RECORD OF MEETING
FREIGHT TASK FORCE
DATE/TIME/PLACE: August 23, 1993; 3 PM; CDTC Offices
ATTENDANCE: George Macfarlane (UPS), Mary Phillips
(Conrail), Steve Iachetta (Albany Airport), John Newman (John T. Newman
Associates), Douglas Hughes (NYS Motor Truck Assn.), William Corp (Thruway),
Chungchin Chen (CDRPC), Dick Carlson (NYSDOT Region 1), Dennis Cottrell/John
Lemmerman/George Ado (NYSDOT Commercial Transport Division), Doug Bley
(Gardenway Corporation), Jack Tobin (NYS Waterways Operators), Gus Lapham
(Hudson Valley AAA), Carl Belke (CP Rail), Kristina Younger (CDTC)
DISCUSSION SUMMARY:
Minutes of Previous
Meeting - Questions regarding the
capacity of the canal to accommodate commercial activity were raised and
discussed. Dredging restrictions,
potential PCB problems in the Champlain Canal segment, and small size of the
locks were highlighted.
Status of Data
Collection
THRUWAY: Dick Corp provided data on truck volumes by
exit in the Capital District. A handout
on vehicle classifications was also included.
Data included Class 2 through Class 8 vehicles, so recreational vehicles
are counted. Annual peaking periods (June-
August) were noted. Truck movements are
a reflection of the overall economy and tend to lag behind a recession and come
ahead of an upturn. The impact of the
downsizing of IBM is readily apparent.
The Canadian Value Added Tax imposed three years ago also served to
increase the attractiveness of US good to Canadians, an impact seen readily in
western NY.
REEBIE DATA: Raw Reebie data for 1992 and 2002 were
distributed. Summary analysis to be
prepared. Additional data from the
trucking industry also distributed.
ALBANY PORT ACCESS: The applicability of the general conclusions
included in the Executive Summary of Landside Access to US Ports to the
Capital District was discussed at length.
Competition with the Port of NY/NJ is related to cargo with destinations
other than the NY Metropolitan Area. The
draft in the Hudson River is 28 feet, although the Port of Albany can handle 32
foot draft vessel -- the turning radius is there. Waterside access is hindered downstream -- at
Bear Mountain -- where a 28 foot rock ledge restricts ship size. Wheat and corn -- important commodities for
Cargill -- ships cannot be fully loaded, which could have a long-term impact on
the Port's business. Wetlands
immediately surrounding the Port are not a big issue, as the Port is not in the
position of expanding and owns quite a bit of land already, particularly on the
Albany side. Any expansion would likely
be on the Rensselaer side of the River.
The primary institutional barrier to increased commerce
at the Port of Albany is the industry operating history of
"sweetheart" deals with shippers to retain their business. This makes attracting new business
difficult. The Port of Albany is now
stressing its function as an inland river port (as opposed to ocean) in its
marketing -- and it seems to have found its niche. The supporting institutions (customs
clearance, stevedores, warehouses) needed for increased port activity may be a
future problem -- the Raydex Group is pulling out. Truck access is considered good, although the
turning radius for long tandems can be a problem. Rail access was upgraded in the late 1970's,
specifically in response to General Electric's need for heavy load track to
move long, high, wide turbines. There is
not the capacity (or the perceived need) for double stack access to the
Port. Rail facilities are being
systematically upgraded in the Capital District. At-grade crossings are also systematically
being eliminated. State demonstration
money for high speed rail from Albany to Hudson will require an increase in the
minimum protection provided.
ADDITIONAL DATA NEEDED:
Inventories of railroad grade crossings exist and should be obtained. Highway clearance inventories are another
important piece of information needed to establish priorities for future
improvements.
Metropolitan
Transportation System Definition
- After an introduction by KEY, the
debate focussed on what it will be used for, the necessity (or not) of
establishing a hierarchy of facilities (all my cousins are important), and the
various components of the system. Doug
Hughes made the point that transportation will serve the region -- if a
regional vision is formed, the transport system will modify itself to serve it. The other common theme was that change is the
only constant in goods movement.
The Canal is not now a major regional facility, but it
could be for recreation, but not likely for commercial traffic. Currently, the barges deadhead everything,
with the main cargo being jet fuel to Plattsburg -- a military base that is
closing in two years. Barges move BULK
cargo, and their main competition is from the railroads. Barges must be 25% light loaded (because of
the draft and lock size), and are most suited to low value products where time
is not really a factor. With CP running
daily 20 -25 car tank trains to Burlington, there is not the anticipated DEMAND
for increased barge traffic on the Champlain.
Pipelines were considered by the group to be regionally
significant only to the extent that they impact local travel. The 3 natural gas pipelines should be
documented, particularly as to how the material is distributed at
origin/desitination.
Railroad lines and trucking concentrations of regional
significance will require more discussion and was continued to the next meeting. In general, for goods movement, Albany is
more of a distribution point than an origin/destination. There are exceptions (GE turbines, Troy-Bilt
rototillers, etc...), however, and a focus on manufacturing and trucking
terminals in the region might lend some insight.
The long-term role of the region's airports was also
mentioned. Schenectady Airport is a
designated reliever Airport for Albany, and with the Advent of the Exit 26
bridge may assume an economic development role in the region. In general, global air-cargo traffic is
projected to grow an 6.8% annually, and increased cargo activity at both
airports should be anticipated.
NYS Intermodal
Management System - Dennis Cottrel
presented "Let's make MUSIC", as included in the mailing. The major intermodal issues that NYS will
focus on are: Facility Access and
Design, Institutional arrangements, regulatory issues, technological advances,
security issues, particularly with air freight, and congestion. A preliminary list of Capital District
Intermodal Freight Facilities was distributed.
ACTION ITEMS:
* NEXT
MEETING: Monday, September 20,
1993, 3 - 5 P.M.
* Agenda to
include: continued discussion of the
definition of freight component of Metropolitan Transportation System,
Congestion Management System discussion, status of data gathering, further
discussion/definition of the relevant issues.
* Railroad
grade crossing inventories -- KEY to obtain from NYSDOT, Federal Railroad
Administration. CP Rail and Conrail (and
Amtrak) to share their priorities for elimination.
* Highway
clearance inventory to be obtained by KEY from Bob Hansen/Jack Rob at NYSDOT
Region 1.
* KEY to
summarize Reebie Data.