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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-01-11-TAC-min RECEIVED 2022 22 lP4 Ib, 5 59 pim Minutes Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)Jan 11th, 2022 I OWN CLERK Meeting Held on Zoom LEXINGTON Members Present: Vinita Verma, Chair; Pamela Lyons, Co-Chair; Sara Arnold; Andra Bennett; Sally Castleman; Elaine Dratch Others Present: Sudhir Jain, Council on Aging (COA) liaison;Joe Pato, Select Board (SB) Liaison; Susan Barrett,Transportation Manager; Shefali Verma, student representative Absent: Nagarjuna Venna (TAC member), Melanie Thompson, Planning Board liaison Meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. Ms. Lyons reviewed the authorization for meeting remotely, and Ms. Verma asked each attending member to respond verbally. The November 30, 2021 Minutes are still under review.TAC spent time trying to smooth out the minute- taking process, including the use of a consistent format and advance assignments for preparing Minutes. Ms. Barrett reported on a resident's request for a COA van to provide door to door service.The resident uses The Ride and Ms. Barrett found that it would be easy to accommodate the request for transportation by this resident with a small deviation from an existing Lexpress route. Additionally, Ms. Barrett met with the Town Manager and Mr. Martinetti to discuss how to offer wheelchair-accessible taxis as part of LexConnect.The town uses an additional taxi provider (Magon/Arlington Green Taxi) that can accommodate wheelchairs, but future contract negotiations should keep wheelchair accessibility in mind. Ms. Barrett also reported the following: • MBTA 76 bus service is back, but only during peak-time service (rush hour M-F). On weekends, non-peak they revert to the combined 62/76 route. • Overall, Lexpress ridership is still low, particularly much youth ridership has been lost. Although direct comparison is not possible since we reduced the number of routes offered, Covid19 is still impacting ridership. Route B is doing well (maximum occupancy was achieved). Liberty Heights ridership (Route C) is very low, Ms. Barrett plans to explore repurposing this particular route. LABB students learn to use Lexpress and often continue using Lexpress upon graduation. • Marketing efforts include Lexpress Tweets identifying 'riders or Lexpress' (part of MasDot project). Highlighted rider profiles include: recent LABB graduate traveling to his Burlington office job; a Lexington resident that commutes to work (HMart); Stop and Shop and Market Basket employees, a commuter going to a medical office near Wegman's; some new riders near MBTA Route350/Lowell regional transit (including one who works in a Lexington center cafe). This highlights how important the regionalization project is becoming for residents of Lexington and beyond.The LexConnect/Taxi service ridership was also low. Ms. Barrett also informed the committee about the Transportation Open House and noted that event planning for transportation awareness is in progress. A number of cycling and safety workshops are being planned in January and February-details are available on lexbikewalkbus.org. Mr. Pato spoke about a 2-year study being kicked off for the 128 corridor through a Needham study, which covers housing/transportation. Mr. Pato can provide details on how to obtain more information about the study. American Rescue Plan Act funds are available to communities that have identified individuals with unsolved transportation needs related to COVIDI9. Ms. Lyons informed the committee that the Historic District Commission provided informal support for a bus shelter at the MBTA stop in Lexington center, which will help approximately 131 people across (Rev, Lexpress and MBTA rides as well).An HDC member is now working on identifying a shelter consistent with comments made by the HDC. Ms. Lyons also provided an update on state law and Planning Board initiatives which will increase housing in Lexington Center. Ms. Verma proposed two ideas: shortening the TAC meeting times to 1.5 hours and assigning specific goals to individuals as they relate to reducing single-occupancy vehicle traffic in Lexington. Mr. Pato specified that any sub-committees formed should have fewer than the TAC quorum number. She reviewed the committees that TAC members had agreed to follow. Next meeting was decided for Feb 8th at 7PM. The meeting was adjourned at 8:25PM.