Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee

Jerry Van Hook, chair 781-862-7043

1998-10-27 [Has been submitted to the board of Selectmen for updating fall 2001.]

Charge to the Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee

The Lexington Bicycle Advisory Committee is an advisory committee to the Board of Selectmen. It replaces the Minute Man Commuter Bikeway Committee which was established in 1992 and is dissolved herewith.

The functions to be performed by the reorganized committee are listed below. These functions are to be performed consistent with the terms of the License Agreement of December 1987 between the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MTBA) and the Town of Lexington. This agreement specifies that: "Lexington agrees that it will use the line segment as a 'bikeway', a way established for the passage of bicycles without active power."

Functions of the Committee

The Committee is charged to advise the Selectmen on matters relating to the Bikeway routes, lanes, paths and parking so as to serve the best interests of the Town of Lexington and its citizens and the neighboring communities effected by these facilities. This includes:

1. Monitoring and advising on the completion of the construction phase of the Minute Man Commuter Bikeway with attention to such factors as: safety at road crossings, adequacy of landscaping and drainage, effectiveness of access gates and directional signage, etc.
2. Monitoring and advising on the operation, maintenance and security of the Lexington bicycle facilities with the objective of encouraging their harmonious use and enjoyment by a variety of patrons, including: cyclists of all ages, inline skaters, wheelchair users, joggers and walkers, with or without pets.
3. Working with concerned Town officials, state agencies and representatives of adjacent towns to develop connecting bikeways, agreed upon rules of the road and consistent policies and procedures for the operation, maintenance and security of the Bikeway.
4. Collaboration with non-government groups and associations to encourage and coordinate participation by volunteers in the care and maintenance of the Lexington bicycle facilities.
5. Working with Town committees and with commercial interests to encourage bicycling activities and amenities which will benefit the Lexington community.
6. Articulating and responding to the concerns and interests of abutters, commuters, and other neighborhood users of Lexington bicycle facilities.
7. Reviewing and advising on proposals for the extension of the Minute Man Commuter Bikeway and its linkage to bikeways in adjacent towns.

Membership

The Committee will consist of ten members appointed by the Board of Selectmen, four of them ex-officio and six chosen from concerned citizens.

The ex-officio members will represent the Selectmen, the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, and the Recreation Committee, respectively. They will be nominated by their respective boards and committees and will serve at the discretion of these boards and committees. The Planning Board member will be known as the Bicycling Coordinator.

The citizen members will be chosen by the Selectmen to represent the interests of abuttors and users and to include those whose talents and commitment may be helpful to the Committee in carrying out its charge. Terms of office for citizen members will be for two years, on a staggered basis, with three of the six to be appointed or reappointed each year on or about October first. Beginning October 1, 1992, three members will be appointed for one year terms only and three will be appointed to full two year terms.

At its first meeting following the October appointments process, the Committee will elect one of its members to serve as Chairman (Chair) for the following year.