Project Selection Advisory Council
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/PlanningProcess/ProjectSelectionAdvisoryCouncil.aspx
Public Hearing - Boston
July 29, 2014
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| Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence | www.mass.gov/massdot
July 30, 2014
What is the Project Selection Advisory Council?
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Established by the Massachusetts Legislature in Section 11 of
Chapter 46 of the Acts of 2013
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Required to:
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Review existing statewide and regional project evaluation criteria and prioritization
processes
Develop uniform criteria and a transparent prioritization formula to be used in the
development of a comprehensive state transportation plan
Hold six public hearings to solicit public comment
Deliver formal recommendations to the Legislature by December 31, 2014
Formula to include the following considerations:
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Engineering
Condition of Existing
Assets
Safety
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Economic Impact
Regional Priorities
Anticipated Cost of the
Project
| Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence | www.mass.gov/massdot
July 30, 2014
Who is the Project Selection Advisory Council?
Membership defined by the Legislature to ensure the inclusion of a
range of perspectives (technical, political, regional, etc.)
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Richard A. Davey, Secretary  David Mohler, Deputy
and CEO, MassDOT
Secretary, MassDOT
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Frank DePaola, Highway
Administrator, MassDOT
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Jeffrey B. Mullan, Foley
Hoag LLP
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Linda Dunlavy, Executive
Director, Franklin Regional
Council of Governments
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John M. Pourbaix,
Construction Industries of
Massachusetts
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Jim Lovejoy, Selectman,
Town of Mount Washington
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Steve Silveira, ML Strategies
Council has met six times (between January – May 2014)
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| Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence | www.mass.gov/massdot
July 30, 2014
Purpose of Today’s Public Hearing
This is the second of the six required public hearings for the
PSA Council process. The Council is seeking public comment
on:
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Council’s proposed set of broad criteria categories (or goals)
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Objectives or metrics already under consideration by the
Council
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Recommendations for other objectives or metrics
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Approaches to address concerns about regional equity
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Other ideas that can assist the Council in developing and
ultimately applying uniform criteria and a prioritization formula
**Hearing is not intended for project-specific advocacy**
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| Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence | www.mass.gov/massdot
July 30, 2014
Project Selection Advisory Council’s Proposed
Project Evaluation Criteria
The six broad criteria categories recommended by the PSA
Council’s (PSC) are based on several factors:
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MassDOT’s Mission Statement, Vision, and Goals
MassDOT Policy Directives and Comprehensive Transportation
Plan
Provisions of Chapter 25 of the Acts of 2009
Provisions of Chapter 46 of the Acts of 2013
Provisions from the latest Federal Transportation Authorization Bill MAP-21
Input from public process
| Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence | www.mass.gov/massdot
July 30, 2014
PSA Council Terms
Criteria (or Goal): Broad statement of purpose aligned with
MassDOT’s overarching goals and policies
Example – Safety: We want a safe and secure transportation
system
Objective: A strategy for achieving this goal
Example – Improve Bicycle Safety
Metric (or Measure): Quantitative (or possibly qualitative) information
used to determine a project’s contribution towards an objective
Example – Does a project include bicycling safety improvements in
a location with high rates of crashes involving bicycles?
NOTE: Various state/federal statutes and regulations include
requirements at each of these three levels.
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| Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence | www.mass.gov/massdot
July 30, 2014
Proposed Criteria Categories
SAFETY
Does a project address, maintain and
improve safety of the system while
ensuring the security of the people and
goods in transit?
SOCIAL EQUITY AND FAIRNESS
Does a project support equitable investment in
existing communities and distribute both the benefits
and burdens of development equitably among all
communities?
MOBILITY/ACCESS
Does a project provide transportation
choices, support mode shift goals, and
promote more connectivity within the
Commonwealth?
HEALTHY TRANSPORTATION
Does a project mitigate actual or threatened
damage to the environment, or is it designed in a
way that all our customers have access to safe and
comfortable healthy transportation options?
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Does a project have the potential to
generate revenue or will support
economic development?
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SYSTEM PRESERVATION
Does a project contribute towards preservation of
existing assets and to what extent does it meet
operating objectives, as described in the
comprehensive state transportation plans and in
regional plans?
| Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence | www.mass.gov/massdot
July 29, 2014
Comments/Input Since May 20 PSAC Meeting
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Steve Miller’s Blog. Moving Beyond Car Level of Service (LOS):
Measurable and Meaningful Criteria for Transportation
Investments, Project Designs, and Development Mitigation (June
30, 2014)
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Measuring Up: More Bang for the Buck in Transportation Project
Selection, (July 14, 2014)
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Comments from Marc D. Draisen Executive Director, MAPC (July
21, 2014)
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Comments from Eric Bourassa, Director of Transportation
Division, MAPC (July 21, 2014)
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Comments from Wendy Landman, Walk Boston (July 25, 2014)
| Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence | www.mass.gov/massdot
7/30/2014
PSA Council Hearing Format
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Hearing is an opportunity for Council members to hear from you
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Please sign in if you would like to provide comment
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Depending on the number of attendees, commenters may be asked
to limit the duration of their remarks
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After the public hearing, and a short recess (but no later than
12:30pm) the PSA Council will hold an official meeting – the public
is welcome to attend this meeting
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Email or written correspondence is also being accepted at:
Scott Hamwey
Office of Transportation Planning – MassDOT
10 Park Plaza, Room 4150
Boston, MA 02116
scott.hamwey@state.ma.us
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| Leading the Nation in Transportation Excellence | www.mass.gov/massdot
7/30/2014