7.17.07 Bike/Ped Subcommittee Meeting Minutes

Bike/Ped Subcommittee
Meeting Minutes
7.17.07

Attendees:
Sam Pearson (TAC)
Ann Longanbach
Judy Ellis
Sara Dineen
Pat Fischer


The Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee of the Lewisburg Borough Traffic Advisory Committee consists of Sam Pearson with assistance from Kim Wheeler and Dick McGinnis.  It is open to the interest and assistance of anyone in the general community.  There are many topics that are appropriate for the official Borough body to take on and others that may be better handled in cooperation with informal groups like the Local Action Network and private citizens or even future regional bike groups.  Future Bike/Ped Subcommittee meetings will be announced in the monthly Local Action calendars.  They will tentatively take place the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7pm at Cherry Alley, but that will have to be confirmed.  Anyone interested in participating is welcome.  If you would like to be on an independent bike/ped email list, please email sam.z.pearson@gmail.com to let me know.

The meeting was an informal discussion around a list of possible topics.  That list, with annotations and indication of action items (bold) follows.  Items in brackets were not discussed in the meeting, but are pertinent to the topic.


Meeting Proceedings:

SP reported a discussion with Union County Commissioner John Showers about the possibility of a Bike Committee for county.  This is a project JS hopes to kick off with a public meeting to assess interest this fall, perhaps in September.  When plans are settled, he would like assistance getting word out to the biking community in every way possible.  AL to check with Nancy Bernstein about tapping into the Bike for Bob group.   How to solicit input from the Mennonite community?  JS reviewed the bike survey results the TAC has produced and we talked through a variety of opportunities to improve bike access, safety, and acceptance in the area.

Fast Track Connection between Downtown and Library [we should take this to the East Buffalo Commissioners some time in August if possible, in light of the construction they are planning for their building on Fairground Rd]

• PA House property
• East Buffalo site work
• Fairground Rd crossing
• Library lot access
• Signage on St. Mary
• Trail through all of LARA Park
• Sidewalk on St Mary
• Improve crossing/signal access at 15 and St Mary

Rail Trail action

• According to JS, this is still in the hands of the LARA board which is negotiating with the owners.  We can cross our fingers but not do much else.  For now, working to improve access in other ways would be most productive.
• SP noted that pesticide and herbicide spraying may be a legitimate and fairly significant issue with the trail.  If/when the time comes, some solution will have to be worked out to protect riders/walkers/runners and balance farmers’ needs.

Update network concept map to facilitate discussion

• SP to arrange a time for mark-up of the existing draft map to incorporate the knowledge of any cyclists who care to contribute.

Lanes/routes in town – propose alleys instead BU students’ proposal to lose parking

Wolfe Field loop

Bike racks in targeted locations

• Perhaps Tom Egan would be interested in being in charge of this particular project?
• Establish a list/map of suggested locations:  Weis, Evan Health Walk, St. Paul’s Church, Coldwell Banker, Omega Bank, etc.
• Get costs for League of American Bicyclists (LAB) recommended racks, installed.  SP has cut sheets.
• Approach Playworld systems for a matching funds incentive or even racks
• Approach businesses to sponsor

Riverwoods trail – construction should start next year

Overpass dilemma –

• PennDOT’s official policy is to “discourage at grade crossings of highways,” like Route 15.  This is in direct contradiction to the TAC goal of encouraging pedestrian and bicycle travel.  Context Sensitive Design should be responsive to the map context, not just a “main street” appearance.  Especially in the areas where the speed limit is 35 and the stops are frequent, the BPS feels there should, if possible, be all stops for ped crossing and bike-responsive signals.  Save the overpass investment for areas further out, where the traffic is moving at high speeds and where larger loops may benefit in the future.  If the rail trail to Mifflinburg goes in, there may be enough traffic to warrant an overpass at St. Mary’s, but in the meantime, this should be much more accessible, especially given the traffic to the skate park.

Public education: 

• AL to contact Sam Alcorn and see if he would be interested in writing up the TAC survey results in the Daily Item
• Would he also be interested in doing other articles on bikes like one on driving in presence of bikes?  Or could we get someone else, like Tom Gibson, to do that sort of thing periodically? Also AL.
  

Public relations

• Encourage businesses to recognize bikes, e.g. a restaurant with limited parking could offer 1/2 off on a dessert for those who arrive by bike [perhaps in conjunction with some event?]

• AL to mention reinvigorated interest to Visitors’ Bureau

Email survey respondents with update – SP
[Judy Ellis finished compiling the three long-answer questions from the Bike Survey.  Once those are formatted, that document can be forwarded to the TAC and from their ideally to the Borough Council, East Buffalo Planning Commission, Kelley Twp, Bucknell and LARA.]


Bucknell – SP to check with Joe Snyder to see if he is interested in any of these topics

• Access across playing fields
• Stein Lane and golf course surround
• (Visit PSU golf course trail)
• River access across back 40
• Orange bike program
• Follow up on student project from last semester promoting bike use on campus

Create suggested route map –

• Develop a recommended route map for the area based on existing conditions
• SP to get base map and arrange for a mark-up session with key cycling figures like Mark Elliott, the “walking lady,” the Hannigans;
• AL to contact Joe Keller in Ikeler Park to see if he would like to provide input or attend a meeting.

Neighborhood access routes throughout East Buffalo

• Can Kim Wheeler maybe work out a proposal for how to contact the neighborhoods and productively solicit their input?

LAB bicycle commuter workshops

• AL to get the contact name and number for the Effective Cycling instructor in Harrisburg to SP

Traffic holidays/Car-free Days

• Bucknell
• Furnace Road
• Market St/Bridge
• Tour de…?

Bike racks on taxis (buses)

Downtown bike rental

LBTAC meeting with PennDOT regional coordinator Sandy Tosca

• Crossing 15 with a 4-way stop at Market St, St Mary St and Buffalo Rd
• Any point in a petition?
• Ask John Baker for help?

End of minutes