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Bedford Bicycle Advisory Committee

(approved 2003 May 14)

April 9, 2003, multi-town annual meeting

Present: Joel Parks, Charlie Schwerin, Charlie Webster, Ray Ruetenik,, Bob Sawyer, Jean Hammond, Craig Della Penna, Rich Warrrington, Bob Evans, Don Blake, Holly Webster, and guests to total about thirty people.

7:30 pm. Minutes from March were approved.

Joel summarized the status of the workings of our committee:

1. Bedford Safety day will be on a Saturday in June, this year geared to those ages 4 - 12.
2. The after school program planned was canceled due to lack of participants.
3. There is slow but steady progress on the development of the Bridge Street path.
4. We are formalizing the extension toward the Concord line.
5. The intersection at Route 62 and Crosby Drive is a continued problem.
6. It is also difficult to get from Bedford center to the Burlington mall due to lack of proper construction.
7. We are urging property owners to keep the sections of sidewalk in front of their property clear.
8. We did succeed in getting the parking by-laws amended to allow for increased bicycle parking.
9. We are continuing to work on a circular bike tour of Bedford but there is still one small gap.

Next meeting: May 14, 7:30pm Town , Auditorium

Meeting adjourned 8:30pm.

Bedford Friends of the Minuteman Bikeway

Treasurer’s report: Don Blake reported a current balance of $640. All memberships are now due for the next year.

• Ray Ruetenik, Charlie Schwerin, Don Blake, and Joel Parks.

• The plans for the Buffalo of Albany 400 mile trail which includes a bike ferry to complete the gaps.
• Massachusetts is planning the 104 mile Central Rail Trail and over a dozen groups are meeting locally and working on their sections. The Wachusett Greenways has been very successful.
• The Minuteman bikeway will be a part of the mobile workshop on June 28 as part of the Traillink 2003 - Providence, June 26 - June 29.
• Massachusetts is last among the states for rail trail development, and we hope the governor will want to change this.

• Charlie Martin of Concord reported that his committee is making considerable progress contacting the abutters of the Bruce Freeman trail in Concord.
• It is important to contact Rotary organizations who have great local influence.
• The Manning Bridge over Route 3 has room for bikes but Bedford’s BBAC is not yet sure which of three possibilities to use to connect from the NGRT to Manning street.
• The Cambridge end of the Minuteman bikeway will connect to the Mass Central Rail Trail.
• A guest spoke to encourage non-paving and also bike courtesy.
• The Mass highway department favors paving because paving is their thing.
• To get info re costs of surfaces, contact the website trailsandgreenways.org.
• The Battleroad path, which is stone dust, contains some very steep grades but all rail trails have no more than a 3% grade.
• $600,000 to $1,000,000 will be needed to cross Route 2, but this is a small amount for DEM moneys.
• The BBAC would love to connect our extension with the Bruce Freeman Trail, the committee for which will meet next on April 22 at the Pedal Power on Great Road in Acton .