Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-03-13-LBAC-minTown of Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee-03/13/2025 March 13, 2025 / 7:00 PM / Parker Room Members present: Tom Shiple, Jonathan Bernays, Dave Armstrong, Jim Cadenhead, Jonathan Schwarz, Suzan Chen Also present: Mike Tabaczynski, Jay Abdella from the Economic Development Office 1. Meeting minutes from February 6 meeting Approved 2. Wayfinding Sign Project update - presented by Jay Abdella Some signs moved, others removed. Kiosk at Grain Mill Alley will be in a spot where people can congregate without blocking access. Budget doesn’t allow for additional signs at Hartwell Ave and Westview St as requested. Meriam St sign moved over towards Visitor Center for visibility. Questions about the cost of replacing the map panel on the kiosk. Kiosk at Grain Mill Alley will be next to the bench, not under the tree on the right as it was previously. Mural project overview - starting with Lexington Center. Collaboration between Center Committee, Historical Society, and Economic Development. Designed to bring art into the center, allow pedestrians and bikers to linger as well as to increase foot traffic. Safety aspect - adding to a culture of slowing down and calming traffic. Initial murals will be on columns on the back of the depot. Project would begin installation in June and completed in July. One lane cordoned off while being installed. Note from Jim about heavy traffic in this area especially in the summer, and would it be possible to avoid the highest traffic times. Jonathan Bernays suggests active guidance via lines painted along the bikeway to indicate where viewers should stand. Discussion around the possibility of painting the bikeway green there and if MBTA permission would be required. Other discussion around if it’s a great place to have a mural at all given the traffic. East Lexington murals - 3 locations, Berman’s, Busa, and Shops at 135-145 Mass Ave. Goal is to boost foot traffic from the bikeway to nearby businesses. Painting in May and installation in June/July. For the Berman’s trailer, one lane of the bikeway will need to be cordoned off for one week. Dave asked about a bike rack at Berman’s and if that would be part of the work. 3. Worthen Road Working Group update - Jim Met with Town Manager’s office. Trying to list the Worthen Rd area listed as a school zone, which would come with a speed reduction during school hours. Longer term, looking at adding a multi-use bikeway/shared path along the eastern side of Worthen (high school side). DPW has done a basic assessment and says the path would be feasible. Dave adds that adding painted bike lanes in Worthen itself would not be possible according to DPW at the current width. Motion proposed and passed to add committee support for the idea of moving forward with the school zone idea. Tom discussed the notion that parking on Worthen for students is considered sacrosanct. 4. Bike Safety Working Group - Jonathan Bernays Discussion of a new working group to identify and propose solutions for safety issues for cyclists. Motion proposed and passed to adopt the charter with slight modifications 5. Bikeway Block Party Endorsement by LBAC - Jim Looking to repeat the block party again, September 14th. Motion to endorse the event again raised and passed. 6. Liaison Reports Tom Shiple as liaison to Planning Board - 3 Militia Way project removed battery charging from central bike parking for liability concerns. Bike Parking Working Group submitted some suggested changes to the bylaws but Town has been too busy to get those changes in for Town Meeting. Postponed for now. Most of these changes can be enacted by Planning Board with a public meeting, thinking about asking for that once the current spate of housing projects are through the board. 7. Other Business Friends of Lexington Bikeways - March 23, Coffee on the Bikeway. Park near Seasons 4. Hoping for 6 during the year. Will also have a presence in the Patriots Day Parade. Looking for volunteers for Bike to Work Day again as well. Town has several Safe Routes to Schools projects they’re working on. Will be adding Bicycle Skills WIN blocks at Clarke this year, eventually hoping to expand to Diamond.