HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-27-TAC-min Transportation Advisory Committee
Draft minutes for the meeting of October 27th, 2020
This meeting was held pursuant to Governor Baker's executive order of March 12,
2020, suspending certain provisions of G.L. c. 30A, section 18 (the Open Meeting
Law) and subsequent orders. The meeting began at approximately 7:05 pm
beginning with a roll call of attendance.
Members present: Sara Arnold, Andra Bennett, Sally Castleman (co-chair), Elaine
Dratch, Pamela Lyons, Hank Manz (co-chair) Vinita Verma
Liaisons: Mark Sandeen (Select Board), Bob Creech (Planning), Sudhir Jain, Council
on Aging
Staff: Susan Barrett, Transportation Services Manager
As there was no public comment the meeting began with a brief discussion of the
September, 2020 minutes which are still being edited. Sudhir Jain gave a
presentation of Vision Zero. See attached document for text of presentation.
Essentially Vision Zero views traffic safety as a public health issue. Cities such as
Cambridge and Somerville have adopted Vision Zero. Ms. Barrett noted that we
tend to be reactive rather than proactive and inquired as to "what is the ask"
here. Mr. Jain indicated that he had not yet presented Vision Zero to the Council
on Aging but was hoping that Mark Sandeen might bring this to the Select Board.
(Mr. Sandeen left the meeting before this point in the discussion.) Ms. Barrett
noted that Vision Zero is not just transportation services, but also encompasses
Planning, Engineering, and other departments so TAC might not be the best
vehicle for bringing Vision Zero forward. Mr. Jain was encouraged to go through
the Council on Aging and confer with their Select Board liaison. Ms. Lyons said
that most if not all of the Vision Zero principles have been incorporated into the
Center Streetscape Project and if the COA had concerns over a particular location,
outside the Center, they could file an application with the Traffic Safety Group.
The informal committee consensus was in support of the Vision Zero principles
but it was felt that the next step would be for Mr. Jain to pursue it through the
Council on Aging.
Ms. Barrett gave the MBTA update: the MBTA is looking at drastic fiscal cuts
which will result in service cuts. Ms. Barrett believes that we might lose the
separate 62 and 76 buses and end up with a combined 62/76 bus as we have
currently. The MBTA will be retaining service in critical transit dependent areas. A
public engagement process is underway and we were encouraged to contact the
MBIA. Hank gave an overview as to what we are missing with the combined
62/76 service in contrast to the separate 62 and 76 buses. Ms. Arnold suggested
that we draft a letter for the Select Board to send to the MBIA. The committee
agreed that the letter should be copied to our state representative (Michelle
Ciccolo) and state senators (Cindy Friedman and Michael Barrett.) Important
points for the letter included: the transit dependent population, medical
appointments, Lexington's relatively high academic and government employee
population who will be going back to in person work. There was some faint hope
that evening service would increase.
Ms. Barrett discussed Lexpress ridership trends: we are at 26% of pre-Covid
ridership (normally seniors and students are the bulk of the ridership) Route B to
Burlington is the most popular route, youth ridership is way down. Ms. Barrett
displayed Lexpress Ridership Data graphs for October, 2020. In the short term we
need to tweak the schedules. Ms. Barrett will be going to the Select Board in
November with next year's budget. She cautioned that the Select Board might
seek a new model for Lexpress. There was some discussion over what to put in
the budget — Ms. Arnold urged us to ask for funding for Lexpress as we envision it.
Ms. Barret will inform us as to when she is scheduled to go before the Select
Board.
The meeting ended with a Five to Zero roll call vote to adjourn (Mr. Manz having
previously left the meeting.)