2012-01-09-WALKS-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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1/2 Lexington Sidewalk Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, January 9 th 2012 at 9 am Present: Jerry Van Hook (Chair), Judy Crocker, John Davies, Lucy Fletcher- Jones, Francine Stieglitz, Bettina McGimsey Liaisons: Elaine Celi (Transportation), Marc Valenti (DPW), Hank Manz (Selectmen), Wendy Manz (Planning Board) Guests: Jill Hai, John Livsey (Engineering), The meeting was called to order at 9:05am. 1. The December 2011 minutes were approved with a small amendment. 2. Safe Routes to School Judy Crocker reported that later in January a PR campaign to promote riding the bus to school will begin with such slogans as "What's the fuss, just take the bus!" The group watched a webinar produced by the State MassRides group on creative walkability ideas. In tandem with the School Transportation and Safety Study Committee (STS), SR2S will promote bus ridership by participating in a bi- weekly Minuteman column. 3. Estabrook Task Force: Judy Crocker reported that this group have decided on the school access plan during the construction phase and will next be working on transportation post construction. 4. School Transportation and Safely Study Committee (STS): will be regularly meeting at gam on the first Thursday of every month. It may also meet more frequently early in its tenure in order to construct its strategic plan and begin its implementation, due to its tight timeline (school bus registration begins in late April). It will meet this coming Thursday (January 12 STS did make a motion to the School Committee recommending free bussing for Estabrook students during the Estabrook construction phase. The Estabrook Taskforce survey found 78% parents would let their students take the bus if it were free. Adding to this the 12% who walk, 90% of the students would either bus or walk to school, which would cost $225,000 each year for 2 years making a total of $450,000 for the duration of the project. Precedent was set with Fiske receiving free bussing during its use of swing space about 6 years ago. On behalf of safety concerns and Safe Routes To School, Judy asked the Committee if it would support this cause. The motion "The Sidewalk Committee makes the motion to the School Committee to endorse subsidized bussing for Estabrook students during the new school construction phase" was passed unanimously by the Committee. 5. Update on proposed Winthrop Road Sidewalk Jill Hai asked the Committee to keep this new construction project high on its list of priorities, because it would be a comparatively small piece of sidewalk that would have a large impact because of its