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.
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 |
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.
Many 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 |
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).
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 |
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 |
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 |
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.
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.
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 |
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 |
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..
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 |
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 |
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.
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 |
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.
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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.
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 |
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.
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 |
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.
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 |