CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

 

Meeting Minutes

June 7, 2007

 

 

MEMBERS ATTENDING

 

Judy Breselor, representing Harry J. Tutunjian, Mayor of Troy

Mary Brizzell, Town of Colonie

Bill Bruce, representing Gerald Jennings, Mayor of Albany

Steve Feeney, representing Susan Savage, Schenectady County

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

Mike Franchini, representing Michael Breslin, Albany County

Frank Quinn, Town of Glenville

Terry Hurley, Albany Port District Commission

Charles Houghtaling, Albany County

Mayor Valerie Keehn, City of Saratoga Springs

Mayor John McDonald, City of Cohoes, Chairman

Ellen McNulty-Ryan, Village of Green Island

Marybeth Pettit, representing Daniel Dwyer, Mayor of Rensselaer

Bob Phillips, Saratoga County

David Rettig, NYS Department of Transportation Region 1, representing Commissioner Astrid Glynn

Joe Rich, Federal Highway Administration

Tom Richardson, representing Anthony Sylvester, Mayor of Mechanicville

Phil Serafino, representing William Rinaldi, New York State Thruway Authority

Bernard Sisson, representing Brian Stratton, Mayor of Schenectady

Linda von der Heide, representing Kathleen Jimino, Rensselaer 
County

Kristina Younger, representing Raymond Melleady, Capital District Transportation Authority

 

STAFF AND OTHERS

 

Frank Bonafide, NYS Department of Transportation

David Jukins, Capital District Transportation Committee

Sandy Misiewicz, Capital District Transportation Committee

Sree Nampoothiri, Capital District Transportation Committee

Mike Novakowski, NYS Department of Transportation

John Poorman, Capital District Transportation Committee

Glenn Posca, Capital District Transportation Committee

Jason Purvis, Capital District Transportation Ccommittee

Cliff Thomas, NYS Department of Transportation

 

 

OPENING REMARKS

 

Chairman McDonald opened the Capital District Transportation Committee meeting at approximately 3:05 p.m. and welcomed those in attendance to the CDTC offices.  Members and attendees then introduced themselves.

 

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

March 8, 2007 Meeting Minutes

 

The minutes of the March 8, 2007 CDTC meeting were approved as written, with a clarification by Frank Quinn, supervisor of the Town of Glenville, that he has not been a member over the past year.

 

Administrative & Financial Standing Subcommittee Report

 

John Poorman explained that the staff director’s reduced hours arrangement is working very well, with the rest of the staff stepping up to fill in the gaps and continuing to produce a high quality product for CDTC.

 

Membership Followup Report

 

John Poorman explained that the Nominating Subcommittee nominated Phil Barrett, supervisor of the Town of Clifton Park, to one of CDTC's two at-large positions set aside for towns and villages.  However, John Poorman was notified subsequent to the Nominating Subcommittee meeting that Phil Barrett is now the chair of the Saratoga Board of Supervisors. The person in this position is automatically on CDTC’s board.  Mr. Barrett has indicated he would prefer to serve as a CDTC Board member as Saratoga County chair, and CDTC has invited Mindy Warmouth, supervisor of the Town of Halfmoon, to take Phil’s place as an at large member.  At this time, we are waiting to hear her response. 

 

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR

 

Chairman McDonald indicated that CDTC provides an opportunity for visitors to address items on the agenda. There was no request to speak to the Committee.

 

 

SELF CERTIFICATION

 

Mr. Poorman reviewed the 2007 Self-Certification of CDTC’s Planning Process.  CDTC, as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Capital District is meeting the requirements for transportation planning and in many cases is exceeding requirements and providing a very high quality of planning.  Members approved the Self Certification resolution.

 

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION POLICY

 

Mr. Poorman explained that the new CDTC Public Participation Policy was developed to meet requirements of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act, A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).  It continues CDTC’s strong commitment to public participation.  Members approved the Public Participation Policy.

 

NEW VISION 2030 APPROVAL FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

 

Mr. Poorman gave a presentation that explained the comprehensive nature of the New Visions 2030 Plan development process.  The Plan will have a web based format, to allow inclusion of the rich detail that has been developed by the Working Groups and Task Forces.  Fourteen documents and corresponding summary documents have been approved by the Planning Committee and recommended for CDTC Policy Board approval.  Mr. Poorman explained that with Policy Board approval, these documents will be available for public review and comment during the Summer.  At the September meeting, the CDTC Policy Board will be asked to approve the final Plan.  A summary document is being prepared which will be used for public participation.  During the Fall, the public process will continue, with a confirmation of the Plan by the Policy Board in December.

 

John walked through each of the fourteen documents and explained the most important points.  The New Visions 2030 Plan builds upon the existing Plan, and adds new features that have been developed with extensive dialogue with regional stakeholders.  Members approved the draft New Visions 2030 Plan for public release.

 

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM REVISIONS

 

The following TIP amendments were discussed and approved by the members:

 

T17: Replacement Transit Vehicles

 

 

SA213: South Street Sidewalk Replacement & Handrail Repair

 

 

S126: Route 50/Indiankill, Glenville

 

 

South Mall Access Ramp to/from I-787

 

 

Dunn Memorial Bridge Overhead Signs

 

 

 

2007-12 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

 

John Poorman summarized the results of the Planning Committee meeting held on Tuesday June 5, 2007.  At the Planning Committee meeting, the Region proposed a number of project deferrals.  The Planning Committee accepted all but five of them.  At the same meeting, the Region also proposed that three projects being funded with State Dedicated Funds (SDF) be funded with federal STP-Flex instead.  The Planning Committee deferred consideration of those conversions until after the TIP is adopted so as to allow proper consideration of the impacts.  He said that some projects were deferred in order to help Region One meet fiscal constraint goals, but that the Region abstained from the vote because they still had some balancing to do to accommodate the results of the Planning Committee meeting.  In the time between the meetings, the Region was not able to accommodate everything decided at the meeting, so there would be no vote to adopt a TIP at this Policy Board meeting. 

 

Dave Rettig said that NYSDOT was willing to vote yes on the TIP under two options:

 

Option 1 would approve the draft TIP, without deferring the five projects (these are the five projects discussed at length at the June 5th Planning Committee Meeting A431--Gifford Hollow Road Bridge over the Switzkill; A467--Grant Hill Road over the Normanskill; SA220--C.R. 7 Stewart Dam Bridge over Sacandaga Reservoir; R254--Broadway: US 20 to Broadway Viaduct Bridge Reconstruction and S177--Erie Boulevard, from State Street (NY 5)to I-890 Reconstruction) and would add the three SDF projects (NY 5 from New Karner Road to Fuller Road, NY 2 from Route 278 to Grafton State Park and Route 9J from the Columbia County line to the Village of Castleton)to the TIP as STP-Flex Projects.

 

Option 2 would defer the five projects (outside the first three years of the TIP) and the SDF projects would not be adopted.

 

But Dave Rettig acknowledged that the Policy Board did not have enough advance notice of these options to propose them for adoption at this meeting. 

 

Mike Novakowski from the DOT Main Office spoke briefly about how the State needs to fund some of its projects from the State Dedicated Fund (SDF) with federal-aid.  He agreed that the concept of funding state projects without giving other sponsors a chance for the same funding was not consistent with the MPO process, but that it would be better to educate those who created the State Financial Plan at the creation of the next plan, rather than not accept the funding now.  John Poorman highlighted the inequity of adding projects from only one project sponsor when one of the New Visions principles reinforced earlier in the meeting was that projects are funded without regard to ownership. 

 

Bill Bruce added that the cities would not be treated equitably if the SDF projects were funded without giving city projects the possibility of funding also.  He pointed out that many City arterials are in worse condition than Central Avenue in Colonie. 

 

The Policy Board did not vote on the TIP.  John Poorman explained that the schedule for TIP approval is very time sensitive, because an approved CDTC TIP is required as input to the Statewide TIP (STIP), which must be in place by October 1.  The Policy Board will ask the Planning Committee to hold a special meeting to further consider these TIP issues, with the goal of having a special Policy Board meeting in about a month.

 

STATUS OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

 

This agenda item was truncated due to time considerations.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

A special meeting of the Policy Board will be needed in July to approve the TIP.  The next meeting after that will be on September 6, 2007 at the CDTC offices.  There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

John Poorman

Acting Secretary