The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

Lincoln Winter Carnival events planned, snow or shine

“Snowman Mailbox” built by Team Webber (11 Minebrook Rd.) for the 2015 Winter Carnival.

All weekend: Online snow sculpture contest
Build your snow sculpture, then snap a photo with you in it and send it to dsequeira@lincnet.org. Submit as many sculptures as you like! We will accept submissions until 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2 and then post them online for voting. Winners will be chosen on Sunday, Feb. 3.

Thursday, January 31

Bauhaus: The Face of the 20th Century
7–9 p.m., Lincoln Public Library
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus, FoMA and Historic New England offer this 50-minute film looking at the development of the Bauhaus, its work, its key figures, and footage of its founder and Lincoln resident Walter Gropius. The film examines the political unrest and economic chaos of the Weimar Republic in Germany and offers rare footage of the Bauhaus at Dessau. Enjoy refreshments and conversation after the film.

Friday, February 1

Evening at Gropius
5–7 p.m., Gropius House (68 Baker Bridge Rd.)
During this evening house tour, see how Walter Gropius’s innovative lighting scheme comes to life at night. Gropius, founder of the German design school the Bauhaus, was one of the most influential architects of the twentieth century. His 1938 home show cases the clean lines of Modernist design. Light refreshments provided. Call 781-259- 8098 for more info. Free to residents.

LPTO family bingo night
5:30–7:30 p.m., Brooks gym
Come celebrate Family Bingo Night with even more chances to win. Prizes awarded for each winning board. Awesome raffle prizes up for grabs. Pizza dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. with snacks and drinks available for purchase all night. Free entry. Bingo cards are $5 (15-game multi-pack); raffle tickets are $1 each, or six for $5 and 15 for $10 (suggested donation).

Saturday, Feb. 2

Community pancake breakfast
8–11 a.m., First Parish Church parish house
Start Off Winter Carnival Saturday with delicious pancakes with real maple syrup, courtesy of the Lincoln Girl Scouts. Plain, blueberry, choc chip, and gluten-free pancakes with pure maple syrup along with coffee, tea, orange juice, and fruit. Meet friends, catch up with neighbors, enjoy crafts and of course, Girl Scout cookies will be on sale. $5 for those under 12, $10 for everyone else ($30 family maximum).

Snowshoe tours
10:30 a.m.–noon and 1–2:30 p.m., deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum
Enjoy nature and art in winter. Discover a fun and active way to explore the Sculpture Park. Tours are led by a museum guide and an EMS instructor. Visit decordova.org/calendar to purchase tickets. Rent snowshoes or bring your own.

Fun and games at Magic Garden
11 a.m.–1 p.m. Magic Garden Preschool
Enjoy carnival games, arts and crafts activities and indoor “ice skating” in your socks. Magic Garden is located in the Hartwell building on the Lincoln School campus. Follow the walkway up the hill, past the toddler playground to our front door. We look forward to seeing you there. This event is best suited for children ages 2 to 5 years.

Lincoln holistic wellness fair
Noon–3 p.m., Bemis Hall
Wellness practitioners will provide a drop-in “clinic” to help address what ails you while providing information about alternative/complementary medicine. Receive care from practitioners of acupuncture, therapeutic massage, reflexology, holistic nutrition, yoga, ayurveda, integrative imagery, therapeutic touch, dowsing and more. Healthy teas and treats will be available. Contact Jai Kaur Annamaria at asanajai@verizon.net with questions.

Community skating  and bonfire
1–3 p.m., Cemetery Pond, Lexington Road
Enjoy skating, hot chocolate, and toasted marshmallows by the campfire. Bring your own skates. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we will be hosting a Capture the Flag event instead, so stay tuned to www.LincolnRec.com for updates.

LFA Energy Blaster
3:15–5:15 p.m., Brooks gym
Jump in a bounce house, run through an obstacle course, climb, and slide. The gym will be filled with fun ways to let out some energy. Free for 2019 LFA members ($10 per child for non-members). A new 2019 LFA membership or renewal on the spot ($50/year) gives you admission, or renew online at www.lincfam.org.

Owl prowl at Farrington
4:30–6 p.m., Farrington Nature Linc (291 Cambridge Turnpike)
Join us for a free guided “owl prowl” for the whole family with ornithologist Clay Graham on Farrington’s unique 75-acre property. We’ll make an owl-themed craft, learn about types of owls local to our region and their calls, and take a short early-evening hike to look and listen for owls, followed by a story and hot chocolate by our wood stove. All ages welcome, but geared toward families with children ages 4+. Registration is limited to 30 people—click here to register online.

Lincoln acoustic coffeehouse
7–10 p.m., Bemis Hall
Our annual night to showcase local musicians and performers. We have over 14 acts—some returning, some new—ready to play for you, and there’s a good chance you know some of them. Coffee and desserts will be served. Tickets are available online at www.LincolnRec.com. General admission is $10 and a table for eight is $160.

Sunday, February 3

Discover Drumlin in winter
Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Rd.
Visit our animals in their winter homes, look for wildlife tracks or other signs of animals in the snow, or check out our feeders at our wildlife blind. Drop-in programs take place at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 2:30 p.m. Free for Lincoln residents.

Make your own pinecone owl
10:30–noon, deCordova carriage house
Join Lincoln Nursery School in partnership with deCordova to craft your own pinecone owl. Bring your own pinecone or use one of ours. Appropriate for all ages.

Let the games begin
12:30–2 p.m., First Parish in Lincoln parish house
Join us after lunch for some old-fashioned unplugged, battery-free fun: Boggle, Jenga, marbles, Scrabble and, and cocoa and community. Prizes for all ages. Visit fplincoln.org for more info.

Hiking, wine tasting, and board games
1–3:30 p.m., Pierce House/Turtle Creek Winery
3:30–5:30 p.m., Pierce House
Gather at the Pierce House for a short hike through the woods to Turtle Creek Winery to partake in a wine tasting before returning to the Pierce House for hot cider, snacks, and board games (bring your favorite if you like). Come for one or both events. Wine tasting is limited to 15 persons, age 21+. $15 per person. Registration required at www.LincolnRec.com. Questions? Contact Nancy at nancy@piercehouse.com.

Hula La!
2–3 p.m., Lincoln Public Library
Chase away those winter blues at our tropical island dance party. In their fun, interactive musical show, the band Hula La will entertain the whole family with a blend of Hawaiian, calypso and reggae music that will take you to the islands.

News acorns

Upcoming events at the library

  • Open house for Barbara Peskin’s “Moments in Nature” photography exhibit at the library — Wednesday, Jan. 16 from 6–7:30 p.m.
  • Lincoln Library Film Society screening of “The Heart is  a Lonely Hunter” starring Alan Arkin and Sondra Locke — Thursday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. (note new starting time from now on). Based on the novel by Carson McCullers. 
  • Harp recital with Tess Maxwell — Saturday, Jan. 26 from 1–3 p.m.
  • “The Roaring 20s” with Dr. Gary Hylander (part 2 of 6) — Sunday, Jan. 27 from 1:30 – 3 p.m.
  • “Bauhaus: The Face of the 20th Century” — Thursday, Jan. 31 from 7–9 p.m.

Click here for a calendar of all events offered by various clubs and book groups  for adults and children.

Guest minister at First Parish

Rev. Mariama White-Hammond

Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, associate minister for ecological justice at Bethel AME Church in Boston, will give a guest sermon at the First Parish in Lincoln on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. White-Hammond is an advocate for ecological and social justice, youth engagement, and spirit-filled organizing.

Monthly Memory Café kicks off Jan. 24

The Lincoln Memory Café will debut on Thursday, Jan. 24 from 9:30–11 a.m. at The Commons in Lincoln with an open house for family, friends, and caregivers of those with dementia from Lincoln and area towns. Beth Soltzberg, director of the Alzheimer’s/Related Disorders Family Support Program of the Jewish Family and Children’s Service, will talk about memory cafes and their benefits to families experiencing dementia.

Ongoing sessions of the free Lincoln Memory Café, which will feature refreshments, entertainment and activities, will be held on the fourth Thursday of each month from 9:30–11 a.m. at the Commons beginning in February. The café is a joint effort of The Commons in Lincoln, Right at Home in-home care and assistance, and the Lincoln Council on Aging. The goal is to offer an opportunity for elders and their care partners to spend relaxed, fun, social time together and with others who share their same experience. For information, contact Amy Gagne of Right at Home at 781-275-1400 or amy@rightathomecare.com.

LLCT film and lecture

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will host a movie night this week and a lecture on water supply protection later this month.

“Bearwalker of the Northwoods” will be screened on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the LLCT offices at Lincoln Station. In the forests of northern Minnesota, biologist Dr. Lynn Rogers follows the fortunes of black bear June and her three cubs over a year. (Note: the film shows the passing of a cub to disease and the opening of hunting season, which might be difficult to watch for some viewers.)

David Kaplan

David Kaplan, watershed manager for the Cambridge Water Department, will speak on “Cambridge Watershed: Water Supply Protection in a Developed Environment” on Sunday, Jan. 27 from 2–3 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Come learn about this fascinating body of water, its history, and how it’s maintained.

Events look at special ed issues and teens

Sessions on topics including anxiety, ADHD and making friends will be hosted by the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) starting on January 29. All events are free and open to the public. Check the SEPAC calendar for details.

  • “The Impact of Anxiety and Depression on Learning” with Dr. Erica Kalkut, Child & Family Psychological Services — January 29 at 7 p.m., Goodnow Library (21 Concord Rd., Sudbury).
  • “Tips for Managing ADHD at Home and at School” with Brendan Mahan of ADHD Essentials — February 12 at 7 p.m., LSRHS conference room B.
  • “Helping Kids Make and Keep Friends” with Donna Shea, founder of the Peter Pan Center — February 28 at 7 p.m., Curtis Middle School (Pratt’s Mill Road), Sudbury.
  • “Executive Function Workshop for Parents and their Teens” with the executive function coaching team of Engaging Minds — March 7 at 6:30 p.m., Goodnow Library (21 Concord Rd., Sudbury).
  • “Guardianship and Special Needs Financial Planning” with attorney Meredith Greene of Fletcher Tilton — March 27 at 7 p.m., LSRHS conference room B.
  • “Special Education Mediation” with Leslie Bock, mediator with the Mass. Bureau of Special Education Appeals — April 2 at 6:30 p.m., LSRHS library classroom.

Borrow gadgets from the library

The Lincoln Public Library loans more than books and music. Borrow a digital converter to preserve VHS home movies, a portable WiFi hotspot for an upcoming trip, a Kill A Watt meter to measure energy use at home to see where you can save, or a USB floppy drive to read old floppy disks. For a complete list of items, click here.

Residents can sign up for “well being” calls

The COA and Public Safety Department offer well-being telephone calls during storms and other emergencies. The COA will call you when storms cause extensive power outages, during extended spells of extreme cold, and other similar situations. If they can’t reach you by phone, Public Safety will do a well-being check at your home. To sign up for this service, call the COA at 781-259-8811 and give your name, address, and any phone numbers you would like us to call (a cell phone or family member, for example), as well as any other pertinent information you would like to share, such as special medical needs. You may ask to be taken off the list at any time.

New program aids Lincoln homeless and those at risk

Homelessness or near-homelessness here in Lincoln? It’s happening more and more often, so a new initiative will provide temporary housing and other help for families at risk.

The Staying at Home in Lincoln project will allow Lincoln residents who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to stay in temporary emergency housing while social services staff from the town work to arrange permanent housing, as well as any services and benefits required to ensure that the resident will be successful in their new home. This temporary housing could include area hotels or motels, assisted living facilities, or other supportive housing.

The Commons in Lincoln will provide funding for the project, and the Council on Aging and The Commons will work together to craft the program model.

As a retirement community, The Commons has close ties with the COA and its programs, but the connection goes deeper. “We’re part of the Lincoln community, and the Staying at Home project will help us stay engaged with Lincoln and also help address a community need that goes to the heart of helping our neighbors,” said Reynaldo LeBlanc, campus executive director at The Commons. “The project is an opportunity to help residents in the community of all ages, and when [COA Director Carolyn Bottum] reached out to see if we were interested, it was a no-brainer.”

In the past, the COA and the St. Vincent de Paul Society have offered rental assistance to residents at risk of eviction because of inability to pay rent due to some extraordinary circumstance. However, the town organizations has recently seen an increase in residents who are homeless or close to it for other reasons including domestic violence and elder abuse, mental illness or physical disabilities, natural disaster, and legal issues. In the last five years, the COA has dealt with 10 situations of homelessness or near-homelessness in Lincoln (one each in 2014 and 2015, two in 2017 and six in 2018).

“We think that this is probably the tip of the iceberg — there are likely other residents who simply never asked for help and so we weren’t aware of their situations. Because we’re the COA and seniors may be more likely to come to us, there may be more younger people we’ve missed,” Bottum said.

Eight of the 10 cases are seniors, one is a single mother, and one is a family with two parents (both with school-age children). In both family cases, both parents are working but don’t make enough money to take care of emergencies that arise or keep up with rent while waiting for subsidized housing.

What’s become of those 10 cases since 2014? One passed away while waiting for subsidized housing’ three were able to find subsidized or other appropriate housing in Lincoln after waits of some months, five moved out of town, and one continues to be at risk of eviction until subsidized housing opens up.

Letter to the editor: Susan Taylor running for School Committee

Dear neighbors,

I ask for your vote on March 25 for the two-year position on the Lincoln School Committee. With your support, I hope both to bring the perspective of my years in Lincoln community service and to pay forward the great benefit that Lincoln’s commitment to education has given to my now-adult children.

My husband Gary and I have been active in the Lincoln community since we moved here in 1990. I now serve on the Scholarship Committee and as a trustee of Farrington Nature Linc (a children’s program based in Lincoln). I’ve been a Lincoln Public Library trustee and president of the Lincoln League of Women Voters. When my children were students here, I served on the Principal’s Council, the METCO Coordinating Committee, as a Girl Scout leader, and Sunday school teacher, and as active supporter of Lincoln sports, drama, outdoor recreation, and music for children.

I believe that as technology and cultural diversity broaden and challenge the ways we provide education, community engagement and critical thinking become even more valuable. All of us are needed to provide the inspiration, guidance, experience, financial oversight, safety and affection our children should have from their home town and school.

I can think of nothing more vital to Lincoln than the strength of our schools, and I look forward to working with you for all our children and for “the village” that loves them.

Sincerely,

Susan Hands Taylor
2 Beaver Pond Rd., Lincoln

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Upcoming opportunities to discuss, participate in government

Forum on widening participation in town governance

The Special Town Meeting in December has led to conversations about how to diversify the group of residents involved in Lincoln’s governance, as well as how to increase voter participation. There will be a forum to discuss these issues on Saturday, Jan. 26 from 10–11:30 a.m. in the Community Room at Lincoln Woods, 50 Wells Rd. (please park in unmarked spaces).

Run for town office

Are you looking for a rewarding if occasionally vexing way to feel more connected? Willing to undertake new challenges? Unafraid to speak up? Then run for local office! Nomination papers, which are available at the Town Clerk’s Office now, must be returned by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 1. The annual town election will take place on Monday, March 25.

The following offices will appear on the March ballot:

  • Town Clerk (three years)
  • Board of Selectmen (one seat for three years)
  • Board of Assessors (one seat for three years)
  • K-8 School Committee (three seats—one for one year, one for two years, and one for three years)
  • Water Commissioner (one seat for three years)
  • Board of Health (one seat for three years)
  • Cemetery Commission (one seat for three years)
  • Planning Board (two seats for three years)
  • Commissioner of Trust Funds (one seat for three years)
  • DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum trustee (one seat for four years)
  • Housing Commission (three seats: one for year, one for two years, and one for three years)
  • Parks and Recreation Committee (one seat for three years)
  • Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee (three seats — two for three years and one for one year)
  • Bemis Trustee (one seat for three years)
  • Lincoln Public Library Trustee (one seat for three years)

For additional information, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-259-2607.

Voting at the national level

Learn how ranked-choice voting, which aims to improve the fairness and effectiveness of elections, when Jim Henderson, a board member of Voter Choice Massachusetts, leads a session on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 3 p.m. in Bemis Hall (coffee and tea will be served starting at 2:45). (Coffee/tea at 2:45.) Henderson will present the case for ranked-choice voting and lead the audience in a voting exercise to find out how the process works. Click here for a recent letter to the editor on the subject.

Apply for bike/pedestrian committee

Lincoln is seeking volunteers to serve on the new Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (see “New bike/pedestrian group seeks members”). Letters of interest are due by Tuesday, Jan. 15.

 

Letter to the editor: Gargeya won’t seek reelection

To the editor:

I would like to announce that I will not run for re-election to the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Committee. I have been humbled by the support of the citizens of Lincoln and Sudbury over the past 12 years and four terms in service of the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School District.

Any good that has come out of my terms is due to working with my wonderful colleagues over the years on the L-S School Committee, the collaboration with remarkable volunteer politicians and appointed officials on various boards and committees, and exemplary public servants of both towns. Their continued hard work towards the benefit of our schools and towns inspires me.

Lincoln-Sudbury is the crown jewel of our communities. It is my hope that it remains so. We are fortunate to have highly talented, dedicated staff, faculty, and administrators at L-S. Their daily work keeps LS what it is — a different kind of place, singularly devoted with kindness and compassion to the growth and well-being of all students, all the while maintaining an uncompromising goal of academic excellence. The day any organization rests on its laurels is the day it starts to decline. I am happy to report that at L-S, there is desire, capacity, and action to innovate.

If you believe in public education where all students are cared for, if you are able to devote the necessary time, and if you have the passion to serve, please do consider running for the L-S School Committee.

Even as I step down from the L-S School Committee, I hope to remain in the public arena. Henry David Thoreau asks in Walden, “How can he remember well his ignorance — which his growth requires — who has so often to use his knowledge?” I will use my time away to learn about my ignorances so I can grow.

Sincerely,

Radha Raman Gargeya
120 Powder Mill Rd., Sudbury

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Major leaguer (Lincoln Through the Lens)

About 25 years ago, the late President George H.W. Bush was in town to visit with his sister, Lincoln resident Nancy Bush Ellis, before they all went to a family wedding in the Berkshires. The Bushes went out for a walk and came upon a T-ball game on the playground of the Lincoln School. One of the players was the son of current Lincoln resident Fred Hopengarten (second from left). Bush asked if he could join and play some ball. “After a while, his wife Barbara and sister (right rear) tired of watching George play baseball and announced that they were going back to Nancy’s house,” Fred recalls. “Bush replied that he thought he’d like to stay a while and play some more. This made their Secret Service agent jump into action, as he couldn’t divide himself and be with both. Moments later, another Secret Service agent came running through the woods to escort Barbara and Nancy. So how long did the President stay and play ball? “As long as he chose to do so. You don’t say no to George Bush.” Photo courtesy Fred Hopengarten

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

Road work in Concord will affect Bypass Road

Starting later this month, drivers heading toward Concord Center from the Meriam’s Corner area will be detoured as the town of Concord performs roadway and drainage improvements along Cambridge Turnpike between Lexington Road and Route 2A.

The work will necessitate intermittent and occasional full road closure during daytime work hours. When Cambridge Turnpike is closed, eastbound traffic will be detoured to Bypass Road Lincoln via Lexington Road Concord (see map below). Westbound traffic will be detoured to Walden Street via Route 2.

Lincoln police will monitor the detour routes and coordinate with Concord police to minimize any impact on Lincoln’s roadways. The project is expected to take about a year.

Traffic will be detoured around a segment of Cambridge Turnpike (solid line), with Bypass Road in Lincoln bearing some of the eastbound Route 2 traffic (click map to enlarge).

Letter to the editor: can ranked-choice voting strengthen our democracy?

To the editor:

The midterm elections of 2018 have sparked new interest in a process of voting for candidates known as ranked-choice voting (RCV).

An August 7 editorial in the Boston Globe asserts, “The Massachusetts legislature would be wise to adopt ranked-choice voting, coupled with a robust voter education campaign for statewide elections.” Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin has revealed that he is open to the idea of RCV. Some have suggested that RCV might be an appropriate issue for a ballot question. But why all of a sudden are we just now hearing about ranked-choice voting?

Interest is surging in Massachusetts because of two specific elections, one in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District and the other in Massachusetts’s 3rd Congressional District. Why Maine? In 2016, Maine became the first state to enact ranked-choice voting for statewide elections for governor, state legislature, and Congress. The state used RCV for the first time in November 2018 when the votes for the top two of four contenders in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District were too close to declare one a lawful victor. The process of RCV ultimately proved effective and efficient in determining the winner without resorting to a runoff.

Why is there now interest in the seat in the 3rd Massachusetts District, which Niki Tsongas held for a decade? There were ten individuals competing in the Democratic primary. Because of the distribution of votes among all ten, and since no candidate achieved a majority, a runoff was required for the top two. RCV would likely have resolved the election without a costly and time-consuming recount.

How does RCV work? Instead of picking just one candidate, ranked-choice voting allows you to rank the candidates on the ballot — as many or as few as you like — in your order of preference. If one person gets 50 percent of the vote, no further action is necessary. If no candidate gets 50 percent or more of first-choice votes, then the last-place candidate is eliminated and that candidate’s votes automatically get reallocated to the second choice listed on those ballots. RCV ensures that whoever wins has the support of the majority of voters and not just an electoral plurality.

Supporters believe that RCV frees voters from being pressured to choose between two or more preferences, and solves the problem of “spoiler” candidates who don’t actually reflect a majority of overall voter preference. According to Eric Maskin, a Nobel prize-winning Harvard economist, RCV gives all voters the opportunity to cast their vote according to their individual preference as well as a means to determine which candidate is most preferred by a majority of all votes cast.  The method has been used by the Cambridge City Council since 1941 as well as in municipal elections in Memphis, San Francisco and Minneapolis and in parliamentary elections in Australia and Ireland, as well as in the recent midterm Congressional vote in Maine.

Closer to home, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization, Voter Choice Massachusetts, is dedicated to educating the public and fostering legislative support for RCV. Supporters believe that RCV frees voters from being pressured to choose between two or more candidates, and solves the problem of “spoiler” candidates who don’t actually reflect a majority of overall voter preference.

Lincoln residents are proud of their grassroots politics, cherish their Town Meeting, and treasure their civic activism. On January 20, we in Lincoln have an opportunity to learn from a nonpartisan expert, Jim Henderson, board member of Voter Choice Massachusetts, the pros and cons of RCV and its relevance to Massachusetts. We hope you will join the discussion and help us all to reflect on the utility and value of RCV for statewide elections in Massachusetts on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 3 p.m.  in Bemis Hall.

Sincerely,

Barbara Slayter and Gary Davis
Co-chairs, Lincoln Democratic Town Committee

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

New bike/pedestrian group seeks members

A new Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) is being formed to advise the Board of Selectmen and other committees and boards on issues of cycling and pedestrian safety, and interested residents are invite to apply.

The BPAC will pick up where the Cycling Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC) left off, working with town departments to study options for making Lincoln’s roadways safer for cyclists and pedestrians. “The selectmen hope that the knowledge gained will become a natural part of our thinking and planning within DPW, Planning, Roadway & Traffic, Public Safety, and Parks & Recreation,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins said.

The CSAC was formed in 2017 to develop recommendations for improving cycling safety after two bicyclers (Eugene Thornberg and Mark Himelfarb) died in road accidents in Lincoln in 2016. The group issued its report in October 2018 outlining the state of the roads for bike riders, what steps had already been taken, and what more could be done to improve safety. Members performed an “audit” of major biking roads, cycling on each one and documenting hazards with GPS positioning and photographs.

Even as the study was being completed, the town was already fixing some road safety issues with the help of a Complete Streets grant. Among the work done so far: adding a pedestrian island and lights at the intersection of Lincoln Road and Route 117, repairing several roadside paths, and changing the stop lines and other markings on the south side of Route 117 at the intersection with Tower Road.

Among the CSAC’s accomplishments:

  • Revived the Bike to School program
  • Developed and distributed a “Rules of the Road” bookmark for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians
  • Worked with Lincoln police to increase “educational” traffic stops for both drivers and cyclists who violate Massachusetts traffic laws related to cycling.
  • Worked with other town officials to install “Bikes May Use Full Lane” signs (with additional help in research and lobbying from L-S student Ashley duToit, who worked on the initiative as part of her Gold Star project)

Other recommendations for future work include:

  • Making improvements to the intersection of Routes 117 and 126 as well as Route 2A. Both projects will require working with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
  • Working with Hanscom Field, Minuteman National Park and the Hanscom Area Towns Committee (HATS) to lobby MassDOT for safety improvements along Route 2A.
  • Asking MassDOT to build a bicycle/pedestrian tunnel to reconnect parts of the town isolated by Route 2, such as reconnecting Lexington Road or Page Road south of Route 2 with Lexington Road north of the highway.
  • Reinstituting the Bike Safety Program as part of the school curriculum.

Anyone interested in serving on the BPAC should send a letter of interest to Peggy Elder, administrative assistant in the Selectmen’s Office (elderp@lincolntown.org) by Tuesday, Jan. 15. For more information, call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601.