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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-07-10-LBAC-min MEETING MINUTES Committee Name: Bicycle Advisory Committee Date, Time and Location of Meeting: July 10, 2008; 7 pm; Rm 111, Town Office Bldg Members Present: Harvey Bingham, Peg Enders, John Frey, Marita Hartshorn, Stew Kennedy (BAC chair), Hank Manz (Selectmen),Richard Canale (Planning), George Gagliardi, Jerry VanHook Others Present: Laurel Carpenter, Bob Dangel, Rich Spencer, Christine Lokin-Kim Members Absent: Sandra Shaw (Recreation), Abe Shenker (FoLB Chair), Mike Tabaczynski Record of Votes taken and issues discussed Minutes from the June meeting were reviewed and unanimously accepted. Snowplowing Status: Status of the project was discussed and it was agreed that LBAC should follow up on our June 2 letter to the Selectmen by getting on their agenda soon to explain our position (in favor of plowing.) Issues of expected costs, bollards, gates, intersections, liability, and xx-skiing should be addressed. Stew will pursue this. Subcommittee Reports: ?? North South routes – Subcommittee met and decided on objectives. Bike-friendly arteries, signage, safe commuter routes will be determined. The next step will then be to ride the routes. A one-page manifesto is in the works. And traffic calming suggestions for the Planning Board will be produced. ?? CM district (Hartwell Ave) infrastructure – Subcommittee members attended the June 18 and July 9 Planning Board public meetings, but otherwise haven’t met. We will meet this month. Richard explained the “cash out” concept to sweeten the deal for non-SOV commuters to businesses. Rte 95 overpass signs: George reported back on additional information he has gotten regarding estimated costs. Since the ceiling collapse in the Ted Williams Tunnel, MassHwy has become more restrictive on how signs over the roads can be mounted. As a result, a free-standing sign (identifying the Minuteman Bikeway) beside the highway would be much less expensive. He presented rough cost estimates for both types. It was decided that our next step should be to send a letter to the Selectmen explaining our interest in these signs and summarizing expected costs. George will work on a draft of the letter. Safety at Revere St and Hancock St intersections: Stew reported on new complaints received recently from Bikeway users about safety problems at these two intersections. Very nice warning signs are available from at least one company interested in selling to us, but the signs are very expensive. No decisions were made about how to proceed. Bicycle committee work: Laurel Carpenter attended to see how we work and talk about a couple of ideas she is interested in. She would like to help get a Bike Committee formed in Waltham, and is interested in Lexington’s model. She has studied Mass Bike’s how-to manual on this. Laurel also spoke about her desire to plan a forum to help bicycle commuters learn how to get started commuting this way. There was interest in the LBAC to participate in this, so a subcommittee will be formed for it. Request for Bikeway use: The committee approved the request by ResearchILD for a proposed fund-raising walk along the Bikeway on October 5 (rain date of October 12.) The numbers of participants is low (40 people) and the applicant shows appropriate sensitivity about safety while on the Bikeway. Additional Items: ?? Richard Canale reported that the MAPC bike rack reimbursement program will be continued. Meeting adjourned. Record of Friends of Lexington Bikeways votes and discussions. This meeting preceded the LBAC meeting, and went from 6:30 to 7 PM. Treasurer’s Report: Rich reported current balance is $1593.68. Bike to Market Day: Stew reported on the successful event we conducted. Even though the afternoon was riven by two violent thunderstorms, 51 of the $2 coupons were given to that number of bicyclists who used our bike valet service. The remaining 49 coupons can be used at the fall Bike to Market Day we have planned. Paper Streets: Marita will meet with town officials, starting with the new Building Inspector, regarding paper streets and how they can have public rights-of-way officially and effectively established over them. th July Trail Count plans : Schedules for Saturday, July 12th, and Tuesday, July 15 are all set. Stew is handling Saturday’s and George is handling Tuesday’s. Bumper Stickers: The expenditure of $64.95 was approved for purchase of Minuteman Bikeway bumper stickers that will be suitable for display on gates and bollards, identifying the Lexington stretch of the Bikeway. Brush clearing on Bikeway: Peggy, Marita and Stew cleared away overhanging tree branches and encroaching brush in the center area (between Hancock St and the Grant St bridge.) Peggy proposed meeting regularly on Mondays at 1:30 to continue this clearing. Peggy will coordinate. We will start at the Arlington line and proceed westward. Additional items : ?? Minutes of the Tri-Town meeting (of June 12) were approved as corrected. ?? Christine Lokum-Kim and (the afformentioned) Laurel Carpenter asked to be added to our email distribution list. Their respective addresses are kurisu99@hotmail.com and lcarp@rcn.com . Meeting adjourned Information Distributed: Draft minutes for May 2008 meeting Recorder(s): Marita Hartshorn; Stew Kennedy (editor) Next Meeting: August 14, 2008, 7 PM, Room 111, Town Office Building Note: Four Minuteman Community Bike Meeting convened after these meetings adjourned.