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
Michael Franchini, representing Michael Breslin,
Charles Houghtaling,
Steve Iachetta,
representing John O’Donnell, Albany Airport Authority
Mayor John McDonald, City of
Ellen McNulty-Ryan, Village of
Raymond Melleady, Capital District Transportation
Authority
Tom Richardson, representing Anthony Sylvester,
Mayor of Mechanicville
William Rinaldi,
Bernard Sisson, representing Brian Stratton, Mayor
of Schenectady
Linda von der Heide, representing Kathleen Jimino,
Mindy Wormuth, Town of
Mike Stammel, Capital
District Regional Planning Commission
STAFF
Frank Bonafide, NYS Department of Transportation
Rocky Ferraro, Capital District Regional Planning Commission
Cliff Thomas, NYS Department of Transportation
OPENING REMARKS
ADMINISTRATION
The
minutes of the
Administrative & Financial Standing
Subcommittee Report
John
Poorman explained that there has not been a subcommittee meeting since the last
Policy Board meeting in June. However,
one will be scheduled prior to the next Policy Board meeting scheduled for
PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR
UNIFIED PLANNING WORK
PROGRAM ADDITION
John
Poorman explained that as a result of discussions centering around NYSDOT’s
proposed Central Avenue rehabilitation project, and the collective desire to
work toward access management improvements along that corridor as a follow up
to the Route 5 Corridor Land Use and Transportation Study which recommended
corridor-wide/sub-corridor access management plans, the Planning Committee
recommended that Corridor Management Initiative (CMI) funds be used for a Route
5 Corridor-Wide Access Management Plan. The plan will: utilize 2 years of CMI
funds or $230,000; include consultant work; focus on corridor segments along
Route 5 outside of recent rehabilitation or reconstruction projects; and will be
guided by a steering committee comprised of the standing BRT study
committee.
2007–12 TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (TIP)
Mr.
Poorman directed the Board’s attention to the “Planning Committee Report on the
2007-12 TIP Discussions” included in the mail out. He explained that the Planning Committee took
action to recommend Policy Board adoption of the draft TIP with several
recommendations and understandings as listed in the Committee Report, including
that NYSDOT will work to accommodate Route 5 study and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
elements into the new NY 5 project where possible within the curb to curb
section. Furthermore, if there is a follow up project proposed to achieve
additional objectives detailed in the previous planning work for Route 5 that
the proposed project candidate would be considered in the TIP project selection
process without prejudice. That is to
say that the costs and benefits of the rehabilitation project along with a
follow up project if one were proposed would be combined into one project for
the purpose of evaluation.
The
proposed action maintains within the first three years of the TIP the two
National Highway System (NHS) projects and three bridge projects referred for
Planning Committee review, and adds to the TIP the three new federal-aid
projects requested by NYSDOT for use of advance construction funds (NY 5, NY 2
in Grafton, and one bridge project).
After
a brief discussion, members adopted the 2007-12 TIP
for incorporation by NYSDOT into the Statewide Transportation Improvement
Program.
STATUS OF PLANNING
CDTA:
CDRPC: Rocky Ferraro reported for CDRPC and stated that
employment projections by traffic analysis zone (TAZ) are being developed by
staff and should be available soon.
These are used in traffic modeling and other work.
The
fiscal impact study being conducted as part of the New Visions 2030 plan on the
four regional alternative development scenarios is moving forward. The portion of the study dealing with the
dollars and cents associated with the four scenarios has been drafted and sent
to CEG (Center for Economic Growth) for review and comment. Once the draft is finalized there will be a
more formal rollout of the study during the fall of 2007.
Mr.
Ferraro also reported that the Census 2010 Local Update of Census Addresses or LUCA
program will be getting under way at the end of August. This is important in that municipal officials
will be asked to confirm Census Bureau housing unit address information in
their communities. If a municipality
does not participate they will not be able to challenge the Bureau’s numbers generated
at a later date. CDRPC is working with
the four counties to provide resources to assist municipalities in
participating in the LUCA program.
NYS Thruway Authority: Bill Rinaldi reported that paving projects
between Exits 24 and 26 are proceeding using night paving.
NYSDOT: Dave Rettig reported that Region 1 is hosting
a one day land use/transportation planning conference on
Also,
Region 1 got approval for several State Planning Research (SPR) studies. The first involves the I-87/Route 9
integrated corridor study which will focus on identifying ways to use Route 9
to alleviate incidents on the Northway.
Items to be examined include the ability of Route 9 signals/intersections
to handle the longer queues that would occur as traffic is directed to Route 9
after an incident has occurred on the Northway with the objective of managing
the system more efficiently.
The
second SPR study is the Washington Ave/Western Ave Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
Conceptual Design Study. Mr. Rettig
reported that CDTA applied for and will receive the SPR funding.
John
Poorman noted that both of these items need to be added to the Unified Planning
Work Program (UPWP).
CDTC: John Poorman reported on CDTC planning
activities including follow up tasks on distributing draft New Visions 2030
plan materials out for public review. To
facilitate that effort, the Quality Region Task Force (QRTF) will meet on July
18th to be the sounding board on materials staff is putting together
for broader public distribution in addition to materials currently on CDTC’s
website.
Chairman
McDonald asked the group if there were any other activities members wished to
report. Bill Bruce noted that the
utility work began on the City of
ADJOURNMENT
The
next meeting of the Policy Board will be on
Respectfully
submitted,
Acting
Secretary