Transportation Committee (TC) meeting minutes, May 4, 2022

Present: Mary Day Mordecai (chair), Barbara Watkins, Earl Horn, Erin Hammerstedt, Ned Hulbert.  Absent: Alison Weber.

Next Meeting:  Wednesday, June 8, 2022.   8:30-9:30 am 

Update on regulations concerning posting meetings and minutes

  • Mary Day sent minutes to Mary Ann to be posted on town website.
  • Mary Day wrote TC description, which has been forwarded to co-chairs of Planning Board for approval before being posted on town website.

Updates on Radar on Route 137

  • Earl reported that radar on Route 137 is now working, but he was unable to get data from Cloud. He contacted the vendor for reboot instructions and will try to fix the problem next week.

Radar Data Collection in absence of Town Police Chief

  • Earl distributed weekly reports of radar data from Main Street unit. TC discussed reporting. Mary Day asked that the report be corrected to 30 mph, which is the designated speed limit.
  • We have a lot of fact-based information here. TC thinks we need to give a summary and brief narrative analysis.  Police Chief needs to know best time of day to slow down speeding vehicles.
  • We need to locate initial SWRPC (and Chief Tollett’s stealth) benchmark data before radar started up.
  • TC decision on radar reports: TC will give quarterly reports to PB (Planning Board) and SB (Select Board) – with summary of traffic volume counts, speeds – and a narrative to note issues to be mindful of (progress or lack of progress).
  • First report will be given after June: to cover spring quarter (Apr/May/June): at July TC meeting
  • Once Chief hired s/he can add what is being done around traffic control to our report. (Does fear of enforcement keep speeding down and lack of same, increase speeding?)

 

Updates on evaluation and education for first MAST 2020 grant

  • We are holding conversations with event location owners on how to promote safe driving for Harrisville visitors; final plan will be developed at TC May meeting. Preliminary talks were held with venue owners this month on best approach: Shane (Mary Day), Maria (Alison), Akhil/Lee, Sara Hefron (Erin). Aldworth is happy to put out TC traffic/pedestrian/bicycle safety information in their advance info to clients and on location.  Erin is in dialogue with Mayfair and Cobb Hill about understanding the need. Alison has spoken to Maria.

 

  • Mary Day will draft a brief information piece by May 13 and pass to TC members for feedback.

 

  • Planning for educational session at Library on outcomes of 2020 MAST Grant re: Town Radars and Trail Work. Meeting to be information-themed, comparing pre- and post-summer traffic data. To be scheduled and conducted in early October.

 

  • A Common Threads TC article on the work sponsored by the first MAST grant will be submitted by the May 20 deadline for June/July edition. Mary Day will draft initial article for comment by TC by May 13.

 

  • Erin has reserved space for TC 150th celebration booth: TC will have a table with the Trails group. Erin will request TC booth with Old Home Days planners. Barbara will ask Alison for a canopy.

 

  • Erin has drafted our MAST 2020 public survey in Survey Monkey to assess trail improvements and new radars and will manage the link. Mary Ann will post our survey link on the town website.

Survey will be reviewed and finalized by TC members by June 6 – to be available from mid-June through mid-July.  A paper survey will be available on Sesquicentennial (Old Home) days, July 22-24. Surveys will also be posted online via QR code information to be publicized at General Store and around Town.  Mary Day has spoken with Mary Ann about Town website link for survey access.

 

  • TC will print card with online code access information and extra paper copy surveys will be made available during Old Home Days.

 

Next steps on current MAST 2021 grant for Wells Memorial School two radar set-ups

  • Mary Day talked with Henry Underwood to set dates for a SWRPC speed and traffic volume test to run at Wells Memorial School before the new School Zone radars are set up. Test will occur before Memorial Day weekend.  MD will check to see the SWRPC tests handle traffic data from both directions, as we will have one radar working each directions.  Mary Day will coordinate with new school Principal and update her on all details for the SWRPC speed/volume study project.

 

  • Wells Memorial School has donated $500 for the radar to stay on budget.

 

  • Mary Day will ask Mary Ann about financial reporting coordination with Town for MAST grant 2021 costs, invoicing, etc.

 

  • Ordering of radars was done in mid-March. Steel posts will arrive in May, radar/signs in May.

 

  • EZ-Crete is managing all concrete pier production costsfor two radar signs on either side of Wells Memorial. Earl and Ned met with SB and Wes to confirm that the Town will handle pick-up of EZ-Crete concrete piers, digging of holes for piers and posts – in coordination with Jeff Cady, who will handle install of radar/signs on steel posts on both concrete piers.

 

  • Goal for install of two school radars will be by sometime in June/July.