CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Minutes
MEMBERS ATTENDING
Judy Breselor, representing Harry J. Tutunjian, Mayor of Troy
Mary Brizzell, Town of
Bill Bruce, representing Gerald Jennings, Mayor of
Albany
Steve Feeney, representing Susan Savage,
Rocco Ferraro, representing Mike Stammel, Capital District Regional Planning Commission
Mike Franchini, representing Michael Breslin,
Frank Quinn, Town of
Terry Hurley, Albany Port District Commission
Charles Houghtaling,
Mayor Valerie Keehn, City
of
Ellen McNulty-Ryan, Village of
Marybeth Pettit, representing Daniel Dwyer, Mayor of
Rensselaer
Bob Phillips,
Joe Rich,
Tom Richardson, representing Anthony Sylvester,
Mayor of Mechanicville
Phil Serafino, representing William Rinaldi, New York State Thruway Authority
Linda von der Heide, representing Kathleen Jimino,
STAFF
David Jukins, 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
ADMINISTRATION
The
minutes of the
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
PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR
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:
S126: Route 50/Indiankill, Glenville
South Mall Access Ramp to/from I-787
2007-12 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAM
John Poorman summarized
the results of the Planning Committee meeting held on
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
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
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
Respectfully
submitted,
Acting
Secretary