2009-04-06-WALKS-MIN - Laserfiche WebLink

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Draft - Apri16, 2009 Minutes of the Lexington Sidewalk Committee Attendance: members & liasons Suzie Barry, Wayne Brooks (DPW), Richard Canale (PB), Elaine Cheli(LPS transportation), Judy Crocker, John Davies, Lucy Fletcher-Jones, Jeanne Krieger (BOS), John Livsey (Engineering), Meg Lotz, Jerry Van Hook and community citizens Brian Adley, Carin Casey, Peter Gilman, Dana Hamm, .lane Kalinski, Ellie Muter, Madeline Pease, Jessie Steigerwald Attached documents: Hastings PTA Executive Committee letter LPS Hastings Principal letter Meeting minutes from March 2009 were approved with the additions as noted. Motion to accept by Judy Crocker and seconded by Lucy Fletcher-Jones. 1. Roosevelt Road's proposed sidewalk construction project was the first topic of discussion, where Chair Jerry Van Hook presented the Sidewalk Committee's (SWC) order of discussion points. These included A) brief proposal synopsis by Chair, B) Hasting PTA rep's comments, C) Wayne Brooks will outline the 3 considered plans and their costs, D) Inclusion of comments from abutter Monica Grewal, which were made by phone to Jerry just before the meeting E) John Livsey, Town Engineering and Wayne Brooks, DPW offer their comments on the various options based on their joint site visit, F) Public and abutters comments, G) A SWC vote on one of the options for sidewalk location unless there are compelling issues brought forward to delay such a committee vote. A) Chair Jerry Van Hook presented an overview of the proposal. The SWC was created in 2005. Its mission is to improve the safety and walking enjoyment of Lexington's citizens. The SWC's early emphasis involved the development of a town-wide Safe Route to School (SRTS) program. 400 foot long Roosevelt Rd is a primary street in the egress from the Hastings School. It runs from Wilson Rd to School St. With regards to the SRTS program, it was rated first in terms of the priority list for problem areas in the Hastings district. In 2007-8, the SWC was called upon to create a resolution to the question of which side of Roosevelt Rd a new sidewalk should be constructed. Realizing that a new sidewalk is very costly to the Committee's budget, in the summer of 2008, Wayne Brooks reviewed the different possibilities available and suggested the South side of the road. His reasoning was the lower cost due to no construction obstructions (telephone poles, trees, and fire hydrants). In October 2008, resident Dana Hamm addressed the SWC with a petition (less than 20 signatures) that endorsed the following: 1) no sidewalk was needed and 2) if a sidewalk is constructed, the South side of Roosevelt is a poor choice. The SWC held a public forum in October 2008 with the Hastings community in order to receive their feedback on the issue. At this time, the Hastings PTA submitted a petition with more than 80 names requesting a sidewalk be built on Roosevelt Rd. It did not specify which side of the road it is built. In March 2009, the Hastings PTA spoke