JUNE 2007

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE BOSTON REGION METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION INCENTIVES AT LOGAN FOR LOW-EMISSION VEHICLES MPO Amends 2007 Page 2 Highway Program and DOWNEASTER SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS Begins 2008 —2011 TIP Page 2 The MPO is currently devel - ing s of the Transportation Chief elected officials of oping both an amendment Planning and Programming municipalities in the MPO ‘BIKES ON THE T’ PROGRAM to the federal fiscal year Committee. Please see the region cast their votes on Page 3 (FFY) 2007 highway element calendar for meeting dates May 23 and elected the of the Transportation and times. City of Somerville as a MPO ACTIVITIES Improvement Program (TIP) Page 3 If you have any questions member of the MPO, and the draft FFYs about TIP development, replacing the City of 2008–2011 TIP. Everett . The Town of MEETING CALENDAR please contact Hayes Development of both of Morrison, TIP Manager, at Framingham was also re- For the most recent information these documents will be an (617) 973-7129 or by e-mail elected. Both municipali - on the following public meetings ties were elected for a and others that may have been agenda item at June meet - at [email protected]. scheduled after TRANS REPORT went three-year term. to press, go to www.boston mpo.org or call (617) 973-7119. The annual election was con - AT THE STATE Green Line Stations ducted by the Metropolitan TRANSPORTATION Area Planning Council BUILDING, 10 PARK PLAZA, BOSTON Upgraded to Improve (MAPC) and the MBTA June 7 (Thursday) Accessibility Advisory Board, the two Boston Region MPO Administration The project to improve regional members of the and Finance Subcommittee. MPO MINI-HIGH PLATFORM MPO. Conference Room, Suite 2150. INSTALLED AT accessibility on the Green 9:15 AM CLEVELAND CIRCLE Line began in the Boston Region MPO Transportation spring of 2005, The MBTA opened a new 3- Planning and Programming when the MBTA Committee. Conference Room 4. foot-high, 76-foot-long ele - 10:00 AM began evaluating vated platform on the out - the feasibility of Boston Region MPO Unified Plan- bound side of the Cleveland ning Work Program Subcommittee. building mini-high Circle Green Line station on MPO Conference Room, Suite platforms at some 2150 . 1:00 PM May 2. The “mini-high” plat - of the busiest sur - June 13 (Wednesday) form is the eighth such face stations. Boston Region MPO Public Parti- structure that the MBTA has cipation Plan Focus Group.* MPO Conference Room, Suite 2150. built since February 2006 to Mini-high plat - Noon —1:30 PM improve access to Green forms are now Regional Transportation Advisory Line trolleys for the elderly located at the fol - Council. Conference Room 4. lowing Green Line 3:00 PM and people with disabilities. stations: Washing- June 14 (Thursday) “The Green Line is more ton Street on the B Cleveland Circle Green Line station Boston Region MPO Unified Plan- accessible than ever to peo - Branch ; BU Central ning Work Program Subcommittee. ple with disabilities,” said Fenway (inbound), and MPO Conference Room, Suite (inbound) and Cleveland PM MBTA spokesman Joe Newton Centre (inbound) 2150 . 1:00 Circle (outbound) on the C June 21 (Thursday) Pesaturo. Branch ; Brookline Hills, G Green Line cont. on p. 4 Boston Region MPO Unified Plan- ning Work Program Subcommittee. The members of the Boston Region MPO: Executive Office of Transportation, Cities of Boston, Newton, Salem, and MPO Conference Room, Suite Somerville, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Massachusetts Bay Transportation 2150 . 9:15 AM Authority, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board, Massachusetts Highway Department, Calendar continued on p. 2 Massachusetts Port Authority, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Regional Transportation Advisory Council, Towns of Bedford, Framingham, and Hopkinton Calendar cont. from p. 1 Hybrid and Alternative-Fuel June 21 (Thursday) Boston Region MPO Transportation Vehicles Jump to the Head Planning and Programming Committee. Conference Room 4. of the Line at Logan 10:00 AM parking at the airport’s past, taxis waited an average Massachusetts Bicycle and MASSPORT AND CITY Pedestrian Advisory Board. OF BOSTON PROVIDE Central Parking Garage of 30 to 60 minutes before Executive Office of Transpor- (Level 6), Terminal B garage being dispatched to the air - tation and Public Works INCENTIVES FOR Conference Room 1, Suite 3170 . LOW-EMISSION (Level 4), Terminal E surface port terminals. 1:00 PM lots, and Economy Lot. VEHICLES Building on the City of June 25 (Monday) Eligible vehicles Finding a parking spot at MBTA Rider Oversight Committee. include those Conference Rooms 1, 2, and 3. Logan International Airport 4:30 PM that use com - just got easier for drivers of June 27 (Wednesday) pressed natural hybrid and alternative-fuel Access Advisory Committee to the gas (CNG), vehicles as a result of pro - MBTA. Conference Room 2. hybrid-electric, 5:30 —8:00 PM grams sponsored by the hydrogen fuel Massachusetts Port Authority AT OTHER BOSTON cell, and AREA LOCATIONS (Massport) and the City of ethanol- 85 Boston that encourage the Monday, June 11 power sources. use of low-emission vehicles. Boston Region MPO Public Participation Plan Focus Group.* Massport also In May Massport dedicated Boston Public Library, Mezzanine worked closely Hybrid taxi Conference Room, 700 Boylston more than 100 parking Street, Boston. 6:30 —7:30 PM with Boston mayor Thomas Boston’s CleanAir Cabs pro - spaces at Logan for the use June 13 (Wednesday) Menino and the city’s gram, which has put a dozen of clean-fuel vehicles. Air- Hackney Division to offer hybrid taxis on the city’s Boston Region MPO Walkable port customers driving Community Workshop. Senior head-of-line privileges to streets since last autumn, Center, 165 Broadway (old fire hybrid and alternative-fuel clean-fuel Boston taxis at the station), Somerville . 4:00 —6:00 PM vehicles now have preferred airport’s taxi queue. In the G Logan cont. on p. 4 Boston Region MPO Public Participation Plan Focus Group.* Thayer Public Library, 7989 Washington Street, Braintree . Downeaster Ridership Up, Service 6:00 —7:30 PM MBTA Program for Mass Transpor- tation Workshop. Beebe Public Enhancements Underway Library, 345 Main Street , EVENING RUN ADDED Pan Am Railways and the helping to complete the overall Wakefield . 6:00 —8:00 PM BETWEEN BOSTON AND MBTA —that make the run - service package. June 14 (Thursday) ning of the Downeaster pos - MBTA Program for Mass Transpor- PORTLAND The Downeaster currently sible. tation Workshop. Boston Public After five years in operation, makes four daily round-trips, Library, Dudley Branch, 65 Warren Street, Roxbury. 5:30 —7:30 PM Amtrak’s Downeaster pas - As more travelers choose the which stop at Boston, Woburn, June 19 (Tuesday) senger rail service is proving train over driving on the high - and Haverhill in Massachusetts; Exeter, Durham, and Dover in MBTA Program for Mass Transpor- to be an increasingly attrac - tation Workshop. Cambridge tive means for travel ing on New Hampshire; and Wells, Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts the Boston-to-Portland corri - Saco, Old Orchard Beach, and Avenue, Cambridge. 6:00 —8:00 PM dor. Ridership on the line Portland in Maine. June 21 (Thursday) MBTA Program for Mass Transpor- grew 32 percent during the Approximately 74 percent of tation Workshop. Newton City last fiscal year, the largest people who travel on the Hall, War Memorial Auditorium, percentage increase in the 1000 Commonwealth Avenue, Downeaster are visitors to Newton. 5:30 —7:30 PM Amtrak system, said Patricia Boston, and about one-third of Quinn, Executive Director of the travelers are commuters, * See the insert in this issue for the Northern New England according to Quinn. details on how to register for a Passenger Rail Authority focus group. (NNEPRA). NNEPRA is the ways, the Downeaster service is To tap into a larger market, a coordinator of the partner being enhanced. The number of fifth daily round-trip, departing organizations —including runs has been increased and col - from Portland at 8:00 PM, will Amtrak and host railroads laboration with bus services is G Downeaster cont. on p. 4

2 TRANS REPORT June 2007 www.bostonmpo.org ‘Bikes on the T’ Program Improves Cyclist Access to Transit BIKE RACKS TO BE of fully outfitting the entire Waltham, INSTALLED ON ONE T bus fleet with racks. In Watertown, THIRD OF MBTA BUS addition, the MBTA is part - Winchester, and FLEET nering with the Metropolitan Woburn. Area Planning Council As National Bike Week got This summer, (MAPC) and Livable Streets underway the week of May another 205 buses Alliance to install additional 14 and many Boston area will be outfitted bicycle racks at various sub - commuters left their cars at with racks. These way and commuter rail sta - home and peddled to work, buses will run on 41 MBTA program adds bicycle racks to buses. Left to tions. the MBTA announced routes and will add right: David Loutzenheiser, Chair, MBTA Bikes and Cyclists can currently take Beverly, Danvers, Transit Advisory Committee; State Reps. William N. improvements to the transit Brownsberger and Eugene O'Flaherty; David Watson, system that are making it their bicycles on 125 buses Lexington, Marble- MassBike; MBTA General Manager Daniel A. easier for bicyclists to access that travel on 19 routes in head, Nahant, Grabauskas; Larry Slotnick, Livable Streets Alliance; public transportation. the following communities: Newton, Peabody, Barbara Lucas, Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Through its Bikes on the T Allston, Arlington, Bedford, Salem, and Swampscott to The MBTA is also increas - program, the MBTA is Belmont, Boston, Brighton, the communities served . All ing bicycle parking at sub - equipping 35 percent of the Burlington, Cambridge, of the new buses that the way and commuter rail sta - MBTA bus fleet with bicycle Charlestown, Chelsea, Ever- MBTA will purchas e in the tions. Over the next six racks as part of a phased ett, Lexington, Malden, future will come equipped effort with the ultimate goal Medford, Revere, Somerville, with racks. G Bikes cont. on p. 4 Boston Region MPO Activities BOSTON REGION MPO ACTION ITEMS The Boston Region MPO, at the recommendation of its Transportation Planning and Programming Committee, released an adjustment and an amendment to the federal fiscal year (FFY) 2007 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for public review. The adjustment allocates funding from the MPO’s Suburban Mobility Program to several suburban transit service projects. The amendment adds two new transit projects, reallocates transit program funding, addresses carryover funding for two transit projects, programs federal discretionary and earmark funding, and adds a state discretionary grant. The Committee also released a draft of its revised Public Participation Program for a 45-day public review period. The Program has been revised to better comply with the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

REGIONAL 20 years, financial resources will ACCESS ADVISORY stops. In April 107 bus trips TRANSPORTATION fall somewhere between $15 and COMMITTEE TO THE were monitored, and 82 per - ADVISORY COUNCIL $19 billion short of the basic MBTA (AACT) UPDATE cent were found to be in needs of transportation mainte - compliance. UPDATE At its May 23 meeting, AACT nance and state of good repair Massachusetts, like other states, members elected Ben Haynes OTA staff are continuing to throughout the state’s trans - is facing an enormous trans - as Chair and Philip Beaulieu visit senior centers to regis - portation network. The Com- portation funding gap, said Paul as Vice Chair for the 2007 to ter MBTA customers for the mission has been presenting its Regan, Executive Director of 2009 term. Don Summer- Senior/TAP/ Blind Access findings to the public and asking the MBTA Advisory Board, field, Frank Taverna, and CharlieCards. A schedule of for ideas on how to bridge the MPO member, and member of James Oliver were elected to upcoming outreach events funding gap. the Transportation Finance the Executive Board. can be found at www.mbta Joe Cosgrove, of the MBTA, .com or by calling the OTA’ s Commission, at the Council’s The Office for Transporta- summarized the proposed TIP Back B ay office at (800) 543- May meeting. In a discussion tion Access (OTA) announ ced transit amendment and adjust - 8287 (voice) or (617) 222- about the report Transportation that monitors have been rid - ment that are under considera - 5854 (TTY). Finance in Massachusetts: An ing MBTA buses to deter - tion by the MPO. (See details Unsustainable System , Regan mine compliance with ADA above under MPO Action explained that, over the next requirements for calling out Items.)

www.bostonmpo.org TRANS REPORT June 2007 3 Rail Service Increasing Eco-Friendly TRANS REPORT G Downeaster cont. from p. 2 As part of a $6 million capacity Drivers PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON be added. The evening run will improvement program, an effort Welcome REGION METROPOLITAN better serve tourists from Boston is also underway to reduce the PLANNING ORGANIZATION train’s travel time between and points south who spend the at Logan Bernard Cohen, MPO Chairman day in Portland and those from Boston and Portland to make G Logan cont. from p. 2 the train more competitive with Portland and points north who Mayor Menino announced a David J. Mohler, Chair automobile travel. wish to attend sporting or other new $25,000 grant to Barbara G. Lucas, Vice Chair events in Boston in the even- There is interest in Maine for increase participation in the Transportation Planning and ings. Bus service is currently extending the service to program and to offset the Programming Committee being offered during this time Brunswick, Maine. In March a costs of new hybrid and slot. $40 million bond proposal for alternative-fuel taxis. The EDITORS grant recipient was ICLEI – NNEPRA has been working infrastructure improvements on Ma ureen Kelly Local Governments for with two bus companies, the line was presented in the Ma ry Ellen Sullivan Sustainability, an association Concord Trailways and C & J Maine state legislature, but it of government organizations Trailways, to coordinate bus was not included in the final CONTRIBUTORS committed to sustainable Janie Guion schedules with train schedules borrowing package signed by development. Hayes Morrison and to offer passengers a Governor Baldacci in April. Pam Wolfe FlexPass, which can be used on either the train or bus. Bicycles on DESIGNER the MBTA Maciej Citowicki Easier Access on the Green Line G Bikes cont. from p. 3 G Green Line cont. from p. 1 months, approximately 75 to GRAPHICS 100 racks will be installed at Amtrak on the D Branch ; and Italian manufacturer Breda is various location s. New racks Museum (outbound) on the also improving to accessibility were recently placed at PHOTOGRAPHY E Branch . A mini-high plat - on the B, C, and E branches. Kenneth A. Dumas Sullivan Square Station. form will be built at the St. Each train set on those branches Ford Motor Company Mary’s Street stop in late has at least one new Breda car, The Bikes on the T program MBTA 2007. which allows passengers to was developed by the MBTA board from raised platforms in conjunction with the TRANS REPORT is available in ac- The MBTA’s recent acquisition cessible formats to people with MBTA’s Bikes and Transit of 85 low-floor cars from the using an on-board ramp, with - disabilities. Contact the MPO at out stepping up or down. Advisory Committee, which (617) 973-7119 (voice), (617) is chaired by David Loutzen- 973-7089 (TTY), (617) 973-8855 heiser, and MassBike, MAPC, (fax), or publicinformation@ bostonmpo.org. and Livable Streets Alliance.

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TRANS REPORT is published monthly by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization to disseminate information on current transportation projects and issues in the Boston region. Comments and requests to be added to or deleted from the mailing list are welcome and should be sent either to TRANS REPORT Editors, Boston Region MPO Staff, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150, Boston, MA 02116, or to [email protected] . TRANS REPORT is free. Its preparation is financed in part by grants from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration.