2010-06-07-WALKS-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lexington Sidewalk Committee Minutes Monday, June 7, 2010 Attendees: Wayne Brooks (DPW), Judy Crocker, Richard Canale (Planning Board), Elaine Celli (LPS Transportation), John Davies, Lucy Fletcher-Jones, Jeanne Krieger, Meg Lotz, Francine Stieglitz, Marc Valenti (DPW) , Jerry Van Hook Guests: Trish Greene and Jill Hai, Winthrop neighborhood The meeting was called to order at 11:05 by Chair Jerry Van Hook Proposed new sidewalk on Winthrop Road . Jill Hai presented the case for improved sidewalks in the Winthrop Road area. A lot of students in the neighborhood use the roads to cut through to playgrounds, the high school, Clarke Middle School, and Bridge Elementary. The problem is compounded by cars turning onto Winthrop and using the street as a cut through. At the present time there are sidewalks on both sides of the street from Mass Ave. to Highland, but they stop one house short of Highland on each side. There is a sidewalk on Vinebrook from Waltham Street, but it stops before the intersection of Highland and Winthrop. Walkers are forced into the street to cross the intersection and then to continue in the street along Winthrop to Waltham. Jill has contacted John Livsey, Town Engineer, and he will look at the area. There is also a need for a crosswalk at Winthrop and Waltham. TSAC originally turned down the request because is no osed crossing sidewalk on Winthrop or on the east side of Waltham near the prop. Jeanne suggested that the neighbors present the Selectmen with a petition requesting the sidewalks and crosswalk as well as asking the School Committee to become involved. New sidewalk construction is expensive and usually requires considerable time for review. Wayne explained that even the proposed one half mile of sidewalk, which is already on the Master List, would be expensive because of trees and telephone poles that might impede sight and would have to be removed. He added that sidewalks should be added/replaced as part of street restoration projects whenever possible. Update on the Bowman School sidewalk project . Lucy Fletcher-Jones reported on the Design Public Hearing held at Bowman on May 24 for the proposed Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Project. More than 100 people had signed the petition, and there was a lot of support at the hearing. Changes to the proposal include a grass strip that will be added to the Pleasant Street/Worthen Road East intersection. The existing crosswalk will be moved closer to the Route 2 onramp and a pedestrian-activated signal will be installed.