CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

 

Meeting Minutes

October 4, 2007

 

MEMBERS ATTENDING

 

Judy Breselor, representing Mayor Harry Tutunjian, City of Troy

Mary Brizzell, Town of Colonie

Steve Feeney, representing Susan Savage, Schenectady County

Mike Franchini, representing Michael Breslin, Albany County

Terry Hurley, Albany Port District Commission

Steve Iachetta, representing John O’Donnell, Albany
  International Airport

Mayor Gerald Jennings, City of Albany

Mayor John McDonald, City of Cohoes, Chairman

Ray Melleady, Capital District Transportation Authority

Thomas Richardson, representing Mayor Anthony Sylvester, City of
  Mechanicville

Brian Rowback, representing Commissioner Astrid Glynn, NYS
  Department of Transportation

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

Mike Stammel, Capital District Regional Planning Commission

Linda von der Heide, representing Kathleen Jimino, Rensselaer
  County

 

STAFF AND OTHERS

 

Anne Benware, Capital District Transportation Committee

David Jukins, Capital District Transportation Committee

Sandy Misiewicz, Capital District Transportation Committee

Sree Nampoothiri, Capital District Transportation Committee

Chris O’Neill, Capital District Transportation Committee

Glenn Posca, Capital District Transportation Committee

Jason Purvis, Capital District Transportation Committee

David Rettig, NYS Department of Transportation Region 1

Dee Dee Rudolph, City of Albany

Deborah Stacey, Capital District Transportation Committee

 

 

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. Chairman McDonald welcomed Brian Rowback, recently appointed Regional Director for NYSDOT Region 1 and secretary of CDTC’s Policy Board.

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

July 12, 2007 Meeting Minutes

 

The minutes of the July 12, 2007 CDTC meeting were approved as written.

Administrative & Financial Standing Subcommittee Report

 

The Administrative and Financial Standing Subcommittee has not met since the July Policy Board meeting. The Administrative and Financial Standing Subcommittee will meet in late October or Early November.

 

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR

 

Chairman McDonald indicated that CDTC provides an opportunity for visitors to address items on the agenda.  One person, Craig Cantello, had registered to address the board members today, but did not attend the meeting.

 

 

NEW VISIONS 2030

 

Draft New Visions Plan

 

Chris O’Neill gave an overview of the New Visions 2030 Plan using a PowerPoint presentation.  Chris noted that New Visions 2030 was approved in draft form over the summer and was circulated for public review at that time.  New Visions was first adopted in 1997 and CDTC staff and working groups have been working for over two years to update the plan.  The plan does not support major new highways but does support bus service expansion, including more aggressive BRT.  HOT lanes are supported and the plan states that light rail should be considered if the region experiences moderate to high growth.

 

Mayor Jennings stated that this board should be a pro-active group in securing funding to support the plan.  He stated that the plan is a good solid plan, but without financial backing the plan will not be implemented and will remain a plan.  Ray Melleady commended the plan and indicated that the plan recommends coalition building just as Mayor Jennings has suggested.

 

Sandy Misiewicz followed this discourse by presenting the strategies and actions outlined in the plan.  Sandy stated that the Quality Region Task Force reconvened over the summer months to review the plans strategies and actions.  The New Visions 2030 plan development process identified the need to change many actions, since many have been implemented and the new SAFETEA-LU requirements have created new ones.  Three new strategies have been identified for New Visions 2030, bringing the total to 13 strategies and 47 actions.  The three new strategies cover the categories of safety, environment and the big ticket/big idea concepts.  All of the new strategies and actions came about through work that has been undertaken for New Visions 2030; this work has been reviewed by the Planning Committee at previous meetings (for example, working group reports, Finance Task Force documents, etc).

 

 

 

 

Draft Resolution Adopting New Visions 2030 Plan

 

Members adopted the Draft Resolution Adopting New Visions 2030 Plan.

 

JARC Funding Status

 

Deb Stacey distributed a summary of the status of the JARC program and funding.  Essentially the JARC program under SAFETEA-LU transitioned from a discretionary program to a formula based program.  However, the new law requires the designated recipient of JARC funds in urbanized areas with a population over 200,000 to conduct, in cooperation with the appropriate metropolitan planning organization, an area wide solicitation for applications for grants.  CDTC staff, with the aid of the Regional Transportation Coordination Committee, developed the solicitation for JARC projects and advertised the solicitation in the four area newspapers using Legal Notices.  CDTA was the only entity that submitted an application for JARC funding.  CDTA has committed to continuing the existing JARC activities and expanding activities, particularly in Saratoga County.  CDTA applied for FFY 06, FFY 07, FFY 08 and FFY09 section 5316 funds, totaling $1.151M ($1.031M A-S-T and $0.120M Saratoga Springs) and has submitted a MOU which commits the agency to providing $324,512 in match (some projects require 80/20 match and some require a 50/50 match).  A total of $1.476M is programmed in the 2007-12 Transportation Improvement Program for Welfare-to-Work activities for the Albany-Schenectady-Troy and Saratoga Springs urban areas.

 

2007-12 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

 

A416: NY 32 Bridge over the Mohawk River

 

Glenn Posca noted that once the TIP is approved it is incorporated into the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).  As NYSDOT began this process, several inconsistencies emerged which, though small, require Policy Board approval.  Members decided to review all five projects rather than make a motion on each individually.

 

1.    A416: NY 32 Bridge over the Mohawk River—-this project is not eligible for HBRR; consequently NYSDOT would like to fund it with SDF.  This project will no longer be federally funded but will remain on the TIP for informational purposes.

2.    A450:I-787 from Broadway to NY 378--this project has been completed and should be removed from the TIP.

3.    A452: I87 from Western Avenue to the Saratoga County Line-—the state would like to conduct the detailed design phase of this project using SDF rather than IM funds.  IM Funds will be used to complete the project in the post-TIP phase.

4.    SA84: US 4 bridge over D & H RR-—this project was approved by the Planning Committee for conversion from SDF to HBRR at its June 27th meeting, but, by an oversight, was not subsequently brought to the Policy Board for approval.  The cost of the project is $1.5M less than what appeared in the TIP.

5.    SA234: NY 9P Bridge over I-87-—Preliminary design will be funded with state funds, rather than IM funds.  This project will no longer be federally funded but will remain

 

Members approved the above changes to the 2007-12 Transportation Improvement Program.

 

STATUS OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

 

Capital District Transportation Authority

 

Ray Melleady reported that CDTA has seen an increase in ridership to levels that have not been achieved since the 1890’s (13 million riders projected for 2007).  He also noted that CDTA staff is working on the BRT Station Plan and Queue Jumpers.  The first of the BRT hybrid-electric vehicles arrived this summer; so far the Authority is pleased with the performance of these vehicles and has ordered an additional 23.

 

Capital District Regional Planning Commission

 

Mike Stammel reported on CDRPC’s employment projection task.  The projections by TAZ should be complete by the end of the year.  The draft report on the Fiscal Impact Study has been placed on CDRPC’s website and will be finalized shortly.  A brochure highlighting the study findings has also been designed and printed.

 

New York State Department of Transportation

 

Brian Rowback reported that he was a CDTC staff person in the late 1970’s when Mayor Corning was the chair.  Mr. Rowback commended CDTC on the work that they are doing and stated that the New Visions 2030 work provides an opportunity to turn strategies and actions into real projects.  Dave Rettig reported that the Slingerlands ByPass should be open by winter and that NYSDOT has the required permits to start work on the Round Lake ByPass.  The Department is hosting a public information session on October 24th at 7:00pm on the Airport Connector project.

 

Albany County Airport Authority

 

Steve Iachetta reported that the airport has ample capacity to accommodate growth in the region.  The ACAA is working on several safety projects and is one of the 21 airports nationwide to offer the “Fast Lane” through security.

 

Albany Port Commission

 

Terry Hurley reported that the 4th quarter has been very active with grain shipments.  The Dock Reconstruction project is in the final engineering phase.  Electricity will be offered dockside to reduce emissions related to idling.

 

Capital District Transportation Committee

 

David Jukins touched upon the major activities that staff is progressing.  Several Linkage studies are being wrapped up, while several new ones are commencing.  Jason Purvis reported that the Trail Survey Finding Report has been drafted.  This report summarizes the data that were collected last summer at eleven major access points along the regions Mohawk Hudson Bike trail and other local trail systems.  CDRPC provided aid in analyzing the data and developing the report.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

The next meeting was tentatively scheduled for 3:00 pm, Thursday December 6, 2007 at the CDTC offices.  There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 4:20 pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Brian Rowback

Secretary