MDI Tomorrow Transportation Meeting 05/30/02

 

Attendance:Ý Len Bobinchock, Susan Covino Buell, Stephanie Clement, Tom Crikelair, Jim Fisher, Paul Murphy, Mollie Phemister, Clare Wood

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I. Assignments for June 4th Large group session

Stephanie reported that there would be a panel discussion at the next large-group MDI Tomorrow meeting regarding intersections among the working groups.Ý The committee chose Mollie Phemister to represent it.Ý There will also be an exercise to identify photographically things that we love and things that we are concerned about.Ý Stephanie added that this does not have to directly relate to transportation.Ý Clare Wood agreed to coordinate collection of these photographs.Ý Generally, folks thought that we should include a photograph of the Island Explore and bicycles in things we like, and traffic congestion in things we are worried about.

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II.Ý Identification of Indicators we want to track

Stephanie asked committee members to identify broadly those transportation indicators they think should be tracked over the next 10 years.Ý After identifying these, the group decided for which of these data is available, for which data is available but needs to be compiled, and for which data is presently not available (see attached table).Ý

 

III.Ý Identification of Survey Questions and other possible survey methods.Ý

Stephanie asked committee members to list questions that they thought might provide useful transportation information for Mount Desert Island.Ý If the fundraising committee is successful in getting grants for MDI Tomorrow, there will hopefully be funding to send out a comprehensive, statistically valid survey to MDI residents.Ý These suggestions for survey questions are rough and would have to be re-worked into language that is useful and unbiased:

 

…        How many survey recipients have used transportation services and why?Ý List the CAT, taxis, Island Explorer, BH/Trenton air service, inter-city motor coaches, etc.

…        How many bikes and cars do survey recipients have?

…        How many car trips to survey recipients make per week on-island?Ý Off-island?

…        Do survey recipients use their bicycles only for recreational purposes or also for transportation?

…        If there were more bicycle lanes or sidewalks, would survey recipients ride or walk more often?

…        How many licensed drivers and registered drivers are there in survey recipientsí families?

…        What constrains survey recipients from bicycling/walking?

…        Would survey recipients support changing parking requirements to encourage public transit?

…        Does the amount of asphalt in survey recipientsí town concern them?

…        Do survey recipients think the speed limit in their town is too high/too low?

…        In the past year, have survey recipients walked to or from their homes or offices to services?

…        Do survey recipients combine errands with other trips?

…        Do survey recipients feel that police enforcement is good enough?

…        What is survey recipients average commuting time?

…        If a park and ride were to be built in Trenton, would survey recipients use it?

…        Do survey recipients want transit to Bangor?

 

Tom Crikelair suggested that we target our survey questions to items that could create positive changes in policy.Ý For instance, the fact that so many people indicated their support for public transportation during the last MDI Tomorrow helped Tom and others win grants for the Island Explorer initiation.Ý

 

Committee members also listed other survey techniques to consider in addition to the comprehensive survey of island residents.Ý These included interviewing/surveying transit providers and surveying freight providers (UPS, Fed Ex, etc.) about their concerns and ideas about transportation on MDI.Ý

 

IV.Ý Next meeting

The next meeting was scheduled for Thursday, June 27th, but was postponed because the minutes werenít prepared and an announcement had not been sent out.Ý

 

The next meeting is scheduled to be a joint meeting with the Bar Harbor Parking Review Committee on Thursday, July 25th, at 8:00 A.M. at the Bar Harbor Municipal Building.Ý Tom Crikelair and Len Bobinchock will present Acadia National Parkís planning process for a future visitor center, parking lot, and intermodal transportation hub.Ý Discussion to follow.Ý Please let Stephanie know if you plan on attending (288-3340 or stephanie@friendsofacadia.org).