Salem Bike Path Committee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
A regularly scheduled meeting of the Salem Bike Path Committee was held on Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 7:00 PM in Meeting Room 312 at City Hall Annex, 120 Washington Street.
Members Present: Chairman Jeff Bellin, Will Peck, Dan Cooper, Ernest DeMaio, Brad Sandler, Bruce Mabbott, and David Bowie. Also Present: Frank Taormina, Planner/Harbor Coordinator
Members Absent: Dan Shuman
Public in Attendance: None
Chairman Bellin called the meeting to order at 7:06 PM. He acknowledged those members absent and present for the record.
F. Taormina informed the Committee that David Hallowes submitted a resignation letter to the Mayor’s Office on March 12th, effective immediately. The Mayor’s Office informed him that they have one application/resume on file from Kristin Anderson, but it has been on file for over a year. Provided that she is still interested in serving, the Mayor will appoint her to the Committee to take David’s place.
Chairman Bellin asked if there were any comments or edits for the February 12, 2014 draft meeting minutes. B. Mabbott pointed out a few edits on page 2 and page 3 of the minutes. F. Taormina stated that he caught a spelling error on page 1 and noted that Committee Member E. DeMaio emailed his some changes that wanted to make on page 1. Chairman Bellin asked for a motion to approve as amended. Motion was made by B. Mabbott, seconded by D. Bowie, and approved unanimously.
None.
Proposed Boston Street Cycle Track Trial Project
Chairman Bellin opened up the item and turned the floor over to F. Taormina.
F. Taormina updated the Committee that additional funded needed to move this project forward has not been obtained yet. He will confirm by the next meeting or sooner.
F. Taormina stated that if funding cannot be obtained, he will explore the idea of a pop-up cycletrack (protected bike lane) on a portion of a city street for a weekend. The idea is low/no cost but will require volunteers. Discussion ensued and the Committee agreed that this concept could be a good contingency plan.
Old/New Business
Complete Streets Working Group Update
Chairman Bellin opened the item and having been absent from the previous meeting asked F. Taormina to give a brief overview.
F. Taormina updated the Chairman that Salem Mass-in-Motion is working with the regional planning agency, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) on drafting a proposed Complete Streets Ordinance for the City of Salem, which would require pedestrian and bicycling accommodations on every city street. A working group made up of City Officials and various other stakeholders was created and B. Mabbott volunteered to represent the Bike Path Committee at those meeting.
B. Mabbott confirmed that the first working group meeting is scheduled for March 27th at 4:00pm.
Chairman Bellin asked if those meeting were open to the public and if he and other Committee Member could attend, F. Taormina confirmed that they could.
F. Taormina stated that he and B. Mabbott will provide the Committee with updates at future meetings as to the progress of the working group and the proposed ordinance.
Old/New Business
Conceptual Plan for Future Biking Infrastructure
Chairman Bellin turned the floor over to Committee Member E. DeMaio
E. DeMaio reviewed a proposed “Vision 2020- Bikeway Manifesto” that he emailed to the Committee in advance of the meeting. E. DeMaio reviewed the proposal with the Committee and stated that it can really be summarized into three major points: connectivity, safety, and access. He noted that the driving factor is to create a network of bicycle infrastructure that will make bicycling a viable transportation alternative in Salem. Discussion ensued.
E. DeMaio then showed the Committee three poster boards that he created which displayed street cross sections of cycletracks (protected bike lanes) and buffered bike lanes, photographs of existing protected bike lanes and buffered bike lanes, and a map identifying various corridors where he recommends these types of bike facilities locate and connect to abutting communities. Discussion ensued.
E. DeMaio then asked if F. Taormina could set up a meeting with the City Planner and the Mayor so that the Committee could present a more refined version of the poster boards and the Committee’s Vision 2020 – Bikeway Manifesto. Discussion regarding the details of such a meeting ensued. It was determined that a meeting with the City Planner should occur first, then schedule a meeting with the Mayor.
F. Taormina stated that it is unlikely that he will be able to get the Mayor or the City Planner to attend a future committee meeting at night, but suggested that if the Committee could make themselves available during City business hours he would be able to schedule a meeting with both of them. He suggested that Thursdays would likely work best as City Hall is open until 7pm.
E. DeMaio said that he is available to meet on Thursday, March 27th at 6pm, after the first Complete Streets Working Group Meeting. The Committee agreed that time/day works and F. Taormina stated that he would coordinate with the City Planner to see if she is available that day/time and confirm with the Committee afterwards.
E. DeMaio asked if the Committee has input on the poster boards or any better photographs to forward that to him ASAP so that he can finalize the boards and have the final large scale poster boards printed.
Chairman Bellin asked if there was any other old/new business to discuss tonight.
B. Mabbott asked if F. Taormina could add the concept of a car free street day to the next agenda for the committee to discuss. F. Taormina agreed to do so.
B. Mabbott also asked F. Taormina could update the Committee on the Salem Bike Path Extension project. F. Taormina stated that negotiations with the property owner of the former California Olive Oil Company have not ended well. The City and the MBTA made a number of concessions for the property owner but he is still not satisfied. He was hesitant to say that the project is dead, but admitted that without the property owner’s cooperation the project is at an impasse and cannot proceed. He stated that the Mayor has since intervened and have reached out to the property owner’s attorney numerous times to try and move this forward at no avail.
B. Mabbott asked if the City could just build the bike path as far as they can on either side of his property and route the bike path around his property. F. Taormina stated that he is not certain if the MBTA will permit the City to do that, but he will look into it. He stated that he will follow up with the Director and the Mayor and see where things stand and report back to the Committee at the next meeting.
Chairman Bellin asked if there were any further items to discuss tonight, there being none, he asked for a motion to adjourn. B. Sandler makes that motion, seconded by D. Bowie and approved unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:37 PM.
Respectfully submitted by:
Frank Taormina,
Planner/Harbor Coordinator
Minutes approved by the Salem Bike Path Committee at their April 9, 2014 Meeting
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