RECORD OF MEETING

FREIGHT TASK FORCE

Friday, May 19, 2000, CDTC Offices, 5 Computer Drive West, Colonie

Attendance: Art Dutcher, Saratoga Transport; Michael Franchini, Albany County; Martin Hull, CDTA; Frank Keane, Port of Albany; Ted Thompson, NYSDOT - Region 1; Katherine Forster, CDTC

Regrets: Jack Earl

The Port of Albany's 10-Year Master Plan

Frank Keane from the Port of Albany made the 10-Year Master Plan presentation to the Task Force. In the 1980's the goal for the Port was to become self-sustaining. After achieving that goal in the 1990's the Port wants to again assess where it is and where it wants to go. This new 10-year Master Plan will be the guiding force. The Port wants to be an economic engine for this region. It wants to be seen as a regional port. Opportunities for the port are seen in: marine cargo (both bulk and heavy-lift); a multi-modal logistics center as part of the trade corridor; inland feeder port for barge containers with a pilot project for barge service from NY/NJ and developing waterfront (the port owns some sites and has financing capabilities).

Member Updates/Current Events

NYSDOT – Working on a tandem trailer demonstration from Scotia to Glenville park to see if it is feasible to drive tandems on local roads. CP Rail is evaluating the possibility of expanding its Expressway service south from Montreal to New York City. Expressway service places truck trailers on special rail cars. CP Rail will make a decision by the end of this year. DOT is working with B&M and CSX to coordinated railroad crossing maintenance. DOT supplies the crossing protection devices while the railroad is responsible for maintaining the surface of the crossing

Saratoga Transport – Report on the Saratoga Truck By-Pass Study. A survey of the trucking industry was done and it seems that the majority of trucks are not through trucks but trucks with an actual destination in the city. There were 5-6 options for the by-pass and the task force narrowed down the choices to two: a Northern and Central route. There are some recommended quick fixes also which include signage and an intensive truck safety police enforcement program. Edwards and Kelcey, the task force's consultant will present the final report of the task force.

Albany County – Albany-Shaker Road will be done in 2001, Watervliet-Shaker Road will be done in 2002. Another project that the county is starting to work on is New Karner Road. This road carries 26,000 cars a day. There is a gap in funding for this project. New Karner Road divides the Pine Bush and the Pine Bush Commission would like to look into possibilities for reconnecting the preserve.

CDTA – There will be a commuter rail demo test in July. A Bombardier train will be used to travel both routes. Moving forward with both the Saratoga Station and the Warren County Scenic Bridge. A new version of the Revest document has just been released. The Route 5 signal project will include bus signal priority on half of the signals between Albany and Schenectady.

New Visions 2030

Due to the small turn-out at this task force meeting and the lack of original members that worked on creating the Task Force report for New Visions this discussion was held off.

Status of CDTC Activities

Champlain-Hudson Trade Corridor

The Plattsburgh North-Country Chamber of Commerce has been working hard since the fall conference to secure funds for improvements to the border crossing facility. At the end of March, it was announced that more than $ 1 million was secured from the General Services Administrations for the border crossing for the next two years. About $430,000 will be spent the first year to provide widening access just prior to the primary inspection point and improving the facility to separate buses from the truck line and process them more efficiently. $650,000 will be used in 2001 to increase the number of truck lanes from two to three. Another announcement in May stated that the truck lane addition would be expedited and would be built this year.

No meetings have occurred for the Corridor Coalition. CDTC is pursuing the opportunity to use Reebie data to show what is travelling to and from our corridor. Main Office DOT has some software set up to query for this type of information.

Preston Gilbert from the University of Syracuse, Federal Relations called for information on the Corridor Coalition. He is very interested in being involved in the coalition's efforts. He worked on an ITS project in New Hampshire and is now trying to initiate a similar project with Plattsburgh. He will be sending details to CDTC later this year.

CORBOR Awards

The FFY 2000 awards have not been announced but are expected shortly.

Industrial Road: TCSP South Troy Waterfront Revitalization

The transportation consultant for the TCSP project has held a few community workshops to discuss the redevelopment alternatives for South Troy's Waterfront. The community is still debating where the industrial road will terminate - they are reluctant to continue it to the Congress Street bridge. A proposal for a park near Adams and First may not allow it to go further than the canal. The engineering firm Harza Northeast was hired by the City of Troy to do the design of the industrial road. The local consultant that is working with Harza is Erdman Anthony.

The City and Amtrak are looking into the possibility of a New York City bound train starting in South Troy. The train "station" would consist of a small shelter/platform and a parking area. This should not conflict with freight shipments.

CDTC Linkages Program

The Linkage program is intended to undertake tasks that respond to community planning initiatives and that help to advance New Visions strategies. $100,000 in staff effort and $315,000 in consultant's effort was allocated for this program. These funds are for planning assistance only, not capital improvements. Examples of projects are: access management, development of design standards, traffic management, pedestrian facilities plan, highway safety plan, etc.

Albany County received funds through this program to conduct a truck access study in three areas adjacent to I-787 in Albany County. These areas include the Watervliet Arsenal/Colonie Economic Development Zone, the southeastern section of the Village of Menands and the Port of Albany. The study will focus on providing direct access connections for commercial traffic to existing and future industrial destinations while protecting commercial corridors as a component of revitalization efforts. Particular attention will be paid to the relationship between Broadway and I-787. For each of the three study areas, a recommendation will be developed that includes maps, technical information, estimated costs, and implementation schedule, and SEQRA findings as applicable.

TIP Update

Amendments to the TIP include the Rensselaer Amtrak station, Albany-Shaker Road and Watervliet-Shaker road and Elm Avenue and Cherry Avenue. The TIP will be updated this fall. A call letter will be sent out to the municipalities asking for new projects that they want to have considered for the new TIP (2001-2006).

Upcoming Events

August 18, 2000, 1:30 pm - Freight Task Force Meeting at Selkirk Yards

November 17, 2000, 1:30 pm - Freight Task Force Meeting (possibly at UPS facility)