HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-05-09-LBAC-minTown of Lexington
Bicycle Advisory Committee-05/09/2024
May 09 2024 / 7:00 PM / Remote Meeting
ATTENDEES
Committee Members: Betty Gau, Ram Reddy, Jim Cadenhead, Sarah Hews, Dave
Armstrong, Mike O’Connor
Also Attending: Peggy Enders, Tom Fortman, Arnav Arora, Susan Barrett, Mark
Sandeen, Mike Tabaczynski, Pamela Lyons, Keith Ohmart, Jonathan Bernays
1. Approve April 11, 2024 Meeting Minutes - Approved.
2. Friends of Lexington Bikeways Update – Peggy Enders
● Bikeway Breakfast - May 17 Friday 6:30-9:30am
● Discovery Day Update - May 25th
● Bike Counts - June 15 (Sat) and June 11 (Tue)
● Bike Rack for LexFarm donated
● Bikeway Block Party - Sep 15, 2024 -
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/12FTJvgk7_SVArbROA_yJXcYm
mr43qgJHeHbww8fvyA0/edit#slide=id.gc6f59039d_0_0
○ Looking for Hosts, Volunteers
3. Lower Vine Brook Path Extension Proposal – Tom Fortman
Vine Brook Bikeway 2.5 miles from Middlesex Commons and the new housing to the
Minuteman Bikeway and Lexington Center
● Good connection to the Affordable Housing on Lowell Street
● 115 and 119 Hayes own some unpaved sections
● Is it environmentally fine?
● Can be added to the New housing project
● Lowell Street repaving this year
● Tom says the most interesting feature is that it would cost almost nothing – just
paving;
● Tom pitches let’s finish this! Let’s get a way to Lexington Center
● Betty asked if the dashed line is owned by the Town?
Tom did not know and we asked Keith Ohmart
● Grant St – 115 and 119 and their property extends from Grant st across the
brook and there may be an easement
● Key question is what is the ownership for the unpaved section and up over the
wetlands
● Action Item: Figure our ownership around the paved section.
● Property on Hayes Lane – there may be an easement there
● Paving that section would be very difficult to get done per Keith Ohmart
● Tom asked who at Town Hall would be the contact –
● Mike T – start with Karen Mullen but she doesn’t have time to spend on this
● Mike T – does not think this is cheap; a survey and engineering would be
required; a consultant would need to be hired by the Town
● GCC has not looked at the North St proposed path
● Mike OC shared the Strava heat map and there is a lot of traffic in the North St
area and North St is very difficult to ride on
● Jim tried to ride the proposed route and it does not exist – it goes directly through
a marsh; a bridge would have to be put in to cross the marsh
● Construction near wetlands is very discouraged
● Dave – another thing about going on Lowell St, taking a left turn across Lowell
Str – prefer going to Muller going towards market Basket
● Tom F – we have managed to put walkways in other wetlands
● And then so close to Locke Village
● Sarah – I’m unfamiliar with biking in that area but there is value to marking out
the best way to navigate to market Basket
● Route out going from Lex Center to Market Basket
● Some level of communication of the route
● Ram – Creating a bike lane on Mueller
● Susan Barrett – follow up to Sarah – Getting around Lexington Map – similar to
getting around Cambridge map; Town has a prize to create this
● North St – and Burlington will be getting sidewalks
● Sarah – it would be nice to have sign post on streets to tell bikers
● Tom F – what to do next and try to figure out solutions
● Maybe suggest some easiest ways
● Maybe get this through with the new development on Lowell St –
● When the Lowell St development is proposed we will put together a suggestion
for creating biking infrastructure
● Ram – Lowell st is being re-paved right now this summer / fall
4. Review Planning Board MBTA-C projects at 5 Piper Rd. and 89 Bedford St.
https://www.lexingtonma.gov/2079/5-7-Piper-Road---Village-Multi--Family-S
There are no sidewalks on April Lane
New Across Lex Path M is opening
Bike Parking adequate
Already has sidewalk up to 5-7 Piper down
From Tom Shiple:
The bike parking requirements for the VO overlay are 1.5 spaces/unit for long term
parking (1.5*59=88.5), and 0.1 spaces for short-term parking (0.1*59=5.9). Both of
these requirements are nicely met with (a) a designated area in the garage for secure
long-term parking, and (b) two bike racks near the grade-level building entrances for
short-term parking.
Regarding pedestrian access, it would be desirable to provide one or more paths leading
from the development to April Lane, to provide direct, convenient access to Concord
Ave.
https://www.lexingtonma.gov/2081/89-Bedford-Street-Village-Multi-Family-S
From Tom Shiple :
The bike parking requirements for the VO overlay are 1.5 spaces/unit for long term
parking (1.5*31=46.5), and 0.1 spaces for short-term parking (0.1*31=3.1). The long-
term parking is split between 20 spaces in the renovated garage of the original house,
and 28 spaces in a newly built bike shed in the parking lot. The short-term parking is
satisfied with a rack for 4 bikes next to the entrance. See the image below.
The issue with the long-term parking is that it's not conveniently located for the residents,
in the way that the garage parking is convenient for cars. Note that the bike shed takes
up almost exactly 3 parking spaces in width. I would prefer to see three parking spaces
in the garage be swapped with the bike shed so that the majority of the bikes can be
stored in the garage. This would allow much of the bike parking to be located more
centrally to the dwelling units. In addition, no details are specified about the construction
of the bike shed, but it could be the case that garage parking would be more secure and
offer better protection from the elements for bicycles.
5. Liaison Reports
· Select Board – Mark Sandeen - Could not attend
· Student Update – Arnav Arora - Lot more biking to Elementary and Middle
Schools. LHS not as much so far this spring. LHS Design Working Group
· Transportation Manager – Susan Barrett - LHS Design Working Group update.
Hastings - Bike trains are popular.
Middle School Bike challenge on - 600 miles already done - Great work
Bike Rodeo - this coming Saturday May 11
Kids and Bikes Wheeling towards Independence - Online, Panel Discussion
· Planning Board – Tom Shiple - No update
6. Other Business
· Upcoming Bikeway Events
• May 18 – Global 6K for Water - update by Betty
· Next LBAC Meeting June 13, 2024