2011-01-10-WALKS-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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1/2 Lexington Sidewalk Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, January 10, 2011, 11 AM Present: Judy Crocker, John Davies, Lucy Fletcher- Jones, Jeanne Krieger, Bettina McGimsey, Francine Stieglitz, Jerry Van Hook (Chair); Liaisons: Richard Canale (Planning Board), Elaine Celi( Transportation), Hank Manz (Board of Selectmen), Marc Valenti (DPW); Guests: Dave Cannon (DPW), John Livsey (DPW) The meeting was called to order at 11:10 AM. Updates from Engineering on Sidewalk Projects: John Livsey and Dave Cannon of Town Engineering presented the plan for the intersection of Spring Street and Hayden Avenue. Construction will begin spring 2011 to be completed by mid - summer. The traffic signals at the intersection will include crosswalks with pedestrian controlled signals; however, there will be no such traffic signal or accompanying pedestrian control at a crosswalk along the slip lane from Hayden Ave to Spring Street. The plan accommodates pedestrian connections to a future sidewalk that will go from Spring Street along Hayden Ave and Concord Ave to Waltham Street. The Spring Street/Hayden Ave intersection project is within state jurisdiction. Mr. Livsey and Mr. Cannon also updated the committee on the Bowman School sidewalk project (project has been bid and a contractor is lined up), the project at Marrett/Waltham Streets (contract has been awarded and will start in the Spring, to be finished most likely over two years), and Concord Avenue (feasibility study will take place soon). Judy Crocker requested that the SWC be given the dates of the various construction projects so that parents and other residents of the affected neighborhoods can be notified. 2. December 2010 minutes were approved. 3. Jerry Van Hook reported that the Safe Mass Ave Committee will meet Wednesday, January 12, 2011, to discuss their response to a received TSAC letter. He will be certain to include the SWC's discussion from December. 4. Snow Removal from Sidewalks: Jeanne Krieger commented that Town Operations has done an excellent job of removing snow from sidewalks; however, despite their excellent efforts, private contractors and others are piling snow on already- plowed sidewalks. The committee discussed the recent State ruling regarding snow removal. Hank Manz commented that the ruling does not require that citizens remove snow, but rather gives a legal right to sue due to an injury from non - removed snow. He will follow up with Police Chief Corr to get some guidance on this. Richard Canale noted that if the Town issues no ordinance, residents will not be legally responsible for snow removal on Town property. Mark Valenti noted that, despite the fact that residents are not allowed to dump snow onto sidewalks and public roads, all they get is a warning if they do so.