Privately financing transportation improvements in Boston's Longwood Medical and Academic Area LMA through cooperative planning.

This paper documents the coordination process, associated with planning, financing and implementing transport improvements in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area (LMA) in Boston, MA, USA. It describes the many transport projects for improving access to the LMA's facilities, and states some of the key lessons learned in this process. LMA's Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organisation (MASCO) and its members have made extensive contributions to supporting demand management programmes for LMA's employees and students. Improvements that MASCO and its members have successfully implemented include: (1) a comprehensive road sign programme; (2) the installation of bus shelters; (3) a major traffic signal installation of bus shelters; (3) a major traffic signal improvement project; (4) the addition of travel lanes to city streets; (5) traffic safety improvements to improve circulation; and (6) the removal of parking meters, to convert parking lanes into travel lanes. The paper presents the parking meter removal project as a case study. It states the advantages and disadvantages of private financing; the private funding of transport improvements is a win-win arrangement. The private sector can use its limited resources well, but it is important to recognize the role of public agencies.