CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

 

Meeting Minutes

October 20, 2005

 

 

MEMBERS ATTENDING

 

Steve Bland, Capital District Transportation Authority

Mary Brizzell, Town of Colonie

Willard Bruce, representing Mayor Gerald Jennings, City of Albany

Ken DeCerce, representing Mary Ann Johnson, Saratoga County

Steve Feeney, representing Susan Savage, Schenectady County

Michael Franchini, representing Michael Breslin, Albany County

Terry Hurley, Albany Port District Commission

Charles Houghtaling, Albany County Legislature

Amy Jackson-Grove, representing Bob Arnold, Federal Highway Admin.

Arthur Johnson, Town of Wilton

Mayor John McDonald, City of Cohoes, Chairman

Mayor Mike McLaughlin, Village of Scotia

Marybeth Pettit, representing Mayor Mark Pratt, City of Rensselaer

Robert Phillips, Saratoga County, Vice-Chairman

Jill Ross, representing Don Bell, New York State Thruway Authority

Bernie Sisson, representing Mayor Brian Stratton, City of

   Schenectady

Mike Stammel, Capital District Regional Planning Commission

Linda von der Heide, representing Kathleen Jimino, Rensselaer 
   County

Alicia Wardell, representing Mayor Michael Lenz, City of Saratoga

   Springs

Tom Werner, NYS Department of Transportation Region 1, representing

   Commissioner Joe Boardman

 

 

STAFF AND OTHERS

 

Martin Goulet, Central Massachusetts MPO

Tom Kearney, Federal Highway Administration

George Laveille, Town of Bethlehem

Mike Mullaney, Daily Gazette

John Poorman, CDTC staff

Dave Rettig, NYS Department of Transportation Region 1

Rosemary Scrivens, Central Massachusetts MPO

Cliff Thomas, NYS Department of Transportation

Erin Thomas, City of Cohoes

Tom Kearney, Federal Highway Administration

 

 

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

 

May 19, 2005 Meeting Minutes

 

 

The minutes of the May 19, 2005 CDTC meeting were approved as written.

 

Administrative & Financial Standing Subcommittee Report

 

John Poorman reported that the Subcommittee met October 19 to resolve details over the new health insurance practices which will go into effect on January 1.  The Subcommittee also received the draft audit report for 2004-05, which identifies no concerns.  Action on the audit report will be scheduled for December.

 

TRANSPORTATION BOND

 

NYSDOT Presentation

 

Cliff Thomas made a PowerPoint presentation of New York’s five-year transportation program, financial issues facing transportation programs, the impact of SAFETEA-LU and the role of the upcoming Transportation Bond on the funding program.

 

CDTC Resolution

 

Mr. Poorman reviewed the previously-distributed material containing the action recommended by the Planning Committee.  The bond proceeds will provide about 8% of the state transportation program in the Capital District and elsewhere.  Highway and transit projects listed in the Capital District portion of the bond are already on the TIP.  After discussion, members approved Resolution 05-4 regarding the Transportation Bond.

 

2005-10 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT

 

SA225, Commercial Access Improvements, Town of Malta and Stillwater and Village of Round Lake

 

Mr. Poorman reported that this project is a Congressional High Priority project in SAFETEA-LU.  The action proposed is to authorize engineering and right-of-way phases.  An additional $5.150 M is earmarked for the project and a further proposed action will be brought back to CDTC for programming once location and scope details are better resolved.  Members approved the amendment.

 


PRELIMINARY IMPLICATIONS OF SAFETEA-LU FOR CDTC

 

Mr. Poorman briefly reviewed the previously-distributed summary of SAFETEA-LU implications for CDTC.  Largely, the new legislation reaffirms and continues the existing roles for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs).  Planning funds are modest higher (about 23%) which will allow CDTC to maintain planning effort at roughly the current level.  Highway funding to NY went up only 19% compared to the previous six years – an increase well below the cost of inflation.  CDTC’s 2005-10 TIP was developed on the assumption of a similarly-modest increase, so there is neither a windfall nor a crisis with respect to the TIP.

 

There are a number of new programs and new requirements that will take some time to sort out.

 

 

STATUS OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

 

Capital District Transportation Authority

 

Steve Bland reported that CDTA continues its work on the Transit Development Plan with a neighborhood route focus.  The board will act next week on a three year contract regarding Northway service and also purchase five new buses for the service.  Reports indicate that ridership is up 10-12% over 2004 for the first six months since the fare restructuring went into effect.  He noted that the Troy Queue Jumper received an ITE award and that CDTA is working with the city of Schenectady on the Schenectady rail station rehab project.

 

Capital District Regional Planning Commission

 

Mike Stammel reported on CDRPC’s review of USEDA project criteria, work on free trade zoning promotional efforts and the multi-jurisdictional Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) planning study.

 

New York State Thruway Authority

 

Jill Ross reported that the Thruway Authority is meeting today on its 2006 contracts program.

 

 

New York State Department of Transportation

 

Tom Werner reported that Region 1 has been very busy.  The $40 M I-90 rehab project is nearly complete.  The use of weekend and weeknight closures has been successful.  Three emergencies have confronted the region:  Northway washout in Essex County, the dam failure on NY 149, and the ramp failure on I-787.  The ramp repair should be finished within three or four weeks.  The Exit 12 project is well underway, picking up next season as part of a three-year schedule.  Slingerlands Bypass is also scheduled for 2006.  Project design for the I-87 Exit 6 replacement is also moving forward.

 

Albany Port District Commission

 

Terry Hurley reported that the port is having a good year with both imports and exports up.  Fuel costs may be contributing to the increase.

 

CDTC Planning Activities

 

Mr. Poorman spoke briefly about the successful national Colloquy on the Coming Transformation of Travel hosted by CDTC at the Rennselaerville Institute in June.  The results have national significance and reflect favorably on CDTC practices.

 

Linkage and Local Planning and Implementation Activities

 

Ken DeCerce commended Deb Stacey and Sandy Misiewicz for their work on the Halfmoon Linkage study; a public information meeting will be held at the Halfmoon Senior Center before completing the project.

 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for 3:00 pm, Thursday December 15, 2005 at the CDTC offices.  There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:10 pm.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

 

Thomas C. Werner

Secretary