Transportation Advisory Committee Meets After Long Hiatus. Seeks To Clarify Its Role and Get Back To Work

Amherst’s Transportation Advisory Committee (the “TAC”) met on October 1  for the first time in over six months, and engaged in a rather Hamlet-like discussion about whether to be, or not to be. Though at times the discussion seemed as confused as Hamlet himself, the predominant sentiment from members was clear: they want the TAC to be. TAC members feel they have work to do, and a much-needed role to play in the town. Indeed, members feel there’s so much work they have to get done – and so much progress they were making before COVID hit – that when the suggestion was made to start meeting once a month, three of the five members in attendance strongly asserted that they should go back to their previous twice a month schedule.  

What Does The TAC Do?
TAC’s 2016 Charge reads in part:

The intent of creation of the TAC is to enable the Town to address all transportation matters in a comprehensive and holistic manner. The TAC will advise the Select Board and the Town Manager on current and proposed transportation regulations, policies, initiatives, and improvement projects. 

Why the existential angst? There were questions whether the committee was still relevant since the change in town government and COVID restrictions since March. The Superintendent of Public Works, Guilford Mooring, and the TAC Chair, Aaron Hayden, wondered whether the Town Council, perhaps in particular the Town Service & Outreach Committee (TSO), which is made up of five Town Council members, would be taking on more of the TAC’s role. During the summer the TSO had held meetings on the contentious issue of parking on Lincoln Ave. Did this mean it wanted to take on broader transportation issues? 

TAC member Tracy Zafian had heard these questions and decided to attend the TSO meeting on 9/17 to discuss possible changes to parking on Lincoln Avenue. Former TAC member Eve Vogel also attended. Zafian and Vogel learned that the Town Councilors on the TSO were unaware that the TAC had not been meeting. Indeed, the TSO members wanted to hear from the TAC if there  were other transportation issues that should be considered in relation to Lincoln Ave. What was the TAC working on, and what did it see as its role?

Zafian reported the TSO’s interest to the TAC Chair, Aaron Hayden, and Hayden scheduled the TAC meeting. The main agenda item for this first meeting was what the role of the TAC should be.

The Role of TAC
In general attendees agreed that the committee’s broad charge still holds, until and unless the Town Council gives the TAC different guidance. Hayden noted that the committee’s charge came out of two studies which recommended best practices, and said the various modes of transportation are best handled by a single advisory body. He asked for the committee’s affirmation to bring forward to the Council the assertion that the TAC’s purpose continues. Committee members expressed agreement.

Former TAC member Eve Vogel urged the TAC to complete two tasks that were in process before the TAC stopped meeting: a Town Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan  and a project prioritization system. TAC member Tracy Zafian noted that these were both close to completion. TAC members Kimberley Tremblay and Marcus Smith noted that these are the kinds of big-picture plans and systems that TAC can offer that are not provided by other town bodies. 

Planning Director Christine Brestrup stated that one of the TAC’s predecessor committees also weighed in on things like roadway geometry, and the TAC should not limit itself to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Several voices noted the important role the TAC can play in advising on transit as well, in collaboration with the Town’s representative to the PVTA.  

Members also agreed that although the TAC may have a particularly important role to play in thinking about broader transportation goals and plans, the TAC also has responsibility in transportation project prioritization, and in advising on a variety of projects where they relate to broader transportation networks and goals.

Meeting participants also saw opportunity for coordination with the Energy and Climate Action Committee, the TSO, the Council, and committees that deal with planning and development. TAC members do not believe it is a good idea for the TAC’s workload to fall to the TSO, which already has a full plate. However, several members expressed satisfaction with the idea that the TSO could continue to take on the hot-button issue of parking in and near downtown. The TAC’s input would still be relevant, however, in relation to broader transportation issues.

Two TSO members, Dorothy Pam (District 3) and Darcy DuMont (District 5), joined the meeting near the end. DuMont is the TAC Council liaison. Hearing that Hayden is eager to get the TAC back to work, they invited him to present to the TSO at its next meeting on October 8th about the TAC’s vision for its future work.  

The TAC’s next meeting is tentatively scheduled for October 15 at 6 PM, with subsequent meetings on first and third Thursdays at 6 PM.