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Home My WebLink About2016-12-01-LBAC-min APPROVED MEETING MINUTES Committee Name: Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee Date, Time and Location of Meeting: Thursday, December 1, 7 pm, Parker Room, Town Office Building Members Present: Peggy Enders (Chair), Laurel Carpenter, Bob Dangel, John Frey, Bob Hausslein (Chair, FOLB), Carolyn Levi, Jennifer Melot, Mike Tabaczynski, Richard Canale (Planning Board Liaison), Sandra Shaw (Recreation Committee Liaison), Sgt Paul Callahan (Police Department Liaison) Members Absent: George Gagliardi The October 2016 meeting minutes were approved as amended. Bicycle Parking and Center Streetscape. Peggy Enders and John Frey are members of the Center Streetscape Design Review Ad Hoc Committee. A draft report of the Tier 2 group has been prepared. Peggy noted that LBAC needs to work with Beta on bike rack types (3 design options) and locations. There will be a public hearing on the evening of January 11. The work of the Ad Hoc Center Streetscape Design Review Committee will include making recommendations to the Board of Selectmen on the following design elements as presented by the Town of Lexington Engineering Division in consultation/conjunction with the Center Streetscape Project Consultant: Sidewalks (material & width, pedestrian safety and convenience) Street Lighting (style) Buffers (stone walls, thin planters etc.) Seating (benches, tables, chairs) Bicycle parking (racks, loops) Informational Signage Trash/Recycle Receptacles Planters (type, location) Landscaping (trees, shrubs, soil used) Educational and Interpretive Elements (wayfinding, historical interpretive signage, markers, bollards, fencing etc.) Maintenance and upkeep Minuteman Bikeway: proposed access ramp from Maple Street. The new access ramp at Maple Street is now at 100% design, but several concerns have been raised. LBAC learned of the changes and the 100% design from abutter Chris Neurath. Mr. Neurath noted his comments in writing, as did Bob Dangel and Mike Tabaczynski. Their objections focused on the redesign of the ramp and the location of the guardrail as well as on the plan for a “megascreen” of trees between the ramp pavement and the fence bordering the property. On th December 8 at 8:30 AM, LBAC members and Byron Road abutters will meet with Dave Cannon to discuss safety concerns about the changes in the design. Bicycle Accommodations and FY2018 budget. In October, LBAC wrote a letter to the BOS, expressing concern that the bicycle pavement marking program had been cut from the FY2017 budget. For this coming fiscal year, Public Works has submitted a FY2018 program improvement request of $120,000 for a pavement markings fund that would cover the installation and maintenance of sharrows and bike lanes; the letter from the LBAC urges the BoS to support the request. In the future, the town will seek Complete Streets funding to either supplement or relieve this budget line item. The proposed FY2018 budget also includes $368,000 to repair the Minuteman bikeway bridge over Grant Street due to structural issues. A factor in the cost is the need to provide abatement for the lead paint on the bridge. Minuteman Bikeway Signage. On November 1 Peggy Enders, Jennifer Melot, Bob Dangel, Bob Hausslein and Mike Tabaczynski met on the Bikeway with DPW staff, David Kucharsky, and Toole Design staff to review sample Bikeway signage. David Kucharsky met with the HDC seeking approval to install bikeway signage in the historic district. Peggy said that DPW hopes to install the signage in Spring 2017. Zagster Bike Share. Representatives from Zagster gave a presentation at the Lexington Depot on October 25. Melissa Tintocalis has been exploring a two-year pilot of the bike share involving other Bikeway towns, but Arlington and Bedford are apparently not interested. Arlington may join the Hubway bike share program in order to better foster connections with existing Hubway stations in Cambridge and Boston. Bedford had an earlier interest in Zagster but is now hesitant to pursue the financial investment due to concerns about the $18,000 annual cost and some opposition by their local bike store. LBAC members expressed concerns regarding cost and the need for connections with existing bike share infrastructure. The128 Business Council is exploring a bike share specific to the Hartwell Avenue area. Liaison Reports. No reports from Planning or Recreation. Sgt Callahan gave a summary of the police bike unit with coverage of Lexington Center and many events such as Patriot’s Day, Discovery Day, the Lion’s Club Carnival and football games. Fourteen officers have been trained and outfitted for mobile deployment on a bicycle. Sgt. Callahan also reviewed crash data. Peggy distributed a message from Captain of Operations Michael A. McLean noting five bicycle crashes in the ~one month period between 10/3 and 11/12. Four of the crashes were MV vs. Bicycle; one was a bicyclist vs a pedestrian on the bike path at Fletcher Avenue. Peggy noted that TSG recently discussed the new Massachusetts Municipal Modernization Act, which includes a provision giving local traffic officials the authority to impose a speed limit of 25 miles per hour in any thickly settled or business district and a speed limit of 20 miles per hour in a designated "safety zone." In Somerville, as of Monday, November 7, new speed limit signs will be up at city entrances and lower speed limits will be in effect across the City of Somerville. The new speed limit throughout the city is 25 mph unless otherwise posted. Sgt Callahan pointed out that enforcement of a universal speed limit would be challenging. Tri-Town Meeting. Peggy distributed the proposed agenda for the Tri-Town Bike Meeting that is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7 at the Lexington Community Center. Other Business. The committee discussed the idea of a regular bike column in the Minuteman. Peggy has talked with Capt McLean and Sgt Callahan about collaborating on some topics – such as stories about recent bike crashes and what might be learned. Record of the Discussions of the Friends of Lexington Bikeways The Treasurer’s Report was given and accepted. Snow Plowing: McLaughlin will be the plowing contractor again this year. The Friends will be posting signage on the bikeway encouraging riders to report hazards to the email mmbikeway@gmail.com. Emails are monitored by committee members in all three towns. Bicycle Education and League Cycling Instructors. Peggy said that she had spoken with town staff members about town budget support for some bike safety education expenses. Staff in the Planning Department have said funds could be made available for League Cycling Instructor workshops so that Lexington could have certified LAB instructors available for bike safety programs. Peggy said that she has approached town staff about approval to insert a bicycle safety flyer in the spring tax bill. Jennifer gave a brief report on the three-town light give-away on the Bikeway that took place in November. Upcoming Dates Tri-Town Bike Committee meeting, Wednesday, December 7, 7 pm Community Center Room 237 (hosted by Lexington) DPW Budget Presentation to Board of Selectmen : Friday, December 2, 8:30 am, Selectmen’s Meeting Room Bicycle Advisory Committee/Friends of Lexington Bikeways/Bike Lexington monthly meeting. Thursday, January 12, 7 PM, Room TBA Meetings adjourned: 8:40 p.m. Recorder: Laurel Carpenter; Editor: Peggy Enders