HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-10-16-GCC-min
Minutes of the October 16, 2023 Meeting of the Greenways Corridor Committee
Members present in person: Keith Ohmart (chair),Yifang Gong, Bob Hausslein, Bobak
Moshiri, Stephen Perkins
Members present virtually: Mal Crawford, Alex Dohan, Peggy Enders
Non-members present in person: Mike Tabacynski
The minutes of the September 18, 2023 meeting were approved unanimously.
Reports/Updates
Route H - end of Monroe alternate connection to Spring Street. Keith
recommended against this connection after having walked it and noting that it would
need a bridge to cross a stream, then steeply ascends to emerge directly onto busy
Spring Street which has a wooden barrier to the sidewalk on the other side.
Maintenance of Route H in the Idylwilde area. Mal and Keith installed five new
signposts and transplanted two. Mal will schedule volunteer work for brushing and
clearing.
Keith reported that the Magic workshop of the MAPC has been rescheduled to
October 27. The all-day workshop is intended to foster better communication between
trail committees and other town committees. Cristina Burwell, chair of the Monroe
Center for the Arts, plans to attend with Keith. Peggy will contact Keith to attend
representing the Friends of Lexington Bikeways.
The next public Bike/Ped Plan drafting meeting has been tentatively rescheduled for
November 1 in Estabrook Hall at 6 pm.
MBTA Community Zoning Ped/Bike Accessibility. Bobak reported that the working
group is coming up with many recommendations, among them to include sidewalks and
trail access. He read a message from Barbara Katzenberg recommending interested
groups such as GCC monitor Planning Board meetings to ensure that trail and sidewalk
provisions are included as each developer meets with the Planning Board. This is an
acvity that will play out over the next ten years. Peggy urged.GCC support for sidewalk
maintenance and shared use roads. Keith will send out the overlay map.
Ongoing Business
Keith proposed delaying putting up signage on Route 9, which is mostly streets and
sidewalks, until Route 8 is approved, which is more green and connects to the Western
Greenway. Discussion noted that if we were to sign Route 9 now, there is no urgency
to reprint the paper map to include it. We agreed to continue the discussion at the next
meeting. In addition, Keith pointed out that extending the trail on Concord Avenue
across Waltham Street to the Five Fields area and Juniper Hill, then looping to Route H
at Spring Street ,would add a significant ACROSS trail network for the first time south of
Route 2.
The town has received bids to do the Land Management Plan for the two parcels along
Concord Avenue, one of which contains a portion of Route 8. After the bidder is
chosen, the grant application will be submitted. Best guess is that the go ahead on
Route 8 is year away.
Mike showed alternatives for Route 19, which connects Lower Vine Brook with
Arlington’s Great Meadows. There are two possibilities from Maple Street. The
preferred one is the existing trail (Exxon easement) that goes over a wooden bridge as
it emerges onto the Harrington School property. However it comes close to or crosses
private land. An informal chat with the owner was positive, but clearer delineation of the
property line is needed. Discussion with Karen is the next step. The other alternative is
the existing exit driveway from the Harrington School and then left into the woods
parallel to Maple Street, then right to where the trail from the bridge emerges. The mid-
section of the trail, on the far side of the playing field, may need a temporary detour
when the flood control project is constructed. The northern section that emerges onto
Woburn Street at or near the Housing Authority offices has several possibilities, which
may be narrowed after the site walk with Karen. Overall, no major obstacles.
Keith reviewed the three options connecting to Arlington’s Great Meadows from the
intersection at Maple Street/Solomon Pierce Road. In increasing order of desirability
and need for approvals, they are the main entrance road to Emerson Gardens, the
service road along the boundary of Emerson Gardens with AGM, and a trail within AGM
proper.
Waterstone Connector. A Zoom call is scheduled with Karen and Carol Kowalski to
plan the next steps to get approvals from DOT and MWRA to build the connecting
section which runs from the Montessori School at Pleasant Street parallel to Route 2
over a buried aqueduct to the exit ramp at Watertown Street. Stephen will be the point
person on the approval process going forward.
Fairland Street/Lincoln Street Connection. Keith reported that, after a several year
delay, approval has been given to develop the area which will include a walking path
with steps. This will allow a trail connection between Routes F and B, thereby creating
more loop walks.
Peggy raised the issue of revisiting trail possibilities in the Cranberry Hill / Cambridge
Reservoir watershed area. An out and back trail could be developed to Cranberry Hill,
but a loop trail with Lincoln Street would need the approval of the Cambridge Water
Department, which declined approval some years ago. Keith will explore with Duke
Bitsko.
Brochure reprinting: As we are down to the last box, Keith proposed reprinting the
current brochure to supply us for another year.. Best option is probably 5000 copies for
$2100. The money is available. A decision to reprint will be deferred until the first half of
2024.
A proposal was discussed to reschedule the next two meetings to November 13 and
December 11, 4 to 5:30 with no decision made. Keith will confirm in a follow up e-mail.
Meeting adjourned unanimously at 5:36 pm
Minutes by Bob Hausslein