Capital District Transportation Committee

Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force

Record of the Meeting on September 13, 2011

Attendance: Katie Bronson (C/O Albany Planning), Susan Olsen (NSYDOT Region 1), Don Odell (Albany Bicycling Coalition), Martin Daley (Parks & Trails NY), Brian Kehoe (NYBC), Todd Fabozzi (CDRPC), Elaine Troy (NYSDOH Healthy Heart), Ivan Vamos (NYBC), Rob Leslie (T/O Bethlehem), John Stangle (Village of Menands), Linda Von der Heide (Rensselaer County), Carrie Ward (CDTA), Ed Tremblay (C/O Cohoes), Gina Gillooley (NSYDOH), Jennifer Hogan (GTSC), Michael Lyons (T/O Colonie), PC Russell (T/O Colonie Resident), Jim Levy (WSA), Jim Mearkle (Albany County DPW), Jen Ceponis (CDTC), Jason Purvis (CDTC)

1.0 New Business

1.1 Livingston Ave Bridge

According to NYSDOT Region 1, all options for the bridge replacement are still on the table and no final decisions have been made. No public meetings have been scheduled yet, everything delayed due to flooding emergencies

- M. Daley mentioned the recent article by League of Conservation Voters (http://nylcv.org/ecopoliticsdaily). PTNY set up a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Livingston-Avenue-Railroad-Bridge) & started a conversation on Twitter (#LivingstonAveBridge). They are working on organizing like-minded organizations and initiating a letter writing campaign.

- S. Olsen - NYSDOT Main Office project contacts: Susan Andrews (sandrews@dot.state.ny.us (518) 457-6685) and Marie Corrado (NYSDOT website)

1.2 Upstate Transportation Conference

Ithaca Car Share is hosting a transportation conference: Transforming Communities through Creative Collaboration September 22-33 in Ithaca, NY. The conference does not only include discussion on car sharing but also on methods for better collaboration with different entities and agencies, communications, marketing “place,” and getting the most from a shoe-string budget. Register online: http://conta.cc/lzrqui

1.3 PTNY Finger Lakes Trails & Greenway Conference

The Finger Lakes Trails and Greenways Conference will be held after the Upstate Transportation Forum in Ithaca, NY September 23-24. For more information and to register visit the PTNY website: http://ptny.org/greenways/conference/index.shtml

1.4 Capital Coexist

CDTC is meeting with Radio Disney Wednesday September 14 to get wrap up of Capital Coexist events; new outreach opportunities?

1.5 Priority network update

R.Leslie has presented Bethlehem's priority network & new evaluation system to the bike ped task force in prior meeting. CDTC is interested in updating their priority network to reflect Bethlehem's methodology. To begin the process of updating the networks, CDTC will provide network evaluation options and maps to the Planning Committee to react to. These options will be first vetted through the bike ped task force.

- D.Odell & I.Vamos volunteered time outside of committee to help with network

1.6 Walk to School Events

Walk Our Children to School Day is Wednesday, October 5. Albany County's Bill van Alstyne has coordinated Walk Our Children to School events in the past, and this year NYSDOT and GTSC are expanding the events to all four counties – Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, abd Schenectady. Schools can register their events on the National Walk to School site (http://www.walktoschool.org/).

- E.Troy will try & find out which events are occurring in region and update CDTC/task force.

- There is a conference call scheduled for Thursday, September 15 at 1:00pm, featuring B.Kehoe who will talk about Complete Streets legislation's impact on individual communities; email E.Troy (eht01@health.state.ny.us) if you are interested in receiving emails to quarterly conference calls in the future. You can participate in September’s call by calling: 1-866-394-2346 conference code: 438 1616 273

1.7 Sharrows

More sharrows are appearing throughout the City of Albany. K. Bronson said they are consistent with paving schedule & some projects are result of various grants (i.e. Lark St)

-D. Odell said he receives a lot of comments and questions regarding the meaning of the sharrows and he happily explains what they are.

-The City has created a sharrow “fact sheet” for the public: http://www.albanyny.org/Government/Departments/DevelopmentPlanning/NeighborhoodPlanning/BicycleMasterPlan.aspx

1.8 ADA Transition Plan

CDTC would like to get a better idea of which communities have ADA Transition Plans and which are interested in doing them. CDTC received data for the status of ADA compliance on state roads only and NYSDOT has a goal of bringing their facilities up to compliance by 2019.

-R.Leslie requested and received data from NYSDOT Main Office; the Town of Bethlehem is interested in doing a ADA Transition Plan.

-NYSDOT has information about ADA Transition Plans on their website: https://www.nysdot.gov/programs/adamanagement/ada-transition-plan

1.9 "They just don't get it..."

1.10 Other New Business

-M.Daley recommended anyone interested in the Mohawk Hudson Trail conditions contact the Canal Corp (1-800-4CANAL4)

-E.Troy asked how does Complete Streets or ADA compliance impact road rebuilding in response to Irene?

-I.Vamos recommended (CDC) putting out statement asking DPWs to try & meet new standards while rebuilding if they can (gently)

-CDTC will have conversation w/Planning Committee & NYSDOT re: road rebuilding w/ADA & Complete Streets

-M.Lyons suggested roads get rebuilt/upgraded based on use

-L.Vonder Heide said she notices people not using sidewalks even where they are available

-T.Fabozzi has been looking at Rensselaer County Towns where he's noticed that some cases a sidewalk might be more dangerous because it might push children on bikes into roadways . Maybe multi-use paths would be safer?

-R.Leslie said AASHTO bike guidebook recommends large amount of space between trails & roadways (about 10 feet buffer).

-J.Mearkle mentioned road study done in CT that looked at what features influenced driver behavior - curbs, sidewalks, etc.

-J.Levy FTA has established a formal policy (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-08-19/html/2011-21273.htm) for determining whether a pedestrian or bicycle improvement qualifies for FTA funding by defining a radius around a public transportation stop or station.

-E.Tremblay asked if CDTC has input on regional economic development councils - how does this work w/TEP, OPRHP; grants due in October?;

-I.Vamos shared the NY Times article from Sunday September 11 that praised Janette Sadik-Khan’s efforts in improving bicycle infrastructure in New York City. Her efforts have resulted in a doubling of the number of bicycling commuters in just 20 years; limited figures show huge growth in cycling but doesn't indicate that other cities are following suit but from what we've seen locally it would seem so (i.e. Albany); suggests that task force recommend Albany's efforts be recognized w/Fred Field award (http://www.cdtcmpo.org/fredfield2011.pdf)

-M.Daley reminded everyone to visit the Livingston Ave Bridge Facebook page and join the conversation on Twitter; also reminded people to register for the PTNY Trails and Greenways Conference

-T.Fabozzi said CDRPC is underway in reapplying for the HUD regional sustainability grant; deadline is October 6

-J.Hogan would like to propose moving Safe Routes to School network conference call from Thursday to next week because many of the main partners are unavailable

-R.Leslie said Town has project that is on regional priority network; is there any discussion of how NYSDOT acknowledges bike/ped network?

-S.Olsen said they may recognize priority network status but some times traffic issues have more influence

-L.Vonder Heide said more bike racks are appearing throughout Troy

-J.Puvis said that the bike lockers have been installed at both rail stations & C.Ward has received positive feedback about them

-B.Kehoe repeated that him & PTNY have been coordinating on the Livingston Ave Bridge project & looking for like-minded coalition members; important for bike community to recognize what Albany is doing for cycling

2.0 Upcoming Events

Meetings Open to the Public:

NEXT CDTC BIKE & PED. TASK FORCE MEETING: October 11, 2011 9:00 AM

NYSDOT will be ready for October meeting to show examples for bike/ped accommodations on Albany Shaker Rd/Airport project