CAPITAL DISTRICT
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
DRAFT Meeting Minutes
June 5, 2014
MEMBERS ATTENDING
Carm
Basile, Capital District Transportation Authority, Vice Chair
Brad
Birge, representing Mayor Joanne Yepsen, City of
Saratoga Springs
Thomas
Dolin, Town of New Scotland
Flora Fasoldt, Town of Sand Lake
Steve
Feeney, representing Anthony Jasenski, Schenectady
County
Rocky
Ferraro, representing Mike Stammel, Capital District Regional Planning
Commission
Terrence
Hurley, Albany Port District Commission
Steve Iachetta,
representing John O’Donnell, Albany County Airport
Andrew
Kreshik, representing Mayor Lou Rosamilia, City of Troy
Joseph
LaCivita, representing Paula Mahan, Town of Colonie
Joe
Landry, Town of Niskayuna
Michael
Loftus, NYS Thruway Authority
Tom Richardson,
representing Mayor Dennis Baker, City of Mechanicville
Paul Sausville, Saratoga County
Mayor
Kathy Sheehan, City of Albany, Chair
Ralph Signoracci, representing Shawn Morse, Albany County
Jeremy
Smith, representing Mayor Mike Manning, City of Watervliet
Edward
Tremblay, representing Mayor George Primeau, City of
Cohoes
Linda von
der Heide, representing Kathleen Jimino, Rensselaer County
Christopher
Wallin, representing Mayor Gary McCarthy, City of Schenectady
Thomas
Werner, Saratoga County
Sam Zhou,
NYS Department of Transportation-Region 1, Secretary
STAFF AND OTHERS
Anne
Benware, Capital District Transportation Committee
Corey
Bixby, Capital District Transportation Authority
Frank
Bonafide, NYS Department of Transportation-Region 1
Chris
Desany, Capital District Transportation Authority
Ross
Farrell, Capital District Transportation Authority
Michael
Franchini, Capital District Transportation Committee
David
Jukins, Capital District Transportation Committee
Randy
Milano, City of Albany
Sandy
Misiewicz, Capital District Transportation Committee
Chris
O’Neill, Capital District Transportation Committee
Mike
Williams, Capital District Transportation Authority
OPENING REMARKS
Mayor
Sheehan opened the Capital District Transportation Committee meeting at 3:02 PM
and welcomed those in attendance.
Members and attendees introduced themselves.
ADMINISTRATION
Approval of the March 13, 2014
Meeting Minutes
The March
13, 2014 meeting minutes were approved by the members.
Presentation: Panama Canal
Expansion Video
Mike
Franchini presented a video about the Panama Canal expansion. Terry Hurley said the Panama Canal expansion
has great potential to expand economic activity at the Port of New York and New
Jersey, and although the larger ships won’t come to Albany, the secondary
impacts to Albany should be significant.
2013-2018 TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENTS
SA108/S96, Balltown Road, from
Riverview Road to Aqueduct Road (Rexford Bridge)
Frank
Bonafide said that this amendment would move this project from the Post 2018
TIP into the five year TIP. The project
will be funded with Beyond Preservation NHPP funding approved by the Main
Office, and will not count against the regional or MPO allocation. Members approved the amendment.
A547, South Mall Expressway
Bridges, I-787 to Empire State Plaza
Frank
Bonafide said that this project will address deck replacements on the two
structures leading out from the South Mall.
A list of offsets was provided to Mike Franchini. The offsets included deleting two bridge
inspection projects from the STIP and one guide rail project; and reducing the
NHPP portion of the State Bridge Preservation set-aside. Members approved the amendment.
NEW TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM: PROJECTS PROGRAMMED FROM SET-ASIDES
Mike
Franchini explained that the materials in the mail out package explain Planning
Committee recommendations for projects to be programmed for 8 TIP set-aside
projects. Solicitations for project went
out to all 78 municipalities in the four counties. Staff spent two months evaluating project
applications, calculating benefits and filters.
The Planning Committee discussed the project merits and made recommendations
for programming. Policy Board approval
is needed.
Mike
reviewed the projects recommended for the following set-asides:
·
RG28: Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Set-Aside, funding was
recommended for project number 1;
·
RG39: ITS Set-Aside for Local Traffic Signals, funding was recommended
for project numbers 3, 5, 2, and 4;
·
RG102: Alternative Fuel Program for Non-CDTA Fleets Set-Aside, funding
was recommended for project numbers 6 and 7;
·
RG103: Bicycle/Pedestrian Network Set-Aside, funding was recommended
for project numbers 8, 14, 11, 12, 13, and 9, with funding for project number
11 capped at $220,000;
·
RG119: Linkage Program Implementation Set-Aside, funding was
recommended for project number 17;
·
RG124: Intersection Safety
Improvements Set-Aside, project number 18 was previously fully funded with CMAQ
and NHPP funding.
·
RG125: Pavement Preservation Set-Aside for Non-State Roads, funding was
recommended for project numbers 27, 55, 57, 54, 25, 28, 46, 21, 41, 26, 59, and
56 (all projects “above the line”) and project number 32 (“below the
line”).
Tom
Werner commented that only four projects in Saratoga County were
recommended. Mike Franchini said that
that not all municipalities submitted projects, and not all funds were
utilized. The Pavement Preservation
set-aside was fully programmed. The
Planning Committee will decide when to solicit for the remainder. He said there is flexibility in sponsor
scheduling of these projects. Tom Dolin
asked about the potential for funding for CSX railroad overpasses. Sam Zhou explained that railroad bridges are
the company’s responsibility.
Members
approved the projects as recommended by the Planning Committee.
UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM
AMENDMENTS
Resolution
Approving the Addition of a Task to Examine Bridge Preservation Treatments and
Costs for Local Bridges
Mike
Franchini handed out this draft resolution (attached). He explained that this contract will examine
local bridges for local governments that don’t have the resources to identify
preservation treatments and costs.
Members approved the resolution.
Resolution
Approving the Addition of the Local Freight Data Improvement Project
Mike
Franchini handed out this draft resolution (attached).
The
resolution would give approval for the addition of this task to the UPWP. This task will be funded by the SHRP2
program, and CDTC will work with RPI on this task. Members approved the resolution.
CDTA’s RIVER CORRIDOR BUS RAPID
TRANSIT PRESENTATION
Carm
Basile explained that BusPlus service on Route 5 has been a big success and
that the Washington/Western Avenues Transit Alternatives Analysis is well
underway. The last piece in the 40 miles
of BRT is the River Corridor BRT. Ross
Farrell gave a presentation on work completed so far for the River Corridor
BRT. He explained that CDTA is leaning
toward Alternative 2, which would follow Broadway. CDTA hopes to have approval for a preferred
alternative in August or September.
CAPITAL CARSHARE, INC.
Mike
Franchini explained that the Capital CarShare program will be launched by the
end of June. There will be eight
vehicles, all fuel efficient. This will
be the first public car share in the Capital District, and it will be not for
profit. Mayor Sheehan said that the City
will look at this to help with parking requirements for new housing. Mike said the goal will be to expand to other
cities if successful.
ALBANY, SCHENECTADY, SARATOGA
SPRINGS, AND TROY BIKESHARE
Mike
Franchini explained that bike share will be different from CarShare in that it
will be a very preliminary pilot program consisting of one week in each of four
cities: Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs, and Troy.
NEW VISIONS PLAN UPDATE –
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Mike
Franchini handed out a summary of issues and meetings of the New Visions
committees (attached). He said that the
committees are working on white papers to be completed in July. CDTC will hire a consultant for public input
and marketing for the Plan update.
Mike
presented the results of a survey conducted during the meeting and completed by
all attendees of the meeting. The survey
asked about how to allocate $100 to eight different categories for the
transportation plan. The results of all
surveys handed in at the meeting are as follows:
Mode of Transportation |
Allocated Funding |
% Votes |
Alternative Fuel Technology |
$188 |
6% |
Bicycle and Pedestrian |
$374 |
12% |
Freight |
$302 |
10% |
Intelligent Transportation Systems |
$211.50 |
7% |
Road and Bridge Repairs |
$1,172 |
37% |
Transit – Buses |
$462 |
15% |
Transit – Light Rail |
$257 |
8% |
Travel Demand Management |
$133.50 |
4% |
Total |
$3,100 |
100% |
Mike
Franchini noted that these results were extremely similar to the results when
this survey was conducted at the CDRPC planning conference.
STATUS OF PLANNING ACTIVITIES
CDRPC
Rocky
Ferraro said that CDRPC is working on analysis of employment and journey to
work data at the TAZ level. Analysis
will include examination of the ten counties surrounding CDTC. Employment forecasts will be developed at the
TZA level. The Combined Sewer Overflow
project is progressing well. Governing
structures are being developed and will be transmitted to NTSDEC by September
1.
NYSDOT
Sam Zhou
reported that Frank Bonafide was appointed Regional Planning and Program
Managers for Region 1. There has been
good progress on State and local projects this year with respect to schedule
and budget. Consistent bid savings have
been experienced. Bids have been off by
as much as 30% with respect to each other.
The harsh winter paving program will be funded with savings from
bids. NYSDOT will be moving as a tenant
to the new Thruway Authority headquarters.
Albany County Airport Authority
Steve
Iachetta reported that the Albany International Airport to progressing a $7.5
million grant program; and has recently installed the electric vehicle charging
stations open to the public.
Albany Port District Commission
Terry
Hurley reported that there was a 15 to 25% increase in cargo in the first five
months of the year. Work on the
Rensselaer Dock is going well and should be completed by the end of the year.
ADJOURNMENT
There
being no other business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully
submitted,
Sam Zhou
Secretary