HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-06-27-WALKS-min
SIDEWALK COMMITTEE
Minutes of June 27, 2005 Meeting
The Lexington Sidewalk Committee meeting was convened by Chairman
Craig Weeks at 11 AM in the Selectman’s Meeting Room. Of those present
there were four guests: John Frey and Karen Longeteig representing the Lex..
Tree Committee, officer Paul Jenkins of LPD, and Mary Jane Bohart from the
Lex. Chamber of Commerce.
A motion to accept the minutes of the April 14 meeting with
corrections was moved seconded and passed.
Craig first asked John Frey to outline the interests of the Tree Com.
in our project and John talked about his committee agenda on tree plantings
along public ways. He discussed bio-barriers which would minimize tree root
damage to sidewalks and bikeways. He introduced Karen who showed a map of
tree plantings in the Center where tree type and age will be entered in data
banks also giving GIS position for access to town planners and citizen
groups. Questioned about computer access to the GIS and related data, Karen
said it was not yet on the Town web site and would take time and resources
to get it there. She described the need for water and air for healthy tree
growth and the modern methods used to keep the soil permeable at tree bases
to allow this to happen Craig thanked the Tree Committee for the update and
asked for continuing close cooperation in making Lexington more walkable.
Our committee would hope to generate a similar data base for walkways and
bikeways and would benefit from the Tree Committee experience with GIS and
other data entry.
The Lexington Collaborative Association held a charette on June 11,
accepting citizen input on ways to improve the center. John Davies
emphasized the importance of improving the walkways between shops on Mass
Ave and parking areas on both sides of the avenue. Ideas on beautifying the
parking areas, minimizing the loss of vehicular spaces and adding bicycle
racks were touched upon..
John Davies gave a report on the Inventory subcommittee. Work sheets
are complete on 2 of the 6 inventory areas with progress on the others to be
completed hopefully for the next meeting. John emphasized the value of map
entry to check on the completeness and accuracy of the work sheet results
before submitting the data to computer spread sheets. The focus of
different inventory takers varies somewhat since data in the field are taken
without access to others, and the map entry which will be done collectively
is necessary to produce a cohesive result. He said he would get a map of
proper scale and arrange for a map coloring session where all work sheet
data would be reconciled and entered. Thereafter, unified work sheet data
would be submitted for web site entry.
Olga Guttag questioned the value of map entry. She said it would be
better to get students and others involved in computer entry from the start
and that corrections and/or additions could be made subsequently in a more
efficient way. John countered that maps gave a better overall view, both in
getting a uniform initial and final results and will be the medium of final
choice for decision makers; i.e. that data sheets are a necessary backup
for detail but will not be the primary source. Van Hook said that the
bicycle committee had found map entry useful in finding inconsistent,
incomplete, or incorrect data and that, once entered in computer form, it is
not that easy to erase bad information from the public domain. Jean Krieger
emphasized the need to get other volunteers involved in the inventory, not
to get things hung up in subcommittee. She called for timely resolution of
differences and moving on.
Lucy Fletcher-Jones said the web site was being updated with input from
John on inventory committee objectives and additional (late) responses from
the school questionnaire. Craig suggested we begin a spread sheet on
citizen comments/complaints, starting with the input from the questionnaire
but including letters, emails received by other members, including the
comments Sue Ellen had received. Specific requests for walkway repairs
should be shared with Wayne and DPW personnel.
Sue Ellen gave the report of the focus group. She said that thank you
letters and responses will go out to people who gave comments at Discovery
Day as well as those who sent comments in other ways. Comments about curb
cuts for handicap access were mentioned. An Excel spread sheet will be
started with entries of time, place, and problem for each public comment
and the dates and times of committee responses.
Olga cautioned that public meetings promoting our projects need
planning but should not be scheduled during mid-summer because people were
away. Better to line up a concentrated campaign for early fall than to
spread the effort over the summer.
A pilot program for Safe Routes to School has been decided on for Bridge
School which showed the strongest response to the school survey, has an
active PTA group on school access safety and active support from school
administration. Craig suggested subcommittee be set up, including committee
members from the Bridge ES district to suggest priorities in implementation
at Bridge to the whole committee. Members of the subcommittee are Craig,
Olga, Lisa, Sue Ellen, Karyn Marks, and Judy Crocker .
Application will be made for Federal grant money to help defray this
pilot project. Paul Jenkins of LPD has done grant writing and may help.
Olga said distance issues are important but the shortest routes are not
necessarily the best. She said further that parents must be involved. Lisa
said the existing path from Lincoln Field needs improvement as does the
section along the Old Reservoir. A safe crossing site on Marrett Road was
also a priority for the new subcommittee.
Mary Jane Bohart, representing the Lex. Ch. of Commerce asked that the
Sidewalk Committee not forget other sidewalk issues of concern to businesses
in town. In particularly she mentioned the Center, Hayden Ave, Concord Ave,
and Hartwell Ave. On Hartwell Ave, Van Hook said the Lex. Bicycle Committee
and large numbers of commuting workers, particularly at Lincoln Labs, but at
other businesses along Hartwell were strongly favoring safer access to
places of work by bicycle and walking. Existing and proposed bus service on
the avenue generates pedestrian traffic. With current traffic, the
situation is unsafe and many who would choose alternatives to vehicles
cannot now do so. Although there may be risks associated with assigning
pedestrian/bicycle lanes, these risks pale in comparison with the dangers
that bicyclists/pedestrians must now take. Olga stated that she wanted to
discuss the issues on Hartwell with Van Hook but would prefer to do so after
the meeting was over.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 PM. The next full committee
meeting will be at 11 AM on Monday, August 8. Subcommittees will meet on
their own initiative.
Jerry Van Hook