Salem Bike Path Committee
Minutes of Meeting
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
A regular meeting of the Salem Bike Path Committee was held on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. in room 312 at City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street.
Members Present: Chairman Stan Franzeen, Vice Chair Jeff Bellin, Dan Shuman, Nancy Sachetti, and Jerry Judge. Also present was Frank Taormina, Planner/Harbor Coordinator
Members Absent: David Pelletier, Rachel Hunt, and Christine Michelini
Public in Attendance: Bill Colehower (6 Fairview Avenue), Sandy Power (18 Loring Avenue), and David Cass (16 Summer Street)
Chairman Franzeen called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.
1. Approval of Minutes
The Committee agreed to table the minutes until the next meeting to review them further.
2. Public Comment
Bill Colehower, 6 Fairview Avenue, spoke to the committee about the concept of neighborhood awareness. Mr. Colehower is a direct abutter of the Salem Bike Path and discussed some concerns about trash, landscaping, and policing of the area. Proposed the concept of a neighborhood awareness group that would keep an eye on the bike path, essentially be stewards of the area, and contact the proper authority regarding issues that may come up, understanding that the City doesn’t have the resources to police the area on a regular basis. Mr. Colehower also mentioned that Salem State College (SSC) also directly abuts the bike path and should also assist in any way possible. Mr. Colehower stated that he would talk to his neighbors and put together a written proposal regarding the Bike Path Neighborhood Awareness group and forward to
the Bike Path Committee for their consideration.
Chairman Franzeen stated that he is in favor of this idea and appreciated Mr. Colehower and the neighborhoods interest in the area.
Frank Taormina stated that we would contact Jim Riley from SSC to see if they would consider partaking in the Bike Path Neighborhood Awareness group.
Sandy Powers, 18 Loring Avenue, asked whether the Bike Path Committee/City would be extending the bike path to downtown Salem via Canal Street or some other means?
F. Taormina mentioned that prior to the formation of the Bike Path Committee, which was formed by the Mayor roughly a year ago, the Planning Department began investigating the extension of the bike path to downtown Salem. F. Taormina stated that the City hired C & C Engineering to do a Feasibility Study to extend the bike path down Canal Street in the form of a bike lane. He mentioned that the study proved that there is more involved in creating a bike lane than just striping bike lanes down Canal Street. Curb cuts, parking, width of the roadway, etc all play a part into it and the drainage issue on Canal Street would need to be resolved before any improvement were to likely occur on Canal Street. In short, Frank stated that the feasibility study proved that it is extremely difficult and extremely expensive to
extent a bike lane down Canal Street.
F. Taormina said that the focus then shifted to keeping the bike path a bike path entirely an off-road right of way. The bike path right of way continues beyond the current end of the bike path at the junction of Canal Street. It continues behind Gardner Mattress and the businesses on Broadway Street and dead ends at the existing MBTA Railroad Right-of-Way. The City/Bike Path Committee will be looking to make a connection through the property owned by the MBTA from that point parallel to Canal Street to downtown in the near future.
3. Old/New Business
F. Taormina updated the Committee on the installation of bike racks throughout downtown Salem. He stated that all the racks have been ordered, fabricated, and delivered to the DPW Garage. The Vintage Style and U-Rack style racks are to be installed by a contractor on contract with the City and installation should begin on Monday, Sept 24 and should be completed by the first week of Oct. The Bike Hitch style racks that are installed over the existing parking meter poles are to be installed by the Parking Department with assistance from the DWP, and should be installed by the middle of October.
F. Taormina updated the Committee on the installation of the remaining bike path items. He stated that the two (2) solar-powered trash compactors, two (2) message center kiosks, and three (3) benches have been ordered, fabricated, and delivered to the DPW Garage. He informed the Committee that the Salem DPW would be installing the items over the course of the next week, with the one exception that the two solar-powered trash compactors will be temporarily relocated somewhere in downtown Salem during the month of October and in November installed along the bike path in the approved locations.
F. Taormina explained to the Committee that he was out at the bike path earlier today and identified some signs that have either disappeared or been damaged and other items that need to be addressed and requested that the Committee at their next meeting determine a time/date to set a site visit to review all the items and create a punch list so that during the off season we could replace missing signs, make repairs, clean up graffiti, etc so that we keep up with the maintenance of the bike path. The Committee members unanimously agreed that they would set up a site visit at the next meeting.
F. Taormina passed out a copy of a letter received from the East Coast Greenway Alliance (ECGA), thanking the City for designating the Salem Bike Path into the East Coast Greenway Alliance. David Read, Director of the ECGA, stated in the letter that he would like to coordinate a ceremony to officially designate the Salem Bike Path into the ECGA and install trail markers. Frank mentioned that once the day/time has been coordinated with the Mayor he would send out an invite to all the committee members, abutters, and Salem State College.
Vice Chair Bellin spoke about the Bike Safety Seminar that he would like to hold next spring, tentatively set for May 10th, 2008. Vice Chair Bellin discussed that he would like to put the item on the next agenda to work out the detail of the event with the committee.
Chairman Franzeen stated that he knows someone that could attend the seminar to tune up bikes for a nominal fee.
Dan Shuman stated that he has bike mechanics that could attend the seminar for free and offer the service and mentioned that he could get Mass Bike to attend as well.
F. Taormina stated that the Salem Police Department Bike Unit should be invited to the event as well to lend any technical support it can.
The Committee started to discuss the preferred location for the event but agreed to put the item on the next agenda and continue the planning for the event at that time.
D. Shuman stated that the reincarnation of the Witch Cup Bike Race that occurred last month was a success and requested that the committee start planning the event for next year. The members agreed that they would put the item on the agenda in the near future.
4. Green Line Bike Trail
In the absences of Committee Member Dave Pelletier, Chairman Franzeen briefly spoke about the proposed green line bike trail.
F. Taormina followed up and gave a brief overview of the proposed on and off-road Green Line Bike Trail to the public in attendance.
Nancy Sachetti asked what the next steps were.
Chairman Franzeen stated that the Committee already voted to approve the concept of the bike trail and that we would need to recommend support for it to the City.
F. Taormina stated that the committee members should ride the entire trail and first hand determine whether it is practical and that it works as it is laid out. The committee agreed to set a time/date to ride the proposed trial.
N. Sachetti stated that it has been a year since the Bike Path Committee has been formed and wondered it there was a way to disseminate info regarding all that has been accomplished to date by the committee and include a mission statement could be formerly approved by the committee.
F. Taormina stated that some City Boards and Commissions are required to put together an Annual Report each year and he will look into putting one together for this board regardless of whether it is required or not.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the Committee this evening a motion was made by D. Shuman to adjourn the meeting, seconded by J. Judge and approved unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:37 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by:
Frank Taormina,
Planner/Harbor Coordinator
City of Salem
BPC 09-19-07
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