Salem Bike Path Committee
Minutes of Meeting
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
A regularly scheduled meeting of the Salem Bike Path Committee was held on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 7:00 PM in Meeting Room 313 at City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street.
Members Present: Dan Shuman, David Bowie, Brad Sandler, Dan Cooper, Jeff Bellin, and David Hallowes. Also present was Staff Planner/Harbor Coordinator Frank Taormina
Members Absent: Will Peck and Ernest DeMaio,
Public in Attendance: Jerry Judge (Salem Resident and former BPC Member), Josh Wingate (SSU Student), and Patricia O’Day (SSU Student)
Chairman Shuman called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM. He acknowledged those members absent and present for the record.
Chairman Shuman asked if there were any comments from the Committee, there being none he asked for a motion to approve. D. Bowie made that motion, seconded by J. Bellin and approved unanimously.
Approval of FY12 Annual Report
Chairman Shuman asked if there were any comments, questions, or edits for the fiscal year 2012 Bike Path Committee Annual Report. J. Bellin stated that he forwarded Frank an edit on page 3 via email prior to the meeting. F. Taormina acknowledged receipt of email and stated he would make the edit. No other comments were taken, so Chairman Shuman asked for a motion to approve as revised, motion was made by D. Sandler, seconded by J. Bellin and approved unanimously.
Chairman Shuman welcomed those in attendance and asked their names for the record and asked if there were any public comments at this time.
Jerry Judge (Salem Resident) stated the use to be a former member of the Bike Path Committee and decided to check in to see what they were up to. He complemented the Committee on all the progress to date.
Josh Wingate (SSU Student) and Patricia O’Day (SSU Student) stated that they are both avid bikers and were required to attend a public meeting for one of their classes. They had no public comment, they just came to observe.
Chairman Shuman asked if there were any other public comments at this time, there being none he moved onto the next agenda item.
Review and prioritize future on- and off-road bike routes
Chairman Shuman opened up the item and turned the floor over to F. Taormina.
F. Taormina brought a large print out of the existing and proposed bike routes map out of the City of Salem Bicycle Circulation Master Plan for the Committee to review and prioritize. Discussion ensued.
Chairman Shuman identified an extension of the bike route to the Salem High School via Jefferson Avenue to Willson Street, avoiding Highland Avenue. The Committee liked the idea and they highlighted the route on the large map.
D. Cooper suggested that there should also be an extension to the Salem Ferry. Chairman Shuman suggested that the outbound route be looped from Blaney Street to Derby Street to Webb Street while he inbound route connect from Congress Street down Derby Street to Blaney Street. The Committee agreed and highlighted the route on the large map.
F. Taormina stated that their may be Green Community Grant funds available to the Committee to create or improve alternative transportation corridors (off-road). Aside from the extension of the Salem Bike Path to downtown Salem, he stated that there is very little options for the Committee to create additional off-road bike paths. He suggested that the Committee consider improving the lower end of the Peter Tracy multi-use trail (Collins Cove path) from East Collins Street along Collins Cove to Szetela Lane. He stated that portion of the path that is paved is eroding into Collins Cove and the end of the path turns into a beaten dirt path which eventually spills out on to Szetela Lane, near the Bentley Elementary School. He suggested that the Committee consider improving this street by stabilizing
the Collins Cove shoreline and repaving or paving the entire stretch to a full 10-ft wide ADA compliant path. The Committee agreed.
F. Taormina stated that he would talk further with Jeff Elie (City Energy and Sustainability Manager) regarding the amount of funding that could be available to the Committee.
The Committee looked at other potential extension of the bike route and discussed a connection to Swampscott via Loring Avenue. Chairman Shuman and F. Taormina suggested that the route be extended from the Salem Bike Path at the Loring Avenue crossing at Salem State University Central Campus, down Loring Avenue to Paradise Road at Vinnin Square. Additionally the Committee looped that route to Willson Street via the lower end of Jefferson Avenue. The Committee agreed and highlighted the route on the map.
F. Taormina stated that the Committee continue the item until next meeting, so that the other Committee Members that were not present can have a chance to suggest other future routes. Chairman Shuman agreed and continued the matter until next month.
Update on Bike Safety Brochure
Chairman Shuman opened the item and turned the floor over to F. Taormina.
F. Taormina showed the Committee the revised front covers of the bike safety brochures (one in English and one in Spanish). Discussion ensued.
J. Bellin liked the title Bike Safely in Salem and wondered why it changed. F. Taormina explained that in order to make the safety brochure mirror that of the Salem Bike Routes Map it had to be changed to Salem Bike Safety. He suggested that that could be incorporated in the text around the cover image.
D. Cooper stated that most people will not may much attention to the front cover, they want to open it up and see what is inside. He agreed with F. Taormina that perhaps the motto Bike Safely in Salem be used in text around the cover image.
Chairman Shuman asked the public in attendance if they had an option on the matter. No one offered a suggestion, they though that either way could work.
J. Bellin offered the text: “Bike safely: know the rules of the road”. The Committee liked it.
J. Bellin also suggested that perhaps the color of the front cover change so that it looks different than the bike routes map. F. Taormina stated that the purpose of redesigning the front cover of the bike safety brochure was to have it mirror that of the bike routes map.
D. Hallowes stated that the Rough Guides that are published for various cities around the world all look the same but have subtle color differences that differentiate themselves in a very tasteful way. He explained the subtleties to the Committee in greater detail.
B. Sandler suggested that instead of changing the gradient coloring of the front cover perhaps they just change the block color under SALEM. The Committee liked the idea.
F. Taormina stated that he will bring in a couple different front cover samples to the next meeting based on the suggestions previously discussed. The Committee agreed.
Update on Bike Sharrow installation issues on Bridge Street (Rte 1A)
Chairman Shuman opened the item and turned the floor over to F. Taormina.
F. Taormina updated the Committee on the recent bike sharrow pavement markings installed on Bridge Street from Webb Street to the Beverly/Salem Bridge by MassDOT’s Contractor. He stated that they were installed incorrectly and need to be removed and reinstalled, however the City must work through MassDOT in order to get the contract to come back to Salem and rectify the matter. He stated that the City paid FST Engineers to design and engineer the bike sharrows for MassDOT and it specified in the plans that the inbound side of Bridge Street the bike sharrows are to be installed 4 feet from the curb, as no parking is permitted along that side of the road (with exception to a couple locations). On the outbound side of Bridge Street where there is on-street parking, the bike sharrows were to be installed 11
feet from the curb, taking into consideration a parked car and door zone. He is not sure when they will be removed and reinstalled correctly but he will continue to update the Committee on the matter.
Chairman Shuman asked if there is any further old or new business to discuss tonight. There being none, he asked for a motion to adjourn. D. Cooper makes that motion, seconded by J. Bellin and approved unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:23 PM.
Respectfully submitted by:
Frank Taormina,
Planner/Harbor Coordinator
Minutes approved by the Salem Bike Path Committee at their January 9, 2013 Meeting
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