Funding Needs by Category

The following discussion addresses the financial requirements of implementing the strategies and actions of the plan, grouped according to the categories in Table 7

 


1.            Intermodal Facilities

 

Intermodal facilities included in the budget are the Albany International Airport and other airports in CDRPC's Regional Aviation System Plan; the Port of Albany; Amtrak stations in Albany/Rensselaer, Schenectady and Saratoga Springs.  Trailways and Greyhound inter-city facilities (other than those provided at public intermodal facilities) and private railroad and trucking facilities and terminals are not shown.

 

Text Box: Planned upgrades are captured in the full implementation budget.Full implementation costs are derived from:

·      the Albany International Airport's 2000-2004 capital improvement plan,

·      CDRPC's Regional Aviation System Plan,

·      the Port of Albany's new ten-year master plan,

·      the REVEST document, 2nd edition

 

A majority of the work identified is desired within the first ten years of the 20-year New Visions plan.

 

For this category, the cost of system preservation was broadly estimated in 1997 at one-half the cost of the New Visions 2015 full implementation of facility redesign and improvement.  New estimates of full implementation funding requirements are derived from more recent plans, including REVEST.  The majority of the funds for this category is expected from dedicated, discretionary funding sources.  Highway and transit access improvements to these intermodal facilities are captured elsewhere, under budgetary categories relating to transit infrastructure, strategic highway and bridge actions and supplemental goods movement actions.

 

Completion of major work at the Albany International Airport and substantial progress on the Rensselaer Amtrak Station reconstruction would be expected to temper the scale of necessary work over the next 20 years from the level shown in the original New Visions plan.  However, further work remains substantial; the Airport is beginning a five-year $230 M capital program and additional expansion can be anticipated over the remaining years of the New Visions plan horizon.  Using the 2000-01 TIP as the first year of the twenty-one year period also captures about 1/2 of the cost of the Rensselaer station's construction.  Additionally, the increased capital stock at the Airport and the Rensselaer station raise the cost of system preservation over previous estimates.

 

Approximately 80% of the total intermodal full funding requirement for elements other than the airport and port improvements is assumed to come from exclusive sources, with the balance competing for flexible funds, as available.  Airport and port improvements are assumed to be funded fully by exclusive sources.

 

Table 1: Intermodal Facilities Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System Preservation

Full Implementation

Albany International Airport

$7.150 M

$27.750 M

Schenectady County Airport

$0.600 M

$1.200 M

Saratoga County Airport

$0.300 M

$0.595 M

Other Airports

$0.538 M

$1.075 M

Port of Albany

$1.500 M

$3.000 M

Rensselaer Amtrak Station

$0.500 M

$2.000 M

Western Gateway Intermodal  (Schenectady Amtrak)

$0.100 M

$0.750 M

Saratoga Springs Amtrak Station

$0.100 M

$0.250 M

High-Speed Rail Track

$0.000 M

$1.975 M

Additional Intermodal Improvements (facilities, track)

$0.000 M

$2.500 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$10.638 M

$41.095 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 9.782 M

$19.558 M

 

2.         Transit Infrastructure

Transit infrastructure captures the capital side of the region's transit system needs.  Included in the estimates are:

 

·        the cost of replacing CDTA and Saratoga County transit fleets, including buses used for rural service and STAR equipment for complementary service for the disabled;

·        providing garages, shelters and other support facilities and equipment;

·        building park-and-ride lots for transit and carpoolers; and

·        replacing those human service agency vehicles which have been provided with FTA funds.

 

Text Box: Many amenities are captured under other categoriesMany transit amenities are assumed to be incorporated in other budget categories, such as highway rehabilitation & reconstruction and strategic highway and bridge actions.  Costs of improved transit shelters, bus turnouts, sidewalk connections to new development that are associated with highway projects or private development are not included within the "transit infrastructure" budget below.

 

The full implementation budget calls for vehicle replacement on a routine schedule of twelve years for full size buses, ten years for STAR and other smaller buses and five years for vans.  The full implementation budget reflects completion of CDTA's recent program of vehicle replacement, which totaled $55 M over three years.  The annual average replacement cost attendant to a twelve-year replacement cycle kicks in after 1999.

 

Unit costs are consistent with CDTA's capital plan, NYSDOT's guidance for Section 5310 human service vehicle purchases and USDOT's 1995 Status of the Nation's Surface Transportation System: Condition & Performance.  The full implementation budget also includes the following actions, in keeping with the New Visions plan:

 

1.            Construction of an alternate fuel facility or STAR vehicle facility at CDTA ($5 M).

 

2.            Purchase of alternate fuel vehicles for CDTA.

 

3.         Expansion of CDTA fleet size by about 10% (23 vehicles), mostly through expansion of the fleet of mid-size vehicles for greater feeder service and integration of STAR and fixed route service.

 

4.            Expansion of the Saratoga County fleet by about 15% (three vehicles).

 

5.            Corollary CDTA equipment, passenger facilities (shelters/ transfer stations) and garage facilities equal to about 33% of the cost of vehicles.

 

6.            Continued construction of park-and-ride lots at the current TIP pace of about $250,000 per year.

 

7.            Further system expansion (additional passenger amenities, stations and shelters for bus rapid transit) at a rate of about $1.5 M annually.

 

This modest capital expansion permits service redesign along the lines suggested by the Transit Futures Task Force and the Special Transportation Needs Task Force and allows consideration of recommendations from the NY 5 Land Use and Transportation Concepts Study.  The full implementation budget does not include capital for major transit initiatives such as commuter rail or light rail systems other than the planned commuter rail demo.  Consideration of such initiatives is discussed separately, under Major Improvements categories.

 

The system preservation requirements maintain current fleets at approximately their current average age through a replacement at fifteen years for full size buses, twelve years for STAR buses and ten years for human service agency vans.  No further expansion of park-and-ride lots is shown, nor is the cost of conversion to alternate fuels.  Corollary equipment and facility expenses are estimated at about 25% of CDTA vehicle purchase costs.

 

Table 2: Transit Infrastructure Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System Preservation

Full Implementation

CDTA full size buses

$3.744 M

$5.408 M

STAR and feeder buses

$0.390 M

$0.824 M

Alternate fuel facility

$0.000 M

$0.250 M

Other equipment & facilities

$1.144 M

$2.222 M

Park-and-ride lots

$0.000 M

$0.250 M

Upstate, other private

$0.440 M

$0.625 M

Human Service vehicles

$0.239 M

$0.412 M

Bus rapid transit

$0.000 M

$1.500 M

New Visions 2021 Total

$5.956 M

$11.491 M

Previous New Visions Total

$5.956 M

$11.308 M

 

3.         Transit Service

Transit service cost estimates are derived from CDTC's Transit Futures Report and CDTC's Special Transportation Needs Summary Report.  Costs shown are for annual operation of CDTA fixed route, STAR and rural services; Upstate Transit services; NYS Office of General Service (OGS) peripheral park-and-ride services; and other publicly supported transit operations (City of Mechanicville, etc.).   Estimates of the cost of human service agency transportation in the Capital Region are not available, due to the difficulty of separating the transportation cost from other client service costs.  However, the budget shown below does include the cost of establishing county and regional transportation brokerage services to improve the quality and quantity of services available through the CDTA/human service agency/private operator network.

 

The full implementation budget reflects redesign of transit service in general accordance with CDTC's Transit Futures Report.  Many of the New Visions actions are physical, rather than operational in nature and are captured either above (as part of the transit infrastructure budget) or under other budget categories.  Of the transit actions recommended in the New Visions plan, the following have budgetary implications for transit operations:

 

1.            Continue development of peripheral and remote park-and-ride lot service.

 

2.            Maintain and further develop feeder service in the central suburban area.

 

3.            Improve transfer processes.

 

4.            Explore more flexible labor rules.

 

5.            Engage the private sector in service delivery where appropriate.

 

6.            Integrate special transportation services into the regional system.

 

7.            Adopt effective fare policies.

 

8.            Support continuation and expansion of human service agency transportation through the Access Transit brokerage.

 

9.            Establish a community-based transportation program (CTP) in suburban areas.

 

10.          Establish a mobility-training program.

 

11.          Complete the Commuter Rail demonstration project with two years' of operation at the REVEST estimate of $10.7 M.

 

12.          Continue current regional Jobs Access programs to connect low income residents with jobs at a supplemental cost of about $1 M annually (above ongoing service budgets).

 

 

Text Box: Recommended improved service increases the operating budget modestly.The Transit Futures Task Force estimated that the net effect on transit operating expenses of the New Visions recommendations for improved service would be modest.  When balanced against savings from flexible labor rules and other initiatives, it is broadly estimated to be on the order of 5% of existing expenses.  The incremental costs of actions to address special transportation needs populations have been estimated separately in the Special Transportation Needs Summary Report.  Other costs are included under demand management and integrated planning and outreach budget categories and are not shown as transit operations costs. 

 

Congestion pricing, aggressive parking pricing and other market-based transit strategies are recommended for further consideration in the Plan.  Their impact is not included in the budget because further study and consensus building will be required before CDTC recommends their implementation.  The operating costs associated with a major transit initiative such as commuter rail, a busway or light rail system are not included in this budget; the New Visions plan does not include a commitment to such service at this time.  (See the discussion of "Major Investments".)

 

Transit fares provide over $10 M annually of the identified budget under both the system preservation and full implementation scenarios.

 

Table 3: Transit Service Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System Preservation

Full Implementation

CDTA, Upstate, OGS

$36.000 M

$37.750 M

Supplemental STAR

$  0.000 M

$  0.500 M

Brokerage/Community Transportation Partnership

$  1.000 M

$  2.000 M

Mobility Training

$  0.000 M

$  0.100 M

Jobs Access / TANF transportation

$  1.000 M

$  1.000 M

Commuter Rail (demo only)

$  0.000 M

$  0.510 M

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 38.000 M

$ 41.860 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 35.000 M

$ 37.550 M

 

 

4.         Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and Traffic Infrastructure

This category includes the capital costs for both current traffic signal systems and new ITS implementation over coming years.  Full implementation is related to completing the current TIP project (Advanced Traffic Management System) and expanding that to a full Capital District ITS system per CDTC's Expressway Management Task Force report.  Specific actions include:

 

1.            Complete initial Capital District traffic monitoring, communications and traveler and transit information systems, per the current TIP projects at an estimated $4.9 M.

 

2.         Expand the initial Capital District ITS program at an estimated cost of $50.825 M over 20 years.  Advance multiple purposes (traffic flow, safety, traffic calming, bike and pedestrian accommodations, traveler and transit information and other needs) along the full priority network identified by the Expressway Management Task Force.  (This priority network is a 260-centerline-mile subset of the priority network established for highway reconstruction purposes.  It is composed of priority expressway corridors; priority arterial corridors that are immediate alternate routes for expressways; secondary alternate routes for expressways; and priority arterials not in expressway corridors.)

 

3.            Expand transit-specific ITS (more advanced real-time bus arrival information, etc.) at an estimated cost of $1 M annually.

 

4.            Expand the New York State Thruway Authority's ITS infrastructure, including EZ-Pass expansion and enhancement, HAR and VMS systems and construction of an ITS management center in Albany.

 

5.            Upgrade or replace approximately 750 signals at an average cost of $.030 M/signal over 20 years, with routine replacement at ten years.

 

6.            Replace ITS equipment on a fifteen-year cycle.

 

System preservation costs include operation and routine replacement of existing NYSDOT weather (Wx) stations, highway advisory radio (HAR) stations, variable message signs (VMS); maintaining Thruway Authority advisory radio and message signs; maintaining and replacing the Transportation Management Center hardware and field equipment and replacing existing signal hardware on a 20-year cycle.

 

Table 4: ITS and Traffic Infrastructure Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System Preservation

Full Implementation

Initial Capital District ITS

$0.750 M

$2.127 M

Expanded Capital District ITS

$0.000 M

$3.388 M

Additional transit ITS

$0.000 M

$1.000 M

NYSDOT Wx/HAR/VMS

$0.080 M

----

Thruway ITS (HAR/VMS, management center, other EZ-Pass improvements

$0.040 M

$2.000 M

Traffic Signals

$1.125 M

$1.688 M

I-90 Connector ITS

$0.000 M

$0.050 M

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 2.578 M

$ 10.250 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 1.245 M

$ 7.182 M

 

5.         Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and Traffic Operations

This category includes both current traffic signal operations and operations of new ITS systems described above.  Specific costs in the full implementation budget include:

 

1.            Joint incident management center staffing.

 

2.            Operations and maintenance of the expanded Capital District ITS system and HELP vans annually at $540,000 for the existing Transportation Management Center, per the current TIP budget.

 

3.            Annual operations and maintenance of the remaining initial ITS and of the expanded ITS at 2.5% of the capital cost, or an additional $500,000 for the remaining initial ITS and $1,250,000 for the expanded system.

 

System preservation costs are limited to routine traffic signal re-timing every three years.  Private sector costs are not shown under system preservation costs, nor are current law enforcement agency expenditures.  It is important to recognize the definition of "system preservation" as preserving the current amount of service and physical condition of the system -- not preserving its service quality or operational condition.  Certainly, current amounts of incident management service will not be sufficient to preserve service quality in coming years.

 

Table 5: ITS and Traffic Operations Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System Preservation

Full Implementation

Joint Incident Management Center

$0.540 M

$0.540 M

Expanded Capital District ITS

$0.000 M

$1.750 M

Thruway ITS operations

$0.050 M

$0.250 M

Traffic Signals Only

$0.125 M

----

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 0.715 M

$ 2.540 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 0.125 M

$ 1.015 M

 

6.         Highway Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Redesign on the Priority Network

This category includes capital projects, both with agency labor and through private contractors, on a priority network.  Use of a priority network for arterial management, goods movement, bike and pedestrian improvements and highway safety design is recommended in the plan because of work by many of CDTC's task forces.  While there are differences among the approaches to the identification of priority networks taken by the various task forces, the concept is the same.  There needs to be special attention to the design features, operational characteristics and multi-modal, multi-objective nature of a subset of the 16,500 lane miles of roads in the Capital District.

 

The arterial task force focussed on improvements possible during reconstruction (and in conjunction with development) for access management, driveway and signal spacing, pedestrian, transit and delivery treatment on about 220 miles of arterials in the region.  The bike and pedestrian task force has identified about 1,100 centerline miles as a priority bike and pedestrian network, with over 300 miles having the highest priority for safe and effective bike and pedestrian accommodations.  The goods movement approach has focused on the arterial network, specifically identifying physical constrictions that could cause costly inefficiencies or pose severe problems during a major incident or blockage.  The infrastructure task force has taken the broadest approach to network identification.  It examined the desirability of providing, through reconstruction over time, effective design features across the vast majority of the state highway system and a significantly increased portion of the non-state arterial and collector system.

 

The New Visions plan seeks to overcome jurisdictional barriers through transfer of ownership of roads or other means to allow treatment solely based on function and location.  Full consideration of all modes of travel and full integration of community values into highway design on a priority network (regardless of ownership) are central features of the New Visions plan.

 

Text Box: New Visions places a lot of emphasis on road rehabilitation projects.The New Visions plan places many demands on highway rehabilitation and reconstruction.  Under the full implementation budget, resources are provided to improve a priority system composed of higher function roads and other identified connectors to serve all modes and complement the community based on appropriate design standards.  Much of the upgrade effort is expected to occur on important streets and highways currently owned by cities, counties and towns.  These roads have not received routine redesign as frequently as many important state highways have.  Either jurisdictional transfer of these roads into state hands (perhaps partly as a swap with lower-function state roads) or redefined funding programs will be required to increase the resources available to improve these facilities.  Adequate redesign by local governments working within existing budgets is not possible.

 

Routine design improvements such as provision of sidewalks, shoulders for bike travel, median turn lanes, improved drainage and upgraded signals on the state highway system are already a matter of state policy.  The full implementation budget captures the financial implications of such a policy.

 

Costs of rehabilitation, reconstruction and design upgrades of local streets and highways are derived from the Infrastructure Task Force's examination of this issue, using recent unit costs identified for state-designed reconstruction work both on and off the state highway system.  These unit costs capture the incremental cost of making improvements that are compatible with community values and desires.

 

The full implementation budget will:

 

1.                Achieve pavement condition goals of:

 

·         0% poor Interstate highways;

·        no more than 5% poor non-Interstate National Highway System (NHS) roads;

·        no more than 8% poor non-NHS principal arterials;

·        no more than 12% poor other federal-aid roads; and

·        no more than 15% poor local roads.

 

2.            Maintain these conditions under assumptions of traffic growth (particularly truck traffic growth).

 

3.            Make routine accommodations for bikes, pedestrians, goods movement, access management, appropriate landscaping, and urban amenities (lighting, transit stops…) as reconstruction occurs on the priority network, in a manner consistent with the location of the project and community values.

 

4.            Costs of capacity expansion performed as part of highway or bridge reconstruction work are not included.  Such work would be carried out when warranted by "tradeoff analysis" or "risk assessment" efforts.  The costs associated with the capacity work are considered under "Strategic Highway and Bridge Actions" discussed elsewhere in the budget discussion.

 

5.            Accommodate the needs of an aging society by improving the size and visibility of directional signs through routine replacement.  (The incremental annual cost of this effort has been estimated by the Special Transportation Needs Task Force at approximately $50,000, but this amount is assumed to be captured as a design detail in the overall budget estimate.)

 

For cost estimation purposes, the priority network includes a total mileage equivalent to the majority of the state-owned highway system plus approximately half of the existing non-state federal-aid roads.  This totals about 3,000 lane-miles out of the total street system of 13,500 lane-miles.  (Federal-aid roads are those eligible for projects on CDTC's TIP and include all arterials, all urban collector streets and rural major collector roads.)  In the full implementation budget, these roads would be upgraded to appropriate NYSDOT-type standards with community direction regarding design speeds and bike and pedestrian accommodations, access, landscaping and other features.

 

Text Box: Full implementation includes a significant increase in the number of upgraded facilities.The full implementation budget reflects inclusion of 700 additional lane-miles (about half of the non-state federal-aid system) for treatment at a unit cost sufficient to capture incremental work required on these roads.  This unit cost exceeds that for comparable work on state highways (due to the extent of drainage, shoulder/sidewalk and geometric work required when reconstructed).  Over twenty years, the repair cycle would involve complete reconstruction and redesign of about 500 lane-miles of these reclassified local roads to priority network standards -- about 25 lane miles per year.  (The current TIP sets a pace to upgrade only about six lane-miles of non-state roads' designs per year.)  The budget is sufficient to accomplish the priority goals of CDTC's task forces, achieving appropriate bike accommodations on the identified priority bicycle/pedestrian network and access management and goods movement improvements throughout the majority of the region's arterial system.

 

While the full implementation budget exceeds the system preservation, the benefits of this initiative -- if well coordinated with local community plans and development activities -- are immense.  Safety benefits alone from the upgrades in the design of priority, non-state roads are estimated to exceed $40 million per year.

 

System preservation costs have been estimated carefully by the CDTC staff and its Infrastructure Task Force.  System preservation costs reflect a level of rehabilitation and reconstruction (with minor design improvements) on the state system sufficient to maintain current overall pavement conditions using current repair strategies and typical unit costs for state projects.  System preservation costs off the state system reflect an effort by local governments, relying primarily upon local repair strategies and unit costs similar to current efforts.  Design improvements would be rare.  The incremental pace of work to accommodate traffic growth while maintaining current conditions is included in the system preservation budget estimate.

 

NYS Thruway Authority requirements are based on its current five-year program for the Thruway and the Canal System in the four counties.

 

Updated costs in the New Visions 2021 plan reflect the following modifications to the 1995 calculations including in the original New Visions plan:

 

1.            Unit costs for reconstruction/ rehabilitation work reflect recent experience with TIP projects.  Overall, this increases the average cost of reconstruction work on priority non-state roads by 33% over previous estimates.  This increase is exclusively attributable to the significant difference between estimates and actual costs for urban-type arterial reconstructions.

 

2.            Overall funding requirements for work on the state system are up modestly from the previous estimates, due to increased cost estimates for urban-type state work (in villages, some suburban sections).  Additionally, the estimate for work on the interstate has been upped by 40% to reflect the recent experience with night construction and revised federal design standards.

 

3.            The original New Visions estimates inadvertently excluded the costs of design, right of way and supervision for state and local TIP projects.  The updated construction estimates are inflated an additional 25 - 30% to cover these phases.

 

Table 6: Priority Network Highway Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Redesign Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System Preservation

Full Implementation

State and Local

$45.125 M

$80.015 M

NYS Thruway/Canal System

$  7.470 M

$  7.790 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$55.960 M

$87.805 M

Previous New Visions Total

$45.500 M

$60.700 M

 

7.         Highway Rehabilitation and Reconstruction off the Priority Network

This category reflects the requirements for ongoing preservation of roads, primarily under location jurisdiction, that are not considered part of the priority system.  Total mileage is about 10,000 lane miles of mostly residential streets and rural roads.  For this category, the system preservation and full implementation budgets are virtually synonymous.  Design improvements and the addition of bike, pedestrian or goods movement features in coming years on these non-priority roads would not be routinely expected.  It would occur mostly in the context of private development, through mitigation fees, or as part of stand-alone bike path or sidewalk projects.  Such costs are reflected in other New Visions budget categories.  Rehabilitation and replacement of existing sidewalks (extensive in city and village settings) in conjunction with local street repair and reconstruction is included the budget estimate.

 

The costs shown for non-priority roads reflect the incremental cost of wear-and-tear from traffic growth (particularly truck traffic growth).

 

The incremental cost for the full implementation budget is associated with the cost of meeting long-term pavement goals and improving the visibility of signs and markings to accommodate the needs of an aging society.

 

Table 7: Non-Priority Network Highway Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System Preservation

Full Implementation

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$15.000 M

$15.250 M

 

8.         Bridge Rehabilitation & Replacement

Rehabilitation and replacement of highway bridges on the state and local road systems comprises a substantial part of the New Visions budget.  Full implementation costs are derived from the Infrastructure Task Force's work with NYSDOT Region 1.  The full implementation budget is based upon a goal of having no greater than 20% of all highway bridges in poor condition, with none showing serious deterioration (bridges rated than less than "3.0" in NYSDOT's scoring system).  The cost of capacity built as part of bridge replacement is not shown in this budget category.  Such work would be carried out only when warranted based on "tradeoff analysis" or "risk assessment".  These incremental capacity costs are considered under "Strategic Highway and Bridge Actions" discussed on page Error! Bookmark not defined..

 

Text Box: Increased funding for bridge rehabilitation will be required to meet goals.Between 1990 and 1995, the percentage of state bridges rated as deficient dropped from 41% to 38% while non-state bridges dropped from 61% to 42%.  However, NYSDOT has indicated that further progress will be more challenging and involve expensive projects.  Recent progress may not be a good indicator of future progress, because many of the "easy fixes" have been accomplished and more difficult and expensive projects remain.  For this reason, the current budget is assumed sufficient only to preserve existing overall bridge system conditions.

 

NYS Thruway needs are based on the Authority's five-year program.  The need for overall system condition improvement on the Thruway is similar to that for state bridges.  Therefore, an increase in funding over current budgets comparable to that required for the priority system is assumed to be required for the Thruway in order to meet long-range condition goals.

 

System preservation and full implementation costs also include the incremental cost of wear-and-tear caused by traffic growth.

 

The new values in Table 15 reflect the following changes from those in the original New Visions document:

 

1.            The state and local system preservation value was updated to reflect a combination of the current five-year bridge infrastructure TIP budget of approximately $44 M annually and NYSDOT's 12-year capital program which averages $24 M annually (after setting aside major projects).  An approximate 2.5% increase (half of an estimated 5% increase for 21 years) is added to cover expected impacts of increased travel.

 

2.            It is assumed that full implementation would require continuation of the current five-year budget and access to an additional amount estimated at $19 M per year to cover a large majority of "extraordinary" bridge replacements.  There are many large bridge candidates vying over the next twenty years for a portion of the normal bridge budget or access to the "extraordinary" funds.  These include the Patroon Island bridge (as much as $75 M), Batchellerville bridge ($30 M), Menands bridge and bridge structures along I-787 in Albany (as much as $270 M alone).  A portion of the $400 M extra funding included in the full implementation budget for "extraordinary" bridge replacements (roughly 1/4) is assumed to come from additional exclusive sources, above the level of the current five-year program's exclusive bridge (HBRR) funding.  The remainder of this large budget category is assumed to compete for available flexible funds with all other project categories.

 

3.            The estimate for system preservation of Thruway bridges is equal to the annual average in the Thruway's current five-year capital program ($14.900 M), with an increment to cover expected VMT increases.

 

4.            The estimate for costs of system preservation on other bridges was continued as in the original New Visions plan.

 

 

 

Table 8: Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System Preservation

Full

Implementation

Priority system

$40.000 M

$59.000 M

NYS Thruway

$14.900 M

$15.650 M

Other highway bridges

$7.100 M

$7.450 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 62.000 M

$82.100 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 81.400 M

$88.600 M

 

9.         Highway and Bridge Maintenance and Operations

Text Box: This is the largest budget category.This category is the single largest commitment of transportation resources in the Capital Region.  Captured under this heading are all other ongoing NYSDOT and local transportation expenses, excluding capital projects (including design and supervision), planning, traffic operations and transit services shown elsewhere.  Included in the category is street repair and patching, debris removal, grass mowing, snow removal, equipment purchases, and other activities of state and local highway departments and road crews.

 

NYSDOT expenses have been estimated at approximately 6.5% of NYSDOT's annual statewide operations budget based upon the Capital Region's share of the state's highway mileage.  Current estimates of the scale of local activities have been derived from the State Comptroller reports on local government activities.  Estimates of local expenses represent the sum of county, city, town and village transportation expenditures (for 1993), after removing approximately $30 million for capital improvements, public transportation, traffic operations, planning and contributions to other modes' operation -- airports and ports.

 

The NYS Thruway budget shown is based on the Capital District's share of the Authority's five-year budget for administration, maintenance and operations.  Toll collection and police patrols are captured within the Thruway's budget and are included in the totals in the table below.  Police patrol costs are not assigned to NYSDOT or local highway budgets and are not included in the table below.

 

The system preservation budget is assumed equal to the current level of expenses.  The full implementation budget is also assumed equal to the current level of expenses.  The New Visions plan's recommendations assume improved efficiencies from increased intergovernmental coordination and consolidation and consideration of privatization of maintenance activities.  The increased efficiencies will permit improved service, addressing task force concerns (such as stepped-up maintenance and sweeping of shoulders and bike lanes).

 

Annual budgets in the 2021 plan are changed modestly from those in the previous plan.  At the state level, salary increases have been largely offset by changes in labor rules (one-person snow plows, etc.).  At the local level, costs are assumed to have risen modestly (about 5%) over previous New Visions efforts due to cost-of-living adjustments and the increased maintenance responsibilities due to additional sidewalks.  The net is an overall change to the previous New Visions budget of about 2% for system preservation and an additional 1% for full implementation (to reflect construction of additional sidewalks, trails and bike paths.)

 

Table 9: Highway and Bridge Maintenance and Operations Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System Preservation

Full

Implementation

NYSDOT system

$23.000 M

$23.000 M

NYS Thruway

$33.800 M

$33.800 M

Local system

$115.000 M

$117.500 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$171.800 M

$174.300 M

Previous New Visions Total

$166.800 M

$166.800 M

 

10.       Strategic Highway and Bridge Actions -- Congestion Management System (CMS) - based

Text Box: CDTC’s existing commitments include a number of CMS-based projects.The New Visions plan includes a strategy to creatively complete existing commitments, many of which derive from CDTC's 1993 Regional Transportation Plan.  In the 1993 Plan and the 1994-99 TIP, CDTC commits to a number of strategic highway and bridge improvements, seeking to address long-standing congestion; these projects range from widening the Rexford Bridge to improving access to the Albany International Airport.  These projects are based on CDTC's Congestion Management System and are consistent with CDTC's Congestion Management Principles.  Critical levels of congestion have been reached.  Integration with demand management strategies is occurring.  Compatibility with the community character and plans and local land use management is expected.  These projects are listed in Table 6.

 

This category also includes smaller-scale intersection work to provide turn lanes and other congestion-relief actions.  Additionally, this category includes comparable future projects to address similar issues to those addressed by existing TIP projects.

 

This budget category also covers capacity costs associated with infrastructure reconstruction and replacement projects.  The New Visions plan calls for including capacity aspects in work triggered by reconstruction only when warranted by "tradeoff analysis" or "risk assessment."  The financial requirements of this type of work are most evident for bridge replacements in growing corridors.  The New Visions plan calls for the capacity aspects of such projects to compare favorably in terms of need and urgency with other projects.  Consequently, there is no separate set aside for capacity aspects of infrastructure rehabilitation projects in the budget.  (Infrastructure rehabilitation projects most likely to trigger the most significant capacity considerations are those on the Northway corridor; the entire Northway issue is treated separately in this document.)


Table 10: Strategic Highway and Bridge Actions

Project

Total

Infra-

CMS

Comm/

Dedi-

Private

 

Title

Cost

structure

Need

Econ

cated

Funding

Notes

 

 

Part

 

Need

Funds

 

 

TIP Commitments pre-New Visions, all phases

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A209, Buckingham Over NY 85

                  3.520

                     2.640

                  0.880

                      -   

 

 

infra estimated

A198, Rt 7 over I-87

                26.391

                   19.793

                  6.598

                      -   

 

 

infra est.; not on TIP

A235, Rt9/Livingston

                  1.352

 

                  1.352

                      -   

 

 

 

A237, Everett Rd

                  5.755

                     5.000

                  0.755

                      -   

 

 

infra estimated

A240, Exit3/Exit4

                34.766

 

                34.766

                      -   

 

 

 

A242, Slingerlands Bypass

                20.340

                     8.136

                12.204

                      -   

 

 

 

A275, Albany Shaker Road

                12.300

                     4.920

                  7.380

                      -   

 

                  6.150

infra at 40%; 50% Private

A289, Lincoln/Amtrak, Walker -Rapp

                  3.600

 

                      -   

                  3.600

 

 

 

A294, Watervliet Shaker Road

                  7.900

                     3.160

                  4.740

                      -   

 

                  3.950

infra at 40%; 50% Private

A295, New Karner Road

                33.450

                   13.380

                20.070

                      -   

 

                16.725

infra at 40%; 50% Private

A290, Selkirk Bypass

                  7.735

 

                      -   

                  7.735

 

 

 

A296, Maxwell/ASR

                  5.806

 

                  5.806

                      -   

 

 

 

R105, Vandenburg Ave

                  6.900

                     2.760

                  4.140

                      -   

 

 

 

R111, Rt 7 Troy-Brunswick

                  8.320

                     6.000

                  2.320

                      -   

 

 

Estimate, larger than TIP

R157, Rt9/20

                25.110

                   24.000

                  1.110

                      -   

 

 

infra/safety estimated

SA89, West Ave

                  3.740

 

                      -   

                  3.740

 

 

 

SA95, US9 w/Crescent

                  2.221

 

                  2.221

                      -   

 

 

 

SA98, Moe Road (includes turn lanes)

                  3.024

                     2.419

                  0.605

                      -   

 

 

infra estimated

SA101, Clifton Pk Ctr Rd (add med.)

                  4.720

                     2.832

                  1.888

                      -   

 

 

infra estimated

SA108, Balltown

                12.708

                     5.083

                  7.625

                      -   

 

 

infra at 40%

SA019, Glenridge

                  7.000

                     6.000

                  1.000

                      -   

 

 

infra estimated

S93, Five Corners

                  5.200

 

                  5.200

                      -   

 

 

 

S94, Rt 7/146

                  2.240

 

                  2.240

                      -   

 

 

 

S96, Balltown

                12.708

                     5.083

                  7.625

                      -   

 

 

infra at 40%

S97,Route 50/Freemans

                15.050

                     6.020

                  9.030

                      -   

 

 

infra at 40%

S120, Glenridge

                14.000

                     5.600

                  8.400

                      -   

 

 

infra at 40%

I-90 Exit 8 Connector, Phase 2

                46.300

 

                      -   

                46.300

             46.300

 

Demo Funds/Bond/Tway

S125, Rt 7, I-890 to 5 Corners

                12.150

                     7.290

                  4.860

                      -   

 

 

infra at 60%

TIP Commitments since New Visions adoption

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A343, Pinegrove Ave. Cargo Facility

                  5.000

                         -   

                      -   

                  5.000

               1.850

 

TIP commitment at 3.150 M

A345, Bypass for Elm St. Industrial Access

                  1.000

                         -   

                      -   

                  1.000

                   -   

 

 

A344, Church Street reconstruction to port

                  0.448

                         -   

                      -   

                  0.448

                   -   

 

 

R195, South Troy Industrial Access road

                  1.863

                         -   

                      -   

                  1.863

                   -   

 

 

SA158, Peebles Island bridge

                  2.160

                         -   

                      -   

                  2.160

                   -   

 

 

SA140, Erie Canal lock rehab

                  5.500

                         -   

                      -   

                  5.500

               4.900

 

 

SA 156, Mechanicville canal restoration

                  0.600

                         -   

                      -   

                  0.600

                   -   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-TIP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other economic/comm hwy actions

                60.000

 

                      -   

                60.000

 

 

5 @ $3 M per 5 yr.

Other 'non-consensus' actions

                60.000

 

                60.000

                      -   

 

 

5 @ $3 M per 5 yr.

TOTAL

               480.877

                  130.117

               212.814

               137.946

             53.050

                26.825

 

SUBTOTAL ON TIP

               360.877

                  130.117

               152.814

                77.946

             53.050

                26.825

 

SUBTOT NOT ON TIP

               120.000

 

                60.000

                60.000

 

 

 

per year, without dedicated or private

                23.844

                     6.506

                  8.892

                  4.652

               2.653

                  1.341

 

All costs in millions of 1996 $.


Under the full implementation budget, current TIP commitments would be fully funded to allow creative design that achieves multiple design purposes.  These purposes include congestion relief, accommodation of all modes, access management, and community enhancement through landscaping, environmental and noise mitigation and other features.

 

The budget for projects in this category beyond those on the existing TIP is estimated at a significantly lower level than that for those in the current TIP.  This reflects a shift in the New Visions plan to create a better balance of project types.  It also recognizes that (with the exception of the Northway congestion) the existing TIP addresses a majority of the long-standing congestion problems areas of the Capital Region. 

 

Text Box: If budgets are reduced, existing commitments may be downscoped.At budget levels less than the full implementation level, it will be necessary for the "creative completion" of existing TIP projects to examine down-scoping and phasing work.  The full cost of strategic highway and bridge actions that derive from congestion relief considerations in the existing TIP exceeds the available resources in a steady-state funding scenario.  If the Capital Region intends to make steady progress on other fronts at the same time, a reassessment of these commitments is required.

 

There is no system preservation budget defined for this category.  The infrastructure rehabilitation and replacement portion of the existing strategic highway and bridge rehabilitation projects in CDTC's TIP is substantial -- estimated at $130 million and is included within the highway and bridge rehabilitation and replacement budgets.  Under the system preservation budget, no capacity expansion would be carried out as part of these projects.  The budget for rehabilitation or replacement of these facilities (Rexford Bridge, New Karner Rd., etc.) would be captured entirely under the highway and bridge rehabilitation budget categories described earlier.

 

The full implementation budget reflects:

 

1.            Full scope, "creative" implementation over the next ten years of existing TIP projects to address congestion through actions consistent with CDTC's Congestion Management Principles.

 

2.            Further strategic intersection and highway link actions beyond the ten year horizon at a reduced pace.

 

3.         Capacity aspects of projects triggered by highway and bridge repair, reconstruction and replacement.

 

The sum of the existing capacity-increasing commitments in the TIP, including post-TIP phases, is $213 M, after subtracting infrastructure rehabilitation aspects.  Dedicated funds (federal and/or state demonstration money) account for $33 M and private, developer mitigation fees account for $32.2 M of this total.

 

The sum of items #2 and #3 above is estimated at $3 M per year.  This pace would allow the equivalent of three $5 M additional projects (intersection projects, minor widenings, additional lanes on bridges when triggered by replacement) over each five-year TIP period through 2020.  While this is not an insignificant amount, it reflects a significant reduction in emphasis on capacity projects from the current TIP.

 

Table 11: CMS-based Strategic Highway and Bridge Actions Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System

Preservation

Full

Implementation

Existing commitments

$0.000 M

$  7.277 M

Further work

$0.000 M

$  3.000 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 0.000 M

$ 10.277 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 0.000 M

$ 13.500 M

 

11.       Strategic Highway and Bridge Actions -- Community Compatibility and Economic Development Purposes

This category includes strategic actions that are not aimed at alleviating congestion but rather are aimed at improving compatibility between the highway system and the community, or are aimed at providing strategic connections to enhance regional and local economic competitiveness.  Many current TIP projects fit this category.  The Selkirk Bypass is aimed at removing trucks from a historic hamlet.  The Exit 26 bridge is targeted at providing more appropriate truck access between the Interstate system and an industrial park.  Pearl Street reconstruction in downtown Albany is part of an overall strategy to revitalize the city's core.  Phase 2 of the I-90 Exit 8 connector (included in the TEA-21 as a federal demonstration project) similarly is intended to accommodate regionally unique high tech economic development.  Current projects in this category are listed in Table 6.

 

Text Box: Regional interest in this new budget category is quite high.Older urban areas have similar needs for improved truck facilities (Watervliet/Cohoes/Colonie, Saratoga Springs) or access routes to redevelopment opportunities (South Troy, for example).  This category also captures other strategic transportation investments triggered by downtown revitalization plans (pedestrian walkways or malls, etc.) not otherwise captured in highway rehabilitation budgets.  Region-wide interest in a program of this type appears to be quite high, judging from local initiatives and response to New Visions outreach efforts and statewide economic development initiatives.  Such a budget category provides a specific opportunity for advancing projects needed to support a regional economic development plan or vision.

 

The full implementation budget incorporates the full cost of "creatively" completing existing TIP commitments (including the federal demo projects).  While the original New Visions budget included an estimate of approximately $3 million per year over 20 years (out of flex funds) for additional community-serving initiatives beyond what might be provided by TEA-21 demo funds, the recent interest in such projects warrants a revision to that number.  The revised estimate maintains the $3 M annual value which must compete for flexible funds, but adds an additional $2 M annual value as an estimate of further dedicated funds anticipated for this purpose.

 

Table 12: Budget for Strategic Economic/Community Highway and Bridge Actions

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System

Preservation

Full

Implementation

Existing commitments

$0.000 M

$3.712 M

Further work

$0.000 M

$5.000 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$0.000 M

$8.712 M

Previous New Visions Total

$0.000 M

$6.948 M

 

12.       Supplemental Goods Movement Accommodations

Text Box: Most actions to accommodate goods movement are captured elsewhere.The vast majority of actions required for effective goods movement in the Capital District are captured by other budget categories.  The full implementation budget for intermodal facilities addresses cargo needs both at the Port of Albany and the Albany International Airport.  Full implementation of highway and bridge rehabilitation and reconstruction on the priority network will incorporate access management redesign and address serious vertical and horizontal clearance deficiencies on the arterial system.  Strategic highway actions aimed at congestion relief will provide substantial benefit to the commercial sector.  Many of the strategic highway actions aimed at community-compatibility or economic development provide an explicit benefit for goods movement.

 

The supplemental actions are limited to

 

·        implementing a steady pace of grade crossing projects on the Conrail/Amtrak high speed rail line (one every five years at $6 M each),

·        grade crossing projects elsewhere in the region on the freight main lines (one every five years at $2 M each) and

·        Port of Albany surface access projects, including a new ramp from I-787.

·        Relocation of Thruway tandem truck lots current located at the Exit 23 and Exit 24 interchanges.  (A middle-range estimate of approximately $30 M is used in the budget, assumed to be funded with exclusive funds.)

 

Over twenty to twenty-one years, the annual average need is $3.665 M.

 

Many other goods movement related projects are included under pavement, bridge and community/compatibility and economic development budget categories.

 

 

Again, "system preservation" is defined in terms of preserving the existing physical condition of the system.  Routine maintenance of existing grade crossings is included under other categories.  System preservation would not include the cost of upgrades of equipment design or new grade separations, except if identified as a priority safety project (see the safety actions discussion).

 

Table 13: Budget for Supplemental Goods Movement Accommodations

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System

Preservation

Full

Implementation

High-speed grade crossings

$ 0.000 M

$ 1.200 M

Other grade crossings

$ 0.000 M

$ 0.400 M

Thruway Tandem Lot Relocation

$ 0.000 M

$ 1.500 M

Port Access

$ 0.000 M

$ 0.565 M

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 0.000 M

$ 3.665 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 0.000 M

$ 2.165 M

 

13.       Supplemental Bike & Pedestrian Accommodations

Text Box: Full implementation executes a Bike- and Pedestrian- Friendly Capital District policy.As for the case of goods movement, the majority of actions required for improved bike and pedestrian accommodation are captured in other budget categories.  Full implementation of highway and bridge reconstruction on the priority system will provide, over time, full implementation of the "priority bicycle/pedestrian network" recommended by CDTC's Bike and Pedestrian Issues Task Force.  Creative completion of existing and future strategic highway and bridge actions also provides a mechanism for making further improvements to accommodations.

 

The full implementation budget for supplemental bike and pedestrian accommodations includes:

 

·        resources for additional signs, bike racks, pavement markings and maintenance on the priority network;

·        a "spot improvement" program for isolated actions;

·        rehabilitation of existing Class I bikeways;

·        addition of four Class I corridors over 20 years;

·        modest costs associated with local "traffic calming" efforts; and

·        strategic sidewalk retrofits and connections when needed outside the context of major highway work.

 

Cost estimates were developed based on task force work.  Continued pace of stand-alone bike and pedestrian-related TEA-21 Enhancement projects in the Capital District at $0.500 M per year is also included in the full implementation budget.

 

The system preservation budget is limited to maintenance and routine replacement of existing facilities, including sidewalk maintenance and replacement needed outside the context of major highway work.  Cost estimates are preliminary.

 

The revised budget estimate reflects the high level of funding commitment to this category by CDTC in the years since adoption of New Visions.  Approximately $9.20 M in bike and pedestrian projects was added in the 1997 TIP Update, with an additional $1 M set aside in 1999 for "Second Chance" Enhancements.  Further, CDTC's estimate of expected projects from the Statewide Enhancement Competition has been revised upward (to $1.2 M annually, $1.400 M annually including CDTC's voluntary Enhancement program).  As a result of CDTC's commitments , the cost of Class I work has been upped from $0.420 M annually to $0.500 M annually and the cost of standalone sidewalk implementation has been upped from $0.398 M annually to $0.500 M.

 

Table 14: Budget for Supplemental Bike and Pedestrian Accommodations

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System

Preservation

Full

Implementation

Signs, markings, maintenance

$0.075 M

$0.113 M

Class I facilities

$0.050 M

$0.500 M

Spot improvement program

$0.000 M

$0.100 M

Traffic calming

$0.000 M

$0.005 M

"Enhancement" projects

$0.000 M

$1.400 M

Sidewalks

$0.150 M

$0.500 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 0.275 M

$ 2.618 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 0.275 M

$ 1.536 M

 

14.       Supplemental Arterial Management Actions

Text Box: Opportunities for service roads independent of road rehabilitation exist.As with goods movement and bike/pedestrian accommodations, much of the needed arterial management work is captured in other budget categories.  Full implementation of highway and bridge reconstruction on the priority system will provide, over time, opportunity for significant progress in achieving desirable driveway spacing and implementing service roads and other arterial management techniques.  Creative completion of existing and future strategic highway and bridge actions also provides a mechanism for making further improvements to arterial design.

 

The full implementation budget for supplemental arterial management actions is focused on service road implementation through mitigation fees and other public/private agreements, pursued outside the context of a major highway project.  Other supplemental actions, such as community education and assistance, corridor management planning, Generic Environmental Impact Studies and community master planning are shown under the "Integrated Planning & Outreach" budget category.

 

Table 15: Budget for Supplemental Arterial Management Actions

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System

Preservation

Full

Implementation

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 0.000 M

$ 0.500 M

 

15.       Supplemental Safety Actions

Other budget categories capture a wide range of safety initiatives.    Full implementation of highway and bridge reconstruction on the priority system will provide, over time, opportunity for significant progress in reducing the frequency and severity of crashes.  Strategic highway and bridge actions provide additional opportunities for designing effective, safe facilities.  Improved bike and pedestrian accommodations also contribute to travel safety.  Demand management, transit improvements and other actions that effectively reduce vehicle miles of travel also contribute to safety.

 

Text Box: Safety is a high priority – on and off the state system.NYSDOT uses a structured Safety Management System to annually identify priority investigation locations on the state touring route system based on recent crash history.  NYSDOT has a goal of reducing accidents by 25% in these locations that significantly exceed the statewide averages for crash experience.  Between one and two million dollars of federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) safety funds are spent annually in the Capital District on supplemental safety actions, mostly on the state system.  Continuation of this effort is assumed to reflect a system preservation budget -- mostly keeping pace with crash experience by constantly addressing the priority locations.  The full implementation budget for supplemental safety actions extends this effort beyond the state system.  Based on Capital District crash records, there is a need for supplemental safety actions off the state system of a comparable magnitude to that on the state system.  The costs of developing a local Safety Management System (SMS) at CDTC are shown under the "Integrated Planning & Outreach" budget category.

 

The full implementation budget also includes preventative actions that target areas or corridors with high conflict levels (as measured through CDTC's conflict index, field observations and other means.)  CDTC's Transportation System Management work in the early 1990's with the NYS Energy Office identified approximately 100 such sites.  Preventative actions include improved signing at intersections, video surveillance for red light violations, emergency vehicle preemption, audible traffic signals at important locations, and speed enforcement.

 

Table 16: Budget for Supplemental Safety Actions

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System

Preservation

Full

Implementation

Spot Safety Actions

$1.800 M

$3.600 M

Preventative Actions

$0.000 M

$0.200 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 1.800 M

$ 3.800 M

 

16.       Demand Management

CDTC is committed to implementing significant and effective demand management strategies.  The New Visions process reinforced this need and commits to renewed support for public transportation coupled with a reluctance to commit significant amounts of additional funds towards peak-hour congestion relief.  Discussion of the Northway congestion issue has repeatedly pointed to the logic of emphasizing use of carpools, express buses, staggered work hours, telecommuting, reverse commuting and other means of managing demand.

 

Text Box: Demand management has proven to be cost effective.In 1993, CDTC committed to a very substantial financial commitment to a voluntary demand management program – perhaps the most substantial in the nation -- with plans to accelerate current efforts to reach a $2.5 million annual budget by 1998.  Such an effort was estimated to reduce peak-hour vehicle demand sufficiently to eliminate over 1,100 excess vehicle hours of delay (5-10% of the region's total) at a cost/benefit ratio of 11 to 1.  Much of that progress remains to be achieved.  CDTC and CDTA have established new Guaranteed Ride Home programs for transit users, carpoolers, bicyclists and walkers.  However, the major employer-based financial programs to encourage carpools, subsidize employee transit passes and facilitate telecommuting and other activities have not materialized due to prohibitions on the use of federal funds for many of these efforts.  Recent federal guidance has extended the eligibility for the use of CDTC's targeted Congestion Mitigation / Air Quality (CMAQ) funds to allow much of this previously prohibited work.

 

In 1999, CDTA achieved a breakthrough in using the CMAQ funds to help subsidize employer-based deep discounts for Albany County in conjunction with its office relocations.  However, full implementation of the 1993 TIP's TDM budget is not anticipated.  As a result, the budget estimate for this project category has been reduced from the level shown in the 1997 New Visions document.

 

A new entry in the table is operating support for TDM-related transit service.  In 2000, CDTA expects to receive its first $50,000 check from the Town of Colonie out of airport area mitigation fees for transit service as a required TDM action.  Full implementation is estimated at $300,000 annually, funded by mitigation fees.

 

Additionally, CDTC's shift of the Commuter Register to a web-based system has reduced the funding requirements for this effort.

 

The full implementation budget will:

 

·        Achieve the existing TIP's level of effort and expand that continually that over the 21 year period;

·        Implement a regional vanpool program of about ten vans and replace these vans on a five-year cycle;

·        Establish the long-distance carpool matching program (included in the existing TIP);

·        Maintain CDTC's Commuter Register program and

·        Maintain CDTC's and CDTA's Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) programs.

 

The system preservation budget is limited to continuation of the Commuter Register and Guaranteed Ride Home programs at current levels.  (Additional demand management activity would be required to maximize the efficiency of the use of the existing system.)

 

Table 17: Demand Management Budget

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System

Preservation

Full

Implementation

Regional Travel Demand Management Program

$0.100 M

$1.000 M

Vanpool Program

$0.000 M

$0.250 M

Long-distance Carpool Program

$0.000 M

$0.005 M

TDM Transit Operations

$0.100 M

$0.300 M

Commuter Register

$0.010 M

$0.015 M

Guaranteed Ride Home

$0.030 M

$0.030 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 0.240 M

$ 1.600 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 0.065 M

$ 2.825 M

 

17.       Integrated Planning & Outreach

An important theme of the New Visions plan is integration of transportation planning considerations into the overall set of planning and development activities in the Capital Region.  This points to working on more of a "continuum" of activities, rather than the current, often-separate efforts of developers, local governments, NYSDOT, CDTA and others.  Many of the strategies and actions included in the Plan increase efforts to engage stakeholders in decisions, increase local planning work, and educate local officials, developers and the general public on subjects ranging from traffic safety to access management.

Text Box: More outreach is key to successful implementation.

The full implementation budget will provide resources to:

 

·        Continue current transportation planning activities by CDTC staff, CDRPC, NYSDOT and CDTA at levels shown in the 1996-97 Unified Planning Work Program;

·        Establish a Safety Management System for non-state roads;

·        Participate in education and outreach;

·        Implement CDTC's TIP project for corridor management plans (and urban corridor plans);

·        Continue Generic Environmental Impact Studies and comprehensive plans at the local level;

·        Extend CDTC's traffic impact review and mitigation fee calculation services to additional communities;

·        Enhance the regional travel model significantly; and

·        Enhance routine traffic and travel data collection efforts.

 

The system preservation budget is limited to current transportation planning activities by CDTC staff, CDRPC, NYSDOT and CDTA at an expected level of expenditure for the 2000-01 Unified Planning Work Program.  The value shown in the table represents an increase over the values in the 1997 New Visions report, reflecting both a fuller capture of all current activities by CDTC's participants, and also CDTC's implementation of New Visions recommendations for greater support of community planning activities.  CDTC's "Community and Transportation Linkage Program" constitutes several hundred thousands of dollars of work on a dozen community-sponsored projects in 2000-01 alone.

 

 

Table 18: Budget for Integrated Planning and Outreach

(Average cost per year, 2000-2021)

 

 

System

Preservation

Full

Implementation

Programmed UPWP Activity

$2.835 M

$2.835 M

Local Safety Management

$0.030 M

$0.050 M

Education and Outreach

$0.010 M

$0.050 M

Corridor and Community Plans

$0.300 M

$0.300 M

Generic Environmental Impact Statements & Comprehensive Plans

$0.000 M

$0.100 M

Regional Geographic Information System Enhancements

$0.100 M

$0.100 M

Mitigation Review Enhancement

$0.050 M

$0.100 M

Regional Model Enhancement

$0.050 M

$0.050 M

Data Collection Enhancement

$0.025 M

$0.025 M

 

 

 

New Visions 2021 Total

$ 3.400 M

$ 3.610 M

Previous New Visions Total

$ 1.500 M

$ 2.094 M