Capital
District Transportation Committee
Bicycle
and Pedestrian Task Force
Record of
Meeting on
Attendance: Mark Cashman (MHCC/LAB), Lindsay Childs
(Guilderland Pathways), Mike Lyons (Town of
1.0 AGENDA AND MEETING NOTES REVIEW
The minutes from October’s meeting were approved without
changes.
2.0 MAJOR DISCUSSION
2.1 Presentation on the
Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee: R.
Devlin began the meeting with a presentation on the GTSC. The presentation began with a description of
the Federal basis for the founding of a Transportation Safety Committee in 1967
which became the GTSC in 1971. The
purpose of the GTSC is to coordinate traffic safety programs throughout the
state and provide timely, accurate and useful information about safety and the
state’s Highway Safety Program. R.
Devlin explained that the traditional grant program consisted of roughly 100
grant types which has recently grown to 800/900 grants. The grants are administered through the
County Traffic Safety Boards and handled at the local level. The group was then directed to the grant
program’s website at (http://www.safeny.com)
to find the information on the grant programs, availability and all the forms
needed to apply for the grants. The
grant funding is aimed locally with roughly 55% of the grant funds going to
localities and 45% to State Agencies.
3.2 Priority Network Level of Service and Infrastructure
Index: M. Alba handed out a summary pamphlet of the
work finished so far on the priority network.
Discussion followed on how the data was collected and what criteria were
used. The information will be shared
fully once all of the counties have been completed. Status:
3.3
Quality Communities Program – Grant
Application: M. Alba mentioned the availability of funds
through a grant from the Quality Communities program of the NY State Department
that can be utilized for transportation planning. Deadline for applications: Dec 5
3.4
Domestic Scanning Tour, Final Document: J. Purvis reported on the completion of the Domestic
Pedestrian Scanning Tour, a document prepared by seven people from across NYS
after traveling to six cities around the country that have innovative
pedestrian safety projects or programs. The
document is available on the CDTC website at http://www.cdtcmpo.org/bike/pedsafety.pdf
or in hard copy form from Janine Schultz at the Institute for Traffic Safety,
Management and Research (ITSMR).
3.5
Draft Summary of User Survey and
Adjoining Landowner Survey: J. Purvis set the discussion in motion by
stating that staff will share the idea with the Planning Committee at their next
meeting. If the suggested amount is
approved, $40,000 will be available for consultant assistance with the user and
residential land owner surveys. J.
Purvis then mentioned some changes to the document for those who had brought it
with them. The purpose of the surveys is
to provide statistical data on the use of the regional trails, the types of
users on the different trails and the number of different uses. D. Odell
suggested keeping a users/surveyed users ratio be tracked through the
project.
3.6
Other New Business: D. Spicer
alerted the group to the Safe Routes to School Workshop in
D. Gehrs wanted to follow up
a conversation last meeting concerning the “Bikes on Buses” and the seemingly
unpredictable availability of the racks on buses. A hand-out was provided of the Transit
Development Plan, Adopted Policy Principles.
The money is available but the priorities of the agency are not focused
on the development of bike racks on the entire fleet. D. Odell mentioned a plan by the Albany
Bicycling Coalition to write letters to the Board of Directors and/or Executive
Director regarding the program.
E. Ophardt reported that a
NYS Safe Routes to School Coordinator had not been selected. The legislation was unclear as to what agency
or position is supposed to hold the residing “Safe Routes to School”
program.