC Planning Studies and Technical Analyses $679,361
MAPC Administration, Resource Management, and Support Activities $506,000
Total MAPC FFY 2023 UPWP Programmed Funds $1,185,361

 

 

 

 

Table 8-10
UPWP Budget—3C Budget and Overall Budget for FFY 2023

 

 

Agency Supporting MPO/3C Work Proposed FFY 2023 Budget
CTPS $5,670,167
MAPC  $1,185,361
3C Budget Subtotal $6,855,528
Agency-Funded CTPS Work $1,353,755
FFY 2023 UPWP Budget $8,209,283

 

 

 

 

 

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Appendices