RECORD OF MEETING

FREIGHT TASK FORCE

 

DATE/TIME/PLACE:  Monday, October 24, 1994; 2 PM; CP Rail Offices, Clifton Park

ATTENDANCE:  Mary Phillips (Conrail), Steve Iachetta (Albany County Airport), John Newman, Dick Corp (NYSTA), John Lemmerman and Dennison Cottrell (NYSDOT Commercial Transport), Ted Thompson (NYSDOT Region One), Carl Belke (CP Rail), Gus Lapham (AAA), Larry Bascom (Quandt's Wholesale Distributors), Kristina Younger (CDTC)

 

DISCUSSION SUMMARY:  Record of May meeting unchanged.  Results of phone calls to members that have not been attending was reported.

Status Reports:  1)       Steve Iachetta gave a brief presentation on the status of Albany Airport's Air Cargo Facilities upgrade.  A recent Request for Proposals yielded 10 strong letters of interest from the private sector.  "Innovative financing" and a public/private partnership will pay for these new facilities in the Northeast quadrant of the airport.  Access to the facility will likely be via Route 7.  Steve provided copies of the RFP, current and historic air cargo data for the airport, and an article by Boeing on U.S. Domestic Air Cargo forecasts.  While Albany County airport cargo has essentially been steady for the last four years, national projections for significant increases appear to be the motivating factor in the 10 private firms expressing interest in further facility development.  2)           Roadway restructuring noted.  3)            Schenectady County airport regionalization call noted.

Survey of Goods Movement:  Review of final draft survey result led to several editorial changes, clarifying write-in responses, and correcting one error.  Discussion centered around necessary follow-up. The need for, timing and content of a roundtable discussion with industry representatives was debated.  It was determined that such a roundtable is desirable to be held at the draft recommendation stage -- before Phase 2 of New Visions is over, but after the Task Force is further along in its work.  This leads to a January/February schedule.  Agenda proposed to include two parts:  1)  Start with a general vision for Capital District Goods Movement that summarizes what proposed projects are designed to implement.  2)  Focus on specifics of where the deficiencies are and how they are proposed to be addressed.  Ideally, this second item would be a map or series of maps on the wall of the transportation system of focus, where goods movement activities currently cluster, where system deficiencies exist, and where specific capital projects are recommended.  The vision statement (Are we looking to remove infrastructure barriers (provide access) so that the private sector can do its job?  Are we looking to, in competition with other transportation needs, make wise investments of public dollars to improve system efficiency and connectedness?  Is our focus to support the existing goods movement system or to promote the development of a future system that is somewhat different ("more intermodal")?) will require more thought and discussion by the Task Force in advance of the roundtable.  Any vision statement created needs to logically lead to a set of priorities for capital investment.  See Action Items.

 

Supplemental Performance Measures and Objectives:  Summary preliminary data presented and discussed.  The need for 16 foot bridge clearance on the STRAHNET (strategic military highways) was noted and should be characterized separately from the NHS.  Use of the Truckers Championship Council for intersection turning radii data was endorsed.  Services for truckers was discussed and clarified.  Reflection of national goal of net reduction of 25% of all grade crossings was requested in objectives.  A fuller discussion paper, with appendices listing data used of the freight performance measures and objectives to be included in the November meeting packet.

 

ACTION ITEMS:

*    NEXT MEETING:  Monday, November 21, 2 - 4:30 PM, Conrail's Selkirk Offices.  Agenda to include:  supplemental performance measures and objectives write - up, core performance measure status and objectives, vision statement, industry roundtable planning.

*    Survey results to be reviewed and approved for public distribution by the Planning Committee at its November meeting.  After approval, results to be distributed to all survey respondents.

*    Industry forum/roundtable to be held in January/February with agenda as discussed above.  Further discussion of logistics needed at future meetings, closer to date of the event.

*    Vision for what hope to achieve in goods movement is needed.  KEY to draft statement to initiate the discussion.