[s1] CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

 

Meeting Minutes

June 3, 2010

 

MEMBERS ATTENDING

 

Rocky Ferraro, representing Michael Stammel, Capital District
  Regional Planning Commission

Michael Franchini, representing Michael Breslin, Albany County

Mayor James Gaughan, Village of Altamont

Alan Grattidge, representing Willard Peck, Saratoga County

Terry Hurley, Albany Port District Commission

Steve Iachetta, representing John O, Donnell, Albany County

  Airport Authority

Mary Ivey, NYS Department of Transportation Region 1, Secretary

Mayor Scott Johnson, City of Saratoga Springs

Andrew Kreshik, representing Mayor Harry Tutunjian, City of Troy

Joseph LaCivita, representing Paula Mahan, Town of Colonie

Mayor John T. McDonald III, City of Cohoes, Chairman

Rosemary Nichols, representing Mayor Michael Manning, City of
 
Watervliet

Deirdre Rudolph, representing Mayor Gerald Jennings, City of
 
Albany

Phil Serafino, representing William Rinaldi, NYS Thruway
  Authority

Ann Shaughnessy, representing Martin Reid, Rensselaer County

Linda von der Heide, representing Kathleen Jimino, Rensselaer

  County

Tom Werner, Saratoga County

Kristina Younger, representing Carm Basile, Capital District
  Transportation Authority

 

STAFF AND OTHERS

 

Bob Hansen, NYS Department of Transportation

Dave Jukins, Capital District Transportation Committee

Sandra Misiewicz, Capital District Transportation Committee

Christopher O’Neill, Capital District Transportation Committee

Omar Peters, Capital District Transportation Committee

John Poorman, Capital District Transportation Committee

Jason Purvis, Capital District Transportation Committee

Deb Stacey, Capital District Transportation Committee

 

OPENING REMARKS

 

Chairman McDonald opened the Capital District Transportation Committee meeting at 3:05 pm and welcomed those in attendance.  Members and attendees introduced themselves.

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

March 4, 2010 Meeting Minutes

 

Members approved the March 4, 2010 meeting minutes as written.

 

Administrative & Financial Standing Subcommittee Report

 

The Administrative & Financial Standing Subcommittee has not met since February.  There is a significant cash flow issue for CDTA as CDTC’s host, however, due to the lack of a state budget.  The NYSDOT Main Office is currently able to pay CDTC’s bills with older Federal grant monies, but will not be able to do so in the longer term.  An A & F meeting will be held in August to discuss these issues and review candidates for the Fred Field Award.

 

Draft CDTC Operations Plan (Prospectus)

 

CDTC’s Planning Committee recommended that the first two chapters of the Prospectus be passed on to the Policy Board for approval, recognizing that the third and final section of the document will not be complete for a few months.  The first chapter provides a description of CDTC and its planning approach.  The second chapter elaborates on committee practices, membership and agreements between the MPO and NYSDOT and CDTA.  The third chapter will identify existing commitments and CDTC’s financial future.  Board members approved the first two chapters of the Prospectus.

 

Self-Certification of CDTC’s Planning Process

 

CDTC must annually certify that the MPO is conducting an open, responsive, comprehensive process and is complying with SAFETEA-LU requirements.  A formal federal certification is conducted every fourth year; in other years, CDTC must complete a self certification.  The 2010 Certification details were included in the mailing and are posted on CDTC’s website. CDTC Policy Board approval of a self certification resolution is required during the adoption of the Transportation Improvement Program.  Members approved the Self Certification Resolution.

 

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR

 

Chairman McDonald indicated that CDTC provides an opportunity for visitors to address items on the agenda. No one registered to address the board members today.

 

 

2007-12 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENTS

 

SA266 & SA267 Pavement Management Projects at Saratoga National Park These Pavement Management Projects are funded by Federal Lands Highway Program monies, a non-competitive fund source.  However, these projects must be added to the 2007-12 TIP to move forward.  Members approved the addition of these projects to the 2007-12 TIP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2010-15 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

 

Changes to the Draft 2010-15 Project Listings Approved by the Planning Committee

 

The Planning Committee approved changes to CMAQ programming and made some other adjustments to the TIP. These are summarized in member’s packets.  Policy Board members approved these changes.

 

 

Changes to the Draft 2010-15 Project Listings Not Approved by the Planning Committee

 

As described in member’s packets, edits to Summary Table 1 and  Figure 1 were made since the Planning Committee last met.

 

Approval of the Draft 2010-15 Transportation Improvement Program

 

John Poorman provided a synopsis of programming activities that occurred to get to the current draft TIP.  These activities are summarized in pages 5-15 of the 2010-15 TIP.  Briefly, during Round 1 programming, $71M was programmed, mostly for highway projects.  Top ranked projects were selected for funding under Round 1.  During Round 2, three safety projects were programmed and members approved funding for several set-asides (ADA, Spot Improvement, Linkage Transition Engineering and Bridges).  Planning Committee Members will continue discussions in July, working with a target of roughly half of the remaining Round 2 funds for pavement & bridge projects, and the balance for other groups of project categories.  A minimum of $20M will be placed in the pavement and bridge category.

 

Before the TIP can be formally incorporated into the statewide STIP, an Air Quality Conformity Analysis must be completed.  The Conformity Analysis is coordinated with the Air Quality Interagency Consultation Group (ICG).  Chris O’Neill has been working closely with this group and expects that the analysis will be complete within the next week.  The Policy Board was asked to delegate final approval of the conformity analysis to the Planning Committee.  A 30 day review period is required once the conformity is complete and approved.

 

Members asked a few questions about the TIP projects.  Mayor Gaughan repeated his sentiment that small communities are screened out of the Project Selection Process.  John Poorman reminded the Mayor and others that Round 2 programming (which is not yet complete) is structured to resolve that type of issue.

 

Members approved the resolution adopting the 2010-15 Transportation Improvement Program and authorized staff to submit the first four years of the TIP to NYSDOT for incorporation into the STIP.  Members also took action to allow the Planning Committee to approve the Conformity Analysis once it is complete.

 

 

STATUS OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

 

Port of Albany

 

Terry Hurley reported the Port that the dock and wharf improvements should be complete by the end of 2010.

CDTA

 

CDTA rolled out major service changes in Schenectady at the end of May.  Nine routes were consolidated into five much more efficient routes.  CDTA has adopted a balanced budget and will not be asking for a fare increase.  CDTA partnered with CDTC to provide free bike racks (up to $1000) to the public sector and non-profits and provides a 50/50 cost sharing arrangement for bike racks for the private sector.   Seventy-seven applications were approved for 335 bike racks (totaling $50,000).  About 900 additional bicycle parking spaces will be created as a result of this program.  About 40,000 bikes were loaded on CDTA bus bike racks in the past year.

 

NYSDOT

 

The 9P project will begin after Labor Day and should be completed by Memorial Day next year. The Champlain Bridge has been let and awarded; a new bridge should be in place by October 2011.  The Batchellerville Bridge Project was let in May; no awards have been made yet.  The Northway Exit 6 project continues to move forward.

 

Albany Airport Authority

 

A $2M project is out for bid for taxiway improvements. The Latham Water Tank project, paid for by Federal ARRA funds is on schedule and under budget.  Annual enplanements are holding steady at 2.6 million.

CDTC

 

The NYS MPO Conference will be held in Syracuse June 14-15th.  CDTC staff is involved in a joint effort with NYSDOT Region 1 to conduct a consultant study of the US 9/I-87 Corridor.  An RFQ was recently circulated.  CDTC Staff has pioneered the Capital Co-Exist Campaign.  A new website and promotional materials have been developed for this effort.  The region’s vanpool pilot, funded mostly through a NYSERDA/NYSDOT grant has some recent success; a total of 10 vanpools will be on the road by July.

 

Albany County

 

Mike Franchini reported that with the support of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering ($10M) and increased funding from NYSDOT, the funding package for the construction of the $22M roundabout at the intersection of Fuller Road and Washington Avenue Extension is now complete.  The preliminary design for this project would grade separate the intersection, placing WAE on a bridge over a 2 lane roundabout.  The entire intersection would be moved to the north, which would accommodate the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering’s desire to expand their complex by adding three buildings.  Albany Nanotech owns the land surrounding this intersection.    Public meetings are being scheduled.

 

City of Watervliet

 

The city is completing their first ever Comprehensive Plan.  The city is using New Freedom funds to establish shuttle service for mobility impaired seniors and individuals, which will connect the city and Green Island residents to major attractions in the city.  The shuttle will also connect to CDTA’s fixed route system.  The vehicle will be delivered shortly and a logo was developed by a local High School student as a result of an art contest. The service will begin in July.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:20 pm.  The next meeting is scheduled for 3:00 pm, Thursday September 2, 2010.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

Mary E. Ivey

Secretary


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