Bicycling & Shared Path Advisory Committee

Salem Bicycling Advisory Committee: Joint meeting with Traffic & Parking Commission Monday, June 19, 2017, 7:00 p.m. Bicycling Advisory Committee Members Present: Dan Shuman (Chair), Richard Frank, Michael Jaros, Joseph O’Neil, Kylie Sullivan, Michael Williamson, Raymond Swartz, Eric Papetti (of both Bicycling Advisory Committee and Traffic & Parking Commission) Bicycling Advisory Committee Members Absent: None Traffic & Parking Commission Members Present: Tanya Stepasiuk (Chair), Jamie Metsch. Traffic & Parking Commission Members Absent: Nicholas Downing, Robert Preczewski. Also Present: Tom Devine, Senior Planner; Matt Smith, Director of Traffic and Parking. Chairs Dan Shuman and Tanya Stepasiuk jointly called the meeting to order. MassWorks Bridge Street “Complete Streets” Reconstruction—The City of Salem recently received a $3.5 million MassWorks grant to provide “Complete Streets” upgrades to a portion of Bridge Street, Boston Street, and Goodhue Street. The Department of Planning and Community Development requests that the two committees jointly review and comment on the project’s 25% design. Documents:  PowerPoint Presentation: Bridge Street Reconstruction Project, Stantec Consulting, Inc., 6/19/2017  25% Design Plans: Bridge Street Reconstruction Project, Stantec Consulting, Inc., June 2017 Economic Development Planner Andrew Shapiro provides a summary of the project and an update on its status. Shapiro introduces the City’s consultant engineer, Rick Azzalina of Stantec. Azzalina presents a PowerPoint slide show describing the 25% design. (This presentation is available as part of the meeting record.) Members asked why the southerly bike path enters the street as a striped bike lane short of the crosswalk. Azzalina responds that the right of way is restricted in this location by the canal. The discussion includes several possible solutions:  Combining bike and pedestrian path  Adjusting light post locations  Obtaining land from the Gateway Center  Moving the crosswalk  Installing sensors to detect oncoming bicycles to activate crosswalk signal  Reducing or removing the roadway median  Reducing automobile lane widths Matt Smith suggests that bike facilities must be considered in balance with automobile and pedestrian facilities, since this is a complete street project. 1 The group discusses plans for the Boston and Bridge Street intersection. Members consider whether the two one-way streets, Proctor and Pope Streets, should have their directions reversed. The group discusses whether there is a need for the proposed western left turn lane from Bridge to Proctor Street. A member suggests that concurrent pedestrian signals be considered with a lead phase for pedestrians. No such signal exists in Salem. An advantage would be that it would remove the pedestrian-only signal from the cycle. However, drivers would need to become accustomed to it. A member encourages the City to consider making the shortest possible crosswalk lengths. Smith suggests squaring off the corners of the intersection to calm traffic. The group discusses options for bikes to travel through this intersection. Shapiro notes that one option is to bypass the intersection by taking Grove Street to Beavers Street. A member emphasizes that he would like to see more attention overall put into the intersections. The group discusses the Flint and Boston Street intersection. The group considers the challenge of riding west along Bridge Street through this intersection and having to veer from a straight travel path. A member notes that safety guidance suggests setting back crosswalks so that cars can see pedestrians in front as they turn rather than in their peripheral vision. Smith suggests squaring off this intersection. Another member asks that progressive signaling be considered that detects an approaching cyclist and triggers a no-right-turn-on-red sign. Devine suggests that the project team coordinate with the Salem Suede developers who are adding a path segment near this intersection. The Traffic & Parking Commission closes their portion of the joint meeting and a regular meeting of the Bicycling Advisory Committee continues. Update on Salem bike share rollout and planned expansion Devine states that the three Zagster stations opened with stations at Federal Street, Front Street, and Blaney Street, with 18 bikes. Three new stations opening in July will be located at the Willows, Salem State, and Congress and Peabody Streets. This will result in a total of 36 bikes. The three existing stations each have 8 bike spaces, but the three new ones will each have 12 spots. Shuman describes his work rebalancing the stations under contract with Zagster. He also mentions problems with the lock system. Devine says that Zagster is scheduled to upgrade all its locks in July. Update on Canal Street Phase II bike path Devine says that the recent public meeting for the project was a required step for MassDOT to move the project from the 2019 TIP to 2018. Smith reports that this effort was successful. So it will now be put out to bid in the fall and construction can start as soon as next spring. The group discusses options for connecting the northern terminus of the Phase I section with downtown. Update on Bicycle Master Plan 2 Devine reports that the City received five proposals in response to the request for qualifications: McMahon, VHB, Alta, Toole, and Howard Stein Hudson. Devine will put them online for any Committee members who would like to review them and share comments. Miscellaneous Updates Smith states that planning is underway to connect the off-road path at Collins Cove with the Bentley School and through the City’s Szetela Lane property, Beatty Park, and to the power plant site where the new berm will have public paths connecting to the waterfront. There will also be a striping plan for Fort Ave. with painted buffered bike lanes connected to Salem Willows. Smith describes plans to add bike lanes to Jefferson Ave. In addition, he says that designs are in place for Loring Ave. striping, where there may be an opportunity for a pilot protected lane. Adjournment, Bicycling Advisory Committee meeting The Committee votes to adjourn at 9:05 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Tom Devine, Senior Planner Approved by the Bicycling Advisory Committee on July 17, 2017 3