Advisory Bike/Walk Taskforce

City of Norwalk Norwalk Bike/Walk Taskforce Meeting Minutes February 6, 2017, 6:00pm Health Department – 2nd Floor Library 137 East Avenue, Norwalk CT 06851 Attendees: Jud Aley, Tim Callahan, Jim Carter, Peter Franz, Kevin Kane, Kaitlin Latham, Peter Libre, Ian Ray, Nancy Rosett, Steve Serasis 1) The January 3, 2017 minutes were passed unanimously. 2) Nancy Rosett recapped the Bike/Walk Taskforce and Public Works meeting minutes from January. Taskforce members were asked to review the paving schedule and send any comments or suggestions to Nancy by Friday, February 10, 2017. 3) Suggestions to improve the DPW Roadway Standards Guide include: a. Page 3, paragraph 4 – Add “for all users” instead of saying “vehicles”. Can we define this more clearly, as in using “pedestrians, cyclists, motor vehicles, transit riders, etc.? b. Page 5 – Add the words “bicycle facilities”. c. Page 9 – Can we define Complete Streets and bicycle facilities in the guide? 4) Nancy sent the advisory committee ordinance to the ordinance committee. It will be discussed at an upcoming ordinance committee meeting, date TBD. 5) Nancy and Jim Carter met with Walk Bridge consultants to discuss the written statement that was submitted for the public hearing last year. Questions regarding the project, as well as NRVT concerns, were discussed. 6) The community walking programs are well underway. Silvermine has an established walking group, led by Deborah Lewis, that meets on the first Saturday of the month, 8:00am at Silvermine School (157 Perry Avenue). The next Silvermine walk is scheduled for March 4, 2017. South Norwalk will be hosting its first community walk, led by Kathy Olsen and Katrin Rahmfeld, on Sunday, February 26, 2017 at 9:00am. Walkers are to meet at the SONO Baking Company, located at 101 Water Street. 7) The Norwalk Innovation Places Committee is hosting Idea Jam on Wednesday, February 15, 2017 from 6-8pm at Stepping Stones Museum. Norwalk has been invited to apply for an Innovation Places Grant, and the purpose of Idea Jam is to elicit community input to determine what Norwalk can do to develop new ideas, businesses, and opportunities for resident and visitors. The event is free but tickets are required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/idea-jam- norwalk-innovation-places-project-tickets-31422531638. 8) Tim Callahan shared that he met with the Norwalk Police Department to discuss the process of obtaining crash data involving pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles. Health Department intern, Nikki Lewis, will meet with the Police Department to discuss this project, which is expected to be completed by the spring. 9) Section 5.4 of the 2017 strategic plan was changed to the following goal statement: “Understand the methodology used by the police to record the frequency and outcomes from pedestrians, bicyclist, and motor vehicle crashes.” The rest of the strategic plan remains unchanged and was approved by present members. 10) Subcommittees were formed to accomplish the 2017 strategic plan goals: a. 1 – Nancy b. 2.1 – Nancy 2.2 – Kevin, Mike H., Jud c. 3.1 – Nancy, Jud, Tim 3.2 – Nancy, Tim 3.3 – Tim d. 4.1 – Kaitlin 4.2 – Kaitlin, Deborah e. 5.1 – Kevin, Ian 5.2 – Nancy 5.3 – Kaitlin, Peter F. 5.4 – Tim, Peter L. 11) Jim provided an update on the NRVT’s progress. NRVT has signage similar to the East Coast Greenway signs, with their logo and a customizable arrow. Signs are up on the existing trail, from Crescent Street to Union Park. Ideas for future signage include interpretive signs that provide a map indicating where the individual is within the trail system, photos, and the history of the NRVT/HLT. This project is being evaluated and priced out. The Traffic Authority evaluated the NRVT’s plans for Seaview Ave to Calf Pasture Beach, and recommended that all residents along the route be notified. Plans for this area include bike lanes on Seaview and Calf Pasture Beach, with sharrows in-between. The group discussed painting sharrows and/or bike lanes on the roads inside the park. Mike Mocciae was “OK” with sharrows in this area but bike lanes were not discussed. Mocciae is considering bike racks and a rent-a-bike kiosk at the beach in the future. The NRVT remains in strong position for a grant to assist with constructing the trail from Broad Street to Perry Avenue, and is also being considered for grants to study the design of the trail from Perry Avenue to Grist Mill. The “missing link” is funded, and there will be a public hearing soon. The NRVT will travel through Pine Island Cemetery rather than the playground near Stepping Stones Museum. This project is funded and will begin in the spring. The Cross Street section of the Harbor Loop Trail will hopefully be breaking ground in a few months.  12) Kaitlin and Peter Franz provided an education update. Peter plans to create custom PDFs of Connecticut’s bicycle and pedestrian laws, including rules on how to share the road with all users. Kaitlin will update the BWTF website with these new resources and any new content in the future. 13) Plans for the East Ave – Route 1 intersection include widening the northbound lane to increase the turn radius for trucks, as well as installing sidewalks on Route 1, adjacent to St. Paul’s Church. The Taskforce reviewed the plans and will provide feedback and recommendations. The meeting adjourned at 7:20pm.