Massachusetts Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Meeting Notes
Wednesday, January 21, 2014, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Transportation Library, State Transportation Building
10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA
Welcome, Introductions & Safety Message: Eileen Gunn called the meeting to order at 1:05 PM.
Members present: Cameron Bain, Glen Berkowitz, Tom DiPaolo, Kurt Gaertner, Philip Groth, Eileen Gunn,
Steve Heinrichs, Wendy Landman, Josh Lehman, Steve Miller, Lea Susan Ojamaa, Joe Repole, Jim Tozza
Members Participating by Telephone: Jeff McCollough, John McQueen Members absent: Rosalie
Anders, Dan Driscoll, Janie Katz-Christy, Rob Miceli Guests present: John Allen (Waltham Bicycle
Committee), Tiana Alves (EOEEA), Krystain Boreyko (EOPSS-Highway Safety Division), Glenn Cannon
(Cape Cod Commission), Michelle Ciccolo (Town of Hudson), Katrina Crocker (Central Transportation
Planning Staff), Theresa Doherty (Charles River Conservancy), Trish Domigan (VHB), Richard Fries
(MassBike), Debby Galef (Cambridge Pedestrian Committee), William Hanson (Framingham BicyclePedestrian Committee), Beth Isler & Nick Jackson (both Toole Design Group), Barbara Jacobson
(MassBike), Katherine Knapp (MassDOT), Thomas Laughlin (BSC Group), David Loutzenheizer
(Metropolitan Area Planning Council), Albert Ng (VHB), Lou Rabito (MassDOT), Arnold Sapenter (Mass
Department of Environmental Protection), Jacqueline Schmidt (Southeastern Regional Planning &
Economic Development District), Kristin Slaton (MassRIDES/Safe Routes to Schools), (Misrak Sultan
(MassDOT), Pete Sutton (MassDOT), David Watson (WatsonActive), Jessie Wilson (Town of Reading),
Roger Wilson (Civic Decisions), Steve Winslow (Mass in Motion-Cape Ann), Ben Wood (Mass Department
of Public Health) Guests Participating by Telephone: Alan Moore (Friends of the Community Path)
Approval of 11/19/14 Minutes: Tom DiPaolo moved to approve the minutes as written, seconded by
Eileen Gunn, approved unanimously. The Board also unanimously approved the draft meeting schedule for
2015.
Reviewing the Draft Scope for the Updated State Pedestrian Transportation Plan: Josh Lehman,
MassDOT, mentioned that today’s presentation was part of an evolving process. A number of Board
members and guests attended the Pedestrian Plan scoping session at Moving Together 2014. He noted
that the pedestrian transportation planning field was constantly being updated, and cited state plans, such
as from Hawaii, and the recent Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) publication, “Statewide Pedestrian
and Bicycle Planning Handbook.” These documents have assisted MassDOT’s pedestrian transportation
planning efforts. Distributed in advance of today’s meeting was a draft document identifying our vision,
goals and objectives for the Pedestrian Plan. Your comments on this draft document today, as well as
within two weeks from now, would be greatly appreciated. Comments should be sent directly to Josh
Lehman. Note that some of the proposed material is similar to that contained in the 1998 Pedestrian Plan,
but there have been many changes in the interim, notably: MassDOT’s GreenDOT Policy; MassDOT’s
Mode Shift Policy; the Healthy Transportation Compact; Safe Routes to Schools; and the Complete Streets
program.
Eileen Gunn, MassDOT, led the ensuing Pedestrian Plan discussion. A number of points were raised:
 The term “ provide” should be used instead of “foster;” the phrase “choosing to walk” should be
changed to “walking”
 The Pedestrian Plan should generally be more focused and less encompassing
 The “Vision Zero” objective is too broad and should be narrower and more specific
 A more attainable vision should be expressed; the Plan should be actionable
 More attention should be paid to why people do not walk
 Land use patterns providing greater walking options require additional attention
 Connectivity deserves additional attention
 Walking should be prioritized more highly in terms of spatial and fiscal resources
 More walking space should be provided whenever and wherever possible
 Marketing strategies for pedestrian-oriented populations should be applied
 Integrate statewide crash data to identify gaps
 Focus resources to create a document more easily used by municipalities
 The Plan should not be redundant, as in merely repeating Complete Streets designs
 An ongoing technical assistance program (e.g. MassinMotion) should be a byproduct of the Plan
 Measurable improvements should be made through routine maintenance, especially in winter: snow
removal, pothole repair, restriping lines)
Status of Compete Streets (CS) Funding and Training Programs, and Model Policy: Eileen Gunn,
MassDOT: She introduced Trish Domigan and Albert Ng of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB). They spoke
about two issues: MassDOT’s CS Program Objectives, and Massachusetts Municipal Chapter 90-I Policy
Elements. Gunn stated that any comments on the CS presentation should be directed to Josh Lehman. All
CS material is draft, for discussion purposes only. Much of the material being presented had been
generated by Smart Growth America. The following comments were made during the presentation:
 The CS funding program should be structured so that more community participation is attracted.
Facilitate the application process by streamlining multiple rules and regulations, and having
templates and/or models to follow to provide structure and flexibility
 The success of the Green Communities program may serve as a good model for the CS program
 The program is still preliminary, and in flux; MassDOT’s next Secretary will not officially start until
February 2
 The new CS training program is under development and is also intended to assist communities with
understanding how to access CS funding
 Close oversight of the CS Program funds will be required; MassDOT will work closely with the
MPOs
 “Best practices” do not equal better practices; the program should promote the best possible
designs
 Crash data should be factored in when selecting locations for improvements
 Better guidance and more incentives should be provided on what will actually trigger projects
 Will funding be provided for maintenance as well as new projects? This should be clarified
 Design Exception criteria need to be reviewed before the final draft, as many perceive them as
being too onerous
Other Business, Public Comments & Questions:
 Bill Hanson of the Framingham Bicycle-Pedestrian Committee mentioned several potential
improvements along the Cochituate Rail Trail: better linkage to the Framingham MBTA Commuter
Rail station; a new bridge over Rt. 30; and potential dual-mode use of the trail
 Pete Stidman of the Boston Cyclists Union (BCU) added that he expected a BCU committee would
be providing better input to the Board. BCU is also working closely with the Department of
Conservation and Recreation (DCR) on bicycle parking issues.
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 Wendy Landman of WalkBoston announced that their 25 anniversary celebration would be held on
March 25. On March 26, a walking conference will be hosted by a number of organizations at the
Boston Society of Architects (BSA).
 Steve Miller (Livable Streets) asked about Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funding for posting
East Coast Greenway (ECG) signs. Lehman provided background on the Manual of Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (MUTCD) requirements for the planning, design and placement of signs.
2015 Schedule: Next Meeting: The next Board meeting is scheduled to be held in the Montachusett
Region, at the Ayer Town Hall, 1 Main Street Ayer Wednesday, March 18, 1 – 3 PM.
Adjournment: Eileen Gunn adjourned the meeting at 3:05 PM.