Cape Cod MPO releases UPWP and TIP drafts for public review and removes Barnesville Park & Ride from 2024 TIP

The Cape Cod Metropolitan Planning Organization voted at a virtual meeting to release a draft Unified Planning Work Program for federal fiscal year 2025 and multiple Transportation Improvement Program amendments for 21‑day public review, and it endorsed removing the Barnstable (Barnesville) Park & Ride expansion from the FY2024‑2028 TIP because identified federal COVID‑relief funding was no longer available and the project’s estimated cost increased.

Colleen (Cape Cod Commission staff) told the MPO that the Barnesville Park & Ride project originally had $4,000,000 programmed but has grown in design to roughly $12,800,000 and relied on CRRSAA (COVID relief) funding that is no longer available. She said MassDOT would continue design work while seeking alternative funding and that public comments (seven received) ranged from opposition to the project to requests to prioritize funding and to consider short‑term parking management. “We received seven public comments,” Colleen said, and summarized that the town parking management office had issued more than 600 citations last year for violations, and that the lot had recently added 10 electric‑vehicle charging spaces.

Members heard a string of public suggestions about management before expansion. Peter Smith urged the MPO to consider limits on how long vehicles can remain in the lot; “people will park there for a week, 10 days, 2 weeks, or longer,” he said. A caller who identified himself as Woody suggested segregating long‑term parking to the back of the lot and reducing the current 21‑day limit. Colleen said she would share those comments with the MassDOT project team and that a design public meeting is expected once the project team finalizes dates.

On motions and votes: the MPO approved a procedural motion to release the draft FFY2025 UPWP for a 21‑day public comment period, voted to endorse TIP Amendment 2 (remove the 2024 Park & Ride construction funding), released TIP Amendment 3 (cost changes for Mashpee Route 151 Phase 2 and the Yarmouth‑Barnstable Rail Trail extension) for public comment, and released the draft FY2025‑2029 TIP for 21‑day review. Each action was taken by roll‑call vote with members present voting in the affirmative.

Votes at a glance:
- Approval of March 25, 2024 minutes — motion by Harold Mitchell; seconded by Kevin Galligan; roll‑call passed.
- Release draft FFY2025 UPWP for 21‑day public comment — motion by Kevin Galligan; seconded by Scott Zelensky; roll‑call passed.
- Endorse TIP Amendment 2 (remove Barnesville Park & Ride 2024 funding) — motion made and seconded; roll‑call passed.
- Release TIP Amendment 3 (Mashpee Route 151 & Yarmouth‑Barnstable Rail Trail cost updates) for 21‑day public comment — motion by Kevin Galligan; seconded by Scott Zelensky; roll‑call passed.
- Release draft FY2025‑2029 TIP for 21‑day public review — motion by Peter Smith; seconded by Woody; roll‑call passed.

What comes next: the UPWP and TIP amendments are now in public comment periods; staff will collect comments and return draft documents and public comment summaries at the MPO’s May meeting for final consideration. MassDOT will hold design public meetings on affected projects as the project teams set dates.

(Reporting note: quotes and motions are attributed to speakers who spoke on the record during the MPO meeting.)