Town of Mansfield

Transportation Advisory Committee

Minutes of the Meeting

November 23, 2004

 

Present:      Zimmer (Acting Chair), Hall, Nash, Koehn, Aho, Hultgren (staff), vanZelm (Downtown Partnership), Marquette, Toledano, Fitzgerald (Downtown Partnership Consultants), Martin & Carla Fox (Storrs Heights Road).

 

The meeting was called to order by Acting Chair Zimmer at 7:40 p.m.

 

The Minutes of the September 23, 2004 meeting were approved on a motion by Nash/Hall.

 

Hultgren circulated the recent press-release regarding the ride-share portion of the Town’s web page and a summary of the recent WRTD fee increases.

 

Marquette, Toledano and Fitzgerald of the Downtown Partnership design team gave a brief overview of the proposed development focusing on the transportation and traffic aspects.  They showed a plan to try to change the character of Route 195 between Dog Lane and South Eagleville Road by adding trees, median strips, parallel parking, narrower lanes and other measures that would give a village atmosphere to the area.  Committee members asked several questions including how this development might better serve all modes of transportation. The plans will continue to be revised and discussed with DOT.

 

Hultgren updated committee members on ongoing projects – the Route 44 bikeway is under construction and will continue to be worked on until winter shutdown.  The Separatist Road bikeway easements are being appraised.  Both the Maple Road reconstruction and the Clover Mill Road loop reclamation projects are undergoing final DOT review.

 

Hultgren reported that the recently requested walkway improvement project on the south side of Route 6 was actually in Windham and while the Town could conceivably support it as a regional project, he did not think it should be listed on the Town’s walkway priority list.

 

Paul Aho reported that with reduced federal, state and Town of Windham funding, the WRTD bus services (including dial-a-ride) were seriously underfunded.  He said to expect service reductions in the near future.

 

The Foxes (Storrs Heights Road) explained that the intersections leading out of their neighborhood onto Route 195 (North and South Flaherty Road) were very dangerous and they were also worried that the downtown proposal might make them worse.  After some discussion, they were referred to the Town’s Traffic Authority which deals with such matters.

 

The next meeting will be held in January unless a December meeting is required.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:23 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Lon R. Hultgren

Director of Public Works

 

cc:   Town Manager, Town Clerk, Town Planner, Assist. Town Engineer, Project Engr., Social Services Dir., J. Freniere,