CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

 

Meeting Minutes

June 7, 2012

 

MEMBERS ATTENDING

 

Philip Barrett, Town of Clifton Park

Carm Basile, Capital District Transportation Authority

Sarah Crowell, representing Mayor Daniel Dwyer, City of

  Rensselaer

Dennis Dowds, Town of Schodack

Mayor James Gaughan, Village of Altamont

Bruce Hidley, representing Mayor Michael Manning, City of

  Watervliet

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

Andrew Kreshik, representing Mayor Lou Rosamilia, City of Troy

Michael Loftus, New York State Thruway Authority

Mayor Gary McCarthy, City of Schenectady

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

Mike Stammel, Capital District Regional Planning Commission

Linda von der Heide, representing Kathleen Jimino, Rensselaer

  County

Tom Werner, Saratoga County

STAFF AND OTHERS

 

Don Adams, Creighton Manning

Rob Cherry, NYS Department of Transportation Region 1

Caroline Crowell, Interested Citizen

Collin Hodges, Capital District Transportation Committee

David Jukins, Capital District Transportation Committee

Sandra Misiewicz, Capital District Transportation Committee

Leah Mosall, Capital District Transportation Committee

Sree Nampoothiri, Capital District Transportation Committee

Chris O’Neill, Capital District Transportation Committee

Jeff Pangburn, Creighton Manning

Sam Piper, Capital District Transportation Committee

Glenn Posca, Capital District Transportation Committee

Jason Purvis, Capital District Transportation Committee

John Tozzi, Creighton Manning

Ken Williams, Interested Citizen

 

OPENING REMARKS

 

Chairman McDonald opened the Capital District Transportation Committee meeting at 3:07 PM and welcomed those in attendance.  Members and attendees introduced themselves.

 

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

Approval of the March 1, 2012 Meeting Minutes

 

The March 1, 2011 meeting minutes were approved by the members.

 

Approval of the March 9, 2012 Meeting Minutes

 

The March 9, 2011 meeting minutes were approved by the members.

 

Administrative & Financial Standing Subcommittee Report

 

Dave Jukins said that the MPO Host Agency Federal-Aid Project Agreement, which is time sensitive, has been delayed in downtown Albany.  CDTC staff will continue to monitor the situation.  Mayor McDonald reported that the A & F is conducting a search process for a new Executive Director for CDTC to replace John Poorman, who retired in May.  Mayor McDonald said that he expected to finish the process by the end of June.

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR

 

Chairman McDonald indicated that CDTC provides an opportunity for visitors to address items on the agenda.  Kenneth Williams spoke about the importance of investment in new buses to support transit ridership.

 

PRESENTATION - PROJECTS IN HARMONY:  INTEGRATING THE NEW WASHINGTON AVENUE/FULLER ROAD INTERSECTION AND ALBANY NANOFAB EXPANSION INTO THE REGION’S ECONOMIC FABRIC

 

Jeff Pangburn gave a presentation about the Washington Avenue/Fuller Road intersection project.  This project represents a collaboration between Albany County, NYSDOT, CDTC, and University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE).  Washington Avenue will be reconfigured to the north, and will be elevated so that through traffic will travel over Fuller Road.  The project has been carefully coordinated with construction occurring on the CNSE campus.  A roundabout will be constructed at grade, and sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalks will be provided.  Mary Ivey commented that this project is a great example of cooperation.  Dave Jukins commented that this project illustrates many New Visions principles, including public private partnerships, land use integration and multi-modal planning.

 

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENTS

 

T17 (1820.48), Transit Bus Replacement/Expansion

 

Carm Basile explained that this amendment is necessary because the Federal Transit Administration made additional discretionary bus replacement funding available to CDTA.  The grant will result in seven to eight bus purchases that will be made in the summer of 2013.  Members approved the amendment.

 

 

A536 & SA271 (1ABP01), Twin Bridges Deck Replacements

 

Dave Jukins explained that this project was included in the list of projects approved at the emergency action Policy Board meeting on March 9.  This project is singled out for Policy Board consideration because it is one of the largest deck projects.  Mary Ivey explained that staff is looking at weekend construction for this project.  Members approved the amendment.

 

Proposed New York Works Program

 

Mary Ivey explained that the Region will benefit from a significant amount of infrastructure projects through the Governor’s initiative.  Most of the projects will involve pavement restoration and bridge rehabilitation and deck replacements.  One of the signature projects is the Patroon Island Bridge project, funded at $140 million.

 

Dave Jukins commented that the Patroon Island Bridge project is very good for the Capital District.  It is a critically important project for which funding was previously uncertain.

 

DISCUSSION OF COMMISSIONER McDONALD’S LETTER ON FORWARD FOUR STRATEGIES

 

Dave Jukins presented the letter from Commissioner McDonald which presents the New York State Department of Transportation’s new Four Forward Strategy.  He explained that given limited resources there is a need to look at infrastructure needs, especially preservation strategies.  The Commissioner is suggesting that CDTC can incorporate the Four Forward strategies into the CDTC TIP.  CDTC staff has been working with Frank Bonafide on this and will work with the Planning Committee to present recommendations.  CDTC staff will be holding county level meetings to review projects for opportunities to implement Four Forward strategies.  Mary Ivey explained that the Commissioner wants to work collaboratively with the MPOs, and sees the need to be responsible for great infrastructure needs.

 

STATUS OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

 

CDTA

    

Carm Basile reported that transit ridership is going up, and service improvements are making service more efficient.

 

CDRPC

 

Mike Stammel reported on progress in preparing the mcd population age cohort projections; and updating the community profiles using the 2010 Decennial Census Data and 2006-10 data from the American Community Survey (ACS) Data.  CDRPC is continuing work on the NYSERDA Climate Smart Communities initiative.  CDRPC is also participating in the NYSERDA Cleaner Greener Communities Capital Region Sustainability Plan.

 

Albany Airport Authority

 

Steve Iachetta reported that passenger growth has returned at the airport.  Capital improvements are continuing, including $2 million for security improvements.

 

Albany Port Authority

 

Terry Hurley reported that maritime activity is projected to exceed that of last year.

 

CDTC

 

Dave Jukins introduced CDTC’s new staff person, Leah Mosall.  Dave said that the Car Sharing study is progressing with a public information meeting scheduled for June 12.  Mayor McDonald reminded members that the national AMPO (Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations) conference will be held in Saratoga Springs September 11th through 14th.  Funding for CDTC members to register is available.

 

NYSDOT

 

Rob Cherry said that the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) received two awards for the project to replace the Lake Champlain Bridge at Crown Point.  They are: the Bridge Achievement Award, (Eastern New York Chapter of the Association for Bridge Construction and Design, Inc.); and the 2012 Transportation Planning Excellence Awards Program, to be presented by FHWA 7/18/12.

 

Village of Altamont

 

Mayor Gaughan expressed concern that the Commissioner’s letter may conflict with work currently in scoping; we need to be concerned with those who have the least.  Mary acknowledged this point as something that will be an important consideration.  She said that safety is also a very important consideration.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:08 pm.  The next meeting was scheduled for September 6;  (however, the next meeting was subsequently rescheduled for Thursday September 13, 2012 at 8:10 a.m. to coincide with the national AMPO conference in Saratoga Springs).

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Mary Ivey

Secretary