HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-05-28-COD-Center.Streetscape.Concerns-min Center Streetscape Concerns
May 28, 2019 — Meeting
Town Manager—James Malloy
DPW, Director— David Pinsonneault
Select Board, Chair— Doug Lucente
Commission on Disability—Victoria Buckley, Chair; Shaun Grady;Julie Miller
• Commission on Disability has continued concerns about brick sidewalks:
- People with disabilities have problems traveling over uneven surfaces, as do
elderly citizens and young mothers with strollers. There is an important
"fatigue factor' associated with traveling over bricks for those with mobility
issues.
- Segmented discrete pavers have lots of seams and irregularities which cause
tripping hazards for all.
- Vibration issues cause spasticity, pain, loss of balance and disturbances of
correct positional seating.
- Pathways that are not smooth are almost impassable for those with
neurological disorders and/or visual issues.
- The variegation in brick creates depth perception issues and "neurological
noise" issues.
• Commission on Disability originally proposed the use of concrete with bricks on the
sides for decorative edge treatment because it is a safer and smoother approach to
sidewalks.
- This type of sidewalk also helps people with visual, sensory and neurological
problems since it offers way-finding features. Many neighboring towns have
already adopted this choice.
- This is in accordance with resolution passed in Town Meeting in 2015 as
Article 42: "To provide a welcoming and comfortable experience for
individuals of all abilities, the Town will endeavor at all times to use smooth,
safe and aesthetically appropriate materials when constructing sidewalks and
other passageways on town-owned walkways. Bricks and other small discrete
pavers may be used as decorative edge treatments, but shall always be
installed to create the smoothest surface possible, ensuring safety for
citizens who have trouble traversing uneven surfaces."
• Commission on Disability has concerns about the proposed wire-cut brick sidewalks:
- We have never seen "one done right" in our climate.
- We question smoothness claims. It defies logic that segmented pavers are
smoother than surfaces with fewer seams.
1
Even if the claims of superior smoothness can be substantiated, it does not
answer all of our concerns anyway, such as depth perception and
neurological noise due to variegation.
We question the high cost of the proposed sidewalks, asking citizens with
disabilities to pay taxes on what they cannot use safely.
We worry about maintenance in our climate. Who will monitor this? Other
places like Boston replace "tipped bricks' with patches.
The demographics of Lexington are changing as the percentage of elders is
increasing. The Council on Aging was not part of the Ad Hoc Streetscape
Committee.
• Commission on Disability has special concerns about the proposed brick curb cuts for
crosswalks. We need concrete ramps with federal yellow rumble strips.
- Meg Robertson, Director, Orientation and Mobility Department,
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, said that brick for ramps is
inappropriate due to color contrast concerns and slip resistance issues.
- The federal yellow contrast on the rumble strips is considered crucial for
night time visibility and for those with vision issues.
- City of Boston Public Works Department Sidewalk Construction and
Rehabilitation Standards state: "All components new accessibility ramps built
will be constructed in concrete. In order to provide a stable, firm surface for
people with mobility impairments, differentiation for people with limited
vision, brick or other specialty paver ramps will not be allowed."
- City of Cambridge policy states: "All new pedestrian ramps, including landing
areas, will be concrete."
• Commission on Disability has done its homework with other towns and resources.
- City of Boston policy: "New sidewalks, as part of a reconstruction project or
through the construction of a new roadway shall be composed of concrete.
This policy will be amended under the following conditions: Historic
Districts: In historic districts, existing sidewalks that are brick shall be
reconstructed with wire cut bricks on a bed of asphalt or concrete per PWD
standards with the following exceptions: Existing sidewalks that are concrete
shall be reconstructed with concrete if the width of the sidewalk is less than
5 feet. If the sidewalk is greater than five feet the sidewalk will be
constructed of concrete in the path of travel and, with Public Works
approval, include a brick feature strip along the curb line. In no case shall the
concrete portion (path of travel) of the sidewalk be less than 4 feet. Non-
2
Historic Districts—All sidewalk reconstruction projects and new sidewalks
shall be constructed with concrete."
Other parts of the country are moving toward concrete only—Atlanta,
Georgia, and the state of California.
Commission on Disability asked to present these issues once again to the Select Board.
- Victoria met with John Livsey first about the ramps.
- Outreach was done to City of Boston's Disabilities Commission
- We then asked for a date from the Select Board Chair, which led us to this
meeting.
Victoria Buckley
Chair, Commission on Disability
05/28/19
3