2010-10-13 PTC MinutesPublic Transportation Committee
Minutes
10/13/10
Present: Elyse Link, Jim Nash, John Norton, Alex Ghiselin, David Elvin of PVPC,
Jamin Carroll of VATCO, Wayne Feiden, and Leslie Stein
Public Comment: none
Minutes of 9/8/10 were approved
Transit Goals from Sustainability Plan: The Committee discussed the specifics of the
goals in the Sustainability Plan with Wayne Feiden. He explained that Transit Oriented
Development is a concept that is more significa for deve P nt loers, particularly if light rail
is established in the community. He also said that current site plan permitting process has
a general clause about considering transit but there is no standard. Wayne suggested that
this committee should provide the city with more specific language about what things are
important. In regard to a Public Transportation Plan Wayne suggested that we draft a plan
to include routes, use of shelters and pull offs, and flag stops to permanent stops. He
suggested that this plan be presented to the Parking and Transportation Commission, the
Planning Board, the Board of Public Works, and the City Council.
Old Business
David Elvin reported that the Route 9 Transportation Management Association is
not active at this time. Contact info is:
Robert Hendry
UMASS Commuter Options Program
Parking Services /Transit Services
Lot 25 Trailers
Amherst, MA 01003
(413) 545 -6585
ride sharegadmin . umas s . edu
Alex Ghiselin, John Norton and Jim Nash presented a letter from this committee
at the last meeting of the Zoning Revisions Committee meeting in regard to the
consideration of public transit.
Alex Ghiselin reported that the President of the BID will attend our next meeting
to discuss snow removal. Alex also offered to invite someone from DPW. Jamin
Carroll will call the BID President before our next meeting to explain the PVTA
policies around snow removal.
The process for bus stop signage was presented to the Parking and Transportation
Commission at the last meeting. The process was accepted and will be included in
the next revision of the Transportation Plan.
4. New Business
The Parking and Transportation Commission had a request to remove the posted
bus stop at Straw Ave. Jamin Carroll reported that they gathered ridership data for
a couple of weeks and found that three to four people a day use that stop and
some of those individuals are not able bodied, so walking a distance from another
stop would not be favorable. Replacing the dedicated stop with a flag stop would
also make use of the bus ramp difficult, leaving passengers
in the street between
parked cars. They recommended that the stop remain.
Taxicabs in the city: tabled until the next meeting
David Elvin reminded members that the next PVTA rider forum is Monday
October 25 at 4Pm at the Senior Center.