New York State Department of Transportation

PIN 1034.22 Route 5, Central Ave Resurfacing TIP Amendment Information

December 5, 2007

During the CDTC TIP update process a maintenance project for the paving of Rt. 5, Central Avenue from Rt. 155 to Fuller Road was approved for listing on the TIP. The scope of the project was to provide a new riding surface by milling out the rutted pavement and placing a two course overlay. The project also proposed the use of unbonded whitetop (a 4-6 inch concrete overlay) for the intersections at Rt. 155 and Fuller Road. The project scope was originally estimated with limits from Rt. 155 to the Albany City line. The cost estimate for the proposed white-top at the intersections pushed the project beyond the available funding thus the limits were cut back to terminate at Fuller Road. The Project was approved for the SDF to STP swap at the June 27, 2007 Planning Committee Meeting with the understanding that (directly from meeting minutes):

1) A design Steering Committee will be appointed that will have input into the project design.

2) NYSDOT will try to accommodate some New Visions /NY5 Land Use and Transportation Plan / BRT / Village Streetscape design features between curbs. The project will not be re-scoped, but thoughtful consideration will be given to these features.

3) A second phase of this project can be introduced as a project candidate (without prejudicial status) at the next project solicitation. The second phase could be for New Visions design features not incorporated into the project approved at the 2007-12 TIP update (phase one), and would be evaluated along with phase one as one project for the purpose of evaluation and consideration against other candidates.

4) A ($230,000) Corridor Management Initiative project (RG 31) will be initiated to identify an access management plan for the NY 5 corridor.

A committee, consisting of representatives from NYSDOT, CDTC, CTDA, the Town of Colonie and the Village of Colonie, originally met just before the above mentioned Planning Committee meeting and two times since to discuss the progress of the design work and the inclusion of possible enhancements. These meetings have resulted in the addition of inlaid patterned crosswalks with count-down timers at all signalized intersections, a raised, planted median and enhanced crosswalk in front of Colonie Center, restriping of the existing cross section to provide a fourteen foot shared travel lane that will be consistent with the Albany City project and concrete pads at all bus turnouts along the project limits. It is important to note that these improvements are consistent with elements of the Rt. 5 corridor studies and in no way hinder the ability to progress and construct the proposed Queue jumper project. The committee has discussed progression of an access management study some results of which could possibly be considered when progressing the queue jumpers. Also discussed was the expectation that future development along the Rt. 5 corridor will be directed to abide by the access management recommendations.

Committee discussion/requests not being incorporated into the NYSDOT project design include immediate access management remediation (should wait for study recommendations and this is not within the scope of the maintenance paving), elimination of unused bus turnouts (request withdrawn), addition of new bus turnouts (ROW and utility issues cannot be addressed in the remaining time frame and scope of this maintenance work) and addition of a gateway treatment should the expanded project limits be approved (pavement cross section not adequate).

The main issue discussed was the addition of a bike lane or striping for a bike line. The idea of striping the outer lane was the subject of extensive discussion. Ultimately NYSDOT felt that striping for a three foot bike lane with a curb and drainage structures was not appropriate. We also discussed the use of a new pavement marking (Sharrows) but opted to remain consistent with the City of Albany cross section.

ISSUE

The NYSDOT Materials Engineer has determined that there is insufficient asphalt depth to allow the appropriate white-top treatment at the intersections of Rt. 155 and Fuller Rd. Recommended instead is the use of a polymer reinforced asphalt that will resist rutting. The savings from this recommendation would fully fund an extension of the same treatment to the Albany City line. The section of Rt. 5 between the existing Fuller Rd. limit and the proposed Albany City Line limit has a 2006 surface score of 5 (poor) which makes it an appropriate candidate for the same pavement treatment being designed for the originally approved limits. The difference between the approved section and the proposed section lies in the severe rutting (and related safety and maintenance concerns of rutting) in the original section.

Extending the paving to the Albany city line would:

Provide a greatly improved riding surface for the approximate 26,000 to 28,000 daily vehicles adjoining recently (or about to be) improved riding surfaces on New Karner Road (Rt. 155), Fuller Rd, and the City section from Everett Rd to the City line.

Improve an additional 1.25 miles (5.0 lane miles) of pavement at no additional cost to our constituency.

Provide improved pedestrian safety and visual enhancement via additional imprinted crosswalks at the signalized intersections.

Reduce wear and tear on newer expensive hybrid transit vehicles (as well as the older conventional vehicles).

Utilize advanced federal funds that would otherwise be unavailable for other purposes.