Capital District Transportation Committee

Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force

Record of Meeting on June 10, 2003

Attendance: Mark Cashman (MHCC/LAB), Scott Lewendon (Clough Harbour), William Mackesey (Town of Clifton Park, SCHTC), Don Odell (Friends of MHBHT), Barbara Quint (Guilderland Pathways), Deb Spicer (NYSDOH Healthy Heart), John Stangle (Village of Menands), Elaine Troy (NYSDOH Healthy Heart), Ivan Vamos (NYBC), Teresa La Salle (CDTC), Jason Purvis (CDTC)

1.0 AGENDA AND MEETING NOTES REVIEW

May 2003 minutes were approved.

2.0 PROJECTS/PROGRAMS AND OTHER UPDATES

3.0 ONGOING TASKS

3.1 Greenways Grant for Regional Bike Trail: J. Purvis reported that the grant is near completion. Clark Patterson is finishing up the document and will hopefully be done at the end of June. The project summary is still available on the web. The final document will be available on the web, upon completion.

3.2 CDTC's Bicycle/Pedestrian Priority Network: The bulk of the meeting was spent discussing the Saratoga and Schenectady County portions of the proposed additions to the network. T. La Salle provided a live GIS map of the existing and proposed facilities. A summary of the recommendations/additions that were accepted by the task force is attached.

3.3 Game Plan and Toolbox Update: J. Purvis reported that the Toolbox working group is making progress. Data has been gathered on all 79 municipalities regarding comprehensive master plans. E. Troy has been adding health-related data to the existing text where applicable. The group will meet again on June 18^th.

3.4 Canalway Initiative: D. Odell noted that the Canalway Trails Annual Conference is currently taking place in Utica. A charrette regarding trail gap completion is being organized by David-Iman Adler of NYPCA.

3.5 Guilderland Pathways Committee: B. Quint reported that the County Legislator has approved a project to repair and remodel the French’s Mill Road Bridge. J. Purvis noted that he had received a letter from the NYS Thruway citing that the Pathways proposal to build a Bike Path along the NYS Thruway ROW from Exit 23 to Exit 25 is prohibited under FHWA and NYSDOT regulations. J. Purvis is in the process of contacting both FHWA and NYSDOT to clarify the issue. J. Purvis noted that a public meeting will be held Tuesday, June 17^th at the Beltrone Living Center regarding the Thruway’s Exit 23/24 Corridor Study. This study proposes the possible addition of a travel lane between exits 23 and 24. B. Quint noted that there will be a work session at the end of June to start planning the direction of the development of Guilderland’s Master Plan for trails.

3.6 Mohawk Hudson Bike Hike Trail Map update: T. La Salle displayed a PDF file of the North-South section of the new Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail Map for review. T. La Salle will be sending the file to members via email, so that they can print out sections and submit written comments on the printouts regarding any additional features.

4.0 NEW BUSINESS

4.1Other new business: I. Vamos noted that he has been in contact with NYSDOT regarding bikeability issues in regards to the Route 9 & Route 20 projects.

E. Troy announced that International Walk to School Week will be held October 6-10^th 2003.

J. Purvis noted that there are only a few hundred copies of the Regional Bike-Hike Map left. CDTC printed 10,000 copies in March of 2002. Due to the limited supply, CDTC is no longer distributing the maps in large quantities. A re-print of the existing map is not practical.

J. Purvis noted that according to an article in the Schenectady Gazette, Saratoga Springs has been awarded a $100,000 grant to add 2500 feet to the existing Railroad Run Biking and Hiking Trail. The grant was awarded through Parks Recreational Trails Program.

J. Stangle reported that the Village of Menands has applied for funds from the Estuary Program to extend the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail south of Schuyler Flatts.

5.0 UPCOMING EVENTS

- The next CDTC Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, 2003 at 4:30 p.m. at the CDTC Offices.