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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-09-10-WALKS-min Sidewalk Committee Meeting Monday September 10, 2007 Minutes Attended: Olga Guttag, Marianne Lazarus, Judy Crocker, Lucy Fletcher- Jones, Jerry VanHook, Madeline Pease, Dale Pease, Sue Ellen Briggs, Meg Lotz, Jeanne Krieger, Hank Manz, Francine Stieglitz, Bill Hadley, Sarah Chamberlain, and Dave Cannon Wayne Brooks could not attend but did deliver the updated DPW data on all sidewalk projects. The Chair, Jerry VanHook opened the meeting and voting on issues by all committee members. Email is best used to disseminate information, including individual opinions on facts, that may help members come to their own conclusions on these issues. He also welcomed the community members who are attending this meeting. A motion was presented to approve the July and August meeting minutes. This passed unanimously. Judy reported on the meeting of Safe Route to School coordinators from the various schools in town. Many there were interested in the State Forum on walking to school being held at the State House on Thursday Oct. 11, 2007. All the participants present agreed to coordinated walk days throughout the school year. Dates were selected and a theme for each walk. The dates and themes are Wed. Oct 3 – International Walk Day, Wed. Nov. 7 Turkey Walk, Wed. Feb. 6 – Winter Walk, Wed. April 2 – Patriot’s Walk, Wed. May 7- Spring Walk. Those present also set a goal to publish an article about walking to school monthly in the school newsletter. Other informational pieces of the program such as fliers will be shared by all so that each school doesn’t have to invent their own. Buttons will be produced for the adults involved in the program. Anti-idling information will be added to the Safe Routes to School program to increase awareness of this issue. Another item discussed at the meeting was the transportation problems at the start of the school year. Currently Harrington and Estabrook are not participating in the Safe Routes program although efforts are being made to include them. The other Lexington elementary schools are all in this program. The situation at Hastings Elementary School was discussed. Meg heard back from the Traffic Safety Committee that they are not in favor of making Roosevelt Rd. a one way. The school has discussed moving the crossing guard from School St to Roosevelt Rd. and Wilson. This is still being discussed and is a difficult choice. Dale and Madeline Pease are very concerned about safety of the children. Hank Manz attended the meeting as a resident of the neighborhood. There was no update on the status on the request for a sidewalk on Roosevelt Rd. Some at the meeting wondered if a child would get injured before this issue is addressed. Meg gave more history of the traffic situation. This problem started when traffic was forced to be one way in front of the school. Previously parents were allowed to drop off and turn around in a parking lot on school property and go back out to Mass Ave the way they came. It was decided that Meg, Olga and Jane Kalinski would form a sub committee to look into the drop off situation at Hastings to see if they can work with the Principal to improve the situation. Judy will talk to Hastings about having the staff help at drop off and pick up time as other schools do. Biking to Hastings is another issue to be discussed at a later time. Olga reported in the work being done at Fiske. A new sidewalk has been installed. A new ramp has been designed for wheeled vehicles access near the stairs. Construction has not started yet. Residents will be asked to help keep the path from Woodland Rd to the school clear of leaves and other debris this fall. In winter this path is normally snow plowed. Lucy reported that she represented Bowman at Judy’s meeting and Bowman is on track for continuing the Safe Routes to School Program this year. Sarah reported that Bridge has lots of enthusiasm for the Safe Routes Program this year. Parents are asking when the new sidewalk will be built on Prospect St. She also mentioned that poison ivy needs to be cleared from the path from Lincoln St. to the School. Bill Hadley said that residents can trim back bushes, overhanging tree limbs and poison ivy that encroaches onto public access paths in town land. Residents should not cut down trees. If major clearing needs to take place residents should notify the DPW. Jerry will ask a member of DPW to attend a meeting to explain what residents can do to keep paths and sidewalks open to the public. Laura was not able to attend but she will be asked to look into how the new bus stops will be serviced by the snow removal system town wide. Citizen access to open lands in Lexington is a project Jerry would like to see the Sidewalk Committee work on with the Stewards of Conservation Lands. The goal is to have paths and trails through open lands listed on the street map. Please consider working on this issue or recruit an interest friend to the project. Another issue that was just mentioned was the concern about the DPW trucks stationed at the Old Harrington School. DPW and the Harrington Community are working together to address the issues. The Center Sidewalk project was 90% done as of 9/7/07. This pilot project is in need of evaluation. If this project is acceptable this same design will be used along Mass Ave to the end of Crafty Yankee. Jerry asks that every member of the committee walk the new sidewalk. Be ready to discuss your views at next month’s meeting. Meetings coming up: Wed. Sept, 26 8:30- , Walkable Community Workshop in Lexington 10:30AM in the Library Function Room of Cary Memorial Library Thursday October 11, 2007 at Bentley on Safe Routes to School Forum College 9AM-2PM this event is free and lunch is included. RSVP by 9/28 to davida.eisenberg@eot.state.ma.us Wed. Oct. 17, 2007 8:30AM-4PM , at the Moving Together Conference Courtyard Marriot Boston http://www.ecs.umass.edu/baystate_roads/mt/directions.html for details on workshops and registration Next Meeting of the Sidewalk Committee will be Monday October 1, 2007 at 11AM in the Selectman’s meeting room. Respectfully submitted by Sue Ellen Briggs 9/24/07.