Public Engagement Update

Public engagement is a key element of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s work, and information collected from all public engagement efforts during the development of the next Long-Range Transportation Plan will be used to shape its policies and priorities. 

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) allocates approximately $750 million to transportation projects in the region over a five-year period. The strategies for these investments, programmed in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), are outlined in the Long-Range Transportation Plan. The current long-range plan,  Destination 2050 , was endorsed in July 2023. The MPO has started early development activities for the next plan, to be endorsed in 2027.

MPO staff continuously collect information about the transportation experiences, challenges, needs, and priorities of people in the Boston region, and seek to elevate the perspectives of communities that have been underrepresented in transportation planning and decision-making processes. In an effort to keep members of the MPO updated on findings from these efforts, staff will periodically share key findings as they emerge. This is intended to ensure the next long-range plan reflects and responds to the evolving needs and priorities of people in the Boston region. 

Feedback from transportation advocates on the development and implementation of Destination 2050 described a desire for a clearer connection between the public priorities highlighted through engagement and the MPO’s long-term visioning and investment planning. In the development of the next Long-Range Transportation Plan, staff will focus on building trust in the planning process and illuminating connections between engagement and its function in decision-making. 

MPO staff have participated in a variety of events, which have provided opportunities to discuss the planning process, ongoing studies, transportation needs, and more with members of the public, municipal representatives, advocates, and community groups. Staff continue to engage in events occurring throughout the Boston region and extend the reach of the MPO’s work. 

Engagement strategies and areas of focus, including decisions about where and how MPO staff will participate in events, are informed by continuous tracking and analysis of engagement activities and feedback from people in the region. Staff prioritize engaging Transportation Equity (TE) populations—populations that historically have been excluded from transportation decision-making and disproportionately impacted by planning outcomes—and adapt engagement to address gaps in representation from these specific populations and communities. TE populations are considered to be people with low incomes (defined as having a household income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level), people who identify as minorities, people with limited English proficiency, youth, older adults, and people with disabilities. Along with the targeting of engagement and data collection activities, in-person outreach events are often selected and tracked in relation to the distribution and predominance of TE populations in the region to more effectively engage members of these and other underrepresented groups. 

October 2023 marked the beginning of the development cycle for the MPO’s next long-range plan. From October 1, 2023, through July 31, 2024, staff participated in

• 20 in-person events, including farmer’s markets and Boston Open Streets events;
• 23 virtual meetings, including conversations with advocacy groups and meetings with the Regional Transportation Advisory Council; and
• 17 subregional meetings with municipalities.

In total, staff received 268 public comments at these events, through comment forms and by email, with the majority coming from subregional meetings with municipal staff.

Staff also conducted two public surveys, receiving a total of 1,220 survey responses. One survey requested project ideas for the MPO’s annual Unified Planning Work Program, while the other supported a discrete study investigating strategies to prevent parking in bicycle lanes.

Many comments addressed numerous aspects of the transportation system within a single statement. For example, the majority of comments that are classified as “bicycle and pedestrian" also noted the specific need for safety improvements. Comments are classified based on the primary topic discussed, but relevant concepts are discussed as well. A brief summary is provided for recurring themes and individual comments are available for viewing. The goal of these updates is to elevate public priorities that MPO staff is hearing and provide a forum for the MPO board to engage directly with trends that are seen.

From the 268 comments that were received, notable themes emerged related to safety–particularly in reference to vulnerable roadway users such as pedestrians and bicyclists, transit service, coordination in the planning process, and various transportation policies.

A prevalent, recurring theme from the feedback received is safety. Commenters advocated for improved safety for roadway users, particularly for pedestrians and bicyclists. Many comments supported separated, protected bike lanes, along with improved connectivity to the regional bicycle network. Other comments discussing safety advocated for a safe systems approach and traffic-calming measures.

Approximately 20 percent of comments that were received discussed the importance of high-quality transit service throughout the region. Some key remarks that MPO staff heard focused on the following:

• Accessibility challenges in and around stations and on rolling stock
• Improving travel times and reliability, especially for bus services
• Improving connectivity to destinations throughout the region

Many comments, particularly those from municipal and planning agency staff, discussed the need for support and collaboration between agencies in the region. Many municipal staff commenters highlighted financial and institutional limitations to designing and implementing projects. These challenges can include the following:

• The loss of institutional knowledge due to staff turnover throughout the industry
• A lack of funding to advance a project through design
  • Many commenters expressed interest in and support for the Federal Fiscal Year 2025 Project Design Pilot.
• Limited capacity of planning departments
  • Many municipalities do not have a dedicated transportation planner or capacity to focus on transportation planning

Commenters encouraged the exploration of policy mechanisms to assist in meeting national, statewide, and local goals and performance measures. Policy areas that commenters encouraged the MPO to investigate include the following:

• Policies to reduce vehicle-miles traveled (VMT)
• Roadway and congestion pricing
• Travel and parking demand management
• Resilience to climate change and extreme weather events

Several concepts emerged during the analysis of the engagement data presented above, highlighting key topics to keep in mind as long- and short-term policy discussions continue: 

• Effectively incorporating community input into planning processes and strengthening community relationships
• Supporting municipalities in project initiation and development
• Identifying the resources needed to increase the region’s competitiveness for discretionary grant opportunities
• Understanding what information is valuable when considering regional priorities
• Exploring how the MPO can support meaningful advances in VMT reduction

MPO staff will provide regular updates to the MPO board on themes and trends gathered through public engagement that will inform the development of the next Long-Range Transportation Plan. Stay in touch with the public engagement team via publicinfo@ctps.org.