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)
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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
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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)
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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.
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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