Meeting Summary, September 7, 2022
Attending: Clark, Hultgren, Palmer, Waldburger, Bloom, Weinland, Gosselin, Yakovleff, Manizza
The meeting began at approximately 7:05 pm. The minutes of the July 7th meeting were reviewed and no changes made.
The Bike Mansfield booth at the Town’s September 24th festival was discussed. It was agreed to conduct another “identify the bike parts” contest and raffle for a $40 gift certificate to Storrs Center Cycle as was done in 2021. Hultgren, Weinland and Clark will staff the booth, and other members are welcome to stop in for a shift. “Watch for me CT” will be sharing the booth and advocating for pedestrian and bicycle safety as is its mission. The booth will be open from 2 to 6pm, and setup will begin at 12:30.
The next steps needed for helping to complete Mansfield’s BFC renewal application (due Sept 29th) were discussed. Hultgren said that he was meeting with the Town’s Assistant Town Engineer and the application was well underway, but much work by the Town still was needed to complete the data (like miles of roads, bike routes, multi-use paths, etc.) required. Cecile and Andy from the EHHD were also assisting in getting answers to the questions about the Town’s human services related services.
Hultgren said that he was nearly done with revising the draft Town Pedestrian/Bicycle Master Plan. He said he was adding photographs and the Town needed to provide much of the same data needed for the BFC application for the plan. The 3 maps for the plan (maps of bike routes, walkways and destinations) are still in progress in the Town’s Engineering Office. Palmer said he would help in re-formatting/wording the recommendations section.
Clark reported that UConn had submitted its BFU application to the League this summer, and to watch for the survey that will be sent out on bicycling on the campus. She also said that the campus’s Active Transportation Study was now in draft form being reviewed by UConn staff. She was happy that the work done over the past couple of years by the Bicycle Working Group was noted in the study and she agreed with many of the recommendations made. Hultgren asked for a copy of the study to append to the Town’s BFC application if a public version was available prior to Sept 29th.
Manizza said that the annual Cyclocross race at Mansfield Hollow State Park would be taking place on October 15th and they could use some volunteer help with the event, particularly at the refreshments table.
An open=ended discussion of bicycle and pedestrian safety ensued. Because of this year’s fatality on South Eagleville Road, this road became the focus of the discussion. The needed changes to this state highway were discussed and the problems with putting a signal at the Separatist/275 intersection were emphasized. Hultgren agreed to find out what the status of the signal project was and to share that with members so that an appropriate way to ask the Town (or State) to consider a roundabout rather than a signal at that intersection could be determined. Depending on the plans for the road, a group visit to a Town Council meeting could be warranted. Clark spoke of the success UConn’s new roundabout has had and offered to contact someone at UConn to relay this experience to the Town.
The meeting was concluded at approximately 7:50 pm.
Lon Hultgren, Secretary Treasurer
hultgrenlr981@gmail.com