10. A communication transmitted from Lisa C. Peterson, Acting City Manager, requesting the City Council accept Chapter 218 of the Acts of 2016, “An Act Modernizing Municipal Finance and Government”, Sections 193 and 194 giving municipalities the authority to reduce speed limits on all ways other than state highways.
Order Adopted

Nov 7, 2016
To the Honorable, the City Council:

On Aug 9, 2016, Chapter 218 of the Acts of 2016, “An Act Modernizing Municipal Finance and Government” (hereinafter, the “Act”) was enacted. Sections 193 and 194 of the Act give municipalities the authority to reduce speed limits on all ways other than state highways. In order for the City of Cambridge to avail itself of these provisions, the City Council must accept them.

I respectfully request that the City Council accept Section 193 and Section 194 of the Act, which would authorize the Director of Traffic, Parking, and Transportation (the “Director”) to promulgate traffic regulations to reduce speed limits as permitted under the Act. Sections 193 and 194 of the Act are effective ninety (90) days after the Act is enacted, on Nov 7, 2016. The full text of these sections is provided for reference at the end of this communication.

Section 193 of the Act authorizes the Director to promulgate a traffic regulation that would reduce the speed limit on all ways other than state highways that are in “thickly settled or business districts” to twenty-five (25) miles per hour. Section 194 of the Act authorizes the Director to promulgate a traffic regulation that would establish designated “safety zones” which would have a speed limit of twenty (20) miles per hour.

As many on the City Council are aware, there is a strong correlation between the speed at which a crash occurs and the severity of the incident, particularly for vulnerable users such as cyclists and pedestrians. Given the strong concerns regarding safety for these users and our collective desire to promote sustainable transportation modes, lowering speed limits is a critical step to improve safety within Cambridge, particularly as we continue to implement our Vision Zero initiatives.

Should the City Council accept these two sections of the Act, the City Administration will begin to undertake the actions necessary to implement these changes, including the following:

• The Director will promulgate a new traffic regulation lowering the speed limit on ways located within “thickly settled or business districts” to twenty-five (25) miles per hour. The phrase “thickly settled or business district” is defined in G.L. c. 90, § 1 as: “the territory contiguous to any way which is built up with structures devoted to business, or the territory contiguous to any way where the dwelling houses are situated at such distances as will average less than two hundred feet between them for a distance of a quarter of a mile or over.” Although based on this definition, much of Cambridge would likely be considered a “thickly settled or business district,” the Director would have to determine which ways are located in areas that would fit within the statutory definition of a “thickly settled or business district.”

• Public notice of the traffic regulation must be published for at least three successive weeks in one or more local newspapers in Cambridge. The earliest possible effective date of the traffic regulation would be twenty-one (21) days following the publication in the newspaper of the first public notice. Based on these requirements and the publishing schedule for the Cambridge Chronicle, we anticipate that the new speed limit will go into effect not sooner than Dec 8, 2016.

• Purchase and install the signs necessary to let the public know about this change. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) recently published guidance on how to implement the new speed limit requirements, which is available online here:
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/Departments/TrafficandSafetyEngineering/SpeedLimits/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.aspx.
We will work to follow that guidance.

• A number of City departments will work together to implement a public awareness campaign so that drivers become aware of the new speed limits, along with the safety benefits associated with driving more slowly. Although the Police Department will be working diligently to enforce the new speed limits once they go into effect, it is also important that the public become aware through proactive communications that include a message about why driving more slowly is beneficial to the community.

• Traffic, Parking, and Transportation, Community Development, Police, and Public Works will work together to develop a specific program to recommend areas that should be designated as safety zones, which, pursuant to Section 194 of the Act, will have a speed limit of twenty (20) miles per hour. While we expect there to be community demand for Safety Zones in various locations around the city, the MassDOT guidance recommends specific criteria for the establishment of designated safety zones. To make these zones effective, we believe that they need to be deployed strategically in locations with characteristics that support both the need and the ability to introduce a lower speed limit. To that end, the Director expects to develop criteria for the establishment of designated safety zones, which can be used both to proactively introduce safety zones and to effectively respond to community requests for safety zones. Following the development of those criteria, the Director will take the steps necessary to promulgate a traffic regulation in order to implement the establishment of designated safety zones. The promulgation of this regulation will include the same notice procedures that will be used for the promulgation of the regulation reducing speed limits in “thickly settled or business districts.”

As City Councillors know, we are committed to creating the safest possible community, through a range of infrastructure, education, public health, policing, and policy actions. Enabling this reduction in speed limits is an important element of the efforts. I recommend that you vote to accept Section 193 and Section 194 of this Act, as we continue to work together on making Cambridge safer and stronger.

Full text of Section 193 and Section 194 of Chapter 218 of the Acts of 2016:
SECTION 193.Chapter 90 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 17B the following section:

Section 17C. (a) Notwithstanding section 17 or any other general or special law to the contrary, the city council, the transportation commissioner of the city of Boston, the board of selectmen, park commissioners, a traffic commission or traffic director of a city or town that accepts this section in the manner provided in section 4 of chapter 4 may, in the interests of public safety and without further authority, establish a speed limit of 25 miles per hour on any roadway inside a thickly settled or business district in the city or town on any way that is not a state highway.

(b) Upon establishing a speed limit under this section, the city or town shall notify the department. The operation of a motor vehicle at a speed in excess of a speed limit established under this section shall be a violation of section 17.

SECTION 194. Said chapter 90 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 18A the following section:

Section 18B. (a) Notwithstanding section 18 or any other general or special law to the contrary, the city council, the transportation commissioner of the city of Boston, the board of selectmen, park commissioners, a traffic commission or traffic director of a city or town that accepts this section in the manner provided in section 4 of chapter 4 may, in the interests of public safety and without further authority, establish designated safety zones on, at or near any way in the city or town which is not a state highway, and with the approval of the department if the same is a state highway. Such safety zones shall be posted as having a speed limit of 20 miles per hour.

(b) The operation of a motor vehicle in such zone at a speed exceeding the speed limit established under this section shall be a violation of section 17.

The full text of the entire Act is available here:

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2016/Chapter218

Very truly yours, Lisa C. Peterson, Acting City Manager

11. A communication transmitted from Lisa C. Peterson, Acting City Manager, relative to Council Order No. 15, dated Oct 31, 2016, regarding a Request for Proposal for consultant services related to the visioning, programming, governance, and repurposing of the Harvard Square Kiosk as well as creating a Harvard Square Kiosk Working Group.
Placed on File

Nov 7, 2016
To the Honorable, the City Council:

Please find attached a response to Council Order No. 15, dated Oct 31, 2016, regarding a Request for Proposal for consultant services related to the visioning, programming, governance, and repurposing of the Harvard Square Kiosk as well as creating a Harvard Square Kiosk Working Group, received from Assistant City Manager for Community Development Iram Farooq.

Very truly yours, Lisa C. Peterson, Acting City Manager

---

To: Lisa Peterson, Acting City Manager
From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development
Date: Nov 2, 2016
Re: Council Order #15 dated 10/31/16, regarding a Request for Proposal (RFP File 7430) for consultant services related to the visioning, programming, governance, and repurposing of the Harvard Square Kiosk.

Since 2014, the City has been engaged in a public process to develop recommendations for placemaking and future use of the Harvard Square kiosk and plaza. As described at the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts & Celebration Committee on Sept 28, 2016, next steps in the process are as follows:

1. Development of Vision -- creating a vision for the programming, operation and governance of the kiosk and plaza. City staff will work with a consultant and working group on this task. To this end, we will need to:
   1. Hire a consultant to assist in developing options and
   2. Appoint a working group of stakeholders (residents, business and institutional representatives) and subject matter experts to work with City staff, the public and the consultant in developing and recommending to the City Manager, a vision for the kiosk and plaza
2. Operation and Implementation -- If the City decides to contract out for the operation of the kiosk, we will use the vision developed by the working group, staff, and consultant as the basis to develop a procurement process to hire an operator for the kiosk

It is important to note that the consultant in Step 1-a is different from the operator, if hired, in Step 2 above and an operator selection will require separate public procurement processes. The procurement of an operator would occur after the charge of the consultant and the working group is concluded.

Vision Development
Both the consultant and working group will be involved in the development of the vision. It has been our goal that the selection of a consultant would occur at the same time as the selection of a working group, so that the consultant is in place for the first meeting of the working group and can participate in and facilitate the discussion.

Working Group
A call for the working group members is attached and will be posted on Nov 8, 2016.

Consultant RFP
On Oct 27, 2016, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for hiring a consultant to assist the City to “create a vision for the programming, operation and governance of the kiosk”, with the goal that the completed vision document would be used to help “guide the future governance, operations, and programming of the kiosk and the surrounding plaza”.

Public Input and Timing
We recognize that there has been some confusion related to the scope of this RFP. To address any confusion, provide an opportunity for greater community input into the scope, and allow an extended time to promote the RFP, we will suspend the current RFP and seek public comment on the scope and evaluation criteria. The scope document will be posted on the CDD website at http://www.cambridgema.gov/cdd/projects/parks/hsquarepublicspace.

The comment period on the RFP will extend for three weeks and comments will inform any changes to the RFP before it is reposted. We will ensure that the revised RFP is posted for six weeks to allow sufficient time to publicize the opportunity to potential respondents.

All City RFP processes have to be conducted in compliance with Mass. General Laws c. 30B section 6d) that requires that “…until the completion of the evaluations, or until the time for acceptance specified in the request for proposals, whichever occurs earlier, the contents of the proposals shall remain confidential and shall not be disclosed to competing offerors” hence public review during the course of procurement will not be possible.

Relationship to Potential Historical Landmarking Process
In our planning, we anticipate minimal changes to the kiosk structure. Hence we feel that the development of vision for programming, operations, and governance can proceed simultaneously with any discussions at the Cambridge Historical Commission. Moreover, the Director of the Cambridge Historical Commission has been very involved in the work on this project to date and will continue to remain involved as project staff to ensure coordination between the processes.

HARVARD SQUARE KIOSK WORKING GROUP
CALL FOR MEMBERS

Harvard Square Kiosk Working Group Seeks Members
The City of Cambridge is seeking volunteers to serve on a new Harvard Square Kiosk Working Group. This working group is being created to advise the City Manager on the vision for the programming, operation and governance of the Harvard Square kiosk and plaza. A key goal of this project is to develop a framework for ongoing operation of this significant space that ensures the public nature of the kiosk and its surrounding plaza over time. The working group will include residents, business and institutional representatives, and subject matter experts and will work with City staff and a consultant to develop options for programming, governance framework, and operations plan including ideas for budgeting/financing and possible revenue sources. The outcomes of the group’s work should advance the City’s efforts toward public realm improvements in Harvard Square.

Individuals with interest in the Harvard Square area, experience/expertise in relevant topics (e.g. urban design, public space programming, fiscal management, public/private partnership development, and public facilities operations), and a demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse viewpoints to craft consensus solutions are encouraged to apply.

The group will meet approximately monthly for a period of six-eight months starting January 2017.

Please send a letter of interest by Dec 2, 2016 describing your interest and any experience you have working on similar issues to:
Lisa Peterson, Acting City Manager
Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139
EMAIL: citymanager@cambridgema.gov

Click here for more information on the Harvard Square Placemaking.

O-2     Nov 7, 2016
MAYOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: On Oct 17, 2016, the City Council passed a series of policy orders directing the City Manager to implement measures meant to make our streets safer for bicyclists, particularly in light of the two bicycling fatalities that have occurred in Cambridge this year; and
WHEREAS: This meeting included a late policy order asking that the City Manager to work with the appropriate City personnel to synthesize these various policy orders into “an overarching work plan” for the appropriate City departments to implement; and
WHEREAS: It is critical that the people of Cambridge have a clear sense of how this work is progressing over the coming days, weeks, and months, and it is also critical that the City establish a clear timeline and set of expectations for how this work can and should progress; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council formally go on record in urging the City Manager to establish a deadline of Nov 1, 2017 for fully implementing the various street improvements and safety measures for increasing bicycle safety that were passed during the Oct 17 meeting; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Council formally go on record in urging the City Manager to establish a detailed set of benchmarks and completion dates and to include end of year 2016 for pilot popup infrastructure, spring 2017 for additional popup infrastructure and Nov 1, 2017 for fully implementing the various street improvements and safety measures for increasing bicycle safety that were passed during the Oct 17 meeting; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to update the City Council no later than Dec 12, 2016 on a timeline for implementing the special informational webpage called for in Policy Order #263 at the Oct 17, 2016 City Council meeting.

O-3     Nov 7, 2016
COUNCILLOR MAZEN
VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: Cambridge is a City that respects, values, and wishes to nurture the diversity among its residents, and has been progressive in the past by passing legislation meant to improve the lives of the residents it serves; and
WHEREAS: Non-citizen residents in Cambridge are fellow taxpayers concerned with issues of local governance and representation, but are presently barred from formally voicing their opinions as a constituency since the right to vote locally is not instituted and requires a Home Rule petition; and
WHEREAS: In 2005, the Cambridge City Council sent a home rule petition to enable non-citizen voting rights in our city elections: the petition failed to pass in the State House then, and since the proportion of foreign-born residents in Cambridge has increased; and
WHEREAS: According to the 2014 American Communities Survey conducted by the US Census, Cambridge has over 30,000 foreign-born residents, with more than half being noncitizens; given the bureaucratic nature of the naturalization process, it can take well over a decade to fully enfranchise immigrants who have taken the necessary steps to apply for full citizenship, thus it often takes a decade or more to gain a stake in the decisions of their chosen local government; and
WHEREAS: Important debates and discussions in the city affect citizen residents just as they affect non-citizen residents who enroll their children in Cambridge public schools, pay local, state, and federal taxes, and contribute to our communities on a daily basis, and a parents’ involvement in the education of their children is proven to be pivotal to student academic achievement; and
WHEREAS: There are some municipalities in the country that have passed immigrant voting rights locally, and in Massachusetts alone Brookline, Amherst, Newton, and Cambridge have submitted home rule petitions to the State Legislature seeking non-citizen voting rights for foreign-born residents; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge residents, regardless of citizenship, complete the annual City Census, which the city uses as the basis for creating the voter list, meaning that if non-citizen voting were instituted in our City, there could be less burden to our existing framework for municipal voting; and
WHEREAS: This policy seeks to enfranchise residents presently barred from voting due to their citizenship status, excluding non-immigrant visa holders, so that they may participate equally with their fellow community members in City Council and School Committee elections; now therefore be it
ORDERED: The City Manager be and hereby is requested to instruct the City Solicitor to draft a Home Rule petition entitled “AN ACT TO EMPOWER NON-CITIZEN RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE TO VOTE IN CITY COUNCIL AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS”; and be it further
ORDERED: The City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the City Solicitor on the possibility of allowing non-citizen Cambridge residents to vote in municipal elections without a home-rule petition; and be it further
ORDERED: The City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the Council on this matter.

O-3 (Amended)     Nov 7, 2016
COUNCILLOR MAZEN
VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: Cambridge is a City that respects, values, and wishes to nurture the diversity among its residents, and has been progressive in the past by passing legislation meant to improve the lives of the residents it serves; and
WHEREAS: Non-citizen residents in Cambridge are fellow taxpayers concerned with issues of local governance and representation, but are presently barred from formally voicing their opinions as a constituency since the right to vote locally is not instituted and requires a Home Rule petition; and
WHEREAS: In 2005, the Cambridge City Council sent a home rule petition to enable non-citizen voting rights in our city elections: the petition failed to pass in the State House then, and since the proportion of foreign-born residents in Cambridge has increased; and
WHEREAS: According to the 2014 American Communities Survey conducted by the US Census, Cambridge has over 30,000 foreign-born residents, with more than half being noncitizens; given the bureaucratic nature of the naturalization process, it can take well over a decade to fully enfranchise immigrants who have taken the necessary steps to apply for full citizenship, thus it often takes a decade or more to gain a stake in the decisions of their chosen local government; and
WHEREAS: Important debates and discussions in the city affect citizen residents just as they affect non-citizen residents who enroll their children in Cambridge public schools, pay local, state, and federal taxes, and contribute to our communities on a daily basis; and
WHEREAS: Parents’ involvement in the education of their children is proven to be pivotal to student academic achievement; and
WHEREAS: There are some municipalities in the country that have passed immigrant voting rights locally, and in Massachusetts alone, Brookline, Amherst, Newton, and Cambridge have submitted home rule petitions to the State Legislature seeking non-citizen voting rights for foreign-born residents; and
WHEREAS: Cambridge residents, regardless of citizenship, complete the annual City Census, which the city uses as the basis for creating the voter list, meaning that if non-citizen voting were instituted in our City, there could be less burden to our existing framework for municipal voting; and
WHEREAS: This policy seeks to enfranchise residents presently barred from voting due to their citizenship status, excluding non-immigrant visa holders, so that they may participate equally with their fellow community members in City Council and School Committee elections; and now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Council go on record petitioning the Massachusetts General Court to enact the attached Home Rule Petition entitled “AN ACT TO EMPOWER NONCITIZEN RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE TO VOTE IN CITY COUNCIL AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS” and further order that the City Manager’s office work to confer with the City Solicitor on the possibility of enacting this ordinance without need for a Home Rule petition.

AN ACT TO EMPOWER NON-CITIZEN RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE TO VOTE IN CITY COUNCIL AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section one of chapter fifty-one of the general laws, or any other general or special law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, non-citizens eighteen years or older who reside in the City of Cambridge, upon application, have their names entered on a list of voters, established by the Election Commission, for the city of Cambridge and may thereafter vote in any election for school committee members, City Council, and municipal ballot questions. Such noncitizens members shall remain eligible to vote in school committee and City Council elections for so long as they remain domiciled in Cambridge.

SECTION 2.
The Election Commission is authorized to formulate regulations, guidelines and registration forms to implement the purpose of this act. The voter registration forms include a declaration to be signed under pains and penalties of perjury by the non-citizen voter that: 1) s/he is over the age of eighteen; 2) s/he currently resides in Cambridge; 3) s/he does not hold a non-immigrant visa.

SECTION 3.
Nothing in this act shall be construed to confer upon non-citizens the right to vote for any state or federal office, any state or federal ballot questions, or the right to run for any public office.

O-4     Nov 7, 2016
COUNCILLOR DEVEREUX
COUNCILLOR CARLONE
WHEREAS: Memorial Drive is closed to motor vehicles from Western Avenue to Fresh Pond Parkway between 11am and 7pm on Sundays, starting on the last Sunday in April and ending on the second Sunday in November; and
WHEREAS: The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), which controls Memorial Drive, and the City of Cambridge work together to ensure that the Sunday traffic closings are well-marked and safely enforced; and
WHEREAS: Car-free Sundays began as an experiment in 1976 to create a “people’s park” along the river at the suggestion of the indomitable and visionary Isabella Halstead, who founded the Friends of Riverbend Park; and
WHEREAS: Over the past forty years the Sunday closings have become a beloved tradition that draws thousands of people of all ages to Memorial Drive for fitness, recreation, play, community and reflection on the river’s natural beauty and history of uses; and
WHEREAS: Non-profit partners such as the Charles River Conservancy have provided Sunday programming for families, and many children have learned to bicycle, roller blade and skateboard along Memorial Drive when it is closed to cars; and
WHEREAS: Many residents have asked for the Sunday closings to continue year-round, and have expressed a strong desire to be able to walk, run and ride on Memorial Drive without traffic on Sundays in the winter and early spring; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to request permission from the DCR to continue Sunday closings on Memorial Drive year-round, starting in early 2017, and to work with the Cambridge Police, Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, and Public Works Departments and any other staff to implement this plan, and to report back to the Council as soon as possible on the feasibility and schedule.

TEXT OF COMMITTEE REPORTS
The Neighborhood and Long Term Planning Committee held a meeting on Wed, Nov 2nd, 2016 beginning at 5:15pm in Sullivan Chamber to discuss bicycle safety in Cambridge.

Present during the meeting were Councillor Mazen (Chair), Vice Mayor Marc McGovern, Councillor Devereux, Councillor Kelley, Lisa Peterson, Louis DePasquale as well as representatives from Cambridge Community Development Department, Cambridge Police Department, Cambridge Department of Public Works, and Department of Traffic, Parking and Transportation.

Councillor Mazen read the call of the meeting and gave a further overview of the meeting’s anticipated topics. He opened up the floor for 15 minutes of public comment.

Vivek Sikri, 64 Allston St, stated that we need to take care of our existing bike lanes and Uber is the worst offender in terms of blocking bike lanes. We need legislation to require cyclists to use lights. We should be doing everything we can do help cyclists. The bike lane on Mass. Ave. stops right in front of City Hall.

Jamie Katz-Christie, 166A Elm St, stated that her background is in architecture. The city needs to design for peace between cyclists/cars/pedestrians. Make the streets safe enough for your mother/children/grandmother to ride on.

Nancy Turnquist stated that the transportation issue in Cambridge is “truly wrong.” She has been in near-accidents on her bike and her husband broke his collarbone in Inman Square. We should enforce rules for cyclists, but also suggested a hotline or another way to report motorists for being dangerous. In order to make pedestrians/cyclists safe, we need to make immediate changes. Nancy stated that she knows countless cyclists who have been injured by cars in Cambridge.

Lindsay Collins stated that people do need to use cars but we are realizing the limitations of that. She said that to be a vibrant, modern community we need changes and better bike infrastructure. Lindsay stated that she bikes with her daughter but won’t be able to do that anymore if she sees any more accidents. She routinely has to swerve into traffic to avoid cars in the bike lane.

Colin Durr recounted assaults he has experienced as a bicyclist in Cambridge. He stated his appreciation towards these efforts and says that protection, street design, and infrastructure are the answers. Colin noted that there are many solutions that we know of but immediate action and protected lanes needs to happen now. He stated that he used hand signals when biking but imagines that only 50% of people on the road know what his hand signals mean. From Harvard Square to Central Square there are no safe routes for people to bike. He again emphasized the need for protective bike lanes.

Lisa Peterson and city staff introduced themselves.

Lisa Peterson stated that bike safety and providing safe and accessible infrastructure is important. She stated the city’s implementation of improvements has already begun. She stated we need to keep the dialogue open for all users, and that this is a work in progress. (See attached presentation)
http://www.cambridgema.gov/~/media/Files/Traffic/Bicycle%20Safety%20Work%20Plan.pdf

Joe Barr introduced a presentation primarily overviewing short- and long-term improvements for bike infrastructure in Inman Square and Porter Square. He emphasized the need to follow best practices and follow state and national guidance in implementing these changes. He detailed the three phases of improvements for the Porter Square “jug handle.” He also stated the City of Cambridge needs to coordinate with the City of Somerville when implementing changes near the Cambridge/Somerville border.

Cara Seiderman discussed the Cambridge Bicycle Plan that emphasizes a bicycle network that is safe, comfortable, and connected so all can bike if they choose. The plan must be comprehensive in that it include all streets in the city. Cara discussed priority streets for increasing separation between cyclists and vehicles to make streets more comfortable. This data and analysis will be used as a guide in future implementations for bike safety. She highlighted recent initiatives that are in the design process or in construction.

Joe Barr gave an overview of the relevant policy orders that have been passed recently. He emphasized the need to think through any changes in policy quickly but carefully. Mr. Barr gave an overview of the separated bike lanes pilot program, emphasizing that some changes in infrastructure should wait until the spring because of all the street maintenance challenges that happen in the fall and winter weather. He explained the reasons why certain streets were chosen for the pilot program. He showed and explained an example of a “before and after” cross-section of lanes and uses on Cambridge Street.

Cara Seideman stated that they provide outreach and education classes about bicycle and transportation safety, including publications that are giving out with parking permits. They also used a WikiMap to get bicycle plan input and this map will be ongoing so the public can make comments on the plan and on specific streets.

Owen O’Riordan introduced the design plan for Huron Avenue. He stated that the design was created in 2012 in conjunction with Public Works. Design elements include eight additional crosswalks, a crossing island at Fayerweather Street, curb extensions, raised side street crosswalks, and other safety features. A buffered bike lane will be created on Huron Avenue with green markings in intersection “conflict zones.” Owen remarked how there were many community processes for the design plan of Huron Avenue. Construction began in September 2012 and will be completed by the end of 2017.

Susan Rasmussen outlined the work plans for Pearl Street and Massachusetts Ave. She also mentioned Brattle Street as a potential candidate for new bike infrastructure. Susan explained the NACTO Transportation Program Accelerator and how the City will apply it to the vision for Mass Ave. She discussed the “2017 and beyond” vision for Mass. Ave.

Joe Barr discussed truck restrictions in Cambridge, which only include through trucks, not local access trucks. Joe stated that the Vision Zero Action Plan will include truck related initiatives, such as truck side guard and mirrors and education and outreach. There will be a delivery solutions study as truck no stopping signs do not always work as they must get to the stores. Joe discussed current truck enforcement laws, including truck restricted streets.

Councillor Mazen thanked Joe Barr and his department for their informative presentation.

Councillor Mazen summarized Councillor Kelley’s statements, including a need for the City to implement “low-hanging fruit” immediately, like updated signage for cyclists, restriping of lanes, or painting of faded lanes. He stated that if money is an issue, talk to the Council about what those dollar figures are, whether it be for personnel or the infrastructure itself, as money should not be the constraint. Councillor Kelley’s statement also included an idea that the City should restripe Sherman Street as a pilot and we may need to remove some parking as an additional feature of the pilot as well. Councillor Mazen acknowledged that he and Councillor Kelley sometimes disagree about protected bike lanes and that Councillor Mazen believes they are absolutely necessary. He mentioned that Councillor Kelley is most concerned about the curb drop-off on the edge of raised, protected bike lanes and that this could be sloped or better marked.

Vice Mayor McGovern thanked Joe Barr and his colleagues for their presentation and acknowledges that some of these initiatives cannot be constructed as quickly as we like. He notes that changing the culture and thought of how our streets are used is necessary in the issue. He asked why we don’t mark priority streets that can be used by bicyclists. If we see that bicyclists can use the full breadth of the street, on every street, then the culture of mutual respect can be improved. Marc stated that there are short term fixes, such as green painted bike lanes, which be implemented immediately. He noted that there are about 2,000 cars on the street with drivers from all over that may not know the rules. He also questioned why we don’t have traffic policing for issues like double parking that they have elsewhere.

Councillor Mazen agreed with the idea of ubiquitous markings and asked if there is a queue of priority projects the city keeps, which have been assigned, but are yet to be implemented.

Joe Barr stated that if we have “too many signs” they fade into the background. He stated that some urban planners are discussing the issue of ubiquity and saying that if we paint every bike lane green, it takes away from the visual impact and can cause unintended confusion. Joe also stated that his department has been working on increased parking control to keep cars out of bike lanes.

Vice Mayor Marc McGovern said that he believes that if there were consistent markings, drivers would think about bike lanes more often and change the way people view the roads and who has a right to be on them. He excused himself to go to another meeting.

Councillor Mazen shared the experience he had visiting Barcelona as an example of good bike lane infrastructure with red-stripes painted on the street to highlight any dangerous areas for cyclists and that these “dangerous” areas were fairly low car-traffic areas. Protected bike lanes were used in all high-traffic areas. He stated the bike infrastructure in Barcelona is “doubly safe.” Councillor Mazen then introduced Councillor Devereux.

Councillor Devereux thanked Joe Barr and his colleagues for their presentation. She agreed with Vice Mayor Marc McGovern that more markings would be useful so cars know that bicycles belong on the street as well. She said that we should prioritize the bicycle network in the plan. She recognizes that changing Huron Ave is challenging and proposed that there should be raised lanes there. She asked why there is no plan to add Broadway Street in the pilot.

Joe Barr explained that Cambridge Street is a slightly better candidate for the pilot program than Broadway because it is a wider street than Broadway and it has higher crash statistics. He also stated that there would be pushback from the community if they did both Broadway and Cambridge Street at the same time because of having to eliminate parking. He stated they will try the program on Broadway if they have success on Cambridge Street.

Councillor Mazen concluded this portion of the meeting by thanking presenters and encouraged members of the public to come to future meetings on this issue to give more detailed comments. He remarked that testing in winter may be beneficial to get the process started and to allow for the spring plans to become more comprehensive in how it would work in all seasons. He said that the Vision Zero process is great in that includes businesses, the community, but also experts from the bike community. These experts should be utilized with any questions and decisions in this plan. Councillor Mazen questions if we are meeting the Vision Zero goals in this plan. He acknowledged that some in the public think it does not. He questioned whether or not the input of all members of the Council was desired by the City Administration in order to get the pilot program and increased street marking or signage started.

Lisa Peterson said that all suggestions will be considered. She said that having the whole council in on the discussion could be important to give the City clear direction.

Councillor Mazen stated he would make sure the meeting minutes and motions would be ready for the next Council meeting on Monday, 11/10/16. He also asked Acting City Manager Peterson to provide a further legal context on the truck regulations discussed by Mr. Barr in his presentation.

Lisa Peterson said that more time might be needed to discuss and explain the truck laws.

Joe Barr stated that although he is not a lawyer and cannot speak for the City Solicitor, he feels that the Constitution and interstate commerce clause plays a significant role in “letting trucks go where they need to go.” He stated his department is not able to respond effectively to constituent complaints about trucks. He would like the federal government to take a more proactive role in truck safety.

Councillor Mazen said that if the City or Council needs to do more “managing up” to get attention from the federal level, we ought to do that consistently.

Councillor Devereux stated we need to take truck safety seriously. She gave an example of a tractor-trailer she saw this morning that was blocking a bus stop, a bike lane, and a crosswalk.

Councillor Mazen introduced Louis DePasquale, incoming City Manager, for comment.

Louis DePasquale thanked everyone for coming. He stated the City is open to suggestions and ideas for improving bike infrastructure and that the City will continue to listen to constituent ideas and suggestions for a long-range strategy and long-range plan. He stated that many individuals tonight mentioned financial issues but he feels the City does have the money to get this done. Somewhere down the line money might become a factor but at this point in time, it’s not.

Councillor Mazen thanked Louis DePasquale and everyone for their work. He began reading the motions to be voted on:

1. That the City Manager instruct the Traffic Department to move one popup pilot lane up in time to winter or pre-winter and use the time between now and spring to plan a much more comprehensive network of popups for spring, including Hampshire, Massachusetts Avenue, and other high traffic corridors and report back on this matter.

2. That the City Manager instruct the city’s Vision Zero process and team to engage professional bicycle leaders and experts in Cambridge and Greater Boston on an urgent basis in response to collisions and on an ongoing basis to keep these leaders more directly involved in this work and that this should be independent from existing advisory and report back on this matter.

3. That the City Manager is instructed to work with the Traffic Department and the Department of Public Works to re-open the discussion on protected bicycle infrastructure on Huron Avenue with the bicycle community, Huron Avenue businesses, and other stakeholders and report back on this matter.

4. That the City Manager work with Public Safety to consider higher frequency enforcement in key transit junctions and corridors and report and report back on this matter.

5. City manager work with the Traffic Department to make street markings and street signage more ubiquitous in an effort to market the rules of the road to the users of all transportation modes and report back on this matter.

All motions were passed unanimously on a voice vote.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:25pm.

For the Committee
Councillor Nadeem Mazen, Chair

Handouts at the meeting attached:
Bicycle Mobility Projects
Recent and Planned Projects that improve safety for people on bikes
Bike Facilities