MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE A/GFTC TAC November 16, 2011
Attendees Agency
Members and Participants
Stu Baker Town of Queensbury
Edward Bartholomew City of Glens Falls
Frank Bonafide NYSDOT
Robert Cherry NYSDOT
Edward Doughney Warren County DPW
Mike Fiorillo Village of Hudson Falls DPW
Wayne LaMothe Warren County Planning
Shawn Raymond Warren County DPW
Scott Sopczyk GGFT
Scott Tracy Washington County DPW
Michael Valentine Saratoga County Planning
John Wheatley EDC of Warren County
Staff
Aaron Frankenfeld A/GFTC
Kate Mance A/GFTC
Monika Bulman A/GFTC
Minutes of the Meeting
1. Welcome & Introductions – Aaron called the meeting to order at 1:40.
2. Visitor Issues – There were no visitor issues.
3. Administrative Items
A. Federal legislation update: Aaron reported that a draft of the highway bill was passed
by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last Wednesday. Provisions:
keeps funding at current levels for two years, consolidates 90 highway programs
down to 30, eliminates earmarks, includes language requiring MPOs to be tiered
which would require A/GFTC to be recertified. A funding gap of 12 billion dollars still
exists and needs to be reconciled.
B. Host Agency agreement: Aaron noted that the current contract expires at the end of
March 2012. A draft contract is currently under review by the Regional Planning
Board; comments are due from them by November 18.
4. Transit
A. GGFT Update (Scott Sopczyk): The bus and trolley ridership through October is up
5.3%. The restructuring of routes is going well. The New York Public Transit
Association conducted a peer group analysis recently. GGFT has historically
compared favorably with other systems in the state. The Florida Department of
Transportation has a database that used a Transportation Research Board report to
come up with a way to identify peers throughout the US. The analysis showed that
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GGFT also compares favorably with peer systems in other states. GGFT is in the
process of replacing their radio system with the help of Warren County.
5. Annual Work Program
A. Ongoing Activities
1. Warren County Bicycling Master Plan: Kate presented a summary of the
planning efforts. The existing A/GFTC Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was
completed in 2000. The Warren County Safe and Quality Bicycling
Organization requested assistance in preparing a bicycling plan for Warren
County. The purpose of the plan is to provide an organizational tool for local
and county decision-makers while providing realistic goals for the WCS&QBO.
Kate briefly went through the contents and sections of the Plan. The plan
includes: an introduction with the benefits of bicycle facilities and goal
statement; an existing conditions inventory including bicycle destinations;
priority connections map which takes into account the needs of various
groups including local municipalities; design standards summarized from
NYSDOT and AASHTO guidance documents; a feasibility analysis which
compares existing shoulder widths to posted speed limits for selected roads in
the county; and implementation guidance including a project selection
flowchart, funding sources, and list of incremental project opportunities. To
allow fro additional review time, Aaron will follow up with a fax ballot within a
couple of weeks seeking concurrence from the TAC that the draft is
acceptable and can be advanced for adoption by Warren County. Kate will
also go back to the Towns and Villages to let them know the process that will
be used to unveil the draft Plan. The plan will be presented to the DPW
committee of the Board of Supervisors for Warren County after the new year.
Hopefully by March or April the Plan will be adopted/endorsed by the Board of
Supervisors. Ed Bartholomew reported that the City of Glens Falls, as a part
of their community challenge grant, has an RFP going out next year that deals
with pedestrians and bicyclists going to and from downtown, the schools, and
will tie in with transit use.
2. WWIDA Shovel Ready Certification (Aaron): The IDA had been looking for
some technical assistance to prepare an initial traffic assessment for the
potential development of Phase 2 of the Airport Industrial Park. A/GFTC
originally offered to facilitate professional consulting services to the IDA but
that offer was declined. The draft, produced by staff using existing data
includes Highway Capacity Software analyses and outputs from A/GFTC’s
TransCAD model. The results indicate that the amount of potential build out
that could occur at that site is not going to significantly impact the adjacent
state owned transportation facility. There are existing deficiencies at some
intersections that are not directly attributable to site development at Phase
II: delays at Dix and Quaker are likely the result of the new Walmart on
Quaker; the 4 hour and 8 hour signal warrants are met at Ridge and Hicks
but no correctable accident pattern is present per an analysis done by
Greenman Pedersen Inc on behalf of Warren County.
3. Glens Falls residential traffic calming study (Aaron): The study is complete
and Resource Systems Group’s final report indicates the striping plan was not
effective in reducing speeds. By way of a speed survey, neighbors and
participants had previously identified a comfort speed between 27 and 28
MPH; most felt on average that 30 MPH was too fast. Striping was deployed in
an attempt to lower speeds to that comfort speed but data collection indicates
that it did not work. A follow up survey went out to people in the
neighborhood. The temporary stop bars and crosswalks were well received.
Several respondents indicated negative reactions to the aesthetic impact of
the striping. These findings will be presented to the Glens Falls Board of Public
Safety in December.
4. Pavement data collection (Aaron): Staff just started utilizing the GIS based
pavement data collection tool. Pavement scores have been given to local
federal aid eligible roadways in Moreau and Glens Falls and we hope to
complete the urban area before snow becomes an issue.
5. Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan (Aaron): A/GFTC has been
asked by DOT to update the HSTP by April 2012. The existing plan has been
reviewed; we will be meeting with GGFT on 11/17 to discuss further. A major
rewrite is not anticipated.
6. Queensbury commercial/industrial access road (Aaron): This project is
underway; three committee meeting and one public workshop have been held
to date. A fourth meeting will take place on November 17
th. The public
workshop was attended by 30 people. The feedback from the public for the
concept is mixed – there is no majority opinion in favor of or opposed to the
construction of new highway link. Creighton Manning is currently evaluating
several alternatives.
7. Requests for traffic engineering services (Aaron): Three requests have been
submitted varying in formality and articulation of need: the Mayor of Glens
Falls is interested in having us analyze some of the traffic pattern changes
implemented by Glens Falls City School District; the City also would like an
analysis to determine if a signal is warranted at Dix/Sagamore; Wayne
LaMothe described a third candidate in the Town of Chester that would entail
access management improvements and potential intersection modifications.
Mike Valentine questioned the readiness of the Chester candidate, suggesting
that it if the plan, produced by Behan Planning and Design, had not been
adopted by the municipality then it was too early in the process for that
project to be considered for this program. Mr. LaMothe replied that he was
keeping conversation active on the concept as opposed to seeking contractual
assistance for the project immediately. Aaron suggested that, given the
discussion and his understanding of the priorities, that the school project be
advanced first.
6. TIP
A. Project updates
1. Warren County (Ed Doughney): Corinth Road is basically complete; Milton St.
Bridge over the Schroon River construction is complete; Harrington Road
construction is complete;Beach Road is still in final design and will hopefully
be advertised for bid in December; Lanfear and Palisades Roads are in design;
a public meeting for Hicks Road is planned for December. The West Mountain
Road Make the Connection project is complete. The bikeway improvements
will take place in the spring. Scott Sopczyk asked about the work schedule
for Beach Road. Ed said at the beginning of the construction season up to
Memorial Day the work will take place on the west end and then the work will
switch to the other end.
2. Washington County (Scott Tracy): The final design report was returned
County Rte 61 over the Battenkill; a public information meeting was held for
Dewey’s Bridge Thursday night with only one resident in attendance;
submitted an amendment to the proof on design report; the county submitted
an amendment to the proof on design report for Truthville bridge (County Rte
21 over Mettawee); letters of interest were sent out for County Rte 16 over
Halfway Brook.
3. City of Glens Falls (Ed Bartholomew): South Street is wrapped up. Lessons
learned from related utility issues will help with the Broad Street project.
4. Town of Queensbury (Stu Baker): Ready to award the design contract for the
Aviation/Dixon/Farr intersection. Five proposals were received.
5. Saratoga County/Moreau/South Glens Falls (Mike Valentine): Mr. Valentine
inquired about the status of the Route 9 project in South Glens Falls and
suggested that we reschedule the planned walk-through of the project. Aaron
agreed to schedule another meeting. Frank Bonafide indicated that things
were a little behind on the design but that the project should be a go in the
next fiscal year.
6. NYSDOT (Frank Bonafide): Rte 4, still working on it but a month or so behind;
the 4/149 intersection in Ft. Ann will also experience some delay.
B. Amendments and Modifications
1. Review of proposed program adjustments (Aaron): A/GFTC and NYSDOT met
with the local project sponsors to confirm cost estimates and desired schedules for
TIP projects in an effort to identify program adjustment that could be made to
reduce upcoming programming totals as a result of allocation estimate reductions.
DOT took sponsor comments into account and proposed a number of adjustments
that were then shared with A/GFTC staff. Aaron summarized the results on the
handout distributed today.
Of all of those changes, only one TIP amendment is required. NYSDOT proposed
delaying an interstate resurfacing project in Saratoga County (PIN 172206),
currently programmed within the first four years of the TIP, to the post-TIP period.
A motion was made to initiate public comment and forward this amendment to the
Policy Committee for consideration.
MOVED BY: Mike Valentine SECONDED BY: Stu Baker MOTION CARRIED
2. NYSDOT Capital Program Update (Frank Bonafide): The Region has received
instruction from the Main Office. FHWA has been a lot more exacting in
requiring a balance of all the dollar and cents. In the past we had the ability
to move things from year to year, but now offset are required for most
changes. Revised allocations were about $150 million less than what would
have been considered flat. The Capital Program Update is usually linked with
a TIP update, but that is not the case during this cycle. Many more groups
within the Department are involved in reviewing the Region’s program.
Estimates are that about 1/3 of the necessary funding to keep the system in a
safe state of repair is available. As a result, a priority network has been
identified. Frank reported that there will be a letter going out from the
Commissioner to the committee members to give an explanation for the
program adjustments, federal money disbursement, and consideration of
preservation-related projects. Aaron requested that NYSDOT issue some
guidance to local project sponsors that details the types of capital projects
that are favored under a a preservation strategy.
3. Make the Connection project solicitation (Aaron): We are ready to go with
this, we have revised the language in the solicitation. There are issues with
the program regarding execution. There are old projects still not going
forward and it would be nice to put that designated money back in the pot.
The new project solicitation should be going out in the next several weeks.
Aaron would like suggestions on how to deal with delinquencies. After
discussion, it was decided initiation should be done quickly (18 months) and
projects should be completed in three years once the award has been
received.
7. Other Items – Aaron stated a draft UPWP is due by March of 2012, Currently there
are no large-scale activities that have been requested.
8. Next Meeting and Adjourn: There will be TAC meeting in January and a Policy
Committee meeting in February. Mike Valentine made a motion to adjourn the
meeting at 3:40.