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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-06-11-LBAC-MIN MEETING MINUTES Committee Name: Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee Date, Time and Location of Meeting: June 11, 2009, 7 pm, Room 111, Town Office Building Members Present: Peggy Enders (Chair), Stew Kennedy, Mike Tabaczynski, Marita Hartshorn, Abe Shenker (FoLB Chair), Laurel Carpenter, Sandra Shaw (Recreation Committee Liaison) Others Present: Margaret Stebbins, Richard Spencer, Bob Hausslein Members Absent: Richard Canale (Planning Board Liaison), Hank Manz, (Selectmen’s Liaison), Jerry Van Hook, George Gagliardi, John Frey Minutes: May 14, 2009 minutes were accepted as corrected. Tour de Lexington Bike Ride: The event has been well publicized. Laurel has prepared a waiver complete with space for addresses and e-mail. Time: 9:00 to noon. Place: Visitors Center. Distance: Just under 12 miles. We will have nametags. Peggy will put signs on bikeway to further publicize the event. We will hire one police officer for three hours and stop at Abe’s house for refreshments. Bike Racks: Marita will set up another meeting with Dave Pinsonneault. We had an additional request from the fifth grade at Bowman School, but the funds will be used up with the current purchase of six racks, so we will be unable to accommodate that request. Sandra said that more racks are needed in the center. More signs are needed to point cyclists to other rack locations. Bikeway Upkeep and Maintenance : Peggy reported that, because of a spending freeze, the town cannot buy the required yellow paint for the striping st until July 1. The FoLB has graciously offered to lend $500 to the town to speed up the process. We discussed the desire to have a single individual on the town staff with responsibility and budget authority for bikeway issues and maintenance. We decided our first step is to meet with Bill Hadley to discuss formalizing such an arrangement. The 2007 Town Meeting approved $175,000 to address a number of Bikeway maintenance issues, including repaving. To date, it appears that none of those resources have been released. Abe Shenker moved that the LBAC send a letter to the Selectmen to communicate the committee’s concerns. Motion was seconded and passed unanimously. We plan to seek Community Preservation Act funds for FY 2010 to address drainage problems on the Bikeway. At the present time the path needs immediate brush removal and mowing, as well as the overdue center stripe. Sideline Striping Subcommittee Survey of Towns : Bob Hausslein agreed to work with Jerry Van Hook as part of the effort to improve bicycle safety on town streets. They, with our help, will explore policies of neighboring towns with respect to striping as well as the width of existing driving lanes and shoulders in Lexington. Intersection Subcommittee : Peggy mentioned that George Gagliardi has agreed to help facilitate the discussion about Bikeway intersections and what is needed in terms of structures to improve safety, and how different intersections may require different solutions. We agreed that it would be appropriate to involve someone from the police department in this discussion. Alzheimer’s Association : Peggy reported that Carl Valente approved their use to the bikeway corridor without consulting the committee because this was a repeat request. Other Busines : Abe reported a bike/truck accident on Marrett and Mass. Ave. The driver was cited and the cyclist taken to Lahey with minor injuries. Marrett Road is particularly dangerous because of debris on the road due to lack of curbs and off road parking at the Clarke field. Abe contacted a representative from District 4 of Mass Highways and will continue to advocate for improved maintenance. The meeting was adjourned at 8:01 PM. Record of the Discussion of Friends of Lexington Bikeways Treasurer’s Report: Rich reported that the account remained steady at $6,696.32. Farmer’s Market : There will be a bicycle corral on the afternoons of both June thrd 16 and 23. Mike is making a local map to distribute. Peggy is arranging for volunteers to run the corral and will have available membership forms and other handouts. Conservation Stewards : Mike distributed the 2009 Lexington Conservation Trail Improvement Schedule and encouraged members to help with the summer trailwork. He said a good project to get involved with is Beaverbrook, and mentioned the end of season barbecue. 5K Shire Run : Peggy and Abe will host an information table at the run and distribute information about LBAC, FOLB, and plowing. Bikeway Stewards : Bob had zero responses to his request in the Minuteman to become bikeway stewards. He believes that low velocity Bikeway users notice litter more. He volunteered to walk the Bikeway and pick up litter and in addition, put a sign on his bike advertising FOLB. He agreed that it might make sense to expand the stewards’ work to include brush clearing. We discussed buying T- shirts or day-glo vests for all volunteers to be worn while working on the path and at our events (“Friend of Lexington Bikeways Volunteer”). Marita volunteered to look into options. We agreed that Bikeway brush cleanups will take place in July (probably Monday afternoons). Winchester Bike racks . Rich reported that Winchester is using the state money to buy numerous racks for their center, some of which are singlets. Bedford and a Tri-Town Meeting : Terry Gleason reported through Peggy the lack of bicycle committee in Bedford. He continues to advocate for cycling issues including Hartwell Ave. and said safe-routes-to-schools is doing well. The Minuteman Extension is facing an uphill battle due to NIMBY syndrome. We will continue to talk with him about hosting a Tri-Town meeting this summer. Other business: Abe suggested that we engage in higher level fund-raising to develop corporate sponsors for the Bikeway and other bicycle programs. He suggested this be a wintertime activity. Adjourned at 9:00 p.m. Information Distributed: ?? Agenda for meeting ?? Draft minutes from May 14, 2009 ?? 2009 Lexington Conservation Trail Improvement Schedule ?? The Battle Road Scenic Byway: Public Kickoff Meeting. ?? Mass Highways Chapter 11.7 (Maintenance) Recorder : Marita Hartshorn Editor : Peggy Enders