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Sidewalk Committee
<br />ROLE: To advise the Board of Selectmen on sidewalk poli-
<br />cies and condition of sidewalks and contiguous walking
<br />paths in Lexington. The committee seeks broad citizen input
<br />and support in developing strategies for improving existing
<br />sidewalks and for building new sidewalks where critical
<br />interconnections are needed with existing walking routes
<br />throughout town. The committee is also charged to advise
<br />on policies for snow removal and brush clearing which will
<br />help residents work in conjunction with town service
<br />providers to keep public walkways open year round.
<br />APPOINTMENTS: Originally committee members were
<br />appointed for a 3 -year term to end in March 2008, but
<br />amended by the Selectmen in June 2007 to a 3 -year rotation
<br />plan with the term ending date in September. Members have
<br />agreed to additional appointments of 11 2, or 3 -year terms
<br />beginning in September 2008 to establish the rotation pat-
<br />tern in succeeding years. Craig Weeks resigned as chairman
<br />in May 2006, the chairmanship being assumed by Jerry Van
<br />Hook. Other officers are Sue -Ellen Briggs serving as vice
<br />chair, Judy Crocker, coordinator for the Safe Routes to
<br />School ( SRTS) programs in all schools, Francine Stieglitz
<br />representing the Commission on Disability, and Lucy
<br />Fletcher -Jones the website manager. Other members are
<br />Laura Cecere, Sarah Chamberlain, John Davies, Olga
<br />Guttag, Marianne Lazarus, and Margaret Lotz. Liaisons to
<br />the committee are Jeanne Krieger (Selectmen), Richard
<br />Canale (Planning Board), Sharon MacKenzie (Board of
<br />Health), and Gail Wagner (Traffic Safety). Committee resig-
<br />nations accepted in 2007 were Lisa Baci and Craig Weeks.
<br />OVERVIEW: A large part of the Sidewalk Committee
<br />(SWC) effort in 2007 was devoted to the Safe Routes to
<br />School (SRTS) program because of the pressing need to find
<br />alternatives to the problems posed by private cars transport-
<br />ing children to and from school. Residents have also been
<br />walking and bicycling much more and the SWC is equally
<br />dedicated to improving pedestrian safety and convenience;
<br />recommending sidewalk upgrades along busy roadways, in
<br />the industrial zones, and in commercial centers. The Bridge
<br />school pilot program was fully implemented in 2006 and
<br />Bowman and Hastings followed with their SRTS program in
<br />that year. Much was learned in these successive waves about
<br />crosswalk placement on heavily traveled roads, about main-
<br />taining off -road paths for all- season student use, and about
<br />effective methods for energizing students and parents in the
<br />SRTS program.
<br />HIGHLIGHTS:
<br />• An intensive study was made of walking conditions for
<br />students and parents in 4 of the 6 elementary school dis-
<br />tricts; data on the remaining 2 neighborhoods is being
<br />compiled. The inventory was undertaken in each case by
<br />parents and residents from the area who are familiar with
<br />the road traffic conditions. It includes a description of
<br />sidewalk and footpath conditions and a priority assess-
<br />ment of safety, current condition, usage, and connectivity
<br />to other high usage routes in the neighborhood.
<br />Front Row, left to right: Richard Canale, Jerry Van Hook;
<br />Back Row left to right: Margaret Lotz, Jeanne Krieger, Sue
<br />Ellen Briggs, Francine Stieglitz, Olga Guttag, Lucy Fletcber-
<br />Jones, John Davies.
<br />• The Lexington DPW has completed a similar listing of all side-
<br />walks in town, including condition and priority for repairs or
<br />new construction in each school neighborhood. The commit-
<br />tee is preparing to make a master list which compares the pri-
<br />orities from the SRTS program and the DPW list after estab-
<br />lishing criteria that realistically balance the priorities between
<br />neighborhoods, then making its recommendations for side-
<br />walk expenditures to Town Meeting and to the Selectmen.
<br />• The SRTS program, coordinated by Judy Crocker, has had
<br />success the elementary schools and is catching on in the
<br />two middle schools as well. In October 2007, Mass Rides,
<br />the State SRTS group gave their award for the most inno-
<br />vative SRTS program to Bridge, Bowman, and Hastings
<br />schools for their promotion of walking, combined with the
<br />sidewalk priority surveys mentioned above. Harrington
<br />and Estabrook have also been active in promoting walk-
<br />ing. As a result, the number of private cars used for trans-
<br />porting children was reduced.
<br />• The SWC receives suggestions and complaints by citizens
<br />in a Correspondence Log, maintained by Francine
<br />Stieglitz, which gives advice and follow -up for all issues.
<br />About 30 contacts were processed in 2007.
<br />• Working closely with various committees, the SWC pro-
<br />moted pedestrian access along with other alternatives,
<br />such as bicycling and public transit, in all commercial
<br />zones in Town. The re- striping of part of Hartwell Avenue
<br />and plans for similar action on a section of old Mass
<br />Avenue west of Route 95 are two examples.
<br />• Continued to publish newspaper articles and letters
<br />describing the responsibilities of the Town and private
<br />property owners relative to public rights of way.
<br />• Joined in a forum on Walkable Communities in September
<br />which focused on safety and convenience for pedestrians in
<br />Lexington Center and made specific recommendations to the
<br />Selectmen and Traffic Safety committee on improvements.
<br />• Continued to prepare informal inserts mailed with tax
<br />bills, reminding residents to keep sidewalks clear and free
<br />of overhanging branches and shrubbery as a courtesy to
<br />fellow residents.
<br />Page 44 2007 Annual Report, Town of Lexington
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