[s1] CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

 

Meeting Minutes

March 3, 2011

 

 

MEMBERS ATTENDING

 

Carm Basile, Capital District Transportation Authority

Paul Cassillo, representing Mayor Brian Stratton, City of
  Schenectady

Sarah Crowell, representing Mayor Daniel Dwyer, City of

  Rensselaer

Rocky Ferraro, representing Mike Stammel, Capital District
  Regional Planning Commission

Michael Franchini, representing Michael Breslin, Albany County

Mayor James Gaughan, Village of Altamont

Terry Hurley, Albany Port District Commission

Mary Ivey, NYS Department of Transportation Region 1, Secretary

Andrew Kreshik, representing Mayor Harry Tutunjian, City of Troy

Michael Loftus, New York State Thruway Authority

Paula Mahan, Town of Colonie

Daniel McCoy, Albany County Legislature

Mayor John T. McDonald III, City of Cohoes, Chairman

Linda von der Heide, representing Kathleen Jimino, Rensselaer

  County

 

STAFF AND OTHERS

 

Jim Digioia, Interested Citizen

David Jukins, Capital District Transportation Committee

Paul Murphy, Interested Citizen

Sandra Misiewicz, Capital District Transportation Committee

John Poorman, Capital District Transportation Committee

Jason Purvis, Capital District Transportation Committee

John Scherzer, Capital District Transportation Authority

Deb Stacey, Capital District Transportation Committee

Stephen Williams, The Daily Gazette

 

OPENING REMARKS

 

Chairman McDonald opened the Capital District Transportation Committee meeting at 3:05 pm and welcomed those in attendance.  Members and attendees introduced themselves.

 

Approval of the September 2, 2010 Meeting Minutes

 

The December 2, 2010 meeting minutes were accepted as written.

 

Nominating Subcommittee Report

 

The nominating subcommittee met on February 18, 2011.

 

The nominating subcommittee nominated Mayor John McDonald of Cohoes to continue as Chairman of the Policy Board.  Carm Basile was nominated as Vice-chairman and Mary Ivey was nominated to continue as CDTC’s Secretary.  All accepted the nomination.

 

 

The Nominating subcommittee also nominated town and village at-large members for representation on the policy board. Chris Koetzle (Town of Glenville Supervisor) and Frank Thompson (Town of Milton Supervisor) were proposed as members.  Jim Gaughan (Mayor of the village of Altamont) and Josephine Ashworth (Town of North Greenbush Supervisor) were nominated as alternates.  Individuals nominated as CDTC members will serve until March 2012.  As in past practice, alternates are likely to be appointed as members for the 2012-13 fiscal year.

 

 

The Nominating subcommittee nominated town and village at-large members to serve on the planning committee.  Proposed nominations were:

 

     Member:        Barbara McHugh, Clifton Park

 

     Alternate:     Kevin Corcoran, Glenville

                    Kathy Matern, Niskayuna

                    Steve Watts, Halfmoon

                    Mike Morelli, Bethlehem

                    Tony Tozzi, Malta

                    Peter Comenzo, Rotterdam

                    Paul Reuss, Menands

 

Members approved the nominations as proposed.

 

Administrative & Financial Standing Subcommittee Report

 

It is CDTC’s practice for the Chairman to appoint members to the Administrative and Financial Standing Subcommittee on an annual basis.  The A & F Standing Subcommittee met on February 18th and appointed the following to serve on the A & F Standing Subcommittee:

 

     Carm Basile, CDTA

     Mary Ivey, NYSDOT Region 1

     Joe Landry, Schenectady County

     Mike Breslin, Albany County

     Tom Richardson, Mechanicville

     Tom Werner, Saratoga County

 

At this meeting, the A & F Standing Subcommittee also approved the line item budget to match the UPWP.

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR

 

Chairman McDonald indicated that CDTC provides an opportunity for visitors to address items on the agenda. No one from the public attending the meeting made a request to speak.

 

PRESENTATION —LAUNCHING BusPlus

 

Carm Basile provided an informative presentation on the launching of BusPlus.  BusPlus is CDTA’s planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for the Route 5 Corridor that will run from the city of Schenectady to the city of Albany. BusPlus will be operational starting April 4, 2011. Ninety stops along the corridor, currently served by CDTA’s 55 Route are compressed to just 18 stops for BusPlus.  Red and silver “bus stations” have been erected along the corridor, and have a different look from the existing CDTA bus shelters.  The buses also have the red and silver branding theme, are hybrid electric and have a train-like appearance.  CDTA projects that there will be a significant increase in ridership (up to a 40% increase). In order to make the BusPlus service a true “premium” service, queue jumpers have been installed at New Karner Road and Wolf Road intersections and signal priority software is installed at every major intersection along the corridor. The cash fare will be $2 per trip, and the first two weeks will be free for everyone.  Those using bus passes will see no increase in fare over the blue line (non-BRT)service.

 

UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM

 

Approval of the 2100-12 Addendum to the 2010-12 UPWP

 

CDTC is required to develop a Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) as a basis and condition for all FHWA and FTA funding assistance for transportation planning within the four county Capital District region. CDTC has embraced the two-year UPWP concept, the current program being the 2010-12 UPWP that was adopted in March 2010. The program reflects the goals and objectives of CDTC’s New Visions Plan, the Community and Transportation Linkage Program studies, and NYSDOT’s Emphasis Areas.

 

At its February 8, 2011 meeting, the Planning Committee recommended approval of two new planning initiatives, five linkage planning studies, and several minor changes to the second year of the 2010-12 UPWP. New or significantly modified tasks include the Every Day Counts Initiative, the Census Data Task, GIS Support, the 2011-12 Linkage Program and Human Service Agency Planning.  The Planning Committee authorized the staff to release the 2011-12 UPWP Addendum for public review.  Because of the February 3rd snowstorm, the public comment period will formally end on March 11, 2011. The proposed changes have been posted on CDTC’s website since January 3, 2011.  Members approved the addendum to the UPWP.

 

 

2010-15 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENTS

 

Round Two Programming

 

CDTC’s 2010-15 TIP development involved a decision to program approximately $150M in “anticipatory” revenues. The funding level was viewed as sufficient to entertain a wide range of candidate proposals with the intention of identifying a new generation of projects that reflect New Visions priorities. After addressing schedules, budgets and commitments to existing projects, CDTC completed Round One of programming of new high-ranking projects within a limited set of project categories. A Round Two of programming was begun to consider other candidates and to ensure that, overall, the 2010-15 TIP is balanced and equitable. Round Two was suspended by the Planning Committee in July, 2010 after agreeing that a minimum of $20M of a $57M programming balance would be directed to pavement and bridges and that all new projects would be scheduled later than those already programmed. With Policy Board concurrence, the Round Two programming effort was tabled for at least six months.

 

Six months have passed since the Policy Board’s decision to suspend Round Two. Since that time, federal funding authorization has been maintained through short term extensions but no action has been taken by Congress on a multi-year reauthorization bill. It is likely that implementation of the first two years (2010-11 and 2011-12) of the 2010-15 TIP will face federal funding levels that are, at best, flat. Given this history, the Planning Committee, at its February 8, 2011 meeting recommended that Rounds Two and Three of the 2010-15 TIP update remain tabled at this time.

 

Continuing to table Rounds Two and Three maintains the value of the candidate list evaluated for the 2010-15 TIP and reaffirms CDTC’s programming approach. If Congress acts on the reauthorization within the next year, CDTC can fold completion of Round Two and Three into the 2012-17 TIP update. If Congress does not act by that time, CDTC would need to revisit the issue; the shelf-life of the existing candidate list is not indefinite.

 

Members approved the tabling of Round two and three programming.

 

 

STATUS REPORT ON FINANCIAL PROSPECTS

 

A one page status report on the FY 2010 President’s Budget for the Department of Transportation was distributed to members.  The president’s FY2012 budget request includes a total of $129 billion for the Department of Transportation. In an effort to jump start this reauthorization, the President’s request includes a $50 billion “up-front” economic boost that would foster job creation. $5 billion is requested to establish an Infrastructure bank that would provide grants and loans using new innovative financing approaches that would leverage transportation dollars more efficiently.  The overall funding request is 66% above FFY 2010 levels.

 

STATUS OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

 

NYSDOT

 

The new commissioner will be sworn in on May 8th.  Sixteen projects will be let in March.

 

Albany Port Authority

 

Maritime volume has continued to increase. The Dock and Wharf improvements will be complete by June 2011.

 

CDTC

 

CDTC staff has been working on the New Visions Maintenance Plan for 2035.  Staff is providing updates on what has been accomplished since 2007.  The draft will be shared with Board members in time for the June meeting.  An agenda will be laid out for a more in-depth Plan Update.

 

Town of Colonie 

 

The town has been receiving very favorable feedback about the Single Point Urban Interchange that was completed in 2010.  Congestion through Exit 6 has be greatly relieved; plowing has not been an issue.  Crashes at this site have been minimal.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:15 pm.  The next meeting is scheduled for 3:00 pm, Thursday June 2, 2011.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

Mary E. Ivey

Secretary

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