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Minutes – Draft #1
TCBA Advocacy Committee
July 9, 2014 Meeting
Location
6-7:30 p.m.
Attending: Mike Unsworth, Art Slabosky, Steve Leiby, Tim Potter,
Guest: Aaron Fields
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Call to Order at 6:13
Approval of modified Agenda
Approval of minutes for June 11 meeting--done
Old Business:
A. Cross Regional Routes Forum update:
1. A master map has been produced
2. The next step is to check the routes. Steve will canvass for riders in
the Chainwheel Chatter and other media
B. Bike Parking update:
1. Stipulation document:
a. While the version that was discussed as the June meeting may
seem to be overly detailed, it was drafted to insure passage by
the TCBA Board
b. After Steve and Mike review the most recent version, Mike will
contact the Sinas Dramis Law Firm for a price quote on drafting
a contact
c. Once a reasonable quote is obtained, Steve & Mike will take
the stipulation to the TCBA Board for approval
d. Once approved, a contract and an information sheet (both print
& online) will be created.
e. Then the program will officially be announced
2. Enlisting local media, such as City Pulse , to cover bike parking in
the area—We had a brief discussion; no conclusions were reached
3. “Guerrilla bike parking”
a. Definition: the placing of bike racks or other parking devices in
areas which need them without consulting the land owner for
approval
b. We concluded that TCBA money could not be used to fund
such parking due to liability concerns.
4. Bike Lid (http://www.bikelid.com/)-- Tim & Mike had meetings
earlier this week with its president who was on a Midwestern sales
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V.
trip. Due to its cost, this would not be a good fit with the TCBA
program. Mike suggested that the company contact CATA since but
it might work for CATA’s stations, especially the new Amtrak
facility.
C. 2015 National Bike Month (NBM) event—we did some brainstorming:
1. The goal would be to have local officials meet at an event in late
April /early May to kick-off NBM. The inspiration is the annual
NBM ride by the Kalamazoo and Portage mayors
2. Possible routes:
a. Old Town to Downtown Lansing via the River Trail
b. Maguire Park at Jolly and Aurelius. The Lansing and East
Lansing mayors could bike from their downtowns via the River
Trail and meet with the Delhi Township officials (and possibly
those from other jurisdictions). They would then pedal the new
Delhi Township section of the River Trail.
3. Enlisting officials:
a. Jessica Yorko for Lansing
b. Julie Powers for East Lansing
c. Steve for Delhi Township
d. Mike for Meridian Township :
D. Detour Sign letter to MDOT:
1. The letter will be modified. The new draft will be circulated by email, and then sent to the MDOT chief
2. People should query their contacts in the other MDOT regions to see
if similar situations have occurred
New Business:
A. Lansing Bike Co-op (lansingbikecoop.org) update:
1. 1715 E. Kalamazoo Street location (http://tiny.cc/LBC-GEarth):
a. The building will be used for storage of parts and tools. Actual
bike repairs will be done in a tent in the parking area. The Co-op
will ask for donations from users
b. At this point, work can’t be done indoors since the non-operable
plumbing needs to be brought up to code.
c. The roof keeps leaking but repairs still haven’t been done despite
frequent calls to the contractor
2. Obtaining tools—We suggested several different options
3. Once the Co-op is up and running, there will be a call for volunteer
mechanics who will guide people in making their own repairs
B. East Lansing developments
1. Public Works Director opening:
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VI.
a. The current Director, Todd Sneathen, is leaving for work in the
private sector.
b. The committee decided that among the qualifications/attributes
for the next director should be experience/a positive attitude
towards Non-Motorized Transportation (NMT)
c. Mike will draft a letter to the City of East Lansing encouraging
it to incorporate proactive NMT language in the job description
2. Problem with the thermoplastic coating on the East Lansing portion
of Kalamazoo Street (See Illustration #1)—The coating laid down
during last summer’s reconstruction is peeling off. Mike will
contact Diane Tweede of the East Lansing Transportation
Committee about this.
C. MT projects:
1. Okemos Road pedestrian bridge over the Red Cedar River (See
Illustration #2)—has been delayed; who know why
2. The Marsh Road bridge over CN tracks (See Illustration #3):
a. The County is supposed to do some kind of work in 2015.
b. We decided that if the work is extensive, it should include an
extension of the Inter-Urban Pathway
c. Mike will contact Township officials about getting an official
recommendation
D. Bill Conklin of the Ingham County Road Department should be invited
to a fall meeting
E. At the Delta Township Open House of the Tri-County Regional
Planning Commission, non-motorist transit concerns were not discussed
by Commission staffers
Future Meetings:
A. August 13 at The Avenue Café
B. Will continue to be on the Second Wednesday of each month
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Illustration #1: Kalamazoo St., East Lansing
Illustration #2: Okemos Bridge,
Meridian Township
Illustration #3: Marsh Rd. Bridge,
Meridian Township