Everett Transit Action Plan Open House and Community Meeting
Meeting Summary
LOCATION OF MEETING: Edward G. Connolly Center, 90 Chelsea Street, Everett, MA
DATE/TIME OF MEETING: February 11, 2016, Open House: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM, Presentation and
Discussion: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
MassDOT:
Scott Hamwey, Office of Transportation Planning
Jennifer Slesinger, Project Manager, Office of Transportation Planning
MBTA:
Tom Quattromani, MBTA Service Planning
CONSULTANTS:
Dan Berez, Nelson\Nygaard
Ralph DeNisco, Nelson\Nygaard
Cynthia Lin, Nelson\Nygaard
Regan Checchio, Regina Villa Associates
Emily Christin, Regina Villa Associates
CITY OF EVERETT AND ELECTED OFFICIALS:
State Representative Joseph McGonagle
Jay Monty, City of Everett
Tom Philbin, City of Everett
Catherine Rollins, City of Everett
PUBLIC ATTENDEES: see Attendance on page 9
PURPOSE:
This was the second open house and community meeting for the Everett Transit Action Plan. The project
team presented a summary of the alternatives being considered to improve Everett’s public
transportation. Attendees were asked for feedback on these alternatives, which will help the project
team evaluate which alternatives will best meet the project goals.
MEETING MATERIALS:
• PowerPoint presentation (posted on project website)
• Display boards (posted on project website)
• Evaluation Criteria Worksheets (see page 8)
February 11, 2016
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FORMAT:
The meeting was arranged in an open house format with informational display boards set up around the
room. Meeting attendees were encouraged to review the materials, talk to project staff, write
comments on post-it notes, and fill out an Evaluation Criteria Worksheet. (See “ACTIVITIES AND
COMMENTS SUMMARY” for more details on activities and feedback received, below.) MassDOT
delivered a brief presentation at 6:30 PM followed by a discussion session. The open house format
resumed after the presentation/discussion.
SUMMARY OF PRESENTATION:
Jay Monty, Transportation Planner for the City of Everett, welcomed attendees and introduced the
Everett Transit Action Plan.
Jennifer Slesinger, MassDOT Project Manager, thanked everyone for attending and reviewed the
agenda. Ms. Slesinger explained the project background and objectives. She showed the project timeline
and noted that MassDOT will present screened alternatives at the next public meeting based on
feedback from this meeting.
Ms. Slesinger described that the purpose of the open house was to garner feedback on initial project
ideas and get closer to solidifying the full universe of projects that will be under consideration in this
plan. She provided an overview of the work done thus far on assessing the existing conditions from data
analysis and outreach. Ms. Slesinger asked attendees to share any observations they feel are missing
from the data being presented.
Ms. Slesinger reviewed the transportation issues and challenges that are facing residents and workers in
Everett, such as the lack of direct service to popular destinations. She said that the project staff is not
just looking at issues and challenges pertaining specifically to items that the MBTA can address, but also
the challenges associated with accessing or using the MBTA that they may not have control over, such as
accessing transit or congestion issues.
Ms. Slesinger listed the goals of the Everett Transit Action Plan that were voted as most important by
attendees at the first public meeting: expand mobility, support economic development, enhance
comfort and safety, advance equity, improve health and the environment, and invest strategically. She
provided examples of the evaluation criteria that will be used to measure whether the project will meet
these goals, and the effectiveness of various alternatives. She noted that the complete chart of goals
and draft evaluation criteria is located on one of the meeting display boards (and is posted on the
website).
Ms. Slesinger discussed the four categories of improvements for the alternatives development:
improvements to existing service, new and expanded services, major capital investments, and transit
related improvements. She provided examples of each category. Ms. Slesinger noted that these are not
February 11, 2016
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being promoted as the final alternatives for the project, but are samples of the types of improvements
the project team is considering.
Ms. Slesinger reviewed the next steps for the project, which include screening the alternatives to
determine which projects meet minimum requirements based on the evaluation criteria for further
consideration. The project team is considering short-, medium-, and long-term strategies in their
development. She said the presentation will be posted on the project website, and encouraged
attendees to share any further questions and feedback to her email (Jennifer.slesinger@state.ma.us) or
call 857-368-9800.
Ms. Slesinger opened the meeting for questions and comment.
DISCUSSION:
An attendee asked how the Everett Transit Action Plan’s timeline is coordinating with the timeline of the
Wynn Casino development, and if the effects of the casino are being considered. Ms. Slesinger and Mr.
Monty from the City of Everett said that MassDOT is working very closely with the City of Everett and
the Sullivan Square Task Force throughout the process. The project team is definitely considering longterm effects of the casino development in the analysis. Mr. Monty said that Wynn has its own traffic
mitigation plan for the City of Everett.
An attendee asked what type of mitigation Wynn Casino is planning, and if there is opportunity for
Wynn to fund transportation improvements recommended from the Everett Transit Action Plan. Ms.
Slesinger and Mr. Monty said that Wynn may fund increased off-peak hours on the Orange Line, shuttle
buses for employees to Sullivan Square, and a ferry from South Boston to the casino. Mr. Monty said
that Wynn is committed by the State of Massachusetts to these mitigations, and the City of Everett is
having its own discussions with Wynn.
A participant asked if the City of Everett can request Wynn Casino to fund additional work, such as
increased bus service. Mr. Monty said the City is certainly not ruling anything out, and will need to
negotiate with the State.
Ralph DeNisco, Project Manager for Nelson\Nygaard, commented that the project team is looking to get
more specific feedback from stakeholders on the broader potential improvements. An attendee asked if
the project team has gone out and asked potential alternatives in addition to existing conditions
information. Mr. DeNisco said yes, and the project team is continuing to do so. He said that the project
team relies on the public’s feedback to know whether they are focusing on the right transit issues.
An attendee commented that it can be challenging to obtain objective feedback from the public,
because each transit user is going to base their answer on the current services they use, and may not
consider other options.
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A participant commented that the 97 and 105 bus routes have had increased ridership over the past 30
years, yet service has never been changed. He asked if greater service on those routes can be
implemented. Tom Quattromani, MBTA, said that a Service Plan has not been developed for several
years, but the MBTA hopes to have another soon. He encouraged people to attend a Service Plan
Meeting when they occur and voice their opinion on what services need to be improved, because there
are many routes competing for the same funds. He said that the more people who advocate for a
certain service, the likelier it will be implemented. He added that signatures on online petitions are
considered as well and feedback from processes like this are a significant advantage.
Representative McGonagle expressed the importance of funding the MBTA and improving public transit
service in Everett. A participant asked what is being done to alleviate the debt on the transportation
department from the Big Dig. Rep. McGonagle said he is committed to fight for better transportation
funding, and will speak with the participant further after the meeting.
An attendee commented that he is against the MBTA cutting late night service and increasing fares.
Ms. Slesinger thanked everyone for their comments, and encouraged attendees to participate in the
open house activities and share further feedback with project staff.
ACTIVITIES SUMMARY:
Draft Project Idea Feedback
Project idea boards were posted around the room along with accompanying boards with questions.
Attendees were encouraged to answer questions specific to each of the project idea boards and submit
any additional comments or idea suggestions. Attendees submitted comments on post-it notes and
placed them on the question boards adjacent to each idea board. Submitted comments at each project
board are included in the tables below:
Board 1: Service Improvement: Bus Stops and Street Improvements
Which ideas do
you like?
More buses but
with their own
lane, so they are
not all stuck in
traffic
February 11, 2016
Are there any ideas
you don't like
Are there any ideas for
bus stop
improvements that we
are missing?
Buses and bikes have
their own lanes
Are there any ideas related to
street improvements that we
are missing?
Queue jumps and dedicated
bus lanes
4
More shelters
Fare machines at
bus stops
Fewer stops to speed
up service
Fewer stops is a
terrible idea
Faster Boarding
(x2)
Bike Lanes and Bus
Lanes (on
Broadway/Main)
(x2)
Queue jumps
Off board payment stations
should
vend/reload/consolidate
Fare machines and
shelters at busy stops
More focus on three
sided bus shelters. 2
sided shelters do not
provide enough
protection
99 Route MBTA Garage
area needs lights to
make conditions safer
for pedestrians
Board 2: Service Improvement: Connect to Silver Line Gateway
Which ideas do you
like?
Are there any ideas you
don't like?
How would you like to
access the Silver Line?
Direct service from
Everett Sq to South
Boston via Silver Line
(x2)
Run regular and local
routes into the busway
and to the silver line
Are there any ideas for
using the Silver Line
Busway that we are
missing?
Extend Silver Line
Busway to Everett
Extend to Casino
Board 3: Service Improvement: Expanded Bus Service
Which ideas do
you like?
February 11, 2016
Where would you
like to see
enhanced transit
service in Everett?
Are there any
ideas you don’t
like?
Are there any
ideas related to
expanded bus
service that we
Where would you
most want to see
direct services
from Everett?
5
are missing?
Increased access
to/from Sullivan
Sq.
Improved transit
access to High
School needed
Cross-town routes
linking
Everett/Chelsea
and others
There are places in
Everett with no
transit service at
all. Fill in gaps (x2)
Route 111 service
in Woodlawn has
been reduced over
the years, please
explain why
Improve reliability
on the 104/109
Broadway corridor
should be a key
bus route with
expanded
headways, late
night service and
improved service
Direct bus line to
Harvard Sq./86
corridor (x2)
Market Basket (x2)
Somerville/86
route
Board 4: Service Improvement: Major Capital Investments and Other Transit Related Improvements
Which ideas do you like?
Are there any ideas you don’t
like?
Are there any ideas that we are
missing?
More bike access
Streetcar
DMUs (From North
Station/Saugus Branch) (x2)
Ped Connection to Assembly T
Better off peak service
(weekend/late night) on buses
and orange line (x4)
Add infill orange line station
between Wellington and Malden
Extension of Silver Line to
Everett
Commuter Rail infill station (in
Everett/at Sullivan Square) (x2)
Later service on 97 and 105 (x4)
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2-pronged effort: bring both bus
and rail
Rush hour express bus from
Everett to downtown Boston
Better pedestrian access across
Route 16 near Main St and
Broadway
Casino funded transit
improvements (x2)
Extend Community Strand trail
to meet up with Malden
River/Medford and Casino
6
TMA funded shuttle services
Most motorists in Everett at rush
hour are Everett residents.
Consider local travel patterns
Evaluation Criteria Worksheet
A project goals and evaluation criteria board was presented, which provided an overview of draft project
goals and evaluation metrics which will be used to analyze project ideas. The public was encouraged to
take part in an evaluation exercise, which consisted of categorizing proposed project ideas in a goals
category. This exercise helped to inform the project team whether or not the initial list of project ideas
fits the goals identified within the Everett Transit Action Plan. The results of the worksheet are on the
next page.
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Evaluation Criteria Worksheet Results:
Enhance
Comfort
and
Safety
Improve
Health/
Environment
Advance
Equity
Support
Economic
Development
xxxxxx
xx
x
xxxx
(6)
(2)
(1)
(4)
xxxx
x
xx
xxxxx
(4)
(1)
(2)
(5)
xxxxxx
xxx
xx
xxxxx
(6)
(3)
(2)
(5)
xxxxx
xxx
xxxx
xxxxxx
(5)
(3)
(4)
(6)
xxxxxx
xxx
xxx
xxxxx
(6)
(3)
(3)
(5)
xxx
xxx
x
xxxx
(3)
(3)
(1)
(4)
xxx
x
x
(3)
(1)
(1)
xx
x
x
(2)
(1)
(1)
xxx
x
xx
x
(3)
(1)
(2)
(1)
xx
xx
xxx
xx
(2)
(2)
(3)
(2)
xxx
(3)
x
(1)
xx
x
xx
x
(2)
(1)
(2)
(1)
xxxxx
(5) xxxxx (5)
xxxxxxx
(7) xxxxxx (6)
xxxxx (5)
xxxxxx
(6)
x
xxx
(1)
(3)
xx
xxxx
(2)
(4)
xx
xxxx
x
xxx
xx
xxxx
x
(2)
(4)
(1)
xxxxx
(5) xxxxx (5)
xxxxx
(5)
xxxxx (5)
xxxxx (5)
xxxxx
(5)
xxxxx
xxxxx
xxxxx
xxxxxxx
xxxx
xxxx
(4)
(4)
xxxxxx
xxx
(5) xxx
(3)
(7) xxxxxxx
(7)
(6) xxxxxx (6)
(3) xx
(2)
xxxx (4)
xxxxxx (6)
xx
xxx
(5) xxxx (4)
(5) xxxxxx
(6)
(2) xxxxx (5)
(3) xxx (3)
xxxx
xx
xxxx
xxx
(4)
(3)
xxx
xxxxxxx
(3)
(7)
xxxx
xxxxxxx
x
(1)
xxxxxx (6)
xx
xxxxxxx
(2)
(7)
Commuter Rail Station xxxxxxx
(7)
xxxxxx (6)
xxxxxxx
(7)
PROJECT
Service Improvements:
Bus Stops
Improved station amenities
Off-board payment
Better signs & schedules
Real-time information
Service Improvements: Streets
Combined bus & bike lanes
Dedicated bus lanes on bridges
Transit priority signals
Peak direction bus lanes
Expanded Bus Service
New direct services from Everett
to major destinations
Connect Silver Line Gateway
Reroute local bus service
Better connection to airport
Other: shuttles,
public/private partnerships
Additional Improvements
Pedestrian and bicycle
connections
Streetscape improvements
Expanded bus service times
More frequent bus service
Route 99 tolling
Major Capital Investments
Extend Silver Line to Everett
Orange Line Station
February 11, 2016
xx
xxx
(2)
(3)
xxx (3)
xxxxxxx
(7)
xxxxxxx
(7)
xxxxxxx
Expand
Mobility
(2)
(4)
(4) xxxx (4)
(7) xxxxxxx
(7)
(7) xxxxxxx
(7)
(1)
(3)
(4)
(2)
Invest
Strategically
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Everett Transit Action Plan Community Open House
Attendance from sign in sheet
Paul Dalrymple
James Dolan
Jarod Evenson
William Horka
Brian W. Isaacs
Eunice Kim
Jeremy Mendelson
Jackie Miller
M. Neltiny
Kathleen O’Brien
Katie Rosa
David A. Senatillaka
Jim Tozza
Julia Prange Wallerce
February 11, 2016
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