2003 Annual Report to Board of Selectmen

February 1, 2004

The Pedestrian and Bike Safety Advisory Committee’s primary objectives for 2003 were to continue implementation of the School Loop footpath and pursue funding sources to implement the Carlisle Footpath Plan.  The Committee is pleased to report progress on each of these two initiatives.

At the annual Town Meeting held on May 5, 2003, Town Meeting authorized the Board of Selectmen to expend $150,000 over a five-year period to construct footpaths along the five major arterials emanating from town center.  Town elections also voted in favor of the expenditure.  The paths are to be constructed using a combination of DPW resources, volunteers, and third party contractors.  The construction periods would occur twice annually, spring and late fall/winter to coincide with the available of the DPW.  The below table, distributed at Town Meeting outlines the proposed implementation of the plan.

$150,000 Footpath Plan

	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5
Road	Bedford Rd	East St	Lowell Rd	Concord Rd	Westford Rd
Town Center to:	Kimball's	Partridge Ln	Children's Center	Bingham Rd	Towle Field
Distance (mile)	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.3	0.5
Expenditure	$50,000	$30,000	$30,000	$20,000	$20,000
Interest Expense	$1,500	$2,900	$4,100	$5,000	$5,800
Principal Payment		$5,000	$8,000	$11,000	$13,000
Cost/Household	$0.91	$4.79	$7.33	$9.70	$11.39
Increase on tax bill	1/100th of 1%	6/100th of 1%	10/100th of 1%	13/100th of 1%	15/100th of 1%

As of December 31, 2003, substantial portions of the Bedford Road path had been marked.  In 2004, the Committee aims to complete construction of the Bedford Road path, planning of the East Street path, and at least partial construction of the resulting footpath.  

The Pedestrian and Bike Safety Advisory Committee is very grateful for the many volunteers and town employees who have provided guidance and support over the course of the year.  Sections of footpaths are only completed with the guidance and support of many groups, most particularly the DPW, the Police Department, our town administrator, and the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, and Historical Commission.  We understand that the issue of paths affects us all and look forward to good progress in 2003.

The members of this advisory committee to the Board of Selectmen, appointed through June 30, 2004, are John Bakewell, Mary Lynn Bohn, Eileen Faber, Tim Eliassen, Heather Hedden, Art Milliken (chair 2003), and Jack Troast (chair 2004).

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