PLANNING
COMMITTEE MEETING
Meeting Minutes
August 1, 2007
Melissa Ashline-Heit, City of Cohoes
Frank Bonafide, NYSDOT Region 1
Judy Breselor, City of Troy
Peter Comenzo, Town of Rotterdam
Frank Commisso, Albany Port Authority
Todd Fabozzi, Capital District Regional Planning
Commission
Steve Feeney, Schenectady County
Michael Franchini, Albany County (Chairman)
Jaclyn Hakes, representing Brad Birge, City of Saratoga
Springs
Fred Howard, Rensselaer County
Steve Iachetta, Albany County Airport Authority
John Poorman, Capital District Transportation Committee (Secretary)
Phil Serafino, New York State Thruway Authority
Denise Sheehan, Town of Colonie
Bernard Sisson, City of Schenectady
Kristina Younger, Capital District Transportation Authority
STAFF AND OTHERS
Anne Benware, Capital District Transportation Committee
Patrick Campbell, Capital District Transportation Authority
Rob Cherry, New York State Department of Transportation Region 1
David Jukins, Capital District Transportation Committee
Jason Purvis, Capital District Transportation Committee
Deborah Stacey, Capital District Transportation Committee
John Stangle, Town of Colonie
Steve Szanto, Creighton Manning
Mila Vega, Capital District Transportation Authority
VISITORS ISSUES
Chairman Franchini opened the meeting at approximately 9:40 am. There were no
visitor’s issues.
Action Items
ADMINISTRATION
Approval
of the June 27, 2007 Meeting
Minutes
The minutes of the June 27, 2007 meeting were approved as written.
Approval
of the Semi-Annual Progress Report
The semi-annual progress report was accepted as written.
UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM AMENDMENTS
Addition
of the Corridor Management Initiative Study
This planning study has been proposed as a result of adding
the NY 5 pavement rehabilitation project (from New Karner Road to Fuller Road) to the 2007-12 TIP.
The section of NY 5 to be rehabilitated is along the NY 5 BRT
route; care must be given to design the road to be consistent with the planned
improvements for the BRT. The Corridor Management Initiative Study will cost
$230,000. A study advisory committee
will be formed with representation from corridor stakeholders and NYSDOT. Members approved the addition to the UPWP.
Addition
of the SPR
Project—Conceptual design for BRT in the
Western/Washington Corridor
This $250,000 planning study will be primarily funded
(80%) using State Planning Research (SPR)
funds. This is the first time that
NYSDOT has opened federal SPR funding to non-NYSDOT projects. The study will produce an implementation
proposal based on stakeholder consensus for a high-quality BRT transit
connection from downtown Albany to the east, to the redeveloped Harriman Research and Technology Park, SUNY Albany, Nanotech and Crossgates Mall to the west. The implementation proposal will include
service design, station locations and conceptual design, right-of-way
assessment, multi-modal connections and cost estimates. Members approved the
addition to the UPWP.
Addition
of the SPR
Project—Conceptual design for BRT in the
Western/Washington Corridor
CDTA has submitted a proposal to conduct a study of the
feasibility of integrating an intermodal center as part of the development of
the design and Master Plan of the Albany Convention Center. The proposal
was submitted to the NYS Association of NYS Metropolitan Planning Organizations
as a Transit Supportive Development Case Study.
The request to add the project to the UPWP is contingent on receiving
the funding award from NYSMPOs.
Contingent approval is sought because the study will have an accelerated
implementation schedule so that it can fit with the timing of the Convention
center design. Members approved the
addition to the UPWP contingent upon grant approval.
Addition
of the SPR Project—I-87/Route
9 Integrated Corridor Study
NYSDOT Region 1 was successful in securing $500,000 in SPR
funds for a study which will look at the feasibility of diverting traffic from
I-87 to Route 9 when an incident occurs on I-87 during times of
congestion. The study will look at the
potential integration of I-87/Route 9 from Exit 4 to exit 15 of the Northway. Short and long term solutions, including ITS
and signal coordination will be identified.
Kristina Younger requested that the scope of work include a transit element,
since investment in transit along Route 9 will be made in the short term. NYSDOT responded that the study is aimed more
at incident related diversions to Route 9, not long term traffic pattern
changes (for example, in response to a bridge being closed). Several Planning Committee members voiced
concern over the limited scope and large budget ($500,000 study) and
recommended that area municipalities, the Regional Operations Committee and
others be involved in developing the scope and guiding the study. Members approved the study with this caveat
noted.
Addition
of the Land Use and Transportation Planning Conference
NYSDOT Region 1’s Planning office is hosting a Land Use
and Planning Conference on Wednesday October 3rd in downtown Schenectady. The conference
will allow Region 1 staff to reconnect with municipalities now that the region
has hired Planning staff. Several
members questioned if continuing education credits would be offered. NYSDOT responded that they will look into the
feasibility. Planning and Zoning Board
credits are potentially more doable. The
members approved the addition to the UPWP.
SAFETEA-LU
Solicitation
for the Job Access Reverse Commute Program
Deb Stacey reminded members that funding for the JARC,
Section 5310 and New Freedom could not be awarded until the Coordinated Public
Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for the Capital District was
approved. Once the Plan was approved by
Planning Committee and Policy Board members, staff began to work on a
solicitation for JARC projects. Prior to
SAFETEA-LU, JARC funds were distributed nationally on a competitive basis. CDTA had been very successful in receiving
project awards for JARC proposals submitted to FTA. Now that JARC funds are
allocated to regions by formula, a local competitive solicitation must be
developed. CDTC
staff took on this role, to avoid conflict of interest issues since CDTA would
like to submit proposal to continue the successful JARC program that has been
in place or several years. Staff would like
to “advertise” the funding opportunity using Legal Notices in the area
newspapers. Staff reminded the members
that the solicitation for New Freedom will be drafted next, and that the Legal
Notice format will be used for the New Freedom solicitation as well. Members approved the funding application and
Legal Notice format of advertisement.
ADDITION TO THE AGENDA—CHANGE
IN PLANNING COMMITTEE SCHEDULE
The New Visions 2030 schedule calls for a shift in the
Planning Committee and Policy Board meeting schedules. The Quality Region Task Force has met once
and will meet twice during August; New Visions 2030 should be ready for
adoption in September by the Planning Committee. A September Planning Committee meeting is
proposed for Wednesday September 5th; the Planning Board meeting is
proposed for Thursday October 4th.
A professional “slick” summary document is also under construc-tion. Members approved the revised schedule.
Discussion Items
BIDS and LETTINGS
Frank Bonafide distributed the April/May/June/July Bids.
Surprisingly, most Bids are coming in under estimates. The exception is the April 5 Bid for Bridge
Maintenance and Repair I-90 over the Hudson (PIN 1807.19); this project will be re-bid since only
one Bid was received.
STATUS OF PLANNING ACTIVITIES
CDTC
Linkage project proposals are due on September
28th. CDTC reserved up to $100,000 in
staff time and up to $225,000 in consultant budget authority to support the
Linkage Program; of the $225,000, $50,000 will be reserved for submissions that
represent inter-municipal efforts.
CDRPC
CEG
has forwarded their final comments on the Fiscal Impact Study to CDRPC; the
study should be finalized shortly.
Staff, with the aid of CDTC has been working on employment projections
by TAZ; the projections are almost in final form.
CDTA
CDTA unveiled major service changes in Saratoga Springs in July. The
biggest surge in ridership is on the Saratoga/Schenectady Route 50 run (20
passengers/day). The Schenectady garage is being used for the Saratoga service; CDTA is considering locating a garage in Saratoga County. The new hybrid-electric
buses are averaging 4.5 mi/gal (as compared to 3.2 mpg). Two new fare media projects will be
unveiled—a three day visitors pass ($8.00) and a 10 ride debit card. Tokens will be phased out.
NYSDOT
The Region 1 Planning Department is working hard on
planning the Fall Conference.
Albany County Airport Authority
Mr. Iachetta reported that the Albany International Airport recently became the seventh airport in the nation to
begin offering a Registered Traveler (RT) program, Clear®. The Clear lane
provides registered travelers with expedited passage through Airport security
at Albany and several other airports. This program pre-clears
passengers for security, cutting down security related travel time to two
minutes or less. The AIA
has received a $2.2 million bid for terminal improvements and a $2 million bid
for safety and lighting.
Albany Port Commission
The Port Commission will be leasing some space to
Besicorp.
OTHER
There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned
at 10:45 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
John P. Poorman
Secretary