Get email alerts on the Complete Streets topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press Select Board to form Pedestrian Accessibility & Cycling Advisory Committee
Summary
Town Manager proposed a five‑member advisory committee focused on pedestrian, cycling and ADA accessibility; about two dozen residents urged the board to form it while board members raised concerns about staffing, quorum and overlap with existing plans. The Select Board asked staff to refine the proposal and return soon.
Town Manager Paul Cohen introduced a draft charge on Aug. 24 for a five‑member Pedestrian Accessibility & Cycling Advisory Committee to advise the Select Board, planning board and staff on multimodal and ADA accessibility issues.
"I've seen a number of issues of concern regarding bicycle and pedestrian safety," Cohen said, explaining the draft committee would promote walking, bicycling, micro‑mobility and accessible mobility, explore demonstration projects and pursue grants. He described the committee as advisory only, with staggered three‑year terms.
Residents packed the Novak Room and provided sustained public comment in support. Pam Felber, an educator, urged the board to back the committee as a quality‑of‑life measure: "Everyone needs safe and accessible routes to move independently around Exeter," she said. Lifelong cyclist Christopher Zigmont cited Complete Streets and data on housing and vehicle ownership, saying Exeter needs an implementation body and urging the committee's formation.
Several speakers with mobility concerns called attention to winter sidewalk clearing and ADA access. Jean Shiner, who uses a cane and a guide dog, said separate bike lanes could keep cyclists off sidewalks and improve safety for blind pedestrians. Fred Fournier, who is visually impaired, urged the town to prioritize sidewalk clearing after storms to maintain safe routes.
Board members acknowledged the public support but raised practical concerns: staffing for committee meetings, the need for a select board representative and staff liaison, enforcement of attendance rules, and overlap with the bike/ped master plan and Complete Streets policy. Select Board members asked staff to refine the draft charge, review existing studies (including a downtown parking/circulation study), and return with staffing and implementation options for consideration at a future meeting.
The board did not vote to form the committee at this meeting; Chair Papakos Sindis said staff will return with recommendations and a timeline for further discussion.
AI generated
The text on this page is AI generated. Summaries, highlights, analysis, and video transcripts are all produced from the original source material.
AI can make mistakes, so if you spot one, and we will fix it for everyone.
Note: the source content is unaltered by us. Any content source we link to, be it a video, an audio recording, or a document, is presented exactly as its publisher released it. That publisher is usually a government body, sometimes an individual official or another organisation.
