Bicycling & Shared Path Advisory Committee

Meeting Minutes Salem Bicycling & Shared Path Advisory Committee Wednesday, August 2, 2023 | 6:30 p.m. City Hall Annex 1st Floor Meeting Room & Via Remote Participation Members Present: John Wathne (Chair), Josh Gillis, Cat Seiferth, Annie Wolf, Walter Morrell, Colleen Downie, Alex Maranto, Josh Nagle, Charlie Heaps Members Absent: Matt Caruso, Connor Ryan Also Present: Tom Devine, Senior Planner Call Meeting to Order Wathne calls the meeting to order. Public Comment Wathne opens public comment. A member public of the comment notes that there is insufficient bike parking throughout the city. She rides her adult tricycle to a grocery store on Highland Ave. and there is no place to lock it. The Committee discusses ways to encourage stores to provide bike parking. Devine states that the City did an inventory of which food stores have bike racks and he will share that data. Staff Update Define remarks that he has no updates separate from the specific agenda items. Bluebikes Bikeshare Program Data, Promotion, and Expansion Document reviewed: Salem Bluebikes Data, Through 7/30/2023, slide deck. Devine shows the increasing ridership that was expected with the warming weather. Devine states that there is no data available that the Committee requested showing ridership specifically by residents, visitors, and Salem State students. However, the single-trip rentals and day passes shown are likely a lot of visitors, and the monthly and annual passes are less likely to be visitors. He shows ridership compared to other parts of the system and trips by station. Devine states that the City distributed a flyer promoting the new Vinnin Square station at Loring Towers and Swampscott included information about it in their resident newsletter. 1 Devine says his colleagues are looking at including Bluebikes information in the new residents package as suggested by Matt Caruso. And Bluebikes will be offering free rides for Mindful Mondays in September. Mayor Pangallo along with other area mayors was interviewed for a recent Boston Globe article about Bluebikes and its value to Metro Boston. Heaps notes that he shared a news article with Devine about New York City’s challenges with electric bikes in their bikeshare. Wathne asks when the Committee will receive data for North Street. Devine says staff wish to release the data after a full year of operations of the improvements and then present it at a joint meeting of the Bike Committee & Traffic & Parking Commission. Wathne asks for the status of the connection at the North Street overpass and train station. Devine says the building at the City’s “Crescent Lot” with a path connection through it is scheduled to start this time next year. In addition, he submitted an unsuccessful grant application for design of bike and pedestrian connections through that area. Essex National Heritage Area then made the same request for Congressional earmark money. Wathne wonders if we should mark and promote the route through the MBTA garage. Update on Summer School Bike Curriculum Heaps participated in the program. He demonstrated repair of a flat tire to 25 or so first and second grade children. He also gave out reflector kits and had good conversation with the group. He learned that some of the students don’t have bikes and he would like to see a way to get them bikes. The group discusses possibilities to achieve his. Seiferth says it is challenging for a commercial shop to do that due to insurance coss. Wolf notes there are “buy nothing” groups on facebook where bike exchanges can happen. Promotion of Bicycling on Social Media Downie says she is scheduled to meet with the Mayor’s Chief of Staff tomorrow morning to discuss. She suggests Committee members post their own bike rides on social media. A rider could share a photo of themself on their bike or at their destination and note that they were able to bike there. Wathne notes that there is a biking advocacy group on facebook and conversation is positive. He recommends people also participate in that. Seiferth suggests Destination Salem promote biking too. Safety Classes Devine says he may follow up with the Park & Recreation Department to see if they wish to fund and/or host a class. Seiferth learned that MassBike can lead a class for $500. 2 Other Bicycling Outreach Education, and Events Define reports that Kylie Sullivan of Salem Main Streets is organizing a public ride for Saturday, August 19 to connect the Derby Wharf “Merry Time” festival with the Salem Willows Jazz and Soul Festival. Devine will share details as they materialize. Devine states that there are multiple bike advocacy groups on the North Shore interested in collaborating with the Salem Bike Committee. The Beverly bike committee held a social event recently and MassBike Was involved. Those advocates are interested in doing something like that here. Devine will email the committee with details. Wathne suggests having a regional group with representation from multiple communities. Miscellaneous Wathne asks about removing the remaining bollards at the Marblehead Path at the Lead Mills. Devine says there are improvements to the trail and bridges that is now in design, but it could be some time before it is implemented. Heaps is interested in learning more about the role of the committee. Wathne notes that staff recreated an interactive map to track implementation of the 2018 master plan. He says their role is advocacy in general. Heaps wonders if there are projects coming up for the committee’s review. Devine will check to see what is coming for review and when. The group discusses the matter. Wathne suggests hosting a micromobility fair. Meeting Minutes Wolf motions and Nagle seconds to approve the 4/5/2023 meeting minutes and all vote in favor. Adjourn Wolf motions and Seiferth seconds and all vote in favor to adjourn at 7:50P.M. *** Approved by the Bicycling & Shared Path Advisory Committee on 11/2/2023. 3