Salem Bike Path Committee
Minutes of Meeting
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
A regular scheduled meeting of the Salem Bike Path Committee was held on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 7:00 PM in Meeting Room 314 at City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street.
Members Present: Stan Franzeen, Jeff Bellin, Christine Michelini, Dan Shuman, Jerry Judge, David Pelletier, and William Peck. Also present was Staff Planner Frank Taormina and the City’s hired engineering consultant Gary Hebert from Fay, Spofford & Thorndike Engineers (FST Engineering).
Members Absent: Rachel Hunt, Nancy Sachetti,
Public in Attendance: Bill Whoolley (Beverly Resident, Salem Employee), Alexa Ogno (Federal Street, Salem Resident), Annie Harris (Federal Street, Salem Resident), William Hanger (Winter Island Manager, Salem Resident)
Chairman Shuman called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM and acknowledged those members present and absent for the record.
Motion as made by J. Bellin to approve the minutes as amended, seconded by S. Franzeen and approved unanimously.
- Public Hearing to solicit input on the Draft Bicycle Circulation Master Plan
Chairman Shuman opened the Public Hearing and asked if anyone from the public had any comments or questions regarding the draft plan.
Bill Whoolley (Beverly Resident, Salem Employee) congratulated the Committee on their efforts in assembling the plan. He mentioned that he had no specific questions regarding the plan, but he agreed with the increase of bikes on roadways and the awareness of motors to share the road. He mentioned that Salem streets are very narrow and heavily congested and he understands that full bike lanes may not be able to be installed but the concept of “bike sharrows” is great.
B. Whoolley stated that he is a North Beverly Resident and he commutes everyday, year-round, to Salem.
Chairman Shuman asked B. Whoolley which route he takes to Salem. B. Whoolley explained his route to the Committee.
B. Whoolley suggested that pavement markings alone do not help the year-round bike commuter as the streets get covered in snow. He suggested that the pavement markings such as bike lanes and bike sharrows be complemented by bike lane signs, which can be visible any time of the year.
Gary Hebert (FST Engineering) replied by stating that the Draft Plan addresses that very thing. He mentioned that the signs and pavement markings for that matter will not be installed every ten feet, but rather spaced out appropriately along the streets and at every decision point.
Chairman Shuman thanked B. Whoolley for his comments and asked if there were any other public comments.
Alexa Ogna (Salem Resident) stated that he rides her child in a trailer bike from her home at Federal Street to the Horace Man School on Loring Ave nearly every school day. She mentioned that her commute on bike via Salem Streets, in particular Jefferson Ave and Loring Ave, are extremely difficult to navigate. She constantly has to watch for turning traffic and parked cars along side her. She stated that she would like to see those streets improved in anyway to try to better accommodate biking.
A. Ogna also stated that the proposed bike path extension is slated to end at Riley Plaza, or the intersection of Canal St, Washington St, Mill St, and Lafayette St. She asked how one navigates through that intersection on a bike. She asked if the bike path could end at a better location.
G. Hebert (FST Engineering) replied stating that the Committee spent a lot of time thinking about that very issue. He stated that bike riders should become pedestrians and walk their bikes across the intersection and into downtown Salem. It is not encouraged that signage at the end of the bike path state that “bike riders dismount and walk across the intersection, do not ride through the intersection”.
D. Pelletier explained the green line (priority route) bikeway concept to A. Ogna. Explaining that it is a north-south bikeway that avoids Riley Plaza and offers a safer route to downtown Salem.
Annie Harris (Salem Resident) asked about the status of the Salem Bike Path extension.
Frank Taormina responded by stating that the City has a Draft Lease Agreement from the MBTA and that the City is currently working through two logistical issues that must be completed before the Lease Agreement can be executed. Once the Lease Agreement is executed the Railroad Right-of-Way (ROW) will be under the City’s control and the bike path will be extended through it. He stated that once the ROW is under the City’s control then it will be added to the Canal Street Improvement Project, which is currently being engineered. Funding is in place to pay for the bike path extension.
A. Harris asked if there is any other off-road bike paths planned in the Draft Plan. G. Hebert (FST Engineering) and D. Pelletier replied with several examples, one being a connection to the MBTA Commuter Rail Station from the public access way which encircles the Jefferson at Salem Station Property across the trail tracks to the MBTA Station.
A. Harris mentioned that she doesn’t believe that the MBTA grants at-grade crossings anymore.
G. Hebert (FST Engineering) explained that it is a request that is hard to get granted by the MBTA but it can he done.
D. Pelletier sited several area at-grade crossing that do not offer the same benefit or justification that this connection would have.
F. Taormina added that at the first public hearing regarding the proposed MBTA Parking Garage at Salem Station, Committee Member Dave Pelletier advocated for the at grade crossing. He mentioned that that is the forum to ask for such a request and perhaps the Committee as a whole could submit something in writing regarding the importance of the at-grade crossing by linking existing segmented bike trails directly to the T Station and creating better ADA access to area residents.
A. Harris asked is there is any money to pay for the other bike paths and bike lanes planned throughout the City.
Chairman Shuman stated that the City only has funds to maintain the existing bike path not to construct any new paths or lanes. He stated that there are a lot of funding grants available and the City will likely apply for them once the Bike Circulation Master Plan is finalized and approved.
G. Herbert (FST Engineers) stated that the City currently doesn’t have funds to implement any of the planned bike routes, except for the Salem Bike Path extension, however there are low-cost improvements that could be implemented sooner than later, such as striping and signage.
F. Taormina stated that one of the recommendations of the plan is to have the City Engineer and/or the City DPW use the plan as a blueprint in the future, so that when any City Streets are resurfaced or reconstructed they refer to the plan and install bike lanes, bike sharrows, bike signs, etc where it is called out for in the plan, so that the cost is built into the project from the start.
D. Pelletier discussed the connection of Downtown Salem to Downtown Marblehead via the Salem Bike Path and the Marblehead Recreational Trial. He stated that most bike paths connect from nowhere to nowhere, however we have something rare, a bike path that connects two downtowns with an entirely off-road bike path, however the Marblehead stretch is not in good shape. He asked Annie Harris if the Essex National Heritage Commission could assist in getting the Town of Marblehead to improve their recreational trail into a bike path so that we can enhance this great amenity.
A. Harris replied that she was not certain where National Heritage could help.
A. Harris asked if the Guilford Railroad tracks from Salem to Peabody could someday be converted into a rail-trail bike path connecting the two communities. F. Taormina stated that Guilford Rail is willing to give up its freight rights to that right-of-way, but perhaps in the future.
William Hanger (Winter Island Manager, Salem Resident) expressed his desire to someday construct a stone dust trail around the perimeter of Winter Island. He suggested that the Committee add that trail to the Bike Circulation Master Plan.
F. Taormina stated that he met with W. Hanger and he forwarded those comments regarding the Winter Island Trial to FST Engineering to be inserted in the Plan. He mentioned that if the trail is not built to Mass Highway Standards as a Bike Path perhaps it could be identified in the Plan as a multi-use off-road trail, similar to Salem Woods Trails. G. Hebert (FST Engineering) agreed.
A. Harris asked if there was a planned extension to the MBTA Commuter Rail Station near the Rte 114 Overpass to Franklin St and under the Overpass to Leslies Retreat Park.
G. Hebert (FST Engineering) stated that both connections are proposed in the Plan. F. Taormina showed A. Harris the map in the Plan that identifies both connections.
W. Peck asked when the next MBTA Parking Garage Public Meeting is being held, as he would like to attend and advocate for bike friendly amenities at the station. F. Taormina stated that he wasn’t sure and would have to get back to him.
Chairman Shuman asked if there were any further questions or comments from the public. There being none he asked the committee is they had any further questions or comments.
G. Hebert (FST Engineering) stated that this would be his last meeting with the Committee as his contract with the City is quickly coming to an end. He thanked the Committee for their efforts and wished them well in implementing the goals and recommendations of the Plan.
Chairman Shuman acknowledged that this will be Committee Member Jerry Judge’s last meeting as his term expires at the end of the month and he has decided to reject the reappointment. Chairman Shuman thanked Jerry for his service and wished him well in his future endeavors.
Adjournment
Chairman Shuman asked for a motion to close the Public Hearing. J. Judge made his final motion as a member of the Committee, seconded by J. Bellin and approved unanimously. The meeting was officially adjourned at 8:15 PM.
Respectfully submitted by:
Frank Taormina,
Planner/Harbor Coordinator
BPC 10-28-2009
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