BikeBedford.org > Minutes & Archives > Minutes > BBAC20061109minutes.html

Bedford Bicycle Advisory Committee

(approved 2007 Jan 10)

Nov. 9, 2006

Present: Ray Ruetenik, Joel Parks, Don Blake, Bob Sawyer, Charlie Webster and Holly Webster

Holly passed on to Joel two communications from the planning board. One, in particular, for a day care center abuts both Concord Road and the bikeway extension. Joel will check on whether a day care center is exempt from the rules regarding bicycle parking.

7:40pm. Meeting called to order; Oct. minutes were approved.

Continuing:

• Minuteman Bikeway Extension -
  Joel today finished getting the VHB document on line, complete with the link to our Website. Joel will make sure the Community Preservation Committee knows how to view it. He will also email all the town officials for whom he has addresses.
  The results of the survey are also on line for anyone to review. Joel feels that in the pitch to the Selectmen we should emphasize the results of the beige survey that were sent to all town residents. We had 63 results from this one, 59 from Bedford day, and about 83 from the online version. Joel will make a first draft of our presentation, email it to each of us for comments and suggestions before our next meeting. We feel that the Recreation Department as well as the CPC should be in on the fine tuning before the presentation is made to the selectmen.
  Joel summarized a meeting held in Concord of EOT (Executive Office of Transportation). They had a plan for designated bicycle and pedestrian routes. Joel was concerned as there was no emphasis on public education for better conditions for cyclists.
• Transportation Committee -
  As far as Bob knows there has not yet been a meeting.
• Safe Routes to School -
  This topic is tabled until Bob is able to bring this up at the first meeting of the Transportation Committee.
• Boardwalk -
  Bob & Ray met with Nat Brown. Bob shared photos of the proposed path. Apparently Nat had offered a piece of land to Conservation and it was refused. Bob feels there is good potential here but a great deal of investigation needs to be done first. Bob will take Susan Grieb to view the area. Ray reported that Nat likes Bob's idea of a bridge of telephone poles. Joel says then this seems a good way to go. Bob will approach the Trails Committee and get back to us.
• Road Hazards -
  There will be no action until Joel writes the letter as previously promised.
• Police Accident Report -
  We actually did receive a report that there had been two accidents. One was on Great Road and Walsh Road at 7:50am and a person was taken to the hospital. The second was at the beginning of North Road and there were no injuries. Perhaps Bob or Joel should try to get details from Mark Siegenthaler. Bob will email him. We feel that as a Town Committee we should have access to detailed reports which Bob says we could get if we pay for them.
• New Member Candidates -
  There was no action here.

New:

• MAPC meeting -
  Joel and Ray attended a presentation by a man who works for MAPC. Joel will add a link to the MAPC website when he puts these minutes on line. It was reported that we will be running out of water and have much more traffic congestion in 2030.
• Award Criteria -
  Ray reported that he realized from the Concord meeting that bikeways are much more likely to be funded if: cars are removed from the roadways; if it adds to public education (as allowing folks to visit the North Bridge); if connections to other bikeways are made (as The Bruce Freeman Trail). Recreation usage is not a plus. Connections to schools and library are educational and therefore pluses. Holly pointed out that these criteria had been brought up before and would undoubted by a part of Joel's first draft of the presentation to the Selectmen.

Next monthly meeting - Dec. 13, Town Center, 7:30pm.

Meeting adjourned 9:05pm.

Bedford Friends of the Minuteman Bikeway

Minutes approved

Continuing:

• Annual Meeting -
  We decided to have the Annual BFOM Meeting as usual following our BBAC meeting. We decided not to have a panel from other towns at this point.
• Membership Drive -
  Bob is sending a letter to all who have shown an interest in BFOM but are not paid up. He brought us a sample and we made suggestions.
• Treasurers Report -
  Don reported that at the moment we have $742.00 in our account and all bills have been paid. We still have not paid for the bike racks that CRW donated money for as Rich Warrington has not yet installed them or asked for the money. We plan to have this out with him when he attends our meeting.
• Rich Warrington -
  Joel will invite Rich to attend our meeting on Jan. 10. If this is not possible we will invite for Feb. 14.

New:

• No new business

Meeting adjourned 9:32pm.

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