SEPTEMBER 2000 TRANSREPORT TRANSPORTATION NEWS FROM THE BOSTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

Public Input Sought in U.S. DOT Certification Review of Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization The Federal Highway The certification review will be composed first will be held on September 20 in the Administration of three parts. The first part will consist of Framingham town hall from 6:30 p.m. to (FHWA) and Federal on-site interviews with MPO members 8:30 p.m. The second meeting will take Transit Administra- and staff. These interviews will focus on place on September 21 at the Dudley tion (FTA) will con- various topics determined by the FHWA Branch Library in the Roxbury neighbor- duct a certification and FTA. One area of particular interest is hood of Boston. This meeting will also run review of the Boston Metropolitan Plan- how well the “restructured” MPO has from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. These meet- ning Organization September 19–21. The served the Boston region’s planning needs. ings are designed to give the general pub- review, which is required by the Trans- In 1997 the city of Boston, six other lic an opportunity to comment on the portation Equity Act for the 21st Century municipal representatives, and the Massa- region’s transportation planning process. (TEA-21) and federal regulations, will chusetts Turnpike Authority, were added For more information on the Boston evaluate how well the MPO is conducting the MPO. The FHWA and FTA will want MPO’s certification review, go to the the transportation planning process for its to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of MPO Web site at www.ctps.org/boston- region, which encompasses 101 cities and the current process and what might be mpo or call (617) 984-0525. Information towns. done to improve it. can also be obtained by contacting the fol- An MPO must receive a favorable certifi- The second part of the review will consist lowing individuals. Arnie Soolman, direc- cation review in order to continue to be of interviews with local elected officials, tor of the Central Transportation Plan- certified as eligible to receive federal state officials, and others. These inter- ning Staff (CTPS), can be reached at funds. The FHWA and FTA will consider views are intended to elicit comments on (617) 973-7146 or arnie@ the MPO’s efforts in a variety of areas, the overall effectiveness of the transporta- ctps.org. Craig Leiner, manager of the including public participation, environ- tion planning process. They will be held Certification Activities Group at CTPS, mental justice, the regional transportation on the afternoons of the 19th and 20th. can be reached at 973-7097 or plan, the congestion management system The third part of the certification review [email protected]. and intelligent transportation systems. process will be two public meetings. The MBTA Board of Directors Approves Fare Increase; Presents Service Enhancements On August 10 the cent. The single-ride fare increases go into MBTA’s board of effect on September 18, while increases in INSIDE THIS ISSUE directors approved an new pass prices are to be implemented on increase in the MBTA November 1. MPO activities update ...... 2 system’s fares. The Some changes were made to the proposed Meeting on region’s travel model . . 2 changes approved are fare structure as the result of input from Massport campaign for regional largely those origi- public meetings. A proposed one dollar airports ...... 2 nally proposed in advance of the June exit fare for outbound travel on the Green Legislative highlights ...... 3 public comment period. The base subway Line’s D–Riverside branch was eliminated fare will increase from 85 cents to one dol- due to comments received during public Providence rail service expansion . . . 3 lar, and the base bus fare will increase meetings in June. In response to concerns Auto ownership cost estimates from 60 cents to 75 cents. Commuter rail raised by the public at the August 10 from AAA ...... 3 fares and the various monthly pass prices will also increase, by 25 percent to 30 per- MBTA Board Meeting cont. on p. 3 Meeting calendar ...... 4

The members of the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO): Executive Office of Transportation and Construction • City of Boston • City of Everett • City of New- ton • City of Peabody • Federal Highway Administration • Federal Transit Administration • Joint Regional Transportation Committee • Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority • Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board • Massachusetts Highway Department • Massachusetts Port Authority • Massachusetts Turnpike Authority • Metropolitan Area Planning Council • Town of Bedford • Town of Framingham • Town of Hopkinton BOSTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES CTPS Hosts Meeting on Travel Demand Modeling SUB-SIGNATORY COMMITTEE ACTION ITEMS On August 10 the Boston MPO’s Sub-Signatory Commit- for Regional Transportation tee voted to circulate two documents for public review Plan and comment: Transportation modelers from the Boston • Draft fiscal years 2001–2006 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Air MPO’s Central Transportation Planning Quality Conformity Determination. This document outlines highway and transit Staff met with representatives from vari- construction projects to be undertaken in the Boston region during the next six ous community organizations on July 20 to federal fiscal years. For 2001–03, over 190 projects costing a total of approxi- discuss the computerized travel demand mately $4.15 billion are programmed. model being used in developing the new • Draft fiscal year 2001 Unified Planning Work Program. The UPWP presents trans- regional Transportation Plan. Representa- portation planning projects to be conducted in the Boston region between Octo- tives from several of the organizations had ber 2000 and September 2001. It includes a detailed budget totaling over $6.4 requested an opportunity to ask questions million. about the modeling analysis, in which Public comments on these documents will be accepted until 3:00 P.M. on Septem- CTPS forecasts the likely effects on travel ber 15. Copies may be obtained free of charge by contacting the Central Trans- of alternative future conditions and trans- portation Planning Staff Certification Activities Group at (617) 973-7119, (617) portation options. 973-7089 (TTY), or [email protected] (e-mail). Copies may also be The meeting, which was hosted and facili- downloaded: click on “What’s New” on the MPO Web site at www.ctps.org/ tated by CTPS staff, was attended by rep- bostonmpo. Responses to the comments received will be included in the final docu- ments, which will be voted on at a public MPO meeting on September 25.* resentatives from various community organizations, including the Federation for JOINT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE UPDATE Public Transportation, the Washington The TIP and the UPWP will be the main items on the JRTC’s agenda this month. Street Corridor Coalition, Alternatives for The JRTC Certification Committee participated in development of the UPWP in Community and Environment, the Con- June and July and will present its recommendation to the JRTC regarding MPO servation Law Foundation, Bikes Not endorsement of both documents. Anyone interested in these documents is encour- Bombs, the Sierra Club, and the Asian aged to attend the September 13 meeting.* Community Development Corporation, among others. CTPS staff gave a brief ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE MBTA UPDATE presentation on the analysis being per- Recent AACT events include an MBTA presentation on Hingham commuter boat formed for the Plan, and an informal ques- dock improvements and a site visit to examine accessibility on MBTA watercraft. At tion-and-answer session followed. Ques- the Fixed Route Access Subcommittee meeting on September 21,* the MBTA will tions about the model concerned land make a presentation on Charles/MGH Station; at next month’s meeting it will make use–transportation relationships, crowding presentations on E Line key stations and Government Center Station access. on transit vehicles, bicycle routes, and *See the calendar on page 4 for meeting details. parking conditions. Massport Launches Advertising Campaign for Regional Airports The Massachusetts Port Authority has major regional airports, while ads running meeting of the directors of Logan, T. F. begun an advertising campaign high- in other cities feature the name of the Green, Manchester, and Worcester lighting the efficiency of regional air- closest facility. Regional airports. The purpose of that ports and advocating their use as smart The campaign was approved at an April meeting was to discuss a unified marketing alternatives to Logan Airport. The strategy for New England’s air facili- $80,000 campaign’s print ads target ties. The new ads augment a passengers in the vicinity of Man- $150,000 advertising campaign, chester Airport, T. F. Green Air- launched last month, that promotes port, Bradley International Airport, Worcester Regional Airport, target- and Worcester Regional Airport. ing passengers within 25 miles of The ads are appearing in various the facility. Massport, which owns newspapers in Boston, Fall River, Worcester Regional, plans to build Framingham, Lawrence, Lowell, on the success seen at Manchester New Bedford, Springfield, and and T. F. Green—the two fastest- Worcester, and on Cape Cod. In growing airports in the nation in the Boston area the ads list the four Massport hopes to reduce travelers’ reliance on Logan 1997 and 1998.

TRANSREPORT 2SEPTEMBER 2000 MBTA Board Meeting cont. from p. 1 TRANSPORTATION BOND BILL board meeting, increases in elderly fares were eliminated and increases in student On August 10 the governor signed into law a transportation bond fares were significantly reduced. bill (Chapter 235 of the General Laws of 2000). The purpose of the bill is to provide new capital authorization for the state to use on In response to other arguments against the transportation projects. This marks the first time that such a bill did increase that were raised at the board not include new capital authorizations for the MBTA. As a result of the forward meeting, the MBTA unveiled a plan for numerous service enhancements which funding legislation passed last year, the MBTA is now responsible for raising its own are to be implemented over the next 18 capital for new projects. months. Starting this fall on the Copies of the bond bill can be obtained at the State House bookstore, and it can be “Crosstown” bus service there will be dis- accessed on the Internet at www.magnet.state.ma.us/legis/laws/seslaw00/index.htm. counted transfers between Crosstown and Highlights of the bill include: subway lines, bike racks, and automatic stop announcements; the service will also • $332 million for the reconstruction and improvement of bridges have a new logo. In three months the • $42.2 million for airport planning and development board will be asked to approve the pur- • $35 million for furthering compliance with state and federal environmental laws chase of up to 180 CNG (compressed nat- • $12.37 million for regional transit authorities ural gas)–fueled, low-floor buses. By Janu- ary 2001 the MBTA will add service on • $10 million for intermodal centers the 1, 23, 28, 39, 49, 57, 66, and 111 bus FENWAY PARK INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS BILL routes. Buses on these high-volume routes will also be retrofitted with automatic stop On August 10 the governor signed into law a bill providing financing for infrastructure announcements and Global Positioning improvements in support of a new baseball stadium in the Fenway district of Boston System technology that will provide real- (Chapter 208 of the General Laws of 2000). The stadium would be adjacent to and time information vehicle location and would replace the existing Fenway Park. The majority of the infrastructure improve- travel times. ments authorized are transportation related. In all, $100 million was allocated to the Improvements on the rapid transit system Executive Office of Transportation and Construction for improvements. They include: will include three-car Green Line service Transit improvements by January 2001. On the commuter rail • Expansion of the Kenmore and Fenway Green Line stations, including renova- system, additional double-decker coaches tion projects required by the Americans with Disabilities Act will be added to heavily traveled routes. • Reconstruction of the Yawkey commuter rail station Roadway improvements • Extension of Yawkey Way to Beacon Street Providence Commuter Rail • Reconfiguration of the “Sears Rotary” (Portions of Park Drive, the Fenway, and Service Expansion the Riverway) On August 9 the MBTA began operating six new commuter rail trips a day between AAA Releases Estimates on Cost of Vehicle Ownership Boston’s South Station and Providence, The American Automobile Association depreciation, and finance charges. These Providence Trains cont. on p. 4 recently released its 2000 report on the were estimated on a per-year basis. AAA annual cost of owning an automobile. provided a range of total annual costs by Five model year 2000 vehicles were looking at three mileage scenarios— selected for the study: the Chevrolet 10,000, 15,000, and 20,000 miles per year. Cavalier, Ford Taurus, Mercury Grand Of the five vehicles studied, the most Marquis, Chevrolet Blazer, and Dodge expensive to own was Caravan. Costs were bro- the Mercury Grand ken down into two Marquis, which cost categories—operating $7,423 per year with costs and ownership 10,000 miles of driving or costs. The operating $10,105 per year with 20,000 costs, such as gas and oil, miles. The least expensive was the maintenance, and tires, Chevrolet Cavalier. With 10,000 miles of were estimated on a driving, the Cavalier cost $5,167 per year per-mile basis. Ownership costs included to own. The figure climbed to $7,599 if insurance, registration fees, licenses, Commuter train on Providence Line the car was driven 20,000 miles.

TRANSREPORT 3SEPTEMBER 2000 MEETING CALENDAR Providence Trains cont. from p. 3 The public is welcome to attend the following transportation-related meetings this month. Rhode Island. The expanded service is available on weekdays only. Three new AT THE STATE TRANSPORTATION BUILDING, 10 PARK PLAZA, BOSTON trips depart Boston at 12:05 p.m., 3:50 Thursday, September 7 Thursday, September 21 Access Advisory Committee 1:30 P.M. Fixed Route Access Subcommittee 1:30 P.M. p.m., and 8:15 p.m. The departure times to the MBTA (AACT) of AACT from Providence are 1:44 p.m., 5:24 p.m., Conference Room 2/3 CTPS Conference Room Second Floor Second Floor and 9:39 p.m. The additional service is Wednesday, September 13 Monday, September 25 funded from the commonwealth’s new Joint Regional Transportation 3:00 P.M. Boston MPO Meeting 10:00 A.M. transportation bond bill, passed in June. Committee Endorsement of FY2001–2006 Conference Room 2/3 TIP and FY2001 UPWP As part of the agreement with the state of Second Floor Conference Room 2/3 Rhode Island, a commuter rail layover Thursday, September 14 Second Floor American Planning Association 12:00 P.M. Thursday, September 28 facility is to be moved from South Attle- Brown Bag Lunch on The RIDE Subcommittee 1:00 P.M. borough to Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Transportation Plan of AACT CTPS Conference Room Conference Room 2/3, Future improvements on the commuter Second Floor Second Floor rail line to Providence are to include an Monday, September 18 extension to T. F. Green Airport in War- Boston MPO Sub-Signatory 10:00 A.M. Committee wick, Rhode Island. That service is CTPS Conference Room Second Floor planned for late 2002.

AT OTHER BOSTON-AREA LOCATIONS Tuesday, September 5 Tuesday, September 19 TRANSREPORT Boston MPO Local TIP 2:00 P.M. Access Boston 2000–2010 6:00 P.M. Workshop: Highway Connections- PRODUCED BY THE CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION Subcommittee PLANNING STAFF Newton City Hall Local Issues 1000 Commonwealth Avenue Boston Public Library Editors Copyediting Mezzanine Conference Room Tuesday, September 12 666 Boylston Street Scott Hamwey Leland N. Morrison Mary Ellen Sullivan Central Artery Corridor Meeting 6:00 P.M. Boston Contributors Federal Reserve Bank Wednesday, September 20 Graphics Brian Clark New England Room, 4th Floor 600 Atlantic Avenue Boston MPO Certification 6:30 P.M. Carol Gautreau Bent Craig Leiner Boston Review Public Meeting Jane M. Gillis Thursday, September 14 Framingham Town Hall (Memorial Building) PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON METROPOLITAN North Shore Task Force 8:30 A.M. Nevins Hall PLANNING ORGANIZATION Salem City Hall 150 Concord Street 93 Washington Street Thursday, September 21 Kevin J. Sullivan, Chairman Tuesday, September 19 Boston MPO Certification 8:30 P.M. Luisa Paiewonsky, MPO Executive Secretary Central Artery Oversight 3:00 P.M. Review Public Meeting Committee Boston Public Library Hale and Door Dudley Square Branch TRANSREPORT is available in accessible formats 65 Warren Street 60 State Street, 26th Floor to people with disabilities. Contact the Central Boston Boston Transportation Planning Staff Certification Meeting dates and times are subject to change: please call (617) 973-7119 for confirmation. Activities Group at (617) 973-7119 (voice), Additional transportation meetings open to the public are listed on the Boston MPO Web (617) 973-7089 (TTY), (617) 973-8855 (fax) or site, at www.ctps.org/bostonmpo/involved/meetings. [email protected] (e-mail).

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TRANSREPORT is published monthly by the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization to disseminate information on current transportation projects and issues within the Boston region. Comments and requests to be added or deleted from the mailing list are welcomed and should be sent either to TRANSREPORT Editor, CTPS, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150, Boston, MA 02116, or to [email protected]. TRANSREPORT is free. The preparation of this newsletter is financed in part by grants from the Federal Highway Administra- tion and the Federal Transit Administration.