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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-05-14-LBAC-MIN MEETING MINUTES Committee Name: Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee Date, Time and Location of Meeting: May 14, 2009, 7 pm, Rm.111 Town Office Building Members Present: Peggy Enders (Chair), Stew Kennedy, Mike Tabaczynski, John Frey, Jerry Van Hook, Marita Hartshorn, George Gagliardi, Abe Shenker (FoLB Chair), Laurel Carpenter Others Present: Chris Lokem-Kim, Margaret Stebbins, Steve Meinelt, Bob Dangel, and Richard Spencer Members Absent: Richard Canale (Planning Board Liaison), Hank Manz, (Selectmen’s Liaison), Sandra Shaw (Recreation Committee Liaison) Minutes: April 16, 2009 minutes were accepted as corrected. Bike Racks: Marita and Peggy met with Dave Pinsonneault. With the remaining money granted from the state, we plan to buy 6 more racks. Two will be replacements, one for the rack destroyed by the snowplow behind Craft Cleaners, one for the rack at the Old Res to replace the vandalized rack, one large rack at LHS, one 6’ rack behind Michelson’s, one at Bow Street Park, and one at the soccer field at Harrington School. To deal with the overcrowded racks at Cary Library, we plan to put up a sign pointing to more bike parking in the back of the library and to ask the HDC and library to consider changing the orientation of the rack in the front. Shire 5 K Run: Steve Meinelt from the Running Company is working with Shire to organize what he hopes to be an annual event -- a 5K run on Sunday, June 14, starting from the Visitors’ Center at 4:00 p.m. Proceeds from the entry fees will be used to award a significant scholarship to a LHS graduate and to help underwrite Bikeway plowing to keep the path free for runners during the winter. Steve suggested we set up a table at the event to help publicize plowing the bikeway. May Bike Counts : Peggy reported that, for the count on Saturday, May 9, a total of 2709 trips were counted at the Depot on the bike path during the 12-hour counting (i.e., 7 am to 7 pm). 1863 of these trips were bicyclists. On Tuesday, May 12, 266 trips were counted during a two hour period in the morning (193 cyclists), and 421 used the path during a two hour period in the afternoon (350 cyclists). Survey of the Minuteman Bikeway: Peggy reported that Dave Cannon, John Livsey and members of the LBAC spent two mornings riding the bike path and reviewing its condition, necessary maintenance, and discussing short and long term priorities for repairs and safety improvements. Problems exist with water undermining the pavement, root upheavals and eroded pavement, lack of striping, intersection signage, etc. The path has never been restriped since the Bikeway first opened 15 years ago. We decided to work with our Selectmen’s liaison so that the bike path will be given a higher priority in Lexington. We will consider sponsoring a warrant article for the 2010 town meeting perhaps requesting using CPA funds to address drainage problems. Side Line Striping : Jerry Van Hook recommended a more systematic approach to determining which streets need side striping, saying that improving bicycle safety is the primary goal, but that it’s important to focus on streets that really need side striping, given the reality of the town’s budget problems and the possible safety problems of roadways that are too narrow. He proposed looking at towns within a 10-mile radius to determine the striping policy and to determine which town has major road entering Lexington; he identified 22 towns. We agreed to narrow the survey to contiguous towns and asked Jerry to provide members with a list of the top three questions we should ask (e.g., their striping practices, the current amount of bicycling in the town, etc) as well as the names of the contiguous towns. Jerry asked each member to contact him with preferences for the towns we would like to survey. Lexington Gardens : A hearing will take place in mid-June, and the committee has been contacted to provide input on the current plan. Stew will review the developer’s plans and draft a letter from the committee, likely to request an easement to Diamond Middle School. Other Business: Peggy reported that the town approved a request by the Alzheimer’s Association to put up a table next to the bikeway. The committee had questions about the request and asked why it hadn’t been consulted. CPA Funds : The CPA coalition asked us to endorse a bill mandating that the state fund CPA request to a minimum 75% contribution. We did so unanimously. Stew reported that CPA funds are drying up; the match is currently 35%, down from 100% a few years ago. Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m. Record of the Friends of Lexington Bikeways Discussion Treasurer’s Report: $6,696.32 We approved a $100 contribution to the Porta Potty in Carlisle, which is on a major recreational bike route. Spring Cleanup: Bob reported that generally the path had very little litter except behind Berman’s Liquors in East Lexington. We had very few volunteers this year. Bob Hausslein would like to recruit stewards for each section. Steve Meinelt suggested that we approach the State department of correction to find out if prisoners might be used to clean or cut brush. Farmer’s Market : Peggy will send an e-mail seeking volunteers for June 16 and 23 bike corrals. Mike will make an 8 ½”X11” map of Lexington bike routes to hand out. We need to remind the DPW to put up the bike corral. Yahoo Group : Peggy invited us to join yahoo news group relating to cycling. She will write a letter to the Minuteman explaining the nature of the site. Group Bike Ride : Laurel reported that the original date of May 16 for the Tour de Lexington has been changed to June 13 at the request of the police department. She reminded members that the purpose of the ride is to raise the visibility of biking in Lexington. We approved her proposal to hire one police detail officer for the ride. The ride will begin and end at the Visitors’ Center and we hope to get food or drink donations. Other Business : Peggy showed us a picture of a proposed bollard for Woburn Street. Since there are so many designs for so many different types of crossings we decided to develop a list of criteria for bollards. Peggy, Laurel, Jerry, and Abe offered to be on this subcommittee. Bob Dangel pointed out that a bollard placed so close to the east side of Woburn Street would pose a safety problem for bicyclists trying to negotiate the turn. . Laurel reported that the Bay State Ride is scheduled for May 15 Riders will meet at 7 am at Hancock Street and ride to the City Hall Plaza. The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 pm. Information Distributed: ?? Agenda for meeting ?? Draft minutes from April 16, 2009 ?? “Bollard Research”