City of Wheaton Bicycle Advisory Commission Met June 16.
Here is the minutes provided by the commission:
Attendees:
Rita Nathanson, Laurel Salvador, Nancy Allured, Janet Gellert, Bob Van Valzah, Jim Knasel, Dan Nielson, Bill Nieman
l. Call to Order
Meeting started at 7:06 PM, Wednesday June 16
ll. Approval of Minutes
Rita made the motion to approve the May minutes. Seconded by Dan .Approved unanimously.
lll. Public Comment
None
lV. Chair Report:
Guest Sidney Kenyon could not make it this month, is planning on attending next month.
V. Ongoing Business
Vote on Danada Drive proposal:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BgD-iGqa4RTkTUXy6BcGrwNOPMqDXCe-/view
Unanimously approved
Bob French Market Discussion
Bill and Rita gave impression, lots of interest, lots of maps handed out. Rita is proposing that we do again, but we would need to have a plan to distribute the labor and decide how often. Bill’s impression: good venue for taking a biking survey, reach was beyond
Wheaton residents. Both Rita and Bill are supportive of doing this again.
Bob proposing that he could do the setup since he has the equipment, then three 2 hour shifts with Bob doing set and the tear down. 8-10, 10-12 and 12-2. Bob had a computer monitor with pictures of the plans for the new French Market on display, along with the bike station plans. Laurel proposing a paper poster on easel instead of computer monitor of the picture, but it is windy!!! We would need a plan to deal with that. Nancy proposing a poster taped to table instead of monitor, same with wheaton bike map. City should be willing to print them for us.
Another purpose would be to recruit new members.
Nancy proposing once a month.
Rita suggesting a bicycle commission banner to identify ourselves. Jim has a lead on possibly getting banner printed at Costco (was about $50 for another organization), he offered to take the lead. Laurel suggested to take a vote to approve the expenditure, Nancy moved to approve up to $100 , Janet seconded, Unanimously approved. Jim will contact Alyse and Michelle on what the banner would look like or say. Plan to have it by 7/3.
Proposed date for next French Market table: Saturday, July 3, Bob will check with French market to see if it is available. August tbd.
Dan will create a google doc and folks can sign up for folks to sign up for a shift on 7/3.
Bill asked if folks would be interested in participating in the Wheaton Parade, decided against participating, instead do French Market.
Group ride on 7/10: Bill is proposing we go to Naperville instead of Elmhurst. He will contact Michelle to change the information on the commission web site.
Library Bike Webinar Presentation
Presenters met with Bari at the library, and will schedule a dress rehearsal with Bari before 7/14. Rita will check dates with Bari and send to the participants with dates. Bob sent Bike Wheaton Logo as vector artwork so they can use in advertising event (might be useful for banner as well).
Event now appears on Wheaton Library’s calendar here:
https://www.wheatonlibrary.org/events/2021-07-14-190000-2021-07-14-200000/biking-adventur es-virtual
Biking Adventures (Virtual)
Wednesday, July 14 • 7 pm
More individuals and families are biking than ever! Join us to capitalize on the freedom, exercise and enjoyment biking offers. The Wheaton Bicycle Advisory Commission will provide tips for bike safety and maintenance, and share some of their favorite rides around town. Your questions and suggestions are welcome!
Timeline for Webinar-
● Intro-Michelle
● Bicycle Friendly Community-Bob
● Safety video-Jim
● Short rides, bike map, group rides and waiver-Laurel
● Bike maintenance video will be provided by Alyse to Rita (but we may remove this from the agenda if no video available).
● Paths in forest preserve-Bob
● Time for Q&A
Safe Routes Update: Bill.
Monroe and Whittier schools have responded positively. They created a Google Survey to collect answers to a list of questions I provided. They are also soliciting for people to help the PTA if needed to help convince the City Council to actually create safe routes to the school.
● Some early responses: Whittier 33 responses (40 kids), Monroe 18 responses. Bill will send out more details in email. Bill will fill in power point and email to commission.
● early routes responses from Whittier, showing some routes and problems with some of them. Parents are worried about kids being accosted by strangers, some kids ride on sidewalks, others roads, but lack of crossing guards at some busy intersections are keeping some from riding.
● Bill thinks that there is definite interest and maybe we could start improving some of the routes with city support.
● Laurel shared that there are grants that the city could apply if infrastructure support needed.
● Bob asked for more details for how routes could be made more safe, Bill gave examples of crossing guards, police support, parents support, just examples. Bill will share more as more research done.
Bicycle Friendly Community Update:
● Laurel to investigate teaching Bike safety class in the fall of 2021, would be a commission effort, like the bike rodeo that the Wheaton Police used to do at our event, but based on League of American Bicyclists materials.
VI. New Business:
Nancy, Rita, Bill , Bob, and Laurel will attend Gary avenue open house presentation on future bicycle and pedestrian improvements. Thursday 6/17 from 4-7 at City Hall. Others may attend as well.
MSP Gym may want to come to some of our group rides, but Rita is hesitant to ask them now. If we get a bigger group, maybe we could have them come.
Meeting adjourned at 8:07 pm
https://www.wheaton.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_06162021-1676
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