Advisory Bike/Walk Taskforce

City of Norwalk Norwalk Bike/Walk Taskforce Meeting Minutes August 7, 2017, 6:00pm Health Department, 2nd Floor Library 137 East Avenue, Norwalk CT 06851 Attendees: Nancy Rosett, Toni Van Loan, Peter Franz, Colin Grotheer, Kevin Kane, Judy Aley, Mike Mushak 1. The minutes from the July 10th meeting was approved. 2. The minutes from the July meeting with DPW and BWTF were reviewed. 3. The walking update: he Norwalk Public Library recently installed a rack for NorWALKer maps in their front lobby for their customers. Kaitlin is heading to MN next month to present on the success of NorWALKer at the National Walking Summit. Walks for August include: o Wednesday, August 2 – 6:15pm at Calf Pasture Beach concert stage o Saturday, August 5 – Silvermine, 8am at Silvermine School o Wednesday, August 2 – 6:15pm at Calf Pasture Beach concert stage o Wednesday, August 16 – 6:15pm at Calf Pasture Beach concert stage o (Tentative) Sunday, August 20 – South Norwalk, 9am at meeting location TBD o Wednesday, August 23 – 6:15pm at Calf Pasture Beach concert stage o (Tentative) Saturday, August 26 – West Norwalk, 8:30am at Fox Run School o Wednesday, August 30 – 6:15pm at Calf Pasture Beach concert stage 4. The group agreed the web site would allow us to pull the data we are interested in when we want it even though the site can be slow to load and is somewhat challenging to use. 5. Nancy Rosett shared the two changes to the Bike/Walk Commission Ordinance voted on at the last Ordinance Committee meeting. She encouraged everyone to attend the Common Council meeting tomorrow night at 7:30 in the Council Chambers. In answer to a question about whether bike and pedestrian plans actually exist, Mike Mushak said there is a 2012 Norwalk Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan and Study. Nancy also mentioned that the meetings to update the Plan of  Conservation and Development (POCD) which Norwalk is mandated by the State to do in 2018 will have bicycle and pedestrian goals. 6. There was a discussion about the interim results of the Survey Monkey survey about bringing a bike share program to Norwalk. The group agreed that this program and improvements in bicycle infrastructure could be pursued at the same time. Each effort should feed the other. Mike Mushak said having a bike share program could enhance Norwalk’s image as it had for him in several cities he’s visited. It also could be attractive to people moving into the apartments being built in Norwalk who don’t think they have room for bicycles in their apartments but would like to ride. 7. The group decided to table the bike survey until next year. 8. Colin Grotheer shared some of the slides he presented to the Chief Administrative Officer at NCC with his ideas to make Richards Avenue safer for pedestrians and also unifying the parts of the campus on either side of Richards Avenue. The meeting with NCC, DPW, the Parking Authority and the Bike/Walk Task Force has been postponed because Administrative Officer at NCC is out on medical leave. 9. Nancy distributed the business cards to the members who were present. Others can pick them up from Kaitlin Latham. The meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm.