RECORD OF MEETING

FREIGHT TASK FORCE

DATE/TIME/PLACE: Monday, May 22, 1995; 2 PM; CDTC Offices, Colonie

ATTENDANCE: Dick Corp (NYSTA), Ted Thompson (NYSDOT Region One), Tom Magliocca (Port), Carl Belke (CP Rail Systems), Steve Iachetta (Albany County Airport), Kristina Younger (CDTC)

DISCUSSION SUMMARY:

Status Reports:

* Roundtable results were mailed after Planning Committee approval in early May.

* Advance preparation for the release of the Transit Futures Task Force findings was given.

* The status of the abandonment of the Voorheesville Running Track was reviewed. Current consensus among affected stakeholders is for preservation of right-of-way, not necessarily for continued rail use.

* The Pennsylvania Transportation Institute will be doing a site visit for their case study of CDTC on June 6 and 7. Various task force members may be contacted for interviews.

Outline of Final Report: It was requested that supplemental performance measures include pavement and geometric conditions on the major surface access routes to intermodal terminals, particularly the Airport and the Port. It was noted that the Commercial Transport Division has completed an updated Grade Crossing Inventory that should be reviewed and incorporated as appropriate.

Revised Vision Statement: Minor clarifications to the bullets in the remove/reduce barriers sections were made. Revised Vision Statement was endorsed by those present.

Core Performance Measure Chapter: Kristina handed out this 25-page document and walked through its major findings and conclusions. Discussion was lively, particularly as regards the impact of congestion (especially incidents), the economic costs of the highway system, and the land use interactions of goods movement. A section on noise impacts -- both of the highway system and from the airport -- should be added. Additional land use interactions include the potential to use rail facilities to develop commercial activity in appropriate areas, the "neighborhood splitting" aspects of both highways and railroads, the proximity of low-income residential development in the vicinity of the Port. In general, both the quality of life and economic impacts sections can be expanded and made more comprehensive. See action items.

ACTION ITEMS:

* NEXT MEETING: Monday, June 19, 1995, 2 - 4:30 PM, CDTC Offices. Agenda to include: Actions/strategies discussion, revised performance measures, plan for ongoing industry involvement

* Task force members to transmit comments on core performance measures chapter to Kristina by June 15. Kristina to mail draft report to all those not present.

* Kristina to acknowledge Mary Phillips' new position at Conrail and extend the task force's best wishes for success in her new endeavors.

* Kristina to draft actions/strategies based on previous discussions. Plan for ongoing involvement includes creation of Advisiory Committee that will meet quarterly (minimum) and sponsor Roundtables annually or as needed. NO MEETINGS IN JULY AND AUGUST. SEPTEMBER MEETING WILL REVIEW COMPLETE DRAFT FINAL REPORT. OCTOBER IS MAJOR CONFERENCE AND BEGINNING OF PHASE 3 OUTREACH. TASK FORCE WILL DISSOLVE, AS OUR TASK WILL BE COMPLETED. A FREIGHT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE CDTC IS PROPOSED TO BE FORMED TO PROVIDE FOR ONGOING INPUT. THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE WOULD MEET QUARTERLY STARTING IN 1996.