PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
Meeting Minutes
August 1, 2012
MEMBERS ATTENDING
Frank
Bonafide, NYS Department of Transportation R1
Ross
Farrell, Capital District Transportation Authority
Michael
Franchini, Capital District Transportation Committee
Bruce
Hidley, representing Rosemary Nichols, City of Watervliet
Steve
Iachetta, Albany County Airport Authority
Joanna
King, representing Rocky Ferraro, Capital District
Regional Planning Commission
Joe
LaCivita, Town of Colonie
Patrick
McCarroll, representing Michael Loftus, NYS Thruway
Authority
Barb
McHugh, Town of Clifton Park
Mike
Morelli, Town of Bethlehem
Ozzie
Priotti, representing Sarah Crowell, City of Rensselaer
Paul
Reuss, Village of Menands
Joe
Teleska, representing Wayne Bonesteel, Rensselaer County
Tony
Tozzi, Town of Malta
Mike
Valentine, Saratoga County
STAFF AND OTHERS
David
Ardman, Chazen Companies
Anne
Benware, Capital District Transportation Committee
Robert
Hansen, Creighton Manning
Karen
Hulihan, New York State Department of Transportation R1 Dave Jukins, Capital
District Transportation Committee
Patrick
Kane, City of Cohoes
Christine
Kingery, Spectra Engineering
Teresa
LaSalle, Capital District Transportation Committee
Fred
Mastroianni, Greenman-Pederson, Inc
Leah
Mosall, Capital District Transportation Committee
Glenn
Posca, Capital District Transportation Committee
Jason
Purvis, Capital District Transportation Committee
Jim
Rivers, Greenman Pedersen Inc.
Gregory
Roy, McFarland Johnson
Matthew
Smith, City of Schenectady
Lisa
Westrick, CHA
Michael
Wieszchowski, Laberge Group
VISITORS ISSUES
Steve Iachetta opened the
meeting at approximately 9:35 AM. There
were no visitors’ issues.
ACTION ITEMS
ADMINISTRATION
The minutes from July 11,
2012 meeting were approved as written.
NYSDOT PRESENTATION ON THE TRAFFIC IMPACTS/PUBLIC
OUTREACH FOR THE TWIN BRIDGES DECK REPLACEMENT PROJECT
Frank Bonafide introduced staff
from Region 1 NYSDOT Design and Structures, George Hodges and Dave Richards to
share information on this upcoming project.
Construction will begin the Friday after Labor Day and is planned to run
for six weekends, with the exception of Columbus Day. Each weekend during the
construction period lane closures will start at 10 pm on Friday nights and
continue until 5 am Monday mornings. During
this period there will be one travel lane open in each direction; outside of
this weekend period all three travel lanes will be open in each direction. During weekend construction periods the
northbound bridge will be closed and traffic will be accommodated via
crossovers onto the southbound bridge, with all three lanes re-opened on
Mondays. Work to build the lane crossovers to be used during weekend
construction has started.
In terms of public
outreach, a variety of notices to a diversity of officials and stakeholders
will be distributed starting next week starting with Legislators from Essex
County to Albany County followed by municipalities along the Northway corridor,
then to Chambers of Commerce, NYS and other tourism officials and to the I Love
NY website, etc. The main message being conveyed is that travel on this section
of the Northway should be avoided during the Friday night to early Monday time
periods for the construction/lane closure period.
NYSDOT will be posting a
project website containing detailed information and answers to Frequently Asked
Questions. Alerts will be posted on www.511ny.org with the most up to date information available via
that site’s social media links. Planning
Committee members and municipalities in the region are asked to post links to
the project website on their websites to spread the word with the goal of
encouraging travelers to choose alternate times and routes during the
construction time periods.
There will be two informational
meetings with emergency providers; the construction contract does include
provision for towing service during the weekends and for media outreach costs.
The six weekend
construction period will be followed by another session of weekend-only construction
planned to start again in April 2013, with the exception of Memorial Day
weekend.
The HELP Truck will be
mobilized to NYS Route 9. Traffic will
likely divert to NYS Routes 9, 146 and 50.
CDTC staff helped NYSDOT model traffic impacts and diversions. Results
indicate traffic delays shouldn’t be much more than what occurs on the typical
busy weekend. NYSDOT’s project website
will provide information on alternative routes however formal detours will not
be set up.
There will be VMS (variable
message signs) placed at strategic locations (I-787 and Alternate Route 7) so
travelers can make alternate route decisions. Signal timing will be adjusted on
Route 9 ahead of time to promote good progression.
Members asked several
questions: Can an email could be sent
out when the project website goes live so they can distribute the
link/publicize the project and the lane closure period? Mike Franchini said CDTC
can help get the link to members. Will
trucking firms be notified? NYSDOT will
be reaching out to truckers. In terms
of timing, weekend work is more efficient and cost effective. Signal timing
changes can be considered on non-state roads such as at the Exit 8 Park and Ride
which experiences more traffic than some sections of Route 9. Mike
Franchini thanked the NYSDOT staff for their presentation.
UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM
Progress Report
Dave Jukins reviewed the CDTC Progress Report typically
completed every six months summarizing progress on Unified Planning Work
Program (UPWP) tasks. Meeting materials
included a two page summary and the full progress report. Highlights are: completion and adoption of
the New Visions 2035 update, staff participation in the NYS Capital District
Regional Economic Development Plan, NYSMPO Association Safety Working Group
efforts to establish local road crash data and rates, Highway Condition
Inventory data collection and analysis which is critical to gauging
results/modeling impacts of pavement preservation strategies, and conversion of
TIP mapping from static maps to interactive mapping using a more user-friendly ArcGIS
interface, among others. Members approved
the Progress Report as written.
2010-15 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
AMENDMENTS
SA225 (1757.54) Commercial Access Highway
Improvements – Luther Technology Park
Details on this request were
sent from the Town of Malta Supervisor to CDTC and included in the meeting
materials. Tony Tozzi explained this TIP
amendment would allow improvements in the Round Lake Road (County Route 80) corridor. The Town of Malta prepared a Round Lake Road
improvement plan to identify needed improvements from I-87 Exit 12 westward to
East Line Road that would utilize remaining funds specifically set aside for
Luther Forest Campus Transportation Improvements. The primary Campus entrance is located on NYS
Route 67 along which commercial uses are not allowed. However, near Exit 11 commercial development
and redevelopment is growing along Round Lake corridor which is in need of
improvement. Funding will allow a true
complete streets reconfiguration of Round Lake Road. Proposed improvements include pedestrian and
bicycle accommodations between East Line Road and the Round Lake Bypass
roundabout, intersection improvements at several locations, and access
management, storm water management, and streetscaping improvements. This may be the only plan that can be
implemented within the time frame the funds are likely to be available; if not
spent funds may not be accessible after 2014.
Support for this effort has been received from Congressman Gibson’s
office, the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, and the Towns of Ballston and
Malta, and the Village of Round Lake. Mike
Franchini thanked the Town and County for submitting information on the
amendment request early and sitting down with NYSDOT and CDTC to help clarify
the information. There were no other
comments or questions. Members approved
the amendment request.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN AMENDMENTS
CDTA and CDTC staff
requested several minor changes to the Public Participation Plan adopted as
part of the New Visions 2035 plan update.
Jason Purvis reviewed the proposed wording to satisfy Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) requirements to clarify that CDTC’s Public Participation
Policy satisfies CDTA’s public participation requirements for the program of
projects (or POP). NYSDOT Region 1 mailing address was also update. Wording to the Public Participation Procedures
to waive the forty-five (45) day public review period for minor changes to the
Procedures designated to the Planning Committee and Policy Board for adoption
was also proposed. Members approved these amendments.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
2013-18 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE
Section 5310 (Elderly & Individuals with
Disabilities Program) Program Update
Anne Benware reviewed the application and
evaluation process for the federal fiscal year 2012 5310 program which provides capital-only funding for the transportation
needs of elderly and disabled individuals. NYSDOT’s Transit Bureau administers this
program and has a well-established competitive process, which includes an
inter-agency review committee for selecting fund grantees on a discretionary
basis. CDTC is one member of the review committee for applications submitted by
Human Service agencies in our region seeking vehicles needed to transport
elderly and disabled citizens to various destinations. 5310 funds are used to
purchase accessible buses for not-for-profit organizations at 80% federal
funds with a 20% match by the grantee. There are no operating funds
provided under this program, and recipients are responsible for 100% of their
ongoing operating expenses for vehicles awarded through a 5310 grant. CDTC’s review of applications ensures that
Section 5310 funding awards are compatible with the adopted regional
Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan. For federal fiscal year 2012 applications were
due to NYSDOT on June 1st and CDTC staff is to receive the full
package of applications the week of July 24th with evaluations due
back to NYSDOT August 24th.
There were six (6) eligible applications in the CDTC area. Mike Franchini noted we would typically have
the results of the grant selection process available earlier to the Planning
Committee; once CDTC staff has that information it will be presented to the
Committee.
Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment Evaluation Process
Mike Franchini briefly reviewed the CDTC TIP Amendment
Evaluation sheet included in the mail out and explained the desire is to
provide a bit more information on proposed TIP amendments. Mike asked that project sponsors seeking
amendments provide information to the staff as early as possible as that helps
provide needed and consistent information to the Planning Committee. Mike pointed out this is not a major change
but it should assist in the review process for TIP amendments; providing the
information early allows it to be included in ample time for Planning Committee
meeting mail outs and to answer questions ahead of time. Frank Bonafide asked if CDTC staff would fill
in the information. Mike responded CDTC
staff, along with the project sponsor and NYSDOT would work together. One questioner
asked whether this would require re-evaluation of original benefit cost ratios. The response was that a full re-evaluation should
not be necessary unless the Planning Committee requested it.
Proposed Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Update
Schedule
The tentative proposed schedule was reviewed. Mike
Franchini noted development of the schedule is a work in progress and several
meetings between CDTC staff and NYSDOT Region 1 have occurred. In addition, a working group has been formed by
the NYSDOT Main Office to help address how their Forward Four policy focused on
preservation first will be integrated with TIP updates statewide which must be
completed by June 2013. Questions being
considered include how “Beyond Preservation” projects will be addressed as
NYSDOT is looking to apply the Forward Four approach to local projects as well.
This may affect some existing projects
but that will be determined later. Frank
Bonafide indicated NYSDOT is trying to strike a balance between preservation
only and other capital projects. A
question was asked if the focus on preservation first will help streamline the
design approval process. Frank Bonafide
responded that preservation projects could be implemented more quickly but that
using federal funds requires the federal process be followed. Discussion turned
to other opportunities for efficiencies and cost effective approaches such as
potentially bundling a sponsor’s projects (such as bridge repair work) into one
contract. Dave Jukins reminded the group
that if a sponsor saves monies and projects end up costing less than the TIP
estimate that is great and that money goes back into the overall pot of funds;
savings aren’t given to the project sponsor. Bundling projects under
preservation would be desirable; any new projects not currently on the TIP
would have to compete.
STATUS OF PLANNING ACTIVITIES
CDTC
Mike Franchini reported
that the AMPO conference will take place the second week of September in
Saratoga Springs and that ten (10 ) CDTC members have signed up which is
great. The CDTC Policy Board meeting
will be held at 8 am on September 13th and many of those members
will attend the conference. The
conference will have many good sessions and is part of the national
conversation on transportation policy in the U.S. Dave Jukins noted that the most recent CDTC
newsletter In Motion, has been
distributed and was put together by Sreekumar Nampoothiri of our staff.
CDRPC
Joanna King reported that
Rocky Ferraro has been appointed co-leader of the Capital District Regional
Economic Development Council’s Metrics Committee. CDRPC has been working on the Climate Smart
Communities contract made possible through a NYSERDA grant and has been
participating in the Governor’s Cleaner Greener Sustainable Capital Region Plan
through various committees. CDRPC has
published both population and household projections on their website.
NYS THRUWAY AUTHORITY
Patrick McCarroll reported
that the Exit 23/24 project is progressing and that sections of concrete are
being poured. The construction zone speed
limit is 55 mph with numerous tickets being issued for violators.
CDTA
Ross Farrell reported
there are currently two large projects CDTA is spearheading including restructuring
the Northway NX Service which involved two weeks of public meetings; participation
was good. Revised NX service and its new
fare structure will roll out October 1st, 2012. Phase 2 of the
Albany County route restructuring project focused on rural and suburban routes
is progressing and public meetings will be held the week of August 20th.
Information about the proposed
restructuring will be posted on CDTA’s website.
Ross asked that members please come and participate in these meetings.
NYSDOT
Frank Bonafide reported on
several meetings that took place to help address concerns NYSDOT had with the
previously discussed Commercial Access Improvements in Saratoga County. NYSDOT and Saratoga Springs staff also met to
discuss concerns over the Route 50 bridge project followed by an internal DOT
scoping meeting to explore opportunities for pedestrian travel along the Route
50 Bridge as part of the upcoming bridge rehabilitation project. Frank also reported that during September
there will be meetings in each county for local sponsors to review the status
of TIP projects with both Region 1 and CDTC staffs. Frank noted Mary Ivey has retired as Region 1
Director and Sam Zhou will be her replacement.
ALBANY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY
Steve Iachetta thanked
NYSDOT for renewed interest in the Exit 3 / 4 improvements. There are signs of
growth and there are 7 projects currently which are occurring in a competitive
bidding environment.
LINKAGE/LOCAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES
Mike Franchini asked the group to review the table
on Status of Linkage or other Planning Studies.
Mike noted the Railroad Avenue Area study is winding down and that the
businesses there have shown a good deal of interest. The Malta Downtown Master Plan Implementation
study, focused on converting their existing zoning code to a form based code is
progressing well. Tony Tozzi will give a
presentation on that to the Planning Committee this fall. The Schenectady Gateway Plaza Implementation
Plan is also moving along. Dave Jukins
noted the Schodack Linkage study kick off meeting is slated for August 21st.
Other active studies include two NYSERDA funded
efforts, the Cleaner Greener Regional Sustainability Plan and the Climate Smart
Communities effort, spearheaded by CDRPC with public meetings recently held for
the Sustainability Plan and launch of a website where people can post ideas and
comments.
Jason Purvis noted that the Bike Ped Task Force
meeting on August 14th will highlight the Albany Bike Share study.
Sandy Misiewicz reported the Safety Working Group
has been very involved with NYSDOT and FHWA in developing safety data for local
roads and that CDTC has been well represented at those meetings.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned
at approximately 11:35 PM. The next
Planning Committee meeting is scheduled for October 3, 2012.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Franchini
Secretary