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MONTACHUSETT REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION Serving the Montachusett Region Since 1968 |
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Home Departments Documents Calendars Agendas Staff Links About MRPC |
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Montachusett
Regional 1427R Water Street Fitchburg, MA 01420
Tel. 978-345-7376 Fax. 978-348-2490 email: mrpc@mrpc.org
Executive Director
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Transportation/Transit Transportation Planning/ Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)/ Transit Planning |
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Transportation Planning The MRPC Transportation Department provides various services and tasks to its member communities as part of its 3C (Comprehensive, Cooperative and Continuing) Transportation Planning contract with the Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
In addition, the MRPC serves as staff to the Montachusett Metropolitan Planning Organization (MMPO) on various federally required documents.
For more information on services, please contact the MRPC at mrpc@mrpc.org.
Transportation Improvement Program The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is produced annually as required by federal regulations issued jointly by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). In its simplest form, the TIP is a prioritized listing of transportation and transit projects proposed for implementation during future federal fiscal years for the region. Through an identified Public Participation Program (PPP) that establishes procedures utilized to ensure a "proactive public involvement process ... in developing plans and TIPs", the Montachusett Joint Transportation Committee (MJTC), the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART), the MRPC, the Massachusetts Highway Department (MassHighway), and the Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) work cooperatively to develop the TIP.
The current Montachusett TIP can be found on the Documents page of this website.
Unified Planning Work Program The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) for the Montachusett Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a financial programming tool developed annually as part of the federally certified transportation planning process. This document contains task descriptions of the transportation planning program of the MPO, with associated budget information and funding sources for the current program year. The purpose of the UPWP is to ensure a comprehensive, cooperative, and continuing (3C) transportation planning process in the Leominster-Fitchburg Urbanized Area and the Montachusett Region. In addition, this document provides for the coordination of planning efforts between communities in the Montachusett Region.
The current Montachusett UPWP is available on the Documents page of this website.
Regional Transportation Plan The Regional Transportation Plan provides guidance to local and state officials in deciding how to spend federal and state transportation funds as well as outlines the transportation priority needs for the region. The plan identifies both short range and long range projects for roads, highways, bridges, rail, transit, freight and airports. The RTP is developed through studies, discussions with local officials, boards and commissions and public comment. While the RTP may cover a period of up to 25 years into the future, it is updated every four years so it can be adapted to emerging needs and trends The RTP was completed and endorsed by the Montachusett MPO in August 2011.
Copies of the document can be found on the Documents page of this website under Reports.
Public Participation Plan The Public Participation Plan (PPP) outlines the process for public involvement in the development of Regional Transportation Plans (RTP), Transportation Improvement Programs (TIP), Unified Planning Work Programs (UPWP) and other major Transportation Studies by the MPO. Procedures for the distribution of documents as well as contact lists of organizations, individuals and agencies to be notified to ensure an inclusive and diverse planning process are outlined in the PPP.
The current Montachusett PPP can be found on the Documents page of this website.
Annual Listing of Montachusett Region Highway and Transit Funds As required by SAFETEA-LU “…an Annual Listing of projects obligated in the preceding year shall be published or otherwise made available by ... the State, transit operator, and metropolitan planning organization for public review. This provision is intended to increase the transparency of government spending on transportation projects and strategies in metropolitan areas to State, local officials, and the public at large. An Annual Listing for FFY 2007 for the Montachusett Region is available here.
Montachusett Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) The Montachusett Metropolitan Planning Organization (MMPO) was established through federal and state regulations to meet requirements that metropolitan areas have a 3C transportation planning process that results in plans and programs that consider all transportation modes and supports metropolitan community development and social goals. The role of the MMPO is to perform all functions as required in federal or state law as required of the MMPO by federal and state laws and regulations. For further infomation on the MMPO see the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that created the current MPO format available on the documents page. Documents
MRPC has maintained a professional working relationship with the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART) since their inception in 1979. Over the years, this association has expanded to the point where the MRPC provides MART with numerous services such as Technical Planning, Administration, Transit Feasibility Studies, Special Transit Planning Projects, Passenger Surveys and Data Analyses, Community Liaison and Public Participation to planning bus routes and customizing bus services in response to demographic changes in the Region.
MRPC prepares on a yearly basis, the Section 5303 (formerly Section 8) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Technical Assistance Grant. This grant allows MRPC to carry out planning activities in the area of mass transit. The grant supports the "3C" process of the MRPC; provides technical assistance to MART, including the preparation of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The grant will also assist in meeting the transportation needs of the region's disabled population and technical support services to MART related to the improvement of commuter rail facilities in the region and the continuing development of a public awareness campaign to increase ridership in the Montachusett transit area.
MRPC provides MART with several Technical Assistance Services related to the construction of their Storage and Maintenance Facilities in the Fitchburg/Leominster and Gardner areas as well as improvements to Commuter Rail Facilities and the construction of various Parking Garage Facilities throughout the region.
Project Solicitation Application for Montachusett Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan. The MRPC seeks project proposals under the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs Section 5316 Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) and Section 5317 New Freedoms to provide transportation services in accordance with the Montachusett Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan. Applications are due usually twice each calendar year based upon deadlines established by EOT. Contact MRPC for specifics related to application deadlines. To see and download a copy of the Project Solicitation Application in Adobe pdf version or Word doc version go to Forms under the Reports/Studies/Forms section of the Documents page.
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Montachusett 2012 Regional Transportation Plan Webpage
For information related to the development of the 2011 Regional Transportation Plan as well as information on upcoming meetings and workshops, check out the RTP webpage.
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News & Announcements Title VI Notice of Public Protection The Montachusett MPO fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. The MPO operates without regard to race, color, national origin, creed, income, gender, age, and disability. Any person who believes/him/herself or any specific class of persons, to be subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI may by him/herself or by representative file a written complaint with the MPO. A complaint must be filed no later than 180 days after the date of the alleged discrimination. A description of the procedures that the public should follow in order to file a complaint against the MPO can be found in the Montachusett MPO Complaint Procedure. Obligations and complaint procedures can be translated upon the request of the MRPC. Montachusett Metropolitan Planning Organization meetings are conducted in accessible locations and materials can be provided in accessible formats and in languages other English. If you would like accessibility or language accommodation, please contact the MMPO at (978) 345-7376 (voice), (978) 348-2490 (fax) or bharris@mrpc.org (e-mail). For a copy of the Complaint Procedure, click here or see the Documents page.
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Quick Hits Traffic Counts As part of our ongoing work with MassHighway and EOT, the MRPC conducts traffic volume counts at various locations throughout the Region. The tables listing the locations as well as the raw and factored counts taken during the 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005 count seasons can be found by clicking on the counter link below. For further information on individual counts or to request a possible counts, please contact the MRPC at mrpc@mrpc.org
To see maps of count locations for each MRPC community, click here.
Traffic Count Request Form For communities interested in obtaining a traffic volume count at a specific location in their town, please download, complete and return the MRPC's Traffic Count Request Form. For further information, please contact Sheri Bean at sbean@mrpc.org
Montachusett Today Newsletter Available Online. See the Documents page for current and past copies of the quarterly Montachusett Today agency wide newsletter and archived copies of the former Transportation Today newsletter for the Montachusett Region.
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