Complete Streets & Bikeway Committee

COMPLETE STREETS COMMITTEE CITY OF MIDDLETOWN, CT January 8, 2018 In attendance: Howard Reid, John Hall, David Sandler, Beth Emery, Ron Krom, Laura Baum, Kathy Ellis 1. Review of minutes: Minutes of the December meeting accepted by committee consensus. 2. Old Business Bike Routes/Signage The most recent version of the Bike Routes Master Plan was reviewed, with the need for several very small changes noted for future editing. The next step will be to discuss the plan with the Public Works Department at the upcoming meeting with them. Presentations to various City commissions were discussed, with Health and Recreation and Community Services seen as priorities. Traffic Calming John Hall reported on the first meeting of the traffic calming work group. The group identified its first task to be information gathering, including information about existing traffic calming projects in Middletown and whether there is any data which demonstrates effects of those efforts. Newfield Corridor Path Funding John Hall reported that he spoke to Bill Russo about this and Mr. Russo indicated that he would speak with the City’s finance director regarding funding for route determination. Complete Streets Web Presence: Nothing to report. West Street Public Hearing Howard Reid reported that this hearing went well, with a great deal more support voiced for sidewalks than opposition. DOT’s plan for the bridge includes speed tables on each side just before the bridge, and on it, relatively narrow travel lanes and a 10 foot wide sidewalk, in order to accommodate the planned future multi-use trail connecting the Long Lane Trail to Veterans Park. There was some discussion about how this plan might complicate biking over the bridge, in the period of time before the multi-use trail is built (likely a very long period). DOT said that it would examine whether there might be approaches to deal with this. Long Lane Trail This project will go out to bid in February and construction is likely to begin in 2018. Community Calendar: John Hall reported that the City is planning to hold a festival at Harbor Park early in the summer. The value of a Complete Streets Committee presence at similar events in the past was discussed, concluding that it was limited. Laura Baum reported that Wesleyan was considering a bike friendly university application, and if that moves forward there will be a kick off event which the Committee will likely want to support. Bike/Walk to School Day in May was discussed, and Kathy Ellis suggested that the Committee begin to work with the schools around the beginning of April. 3. New Business Priorities for 2018 Road Projects In preparation for the annual meeting with Public Works to review the coming road project/bond season, the Committee discussed its priorities. Those identified included projects already in progress, including new priority bike routes, Saybrook Rd, and the Long Lane and Newfield Corridor multi-use trails. Additional possible priorities identified were sidewalks along Butternut St. connecting the park to adjacent neighborhoods, and an examination of traffic signal actuators which respond to bicycles. Possible Commission meeting presentations This item was discussed as part of the bike routes/signage agenda item. Jonah Center Speak Out for Bicycles initiative John Hall reported on the new Jonah Center initiative to enlist and organize public support for bicycle routes and trails in Middletown and Portland. The Committee endorsed the effort enthusiastically, and discussed at length how best to label the initiative so as to generate the broadest possible interest and support, from both road and trail cyclists. Speak Out for Trails & Bike Routes was seen as the best language to that end. Meeting adjourned at 8:45 PM. Next meeting: February 12, 2018 7pm Common Council Chambers