Capital District Transportation Committee

Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force

Record of Meeting on November 19, 2008

 

Attendance: James Levy (WSA/Niskayuna Resident), Raj Malhotra (NYSDOT Region 1 Planning), Elaine Troy (NYSDOH), Jason Purvis (CDTC), Jennifer Ceponis (CDTC), Jennifer Clunie (NYBC), Jim Mearkle (Albany County DPW), Rob Leslie (Town of Bethlehem), William F. Mackesey (Town of Clifton Park), Michael Valentine (Saratoga County Planning), Joshua Poppel (Alta Planning), Fred Mastroianni (Foit-Albert Associates), Ivan Vamos (NYBC), Doug Haller (Saratoga Healthy Transportation Network), Nelson Ronsvalle (Town of Halfmoon), Jeff Gritsavage (NYSDOT), Katie Bronson (City of Albany), Kelly Mateja (Town of Colonie), Teresa Lasalle (CDTC), Henrietta O’Grady (Halfmoon Trails),

 

1.0   New Business

 

1.1  Transportation Enhancement Program Status of Program – CDTC review committee sent a Planning Committee-approved list to NYSDOT  and NYSDOT Region 1 sent a separate list.

-Awards have not been announced but are anticipated to be made during December-January by Governor Patterson and/or Commissioner Glynn.

- CDTC region should receive approximately $4-5 million if funding levels are similar to previous rounds.

- The group inquired about the criteria NYSDOT used to evaluate the projects and how the Task Force or NYBC could play an advocacy role in changing the TEP Program criteria.

- I. Vamos commented that the Day Peckinpaugh is a statewide project and the Capital Region/Region 1 should not be burdened with its full cost.

- R. Mahaltra informed the group that comments regarding the TEP program and evaluation process can be submitted in writing to Wilson Moore.   

 

1.2  Spot-Improvement Program- Projects approved by Planning Committee for Funding/Discussion – Six of thirteen submitted projects were approved for funding.  The funding will be spread over three years on the TIP.  Letters to the project sponsors will go out on November 19.   

 

1.3  Local Project Updates

1.3.1       Altamont Linkage – Alta Planning & Design is putting the draft plan together which will go to the Study Advisory Committee in early December and discussed at the Public Meeting in January.  The project is moving into its final phases.

 

1.3.2       Albany Linkage- A series of meetings are scheduled the first week of December with the Study Advisory Committee, UAlbany Planning Studio students, and the Albany Bicycling Coalition.  The first public meeting will be scheduled for late February but date not yet known.

 

1.4  GPS Trail Inventory – CDTC interns collected GPS data and photos, throughout the summer, of signed on-road portions of the Mohawk-Hudson Bike Hike Trail (MHBHT).  The photos have been hot-linked to points along the trail.  All comments regarding the trail (i.e. sign covered by brush, trail contradicts other signs), have been organized.  Additional trails will be GPS’d as more resources are made available.  Currently T. Lasalle has all available data for trails within .25 - .50 miles of the MHBHT.  Municipalities can send additional data in any form possibly to T. Lasalle, however digital files are preferred.

-        D. Haller suggested getting in touch with Google Maps photographers to collect trail photos and apply them to current mapping data.

-        M. Valentine suggested CDTC coordinate with OPRHP to acquire snowmobile trail data.

-        www.bikely.com and www.mapmyride.com were two sites suggested for additional data.

 

1.5  ITE Webinar Pedestrian Crosswalk Policies: New Tools and Treatments Summary – J. Purvis distributed copies of the Powerpoint presentation and supplement to all Task Force members that did not attend the webinar.  Additional copies can be distributed by email. 

 

1.6  Summary of Statewide DOT/MPO Bike/Ped Coordinators’ Meeting – The NYSDOT Commissioner’s statewide bike/ped advisory committee has been revived and names have been submitted for recommendation.  MPO’s will be represented on the Committee.  At the meeting, the coordinators attempted to craft a statewide policy using the Region 5 Policy as a framework.

 

1.7  They just don’t get it – In following up on last month’s incident at Colonie Center Mall, K. Mateja spoke to the Colonie Police Department about installing bicycle racks. 

- I. Vamos discussed NYSDOT’s using of poor materials in the shoulders and bike lanes on newly resurfaced/reconstructed roadways to save the state money.  The materials being used create an unpleasant cycling environment. 

 

1.8 Other New Business

            1.8.1 D. Haller is looking for guidance or ideas to get Amtrak to allow bicycles on trains.  This could enhance tourism in the Capital Region, as well as in New York City, and further promote cycling.

 

            1.8.2 2009 Meeting Dates – January 13, February 10, March 10, April 21, May 12, June 19. 

 

            1.8.3 Any ideas or suggestions for new agenda items should be forwarded to J. Purvis.

 

1.8.4 Change in meeting time? 4:30 pm works best for the majority of the group and will continue to be the Task Force’s meeting time.

 

1.8.5 R. Mahaltra informed the group that SR-9J will be reconstructed to include wide shoulders, which will improve the roadway for cycling.  

 

2.0  Upcoming Events

 

The next CDTC Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force meeting is scheduled for December 9, 2008 @ 4:30 PM.