HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-11-07-WALKS-minLexington Sidewalk Committee Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 7, 2011, 9 AM
Ellen Stone Room, Cary Hall
Present: Judy Crocker, John Davies, Lucy Fletcher- Jones, Bettina McGimsey, Francine
Stieglitz, Jerry Van Hook (Chair); Liaisons: Wendy Manz (Planning Board), Hank Manz
(Board of Selectmen), Marc Valenti (DPW)
The meeting of the Sidewalk Committee (SWC) was called to order at 9:05 AM.
1. The minutes of the October SWC meeting were approved as amended.
2. Proposals for new sidewalks in town: The SWC has heard from a variety of communities
in town regarding the need for new sidewalks. Specifically, we are waiting to hear from
residents of various streets in town Winthrop Road, Hill Street, and Pleasant Street to
determine where their communites are in the process of petitioning for a sidewalk.
In a general discussion of the petition process, Jerry Van Hook raised the issue that
premature discussions of sidewalk placement may forestall the petition process. First and
foremost, abutters of a street need to agree that a sidewalk is necessary. Where the
sidewalk will go ideally would be determined by Town Engineering and said determination
would be based on objective factors, including easements, physical atrributes of the space,
etc. Hank Manz noted that, while sidewalk placement should be a dispassionate decision
based on such objective factors, this is not always the case.
3. Safe Routes to School update: Judy Crocker thanked Mark Valenti and his crew for a good
job cleaning the debris from the October snow storm. Hank Manz noted that the Board of
Selectmen will discuss what to do with debris at their meeting on 11/7/2011. Due to the
storm, November's Turkey Trot was postponed until November 9.
Ms. Crocker noted that she is working with the Facilities department on a proposal for bike
racks. This will be submitted this month and ideally the areas where the bike racks would
be installed would be prepared before the winter, as the bike racks will arrive in March.
Ms. Crocker reported on the Estabrook Task Force. Access to Estabrook during
construction will be at the Grove Street entrance. No construction vehicles will be allowed
during arrival or dismissal times. There is still a question as to whether free busing will be
provided to students at the school during the construction phase. Mark Valenti noted that
his crew is installing the fluorescent green pedestrian signs at the crosswalk by the school
on Grove Street.
2
Various issues have arisen regarding path accessibility and easements in the Fiske
Elementary school district at Wisteria Lane and Fiske Commons. The Board of Selectmen
and the Planning Board are aware of these issues.
The Bowman Elementary School ribbon cutting ceremony was held on October 11, 2011.
Many thanks to Lucy Fletcher -Jones for spearheading this important sidewalk
development project.
A new committee, called the Ad hoc School Transportation and Safety Study Commttee
has been formed. The group is charged with identifying proposals to reduce the cost of
school bus service, increase school bus timeliness, promote school bus ridership, and
address traffic and pedestrian safety concerns in and around Lexington schools. Members
will include representatives from the SWC, Town Adminstration, Town Transportation, the
Transporation Advisory Committee, the Lexington Police, and two at -large members.
Francine Stiegliz asked how this committee would interface with the new Transportation
Committee. Ms. Crocker noted that the study committe is designed to meet its charge and
then disband.
4. Center Streetscape update: Jerry Van Hook noted that the plans for the Center in the
Center Streetscape project include two through lanes of traffic in each direction. He
provided the SWC with a memo he has written to the Board of Selectmen asking that the
proposed plan be changed from two lanes to one lane on either side. At issue is the tension
between potential traffic backup and safety. Mr. Van Hook asked SWC members to review
his memo and be prepared to discuss this at the next meeting in December. They will then
take a vote on how to advise the Board of Selectmen prior to the public meeting on
12/6/2011. Mr. Van Hook will also bring this to the Bike Committee.
5. Old /new business: Mark Valenti noted that the sidewalks at John Benson Road /Winter
Street and at 201 Bedford Street are done. The path from Worthen to Middleby will be
minimally improved with the bulk of the work done in the Spring. The Bedford Road
sidewalk from Revere Street to the DPW building, as well as other projects that had been
on the Fall docket, have been tabled until Spring due to the demands placed on DPW by
the storms.
Francine Stieglitz noted that when people contact the SWC regarding crosswalks on
existing sidewalks, she sends them to TSAC. For new sidewalks, Engineering should
determine where the crosswalks should be.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 AM. The next meeting will be on December 5, 2011 in
the Selectmen's Meeting Room at 9 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
Bettina Mc Gims ey