Complete Streets & Bikeway Committee

COMPLETE STREETS COMMITTEE CITY OF MIDDLETOWN, CT July 9, 2018 In attendance: Howard Reid, John Hall, Laura Baum, Tom Quirk, Cindi Perugini, Beth Emory, Kathy Ellis Guests: Catherine Young, Amy Watkins (Watch For Me CT) 1. Review of minutes: Accepted with the correction of NEAC to NEAT Note: There was no meeting held in June due to attendee schedule conflicts. 2. Old Business Bike Routes/Signage 7/9/18: Signage for the bike route will be placed on DeKoven Dr., East Main St., and Millbrook Rd. The timetable has not been specified. 5/14/18: There are no updates though DeKoven Drive now has parking where the bike lanes are to go; this parking is likely to remain until the parking garage on Dingwall Drive is replaced. 4/9/18: CS is awaiting a scheduled Public Works Commission meeting for final approval; the Police Department is signing off on the plan. Traffic Calming 7/9/18: CS will be meeting at MacDonough School with a police department representative to do a traffic study on Spring St and address concerns raised by the school principle. 5/14/18: CS to summarize MacDonough Safe Routes report for PD, focusing on traffic related items. Newfield Corridor Path Funding 5/14/18: The city budget meeting is tonight and it is anticipated there will be no additional funding for projects for the next 6 months. Long Lane Trail 5/14/18: This project has been awarded to DeRita Construction and will be completed this summer. Priorities for 2018 Road Projects 1/8/18: 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. Wesleyan Bike Share 7/9/19: No updates from Spin Bikes but per Cindi Perugini they are still working out the kinks in their system. 5/14/18: Jen Kleindienst reported the status of the first 3 weeks the program was in operation: 1100 individual riders; 4700 rides; 200 non-students who made 1000 rides. The company is working through the start-up problems of a new program: collection and maintenance of new bikes; addressing local business concerns. Kyle Rowe of Spin Bikes plans to call in to the next CS meeting. Palmer Field/Veterans Park Path 7/9/18: This path is now complete. Public Outreach 5/14/18: The NEAT expressed an interest in making Main St. more bike friendly. 4/9/18: CS will attempt to reach out to the North End Action Team and the Village District to identify the groups’ concerns, identify areas CS can try to address, and try to garner support for our cause. Sustainable CT Initiative 7/9/18: Wesleyan had an intern working on the submission; they are shooting for silver. 5/14/18: Middletown was the first town to sign up for this new state initiative; the city’s Clean Energy Task Force is currently handling efforts to meet the requirements (until a more formal team can be established). In order to be certified this year a submission of qualifying efforts must be provided by August 24th. CS identified qualifying projects for the submission: West St. & Washington intersection; Ridge Rd sidewalks; Woodrow Wilson School sidewalks; Palmer Field trail; Long Lane sidewalk. Bike/Walk to School Day 7/9/18: CS received feedback from the last B/W2S Day – Lawrence School didn’t have the kids walk because there are no sidewalks; Wesleyan School had the kids walk around the school; no volunteers were asked to join. 3. New Business Watch For Me CT: Amy Watkins, the Program Coordinator attended the meeting and introduced CS to the resources and assistance her program can provide. Amy suggested some state data bases we may want to research and will compile some crash data for Middletown and forward it to the group. CS to ask the Mayor’s office if the Youth Council would be able to help with any of the CS Committee’s goals or projects. CS to approach the Downtown Business District to gauge interest in adding bike lanes to Main St.; if there is interest by the public and the DBD, CS would recommend to the City that a formal/professional study be performed. Saybrook Road, East Main St to Tryon St Project: The design to add bike lanes on both sides and a sidewalk on the East side is complete. Currently there is no funding available to perform the work without approval of another road bond. CS to lobby for this to be on a road bond; this will have to be settled by early September or the chance will be missed until the next set of road bonds are issued. Howard will draft a letter for supporters to sign and send in to the City noting support for the project. South Main St. Improvements: CS suggestions for improvement would have to be submitted by the city to River Cog for submission to the State/Regional project list. Saybrook Rd near Aircraft Rd: This section of the road has fallen into grave disrepair; CS to consider what can be done. Meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM. Next meeting: August 13th 7pm in Council Chambers