For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 978-841-9948
Email: john@jgpr.net

Contact: Jessica Sacco
Phone: 978-769-5193
Email: jessica@jgpr.net

Maynard Signs Community Compact Agreement Application

MAYNARD — Town Administrator Kevin Sweet is pleased to announce that Maynard, along with Acton, Boxborough, Littleton and Westford signed a Community Compact Application with the state this month, in an effort to pool efforts and resources to make vital improvements to transportation infrastructure and services in the five communities.

The Community Compact furthers the goals of the CrossTown Connect Transportation Management Association — a collaboration between the five towns that formed in 2009 to provide better coordinated transportation services for commuters traveling from suburb to suburb and in and out of Boston.

Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Chris DiSilva, on behalf of Maynard, signed the agreement on Sept. 3.

Officials are working together to promote economic development in the Route 2 and Interstate 495 corridor and to expand transportation opportunities to better address the needs of commuters, seniors, persons with disabilities and the general population in the region.

The fives towns have already made strides together, receiving the Local Government Excellence Award for Community Partnership from the International City/County Management Association, which will officially recognize the collaboration during the organization’s annual conference this month.

“There is nothing we cannot accomplish when we work together,” Administrator Sweet said. “The Community Compact Application will allow us to tackle several of top priority projects that we would not be able to complete as individual towns. But by teaming up, we can make vital improvements to travel and transportation in our area.”

Through the Community Compact Agreement, the state will provide Maynard and its partner towns with resources and technical assistance for several endeavors including:

• Approximately $277 million in capital improvements to the Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line will be completed by January 2016. The project will reduce the commute from Fitchburg to Porter Square to one hour and allow for reverse commutes from Boston to South Acton and Littleton to be available before 8 a.m. Additionally, more parking spaces are needed for the Littleton MBTA station, and officials will explore establishing community and corporate public shuttle routes to expand the region’s economic base.
  

• Increased Centralization of CrossTown Connect’s Dispatch Service, which provides services for council on aging shuttles in individuals towns. Further integration is expected to streamline the operation to allow shuttles to travel from one town to another.
• Transportation Demand Management. CrossTown Connect, which collaborates with MassRIDES, plans to work with other transportation management associations to enhance their abilities to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. The Community Compact will also allow for further discussion with the state to ensure the needs of these associations continue to be met in the future.

“Receiving this assistance from the state through the Community Compact Agreement is a big step for all those involved,” Selectman DiSilva said. “We are now able to truly transform our communities and improve services for residents surrounding transportation.”

Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) were enabled by MassDOT to provide regional input and solutions to transit issues.  Realizing that MetroWest, the Berkshires, Cape Cod, and Boston have some similar but many vastly different transportation concerns, the TMA model enables each region to customize solutions.  There are currently 13 TMAs in Massachusetts. CrossTown Connect is an outgrowth of the most unique TMA in Massachusetts – it is the only one that is managed through a public/private partnership.

CrossTown Connect is administered by TransAction Associates. The private company manages the central Dispatch Center, coordinates grant requests, and provides expertise in transportation that member communities could not support individually.   Established in 2013, the original members Maynard, Acton, Boxborough and Littleton have since been joined by Westford.

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