FISH of Franklin needs volunteers

FISH is an all volunteer, non profit organization that provides free transportation to Franklin residents to medical appointments. We have been providing this service for almost 43 years. 

We are in need of volunteers, particularly drivers. We are looking for men and women who are able to volunteer for as little as a few hours per month. Most of our clients have appointments within about a 20 mile radius of Franklin. 

If anyone is interested in helping or would like more information, they may call FISH at 508-528-2121, leave a name and # and we'll get back to them.

FISH of Franklin needs volunteers

Do you have some time to help FISH?

FISH is an all volunteer, non profit organization that provides free transportation to Franklin residents to medical appointments. They have been providing this service for almost 43 years. 

FISH - provides transportation to
Franklin residents for medical appointments

They are in need of volunteers, particularly drivers. They are looking for men and women who are able to volunteer for as little as a few hours per month. Most of the FISH clients have appointments within about a 20 mile radius of Franklin. 

If anyone is interested in helping or would like more information, they may call FISH at 508-528-2121, leave a name and # and they'll be in contact.

Environmental Merit Award for Regency Transportation

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin

"Sixteen winners from Massachusetts were recognized Tuesday at the 2016 Environmental Merit Awards ceremony of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s New England regional office. The environmental leaders were among three dozen recipients across New England honored for helping to improve New England’s environment. 

Each year EPA New England recognizes individuals and groups in the six New England states who have worked to protect or improve the region’s environment in distinct ways. The merit awards, given out since 1970, honor individuals and groups who have shown particular ingenuity and commitment in their efforts."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160510/epa-recognizes-franklin-hopedale-companies

Regency Transportation

Regency Transportation can be found on the web at http://regencytrans.com/

MassBudget: Maintaining an effective transportation system

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Maintaining an Effective Transportation System To build a strong economy that expands opportunity, Massachusetts needs a transportation system that works. MassBudget's new fact sheet, Maintaining an Effective Transportation System, examines information from the Department of Transportation that suggests current levels of investment are not enough to keep our roads, bridges and public transit system in good working order. Well-maintained roads save time and money. Thirty-seven percent of state-owned road miles are officially in "Poor" or "Fair" condition in Massachusetts. The Department of Transportation currently invests an average of $54 million annually to repave roads. At this level, they project that road conditions will deteriorate further, with 79 percent of roads in poor or fair condition by 2025. Merely preventing current road conditions from worsening would require a four-fold increase in investment. With current funding, the Department similarly predicts that the number of structurally deficient bridges will increase from about 400 today to over 700 in a decade. And based on the resources currently available to fix the MBTA, the transit agency would face a $600 million shortfall in basic repairs over the coming five years, even without including costs to upgrade or expand the current system. To read the fact sheet on how different levels of investment move our Commonwealth towards or away from an effective and efficient transportation system, please click HERE. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108 Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

Franklin commuter rail approaching the Main St bridge

MassBudget: Building a Strong Economy: The Roles of Education, Transportation, and Tax Policy

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Building a Strong Economy:  The Roles of Education, Transportation, and Tax Policy  Effective economic policies can create a more highly productive state economy and make it possible to improve economic opportunity and security for working families. Building a Strong Economy: The Roles of Education, Transportation, and Tax Policy examines the economic research on the relationship between effective investments in education and transportation and improved economic productivity.  In both cases the findings of the research are clear: investments that lead to a better educated workforce and more efficient transportation improve the productivity of a state economy. Failing to make those investments can lead to weaker economic growth and greater costs down the line. The paper also examines the economic effects of tax reforms that can fund those investments. Over the past several decades, incomes for most in our state have barely budged, while incomes for our highest-income households have grown rapidly. Our highest-income households also benefit most from the structure of our tax system: they currently pay the smallest share of their income in state and local taxes.  We examine the evidence on the likely economic effects of tax reforms that would bring the overall level of state and local taxation for very high income households closer to that of other residents. Studies of other states that have enacted such reforms have found little to no negative economic effects. When such reforms raise revenue for investments that improve the long term strength of the state economy they can be an important part of an effective state economic development strategy. To read the full report, please click HERE. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108 Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

screen grab of MassBudget report

Live Reporting: School Committee - Aug 25, 2015

Summary:

• The Memorandum of Understanding between the Town of Franklin and the School Committee/School District was review, some minor changes made to the prior agreement and the whole item was approved by a 7-0 vote. It now goes to the Town Council for their approval.
• Several updates on the preparation for opening school next week were provided. Additional administration changes were made, additional enrollments are still being seen (6 families enrolled today).
• "increased complexity and rigor" is the theme for the coming school year for improvements to the instruction and curriculum.
• The transportation plan was reviewed. Links provided for the bus schedule and several forms related to bus stops.
• The reduced price lunch application form is now online (link provided)



Franklin Matters

• Security was addressed by a number of 'minor' changes. The major security review is still in process by the vendor. The full report is expected later this year with any recommendations to be included in the capital budget planning (also later this year) and then for potential decisions with the budget reviews by the Finance Committee and Town Council in an April/May 2016 time frame.

When I discovered that I was missing a few key components to my mobile reporting tools, I resorted to using Twitter to post my notes and then put together a Storify summary. 

I am getting to like this method. You'll have to let me know if it works for you.

"the next generation of transportation"

The Milford Daily News provides an update on the Metrowest area's top 10 traffic and transportation challenges that were identified 10 years ago. There has been progress made.

9. I-495 at Rte. 119 in Littleton and I-495 at Rte. 140 in Franklin 

The Littleton area has seen work in conjunction with development, including a project with developer Sam Park to widen part of Rte. 119, reconstruct sidewalks and add signals and turn lanes. 

Crews improved the Rte. 140 area in Franklin in the mid-2000s by relocating and widening a 1.5-mile stretch of Rte. 140 and improving and widening the 140/495 interchange, according to the MassDOT website. Nagi said there are still some transportation challenges there, including parking at the nearby commuter rail station.

See more at: http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20140119/NEWS/140118592#sthash.Swa8pjX3.dpuf

"They have control over only so many dollars"

The Milford Daily News provides the story behind the MPO letter published to the Franklin website and shared here recently.

Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said Franklin has benefited from past TIP projects. But recently officials have not seen the same value in the program. 

The communities competing for the funds have to pay the engineering costs associated with the project, which can mean millions of dollars, typically with no guarantee that they will receive any money in the end. 

"The issue that we face now is there are so few dollars available in comparison to the need," Nutting said Friday. "It’s hard for the town to justify paying the engineering costs only to then wait 10 years or 15 years to never get that road approved for construction because of the competition."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x915451163/Franklin-officials-State-transportation-funding-system-needs-to-be-changed#ixzz2n4FuXSRv


You can find the Metrolpolitan Planning Organization (MPO) letter here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/12/metropolitan-planning-organization-mpo.html

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Letter

This letter was posted to the "News" section of the Franklin home page. It is unsigned and lacking a description as to who or what group authored it.

MPO seems to be the acronym for Metropolitan Planing Organization. MassDOT has 13 MPOs to cover the state according to the map located here. It appears that Franklin is part of the Boston Region MPO which would explain why getting assistance and funding from the MPO is difficult.

A Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is a transportation policy-making organization made up of representatives from local government and transportation authorities. Federal legislation passed in the early 1970s required the formation of an MPO for any urbanized area with a population greater than 50,000. MPOs were created to ensure that existing and future expenditures for transportation projects and programs were based on a continuing, cooperative and comprehensive (3-C) planning process. Federal funding for transportation project and programs are channeled through this process. 

As transportation policy-making entities, MPOs have five core functions. 

1. Create a fair and impartial setting for effective regional decision making in the metropolitan area.
2. Evaluate transportation alternatives and needs through appropriate studies and activities as detailed in the MPOs Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)
3. Maintain a Long-Range Transportation Plan (RTP). Develop a 20-year transportation planning document which identifies existing infrastructure conditions, projects future transportation needs and provides a plan or program to attain the stated goals and visions.
4. Develop a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Develop a program based on the long range plan and designed to serve the MPO’s goals using spending, and other financial tools.
5. Involve the public. Involve the general public and all significantly affected sub-groups in the four essential functions listed above.

More about the MPO and process can be found on this MassDOT page
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/planning/Main/PlanningProcess/RegionalPlanning.aspx

MassBudget: 1) comparing revenue proposals & the investments they fund, 2) health care in the House Budget

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Investing in Transportation, Education Our state budget describes not only what we want to do together as a Commonwealth in the coming year but also longer-term investments to strengthen our communities, create high-wage jobs, and ensure the future vibrancy of our economy. In recent months, the Senate, the House, and the Governor have all committed to raising various amounts of new revenue to support some new investments. "Comparing Revenue Proposals for Transportation, Education, and Other Investments" outlines the differences between their plans--both for next year and for FY 2018, when the plans are fully phased in. The House and Senate proposals focus largely on transportation, particularly in later years. This is in contrast to the Governor's plan, which raises significantly more revenue to increase funding for college scholarship programs and to expand access to high-quality early education & care, among other things. By FY 2018, the House and Senate would devote less money to fixing and repairing our roads, buses, bridges and other transportation networks than the Governor's proposal. The House and Senate proposals would raise comparable amounts of new revenue, and both count on similar funding support from transportation agencies (likely including user fee increases). The two proposals differ in that: 1) the Senate version includes an additional $38 million in new revenue and; 2) the Senate dedicates $77 million to transportation that the House would leave unrestricted. "Comparing Revenue Proposals for Transportation, Education, and Other Investments" is part of a series of MassBudget briefs analyzing key elements in the budget proposals for FY 2014. Read COMPARING REVENUE PROPOSALS FOR TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION & OTHER INVESTMENTS See ALL OF OUR BUDGET RESOURCES Health Care in the House Budget A new factsheet, The House FY 2014 Budget for Health Care, describes the Massachusetts House of Representatives' Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 budget for MassHealth (Medicaid) and other subsidized health coverage programs. The House's budget bill allocates $13.38 billion to these programs, about $221 million (1.6 percent) less than the Governor's proposal. As in the Governor's budget, the House bill reflects the significant changes to health care programs that will occur midway through the fiscal year, when central provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act take effect. This brief is the second in a series of reports describing the effect of each budget proposal on Health Care programs in Massachusetts. The briefs are produced by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center in partnership with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute--and published by the Massachusetts Medicaid Policy Institute (MMPI). Read about HEALTH CARE IN THE HOUSE BUDGET The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

“When you build it, they come"

In advance of Bay State Bike Week which begins on Saturday, May 11 the Milford Daily News has this article on this transportation area.

Bay State Bike Week

... the state Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced last fall it aims to triple travel by biking, walking and public transit by 2030. It’s not about just accommodating people who bicycle for fun, but recognizing bikes as a form of transportation, said Catherine Cagle, manager of sustainable transportation at MassDOT. 

“We want more of them,” she said. 

But to get more people cycling on a larger scale across eastern Massachusetts, it could take time, more infrastructure and more concentrated efforts to educate people about rules of the road, say transportation advocates and planners. 

Advocates credit the recent expansion of bike lanes, paths and places to lock up bikes in part for the growth of cycling, making it more convenient and safer for more people to hop behind the handlebars.

Read more: http://www.wickedlocal.com/homepage/news/x1213312379/Cycling-is-on-the-rise-but-is-Mass-serious-about-sharing-the-road#ixzz2SPg8MsbY

If the commute to work is more than 30 miles, the amount of time involved would effectively make it not practical for a daily trip. I would like to increase my recreational biking but commuting by bike is really not practical.

What about your situation?  Is the commute to work less than 30 miles? Have you taken your bike?

Senate Approves Boost to Local Transportation Aid

Senate Approves Boost to Local Transportation Aid

(BOSTON) – Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) announced today that the Senate passed legislation calling for a $100 million increase over Chapter 90 funding from last year, as part of a $300 million local transportation funding package for Fiscal Year 2014.

"Investment in our local road and bridges is essential to the lives of our residents and the economic health of our communities," said Spilka. "This is a significant and much-needed boost for each city and town across the state and will give our partners at the local level additional resources to help accelerate these important projects."

Communities can use Chapter 90 funds for local projects such as rebuilding or repairing roads and bridges. The rates of funding are based on a formula that factors in each community's total road miles, population, and employment.

Below is a breakdown of the funding towns in the 2^nd Middlesex and Norfolk district are set to receive under this bill:

·         Ashland – $687,386 in funding, an increase of $229,129

·         Framingham – $2,863,194 in funding, an increase of $954,398

·         Franklin – $1,382,441 in funding, an increase of $460,814

·         Holliston – $760,929 in funding, an increase of $253,643

·         Hopkinton – $959,188 in funding, an increase of $319,729

·         Medway – $617,259 in funding, an increase of $205,753

·         Natick – $1,512,525 in funding, an increase of $504,175

The bill will now go to the Governor for his approval. 

MassBudget: the new transportation plan - how does it compare

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Less Revenue. Fewer Investments. Earlier this week, House and Senate leaders unveiled their plan to fund transportation with a combination of new tax revenue and increased fees. The plan would shore up MBTA finances and move MassDOT employees from the capital budget to the operating budget--freeing up resources for capital spending. The Joint House and Senate plan is significantly smaller than the Governor's earlier transportation package and it does not include the investments in education that the Governor had proposed. MassBudget's new brief, "The Joint Ways & Means Transportation Proposal," describes the basic structure of the new proposal and compares it to the Governor's. The Joint Ways & Means plan is significantly smaller than the Governor's, raising less money for capital projects. Whereas the Governor's proposal included efforts to make higher education more affordable, to expand access to early education & care, and to increase funding for our public schools, the Joint Ways & Means proposal is focused on transportation. More will be known about the impact on other areas when the House Ways & Means budget comes out next week. New tax revenues to support the Joint Ways & Means plan come from a mix of focused changes, including increases in gas and tobacco taxes along with some changes to business taxes Read our brief on THE JOINT WAYS & MEANS TRANSPORTATION PROPOSAL For a fuller discussion of the Governor's proposal, see OUR BUDGET MONITOR The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

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Governor Patrick: New Online Map Shows Transportation, Education Investments

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Governor Patrick: New Online Map Shows Transportation, Education Investments

via Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation by Klark Jessen on 2/27/13

Governor Deval Patrick today unveiled an online map tool that shows members of the public, in real terms, what investing in growth and opportunity will mean for their communities.
"This tool will help people see exactly what to expect in their own backyard as part of the investments we've proposed," said Governor Patrick. "Meaningful investments in education and transportation today will significantly improve our economic future both in the short term and for generations to come."

Each map outlines transportation projects in every community that would be funded under the Governor's FY14 budget proposal, as well as the additional Chapter 70 education funding and support for public colleges and universities communities can expect to receive under the Governor's investment plan. The maps also show how many children in each community are on the waitlist for early education and care programs. As part of the Governor's investment plan, the 30,000 child waitlist for early education and care programs across the state would be eliminated.  

Each of the 400 maps in total, representing both Senate and House districts, can be found at www.mass.gov/governor/choosegrowth. There are two maps per district – one displaying transportation investments and one displaying education investments in each community.   
Governor Patrick's budget plan includes a $1 billion annual investment in the Commonwealth's transportation system to maintain the current transportation assets we have today and launch a number of high-impact transportation projects across Massachusetts that, if built, will create thousands of jobs and spur economic development across the Commonwealth. The plan also includes a $550 million investment in education, reaching $1 billion over four years, to provide universal access to high quality early education for children across the state, from birth through age five; fully fund K-12 education and allow for extended school days in high-need schools; make college more affordable and accessible for high school graduates; and allow our community colleges to expand their efforts to provide students with the knowledge and skill training needed to succeed in the workplace.

Check out the 21st Century Transportation Plan "The Way Forward" and the Governor's Choosing Growth website.

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

The map for education in Rep Roy's 10th Norfolk district is shown here



The map for transportation in Rep Roy's 10th Norfolk district is shown here



Visit the Governor's links as outlined in the article above for additional maps