Algiers Village Scoping Study Steering Committee Minutes 11.02.26

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Algiers Village Bicycle and Pedestrian Traffic Calming Scoping Study

Notes from Steering Committee Meeting (Open to the Public)

November 2, 2026  10:00 -11:00 AM; Remote via Zoom

Attendees

Erika Elder, Town Administrator

Sheila Morse, Chair, Selectboard; Algiers Traffic Calming and Safety Committee

Eric Morse, Chair, Algiers Traffic Calming and Safety Committee

Mike Szostak, Selectboard

Jean Eastman, Algiers Traffic Calming and Safety Committee

Barry Aleshnick, Algiers Traffic Calming and Safety Committee

Dan Mallach, DuBois & King, Consultant Team. dmallach@dubois-king.com

Kait Campbell, DuBois & King, Consultant Team. kcampbell@dubois-king.com

Notes

  1. News and Updates
    1. Erika has been speaking with people about the study and the kickoff meeting; there is local awareness and interest
    1. Town is considering a brief online survey related to this study
      1. Best to keep it short and focused
      1. Could ask about priorities (e.g., safety, pedestrian connectivity)
      1. Can be an opportunity to inform about the core safety focus of the study
    1. Windham Regional Commission has set up traffic count tubes on the 3 approaches to Algiers
  • Importance of Open and Respectful Conversations
    • Any study will include differences of opinion about intents and potential outcomes
      • Encourage people to participate in meetings
      • Important to listen to each other, understanding that frustration can grow when people do not feel heard
      • Offer accurate information that we have, state when we don’t have information
      • Stress that no decisions have been made while the study is ongoing
      • While many good ideas have been advanced, and some implemented, repeat the necessity of doing a Scoping Study so that Guilford is set up for publicly-supported funding opportunities should they be available in order to do projects that require more engineering plans and complex construction
      • We are being pro-active rather than re-active
      • Clarify that that the resulting Scoping Study report will in no way bind the Town in taking specific actions
  • Review of Draft Presentation
    • Emphasize safety focus of this study
      • If it comes up: This study is not seeking to create a Village theme park
      • If it comes up: This study is not directly supporting any particular business (improving local safety and multimodal connectivity can be good for business)
    • Include information in the presentation and conversation about Complete Streets
    • Add street-view “approach” images starting further north, at Pauls Road
    • Add reference/photo to initiate discussion of outdoor lighting, with a focus on safety and security
    • Add examples from other Towns of the some options this study could be considering
    • Emphasize multiple bus stops in the Village– school and MOOver
    • Emphasize driving generators in addition to pedestrian generators, especially relatively recent additions, such as the Pauls Road Delta Campus, and the agricultural fields and farm stand on GPI lands
    • Situate the usefulness of some information in the context of public and private funding opportunities (e.g., flood resilience, emergency preparedness, regional bike routes)
  • Background on Snow Removal
    • VTrans does not plow the sidewalk on the Route 5 bridge
    • Guilford occasionally has the capacity to use a snowblower on this sidewalk
    • Windham Windsor Housing shovels at their residences
  • Background on Parking
    • This is a major issue in Algiers
    • People do parallel park for a short stretch along Route 5—mostly off of the paved road surface (see below); this can limit the ability of motorists at Guilford Center Road to see motorists or cyclists coming northward on Route 5
  • On-street parking can be a useful buffer of sidewalks; any new sidewalk construction recommendations should consider how parking may be included
    • “Class 1” Town Highway status allows a Town to take on greater responsibility for most maintenance along a portion of a state road (such as Route 5) while giving it greater flexibility to create design changes, such as (pending further analysis) related to speed limit, road geometry, parking, and potentially stop signs/signals.
    • Earlier Village planning projects for Algiers did suggested parking along Route 5.
  • Background on Early Village Design Initiatives
    • Algiers Triangle Master Plan (2009)
  • Conceptual Site Plan for Guilford Country Store (Stevens & Associates, 2010)
  • Background on Policing
    • A subject that does come up
    • Regional coalitions or county-wide contracting may be a future option to explore
    • Any policing strategy for within Algiers is not a substitute for physical improvements that are designed and maintained to improve safety at all times.
  • D&K Action Items
    • Finalize Presentation Slides
    • Reach out to Doug Richmond for a short visit on November 12th
    • Take Sight Distance measurements on November 12th
    • Connect with Colin Bratton/WRC about traffic count tubes
    • Connect with Derek Kenison/VTrans about parking on Route 5, Class 1
  • Next Scheduled Steering Committee Meeting: Monday December 7, 2026, 10 AM

Meeting Recording: https://youtu.be/NvSHqhYzXd4