Meeting Notes
PIN 103422
Central Ave from Rt
155 to
Attendees
From NYSDOT: Dave Rettig, Scott Nowalk, Geoff Wood, Frank Bonafide
From Town of
From CDTA Kristina Younger
From
From CDTC Ann Benware, Glenn Posca
Dave Rettig opened the meeting with introductions and went on to describe the anticipated scope and costs of the project. It was stressed that the project design had not yet been initiated and was in the internal discussion phase.
Frank Bonafide explained the origin of the project was as request
by the Albany Co. Resident Engineer to correct severe rutting that had taken
place along this length of
Kristina Younger strongly pointed out that the project
evaluation sheet provided by DOT indicated the project would have no relationship
to local land use and transportations plans.
Frank Bonafide explained that the initial thought was the work, due to a
very limited budget, would be considered maintenance and had not planned to address
more extensive land use and area transportation plans. Kristina further pointed out that it had been
agreed by the CDTC members that maintenance work would not be federally
funded. She voiced concern that DOT
would move forward on this project without coordinating with the Town, Village
or CDTA - all of which have plans for this major CDTC corridor. CDTA does have two projects funded on the
TIP for the construction of queue jumper lanes within the project limits. Kristina had not been contacted regarding the
project and is concerned that the maintenance project, if it does not include
other proposed Village, Town of
Denise Sheehan pointed out that the Town does have
improvement plans for the corridor and hopes to be able to have some of those
plans incorporated within the DOT project.
Denise and Kristina discussed the possibility of securing some corridor
improvement funding from the CDTC TIP set-aside to undertake an access management
study for the Rt. 5 Rt. 155 (
Mayor Frank Leak raised the issue of pedestrian safety and
the difficulty of one of his visually impaired constituents tripping on the
ruts as he crosses the street. Frank and
Denise continued this topic pointing out the need for better pedestrian
crossing lights, better delineated crosswalks and the need for pedestrian
refuge considering that
Dave
Rettig pointed out that he had sincerely hoped to include the queue jumper lanes
as a part of this project due to the fact that such an improvement would not be
as constrained by budget as the rest of the capital work. Unfortunately extensive utility relocations,
the need for ROW takings, and a more complicated environmental process would
severely delay the safety benefits of the originally proposed project.
Dave also pointed out that the maintenance paving would not preclude other future work within the life of the new pavement.
Outcome:
DOT will coordinate with the Town and Village
to incorporate their needs between the curbs (crosswalks, ped.
refuge etc.). We also agreed to look at
count down timers. We will coordinate
with CDTA to do nothing to preclude the future building of the bypass
lanes. We agreed that CDTC should fund
an Access management study for the corridor.
DOT will work with CDTA on the implementation of the queue bypass
lanes. The balance of the DOT capital
work will be a curb to curb restoration of a smooth riding, rut free pavement
with drainage improvements as needed.