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Home My WebLink About2024-06-11-TAC-min June 11, 2024 Minutes Transportation Advisory Committee Town of Lexington, Massachusetts Location: Pursuant to,th .....0,�a,e n,1 ,eetiiin Il.....aw, the meeting was held remotely by Zoom teleconferencing session open to the public following j1p.dated guiidairnce osted Ibthe Office �� tlheAtoiri � , l„on June 28, 2023.,,,,,; t Scheduled time: 7:00 pm Members Present: Kunal Botla (chair) Pamela Lyons (vice-chair), Nishanth Veeragandham (secretary), Sally Castleman, Jonathan Schwarz, Mark Andersen. A quorum was present throughout the meeting. All votes were taken by a roll call vote. Members Absent: None. Liaisons Present: Susan Barrett, Town Transportation Manager; Jill Hai, Select Board; Melanie Thompson, Planning Board; Sebastian Fairbairn, Student Liaison; Sudhir Jain, Council on Aging. Liaisons Absent: None. Other Present: Jay Luker (26 Ridge Avenue, Lexington). Kunal Botla called the meeting to order at 7:06 pm and Pamela Lyons read the remote meeting authorization statement. Kunal confirmed attendance by roll call; all attending remotely. Public Comment Jay Luker: Praised the Planning Board's efforts on public hearings related to MBTA and community developments, specifically Michael Schanbacher's focus on transit-oriented development. Jay also shared about an incident involving his son's Lexpress Limitless pass, which was worn and led to him being denied entry onto the bus. Susan Barrett commented, apologizing for the incident and saying she will address the issue with the drivers; noting that many drivers have changed recently and since the pandemic. Via Susan Barret: miscellaneous comments from the rider appreciation event in June 2024. Kunal summarized two public comments received via email, both concerning safety at certain intersections. These comments were forwarded to the Transportation Safety Group. Minutes Motion by Sally Castleman, seconded by Pamela Lyons to approve draft meeting minutes for the May 14, 2024 meeting. Motion approved with five in favor, zero abstaining, and one against. Discuss and Consider Committee Goal Statement and Administration Committee Goal Statement Kunal presented the administration and tracking of agenda items via a shared Google Drive folder. This folder will include agenda planning, minutes, and reference materials. The draft list of goals presented was revised to this version: 1. Advocate for existing and improved public transportation through the MBTA, Lexpress, and all mass transit related to the Town of Lexington 2. Comment on and be involved in new housing and commercial development 3. Recommend and promote transportation mode shift 4. Work with town and state partners to improve public transit with capital improvements 5. Work with other committees and boards to further above goals MBTA Update Kunal provided updates on the MBTA's summer schedule and service changes as they impact Lexington. Bus service was unchanged, but Red Line service schedules were changed to make service more frequent, due to reduced slow zones. Susan Barrett provided updates on the MBTA's fiscal cliff and financial challenges faced by the MBTA, emphasizing the need for community advocacy for more sustainable funding solutions. Kunal presented information about the Alewife garage demolition and potential private developer involvement and some discussion about what information is known followed; no other information was known. Sally asked if the garage was filled as much as pre-pandemic. Kunal indicated that it was not. Discuss and Consider Comments for Parcel 68-44 (Lowell Street) Affordable Housing The committee reviewed the draft RFP for the Local Street Affordable Housing Development. Kunal presented a draft of comments. Pam, Sally, Mark, and Susan contributed to a discussion about parking. Pam addressed recommending a bus shelter. Following an idea for recommending a contribution from the developer, Kunal and Jill noted the low margins affordable housing developers operate on. Pam made a motion to "approve the draft that we've seen; that Kunal can make minor edits consistent with the discussion;" it was duly seconded and approved unanimously with six in favor, zero abstaining, and zero opposed. Transportation Advisory Committee recommends considerations of these elements in the RFP: • Bus shelters on each side; the same make and model as Lexington Center • Include a performance standard of reducing single occupancy vehicles o Separate rent and parking costs or through subsidizing public transportation use o Consolidated parking for the development o Minimize parking based on comparable projects o Contribution to Lexington transportation resources Discuss and Consider Comments for -89 Bedford Street -5-7 Piper Road -231 Bedford Street Each application was discussed and details were reviewed. Connection to Lexpress, MBTA, and 128 BC services were the focus about what to recommend. Pam made a motion that "we send the comments as we see before us to the Planning Board;" it was duly seconded and approved unanimously with six in favor, zero opposed, and zero abstaining. • 89 Bedford Street o Suggest ability to purchase parking and units separately. • 231 Bedford Street o Suggest bus shelter—matching Depot Square model. • 5-7 Piper Road o Suggest ability to purchase parking and units separately. o Contribution to the support of Lexpress through the TDM fund maximized. o Suggest bus shelter—matching Depot Square model. Discuss and Consider Comments for Municipal Empowerment Act Postponed by chair. Discuss and Consider Comments for Initial High School Design Kunal presented current LHS design alternatives. Liaison Updates • Transportation Manager, Susan Barrett: MBTA Fiscal Cliff: The MBTA is facing a longstanding fiscal crisis. Susan highlighted educational opportunities to learn more about this, including a MAPC webinar on July 9th and resources on the MBTA Advisory Board website. Lexpress Bus Stops: Susan is exploring the possibility of adding formal bus stops on Middlesex Turnpike, especially to help non-English-speaking riders access their jobs safely. Limitless Passes: For FY 24, 684 limitless passes were sold, with 69 passes recorded so far for FY 25. Rider Appreciation Event: A recent event was successful, generating pass sales and valuable feedback from riders. Although budget constraints limit service enhancements, the event was useful for engaging with the community. Brochure Availability: Lexpress brochures are now available in four languages: Chinese, Haitian Creole, Spanish, and English. Safe Routes to School: Susan acknowledged Jonathan's contributions to the Safe Routes to School program, particularly in Hastings and Diamond schools, which have achieved gold-level partner status. Ridership Data: April's ridership data showed a decrease in youth riders due to a week of no school, but a slight increase was observed in May, especially on the C route, although it remains the lowest-performing route. Mark Andersen suggested benchmarking route performance against specific targets instead of comparing them directly. • Select Board, Jill Hai: Jill Hai provided a brief update on the regional consortium, Minuteman Area group on interlocal cooperation (MAGIC), which is part of a sub-region of MAPC (Metropolitan Area Planning Council). The group collaborates on various issues, including housing, infrastructure, transportation, and the environment. Jill highlighted a couple of upcoming meetings that might be of interest: October 1 st: Focus on regional transportation issues, potential solutions, and project listings. December 1st: Discussion on electric vehicles, school buses, and regional transportation shared infrastructure. She also mentioned an upcoming report on regional trail work and placemaking, which will be shared once available. Jill encouraged the group to pencil in the October and December dates if interested and mentioned that the group meets monthly, typically on the first Tuesday. • Planning Board, Melanie Thompson: Via email Melanie informed the committee that the applicant for 89 Bedford Street was agreeable to a bus shelter. • Council on Aging, Sudhir Jain: Sudhir Jain announced plans for an "Aging in Place" resource fair scheduled for May 2025, aimed at providing information and services related to health, wellness, and transportation to help people age in place. He also mentioned that Lexington has joined the network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, committing to being a livable community for all ages. Additionally, Sudhir shared an experience on Lexpress where there was confusion between a driver and a passenger about fare policies for children, noting that both parties were technically correct. Susan Barrett acknowledged the issue and agreed to investigate the confusion. She also inquired about the possibility of rescheduling the fair to avoid conflict with other May events, but Sudhir confirmed that May remains the planned date. • Student Liaison, Sebastian Fairbairn: Sebastian Fairbairn attended the transit event and met several people, including Mel from the department. He raised questions about implementing mini working groups, as suggested by Pam, to help the committee achieve its goals given their limited meeting schedule. He proposed revisiting the 2018 Alternative Transportation Review as a potential focus for a working group and suggested adding discussions on Lexpress fare structures and Limitless passes to a future agenda. Kunal Botla noted that, due to the committee's current size, working groups would be limited to two members, but this could expand once a vacancy is filled. Jill Hai and Kunal discussed the legal implications of forming subcommittees under open meeting law, with Jill suggesting that certain projects, like examining Route C, could be managed by staff-led groups. Future Meetings Committee members were asked to email items for future agendas. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 pm by a motion duly made, seconded, and approved unanimously by roll-call vote. Documents Referenced 1. June 11, 2024 Agenda, Transportation Advisory Committee, Town of Lexington o On file with the Town Clerk 2. Draft — Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes for May 14, 2024 o Attached to these minutes o Approved minutes on file with the Town Clerk Respectfully submitted, Kunal Botla, Chair Town of Lexington, Massachusetts Transportation Advisory Committee Notice of Public Meeting &Agenda June 11, 2024 at 7:00 PM Held Remotely on Zoom A meeting of the Transportation Advisory Committee will be held on June 11, 2024 at 7:00 PM by Zoom teleconferencing session pursuant to thc;Ooe:,n Mee:,tino I1.....aw, following Vdategj cuidanc e �ostc;d b the MassachuseMs Office: of the:;Attorne, ,G(:n(ral on June 28, 2023. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,;.. Join Zoom Webinar:.h,ttp - I,c i,l1,g,tonm .zoom..us/jB ,Q7 � t7,(� ; Webinar ID: 820 2294 6063. 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The agenda for the meeting is anticipated to be: ITEM ESTIMATED TIME ITEM DESCRIPTION 1 7:00 PM Call to Order&Public Comment 2 7:05 PM Meeting Minutes: Discuss and Consider —May 14, 2024 3 7:10 PM Discuss and Consider Committee Goal Statement and Administration 4 7:15 PM MBTA Update Including: —Summer Schedule —Alewife Garage 5 7:30 PM Discuss and Consider Comments for Parcel 68-44 (Lowell Street)Affordable Housing 6 7:45 PM Discuss and Consider Comments for —89 Bedford Street —5-7 Piper Road —231 Bedford Street 7 8:15 PM Discuss and Consider Comments for Municipal Empowerment Act 8 8:30 PM Discuss and Consider Comments for Initial High School Design 9 8:45 PM Liaison Reports —Transportation Manager —Select Board —Planning Board —Council on Aging From: Kunal Botla, Chair, Transportation Advisory Committee To: Mary de Alderete, Town Clerk Re: Meeting of the Transportation Advisory Committee Date: June 7, 2024 -Student Liaison 10 9:00 PM Set Next Meeting Date&Anticipated Adjournment Public comments are allowed for up to 10 minutes or as permitted by the Chair at the beginning of each meeting. Members of the public will be asked to state their name, address, and relevant affiliations for the record. Members of the Committee will neither comment nor respond, other than to ask questions of clarification. Items and timing may be moved or postponed at the discretion of the Chair. 3�!n® / \: ^D Ejown of lexiUgtDU, AaWrbUOM TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE APRIL If' CExI NGT��a KUNAL BOTLA,CHAIR PAMELA LYONS,VICE-CHAIR NISHANTH VEERAGANDHAM,SECRETARY KUNAL BOTLA SALLY CASTLEMAN MARK ANDERSEN JONATHAN SCHWARZ June 12, 2024 MEMORANDUM To: Affordable Housing Trust From: Kunal Botla, Chair — Transportation Advisory Committee Re: Lowell Street Affordable Housing RFP Comments Dear Affordable Housing Trust members, At its meeting on June 11, 2024, the Transportation Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend the following elements to be included in the RFP for affordable housing on Lowell Street: • Bus shelters on each side of the street of the same make and model as the one in Depot Square. • A performance standard of reducing single occupancy vehicles. • Separation of paid rent and parking costs or, alternatively, subsidies for those using public transportation. • Consolidated parking for units so there is a single, shared, parking area. o Similar to 62 Packard Street in Hudson' and Waverly Woods in Belmont2. • Minimized parking based on comparable projects • Contribution to Lexington transportation resources Thank you for the opportunity to offer comments on the draft RFP. Sincerely, Kunal Botla ' h,tt.s,/B , vi ,;� A?c !?Alli,te,,ts,,,�,p,crm/,b�,!,? ,l,c ,, / , pl ,!,? ,,,,,, ;t z htt. //(:,lrlal1d„(:,.o m/all/�I6(lc,( is/\A(avc�l?I�r �nrc�c.:�c:� 1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE,LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420 transportationcmte@lexingtonma.gov 3�!n® / \: ^D TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE APRIL I9W CExI NGT��a Cc: Select Board Pamela Lyons, Vice-Chair, Transportation Advisory Committee James Malloy, Town Manager Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development 1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE,LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420 transportationcmte@lexingtonma.gov 3�!n® / \: ^D Ejown of lexiUgtDU, AaWrbUOM TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE APRIL If' CExI NGT��a KUNAL BOTLA,CHAIR PAMELA LYONS,VICE-CHAIR NISHANTH VEERAGANDHAM,SECRETARY KUNAL BOTLA SALLY CASTLEMAN MARK ANDERSEN JONATHAN SCHWARZ June 12, 2024 MEMORANDUM To: Michael Schanbacher, Chair — Planning Board From: Kunal Botla, Chair — Transportation Advisory Committee Re: 89 Bedford Street, 231 Bedford Street, and 5-7 Piper Road Comments Dear Mr. Schanbacher, At its meeting on June 11, 2024, the Transportation Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend the Planning Board request inclusion of the following in the following proposed developments: • 89 Bedford Street o Suggest ability to purchase parking and units separately. • 231 Bedford Street o Suggest bus shelter—matching Depot Square model. • 5-7 Piper Road o Suggest ability to purchase parking and units separately. o Contribution to the support of Lexpress through the TDM fund maximized. o Suggest bus shelter—matching Depot Square model. Sincerely, Kunal Botla Cc: Doug Lucente, Chair, Select Board Jill Hai, Vice-Chair, Select Board Melanie Thompson, Clerk, Planning Board Pamela Lyons, Vice-Chair, Transportation Advisory Committee 1625 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE,LEXINGTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02420 transportationcmte@lexingtonma.gov