Cheltenham Township officials will consider the proposed creation of an Active Transportation Committee during Wednesday’s public works committee meeting on Wednesday, May 7.
According to the meeting’s agenda, the citizens committee would focus on pedestrian, trail, bike, and sidewalk improvements.
“The Active Transportation Committee is being formed at the request of Commissioner Jeff Chirico to facilitate the planning, development, and promotion of active transportation infrastructure, policies and programs, including trails, sidewalks and other pathways in Cheltenham Township,” the agenda says.
“Some of you may know that one of my main goals when running for township commissioner was to work to create a more pedestrian and bicyclist-friendly municipality. I proposed the formation of this committee last summer as the first step in that goal,” Chirico said in a Facebook post. “The committee will be made up of township staff and township residents and advised by outside organizations with particular focus on these issues.”
John Raisch, a Wyncote resident and former Environmental Advisory Council member, said he would like the township “to focus on people, not vehicles”.
“Our vision is for the committee to operate in close alignment with both the Environmental Advisory Council (Residents for a Sustainable Cheltenham) and the Traffic Calming Committee, reporting directly to the Board of Commissioners through the Public Works Committee,” Raisch said in a post.
From the ordinance:
Establishment and purpose. Consistent with the goals of the Cheltenham Township Comprehensive Plan and Sustainability Plan, the citizens advisory committee to be known as the “Cheltenham Township Active Transportation Committee” (Active Transportation Committee), is hereby established for the purpose of providing advice and guidance to the Township in relation to the comprehensive development, improvements and maintenance of the network of trails and sidewalks throughout Cheltenham Township that are predominantly off-street facilities, but which may cross, parallel or share street right-of-way for limited lengths and may connect to existing and future trails and sidewalks within Cheltenham Township and in neighboring communities in order to make the Township a safer community for active transportation. The Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners shall be the primary authority for trail and sidewalk development, but the Active Transportation Committee shall assist with coordination amongst various Township and related outside agencies with matters related to trails and sidewalks in order to coordinate a fully integrated trail and sidewalk network.
The proposal will be up for a final vote on Wednesday, May 21.
The full ordinance can be found on page 57 below:
Glenside Elementary School
The public works meeting will also consider recommending that the Board of Commissioners adopt a resolution granting conditional approval and associated waivers for a preliminary land development application for Glenside Elementary School’s three building additions, nine additional parking spaces,
improvements to three subsurface stormwater facilities, and the relocation of both a play area and an
emergency access driveway.
The township received plans for the changes on February 21.
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