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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-09-LBAC-min APPROVED MEETING NOTES Committee Name: Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee Date, Time and Location of Meeting: April 9, 2015, Cary Library, 7:00 p.m. Members Present: Peggy Enders, (Chair), Marita Hartshorn, Bob Hausslein (FoLB Chair), Mike Tabaczynski, Laurel Carpenter, Bob Dangel, George Gagliardi, John Frey, Carolyn Levy, Richard Canale (Planning Board Liaison), Sandra Shaw (Recreation Liaison), Others Present: Jennifer Melot, Keith Ohmart The March minutes were approved as corrected. ACROSS Lexington Map Holders : Keith Ohmart talked about placing plastic holders with information on ACROSS Lexington, including at five locations on posts on the Bikeway. The program has been named in memory of Rick Abrams. Bike Lexington Flyer: The flyer went out with the March tax bills. Extras are being distributed around town. The committee thanked Jennifer for all her efforts on this beautiful and informative brochure. Bikeway Temporary Signage Project: The committee discussed placing temporary signs along the bikeway in Lexington depicting rules or the road and etiquette and will seek creative wording ideas from various sources. Peggy will present this idea to the Board of Selectman for approval. There is budget money from the CHNA grant to pay for this project. Town Meeting Activity : Articles 45 (safety for bikes and pedestrians) and 35 (Complete Streets) passed unanimously.Article 11a (Woburn Street traffic light) rd failed to achieve a 2/3 majority. The committee believes the intersection is unsafe; Richard Canale said he felt is hasn’t yet been designed to be really safe (“the light isn’t the essential point”); Sandra Shaw said she thought a light at that intersection was imperative. There was some sense from the committee that this is a discontinuity between the center streetscape design and the section covered by th Article 11a. There will be a MassDOT public hearing on May 7 on another Mass Ave project involving the three intersections (Pleasant Street, Maple Street and Marrett Road) where the public will have an opportunity to express views; Peggy urged members to attend. Richard commented that it is important that the overall project move ahead. Bike Accident Data : Richard Canale presented MassDOT data showing there are two clusters of high bike crash rates in Lexington, one of those being the Woburn Street intersection (9 crashes) and the other Mass. Ave. from Waltham Street to the green including the Meriam Street bikeway intersection. Of some data compiled by MassDOT, where communities were ranked in terms of crashes, the composite rank for Lexington is 14th out of 351 cities and towns. Many factors affect this rank. The Lexington Police Department is making plans to purchase a new software system where, it is hoped, better accident data might be recorded and shared. Identifying locations and causes is very helpful in prevention. Liaison Reports: Recreation: Karen Simmons will meet with Peggy to discuss planning for bike racks at neighborhood parks and playgrounds. Sandra will follow up at Recreation Committee meetings. Planning Board: Richard said the Battle Road Scenic Byway will have a branding identity in June. Richard Canale distributed the McGuire Road roundabout design, which he said nicely accommodates pedestrians and cyclists. He said that King Street Properties on Hartwell Avenue are buying additional bicycles for their employees to use during lunch hours. Traffic Safety: Carolyn sought our input for subjects to discuss. Woburn Street intersection is paramount. Other business: Marita noted that bike racks have not been reinstalled on the south side of Mass. Ave. since the winter of 2013/14 after they were hit by snow plows. She will call Dave at DPW. The meeting was adjourned at 8:28 pm. Record Of The Discussions Of The Friends Of Lexington Bikeways Treasurer's Report: Our plowing bill for March was $560 bringing the winter’s total to approximately $10,000. We had $400 in donations in March. We had a bill for the brochures for $1,000 but a portion may be reimbursed. Farmers’ Market Corrals for Summer 2015:We would like to do the corrals again but would prefer a perimeter location at the Market. Sandra will make some signs directing cyclists to the corral. Garlic Mustard Pull (May 9): Grace Chapel is furnishing volunteers. Bob will seek 4 volunteers to supervise them and will focus on locations where pulling garlic mustard is worthwhile. Spring Clean-up: May 2. Bob will send out an email seeking section leaders. A great deal of snow was dumped at Fottler and the bikeway, which resulted in flooding. Last year snow was dumped behind the East Lexington car wash resulting in a great deal of litter. We understood that this would be prohibited this winter but such was not the case. 2015 Bike Walk ‘n Bus Week: Jennifer is working with Keith Ohmart, Peggy and Meagan Parker from the Library to produce signs to put up around town describing walking or biking time or distance to various locations. Ladies Ride Out (May 9): Nicole Waxmonsky will lead the session at Cary Library. She will either do a session on minor repairs or a ride or both. Bob Dangel will lead a group ride (May 10) th Bike Smart for 5 Graders (May 14): Peggy met with Richard Fries, who will identify someone to lead the Bike Smart workshop at Bridge School. Marita and Sandra volunteered to help. Commuter Breakfast at the Depot (May 15) This will take place at the Depot in the morning, followed by a bike ride and then an evening Bike Maintenance Workshop, lead by Galen Mook from Landry’s. Jennifer will lead a Lincoln Lab ride after work to Boston that evening. th Other Business: Lexington placed 7 in the Mass. Commuter Challenge last year. Laurel Carpenter hopes Lexington can repeat or improve our standing. Upcoming Dates Bike Walk ‘n Bus Week/Bay State Bike Week : May 9 through May 18 http://www.lexingtonma.gov/transportation/bwbweek.cfm Mass Ave 3 Intersection Project 25% Design Public Hearing, Thursday, May 7, 7 pm, at the DPW Building, 201 Bedford Street LBAC/FoLB meeting Thursday, May 14, 7 pm, Reed Room, Town Office Building Items Distributed: McGuire Road Design, ACROSS Lexington brochure locations