Hi, WSMAC,
Sorry I forgot to send this out earlier today, when I meant to. This is
the letter Dennis has drafted to send to BCM for our bike rack grant, for
your (quick!) feedback and information. He needs to email it to BCM
*tomorrow*, so if you have any suggestions, please reply to this email
*ASAP*!!
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To: MaryBeth Luce, Director, BikeMaine
The Westbrook Safe Mobility and Access Committee (WSMAC) hereby submits a
Letter of Interest for a BikeMaine Community Grant, for the purpose of
purchasing and installing bicycle racks in the downtown Westbrook area.
WSMAC was organized in early 2017 to address concerns of local residents
around safe access to local roads for people outside of cars, most
especially in safely crossing streets in marked crosswalks. We participated
in the first MeDOT/BCM Pedestrian Safety Forum to discuss ideas and ways to
decrease bicyclist and pedestrian crashes in our city and to improve access
and mobility for everyone. We also have established communications with
city officials in the last year to improve access to planned projects such
as the Cumberland Mills Traffic Triangle and the western end of William
Clarke Drive. We are striving to be a proactive and visible entity in
Westbrook.
With the above in mind, we are applying for a Community Grant to install
bike racks at several visible and key locations in downtown Westbrook.
Having new, visible and easily accessible bike racks will help in showing
bicyclists and other visitors that Westbrook welcomes bicycling as an
accepted and normal means of transportation, as well as being welcomed by
downtown businesses.
Having visible bike racks to secure bicycles will give bicyclists a more
secure and confident feeling. First time bicyclists to Westbrook will see
our community values in providing a safe and secure place to leave your
bicycle while enjoying lunch, dinner or attending a local event.
We have already begun brainstorming desired locations for racks, and
inventorying existing locations. We will need to work closely with the city
of Westbrook where racks would be on city property such as a sidewalk or
park, and with business owners if the location is on their private
property. We already know of several business owners who would be
supportive. We are fortunate to have on our committee the owners of Ernie's
Cycle Shop, Sylvia and Bruce Wallingford, whose expertise on bicycle
matters will be valuable in advising us on this project.
Thank you for your consideration, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Dennis Marrotte, for WSMAC
Co-Chairs: Leelee Prince, John Brooking
