Policy Committee Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Attendees Agency
Kevin Geraghty, Chair Chairman, Warren County Board of Supervisors
Ed Bartholomew President, EDCWC
Frank Bonafide RPPM, NYSDOT Region 1
Tracy Conlon Trustee, Village of Fort Edward
John Strough Supervisor, Town of Queensbury
Jeff Tennyson Superintendent, Warren County Department of Public Works
Frank Thomas Supervisor, Town of Stony Creek
Mike Valentine Senior Planner, Saratoga County

A/GFTC Staff:
Aaron Frankenfeld
Kate Mance

1. Welcome and Introductions – Chairman Geraghty called the meeting to order at 1:55.
Staff advised that representation from all three counties and NYS allows for the
declaration of a quorum of affected parties.

2. Visitors Issues – No visitors present.

3. Committee Membership 2014-15 – Aaron noted the roster of A/GFTC committee
members and staff (handout) and listed changes to official positions and voting
membership to the Policy Committee for calendar year 2014:

Officers (two year term)

Chair – Kevin Geraghty, Chairman, Warren County B. of Supervisors
Vice-Chair – Mitch Suprenant, Supervisor, Town of Fort Edward
Secretary – Sam Zhou, Regional Director, NYSDOT Region 1

New Members for 2014

Paul Sausville – Chairman, Saratoga County Board of Supervisors
John Strough – Supervisor, Town of Queensbury
Frank Thomas – Supervisor, Town of Stony Creek

4. Completed and Ongoing Staff and Consultant Activities
A. Summary of tasks – Aaron reviewed the list of accomplishments and ongoing
activities (handout).

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B. Approval of Public Participation Plan – Aaron reviewed the contents of the Public
Participation Plan and noted changes to document approval procedures that
would follow.A motion was made to approve the Public Participation Plan.

Moved by: John Strough Seconded by: Frank Thomas Motion Carried

C. Approval of Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan (CHSTP) – Aaron
reviewed the CHSTP update, noting that it was largely and administrative update
to account for changes to federal transportation policy in MAP-21. A motion was
made to approve the CHSTP.

Moved by: Frank Bonafide Seconded by: Frank Thomas Motion Carried

5. Annual Work Program (UPWP)
A. Summary of proposed program – Aaron reviewed the funding levels and content
of the proposed 2014-15 Unified Planning Work Program (handout). Tasks and
activities discussed in more detail included increased performance measurement
requirements, the rural transportation mobility assessment, and the corridor
study reassessments. Jeff Tennyson asked about the performance measurement
requirements – what types of measures would be evaluated, and whether those
would be tied to funding. It was noted that A/GFTC staff data collection
responsibilities were likely to increase. John Strough asked if the mobility study
would focus on developing areas in Moreau and Kingsbury; Aaron answered that
the study would be targeted to more rural, outlying areas. Discussion ensued
regarding the Exit 20 corridor, one of the corridors listed in the draft work
program as a candidate for reassessment. John Strough noted private developers
are willing to construct a portion of a new access road on the east side of Route
9, and that preliminary concepts have been discussed with the Town of
Queensbury. The Town’s next step is to approach the County leadership to
determine potential levels of involvement or support. Aaron reiterated that
A/GFTC is committed to working with the developers and municipal interests
towards a solution.
B. Approval of UPWP – A motion was made to approve the UPWP.

Moved by: Frank Bonafide Seconded by: Frank Thomas Motion Carried

6. Greater Glens Falls Transit Update – Aaron called attention to the summary provided
by GGFT (handout).

7. TIP
A.
Capital Project Updates (major developments since November 2013)
1) Warren County – Jeff Tennyson reported the following:
 Hicks Road – anticipated completion by June 2014
 Crane Mtn. Rd. – structure in place, completion in Spring 2014
 Palisades Road – concurrence obtained on Final Design Report, letting
in Summer 2014
 Make the Connection projects to be constructed this summer,
excluding West Brook MTC, which requires additional archaeological
investigation
 Valley Road – DPW is seeking federal concurrence for an alternative
that would entail programming the replacement of a Town -owned
structure for use as a detour, as opposed to constructing a temporary
detour. Anticipated letting in September.
2) Washington County – no report provided.

3) Saratoga County – Mike Valentine noted that the draft Exit 17 / Route 9
would require revisions. He also asked Frank Bonafide if the pavement
markings on the recently completed section of Route 9 in the Village of South
Glens Falls would be re-done, noting that the pavement markings were placed
in late November and not all had adhered to the pavement. Frank said that he
would look in to it.
4) City of Glens Falls – Ed Bartholomew reported that construction on Broad
Street would begin soon, and that design work on Hudson Avenue would
begin in 2015.
5) Town of Queensbury – John Strough reported that the Town is considering
a zoning overlay zone for the Exit 18 corridor that may have traffic impacts
that warrant some analysis. Construction on the Aviation Road / Dixon Road
intersection will begin in April. The Town has completed tree removal on its
own rather than use outside funding. Concerns about the Dix and Quaker
intersection had been raised during the planning process for the South
Queensbury Brownfield Opportunity Assessment. Aaron replied that signal
retiming plan had been developed as part of the Queensbury Avenue
connector road study and that that was awaiting implementation.
6) NYSDOT – Frank Bonafide reported that bids have been received for the
DEC-owned section of Beach Road; winning bid was under the engineer’s
estimate. Substantial completion is expected prior to Memorial Day. Also,
Sam Zhou has been officially appointed to the position of Regional Director.
Kevin Geragthy noted some ongoing traffic related concerns in the Town of
Warrensburg: congestion on Route 9 that will likely worsen with the new
commercial development, and accommodation of left turns near the gazebo.

B. Funding Opportunities
1) Pavement and bridge preservation programs – Aaron reported that a
workshop was held in January to discuss these programs. Solicitations are
currently underway for pavement and bridge preservation project
candidates – bridge program for 2014-15 is limited to bridge painting only;
$3.0M programmed, do not expect to receive this much in requests;
pavement program – $1.790 M, pavement repairs and thin single course
overlays for federal aid eligible facilities; communities with eligible
infrastructure should consider taking advantage of this program.
2) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) – Aaron reported that eligibility
includes on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists,
community improvement activities, including improving roadway safety in
transportation rights-of-way and erosion control, and environmental
mitigation activities. Participation in training webinars is required for
applicants; two are scheduled for next week. Staff would send around
links for those. Application deadline is June 11.
3) FTA 5310 – announcement of funding program is still pending. Additional
details will be distributed once those are available.

8. NYSAMPO Issues – Aaron summarized the HTF briefing letter prepared by NYSAMPO
staff, highlighting potential funding issues with highway trust fund (insolvency by fourth
quarter if no congressional action is taken). Notices of proposed rulemakings are starting
to be released; many of these will address performance measurement requirements
included in MAP-21; impact on A/GFTC staff responsibilities could be significant; also
unclear how well Preservation First programming strategy fits in with these.

9. Other Items – none

10. Next meeting and adjourn – Next meeting – October 15 – Meeting adjourned at 3:05.

 
 
 
 
Technical Advisory Co mmittee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Attendees Agency
Brian Abare Village of South Glens Falls
Stu Baker Town of Queensbury
Ed Bartholomew EDCWC
Frank Bonafide NYSDOT Region 1
Rob Cherry NYSDOT Region 1
Tracy Conlon Chairman, Warre n County Board of Supervisors
Christina Doughney CHA
Mike Fiorillo Village of Hudson Falls
Harrison Freer Warren County Safe and Quality Bicycling Organization
Karen Hulihan NYSDOT Region 1
Chris Round The Chazen Companies
Dan Rourke Barton and Loguidice
Scott Sopczyk Director, GGFT

A/GFTC Staff:
Aaron Frankenfeld
Kate Mance

1. Welcome and Introductions – Aaron called the meeting to order at 1:32.

2. Visitor Issues – Harrison Freer introduced himself as a representative of the Warren
County Safe and Quality Bicycling Organization. He stated that improving conditions for
bicyclists along New York State Route 9L wa s a top priority of WCSQBO, and he asked
about the planned repairs scheduled for 2015 . Frank Bonafide replied that the NYSDOT
was currently faced with bicycling improvemen t requests for both Route 9L and 9N; with
reconstructions unlikely in the short-term, it would be difficult to implement an adequate
level of improvement within the scope of a pa vement repair project. For that reason, the
9L improvements have been pushed from 2015 to 2016 to allow for additional
considerations. Additional details will be shared with the committee as the project evolves.

3. Items From Last Meeting
A. NYS 9N Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Is sues – DOT responded to the request for
a bicycle and pedestrian-speci fic safety analysis with a letter to A/GFTC dated
November 7; that was forwarded to the municipalities on 12/9. The conclusion
articulated in the response was that, base d upon a review of bike/ped – related
crashes, there was no correctable pattern of bike/ped incidents present along the
corridor. An additional a ssessment has since been conducted by the Department,
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Glens  Falls,  NY  12801  
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    www.agftc.org 

also concluding that no safety recommendations are to be made as a result of
crashes along the corridor .
B. Exit 20 Corridor – There has been no wo rd from the Town of Queensbury or EDC
on any developments regarding a meeting of property and business owners that
was to be assembled in response to a request for a re-evaluation of the Exit 20
study. Stu Baker stated that the Town was working to advance this. Ed
Bartholomew stated that there was interest on behalf of the owner of the former
Montcalm Restaurant property. Aaron noted meeting with ownership and
management of Lake George RV Park to discuss their concerns pertaining to the
corridor. Rob Cherry asked if an articulation of the changes in conditions that had
been requested by the TAC had materializ ed; Stu responded that that would be
up to the stakeholders. The Town ha s data collected from development
proposals.

4. UPWP
A. Completed / Ongoing Activities
1) On-call assistance projects
1. Fire Road pedestrian improvemen ts – final document has been
received from Creighton Manning Engineering.
2. Bay / Sanford crash analysis – following incorporation of comments
from the Glens Falls Board of Pub lic Safety, the final document has
been received from CHA.
3. Crandall / Sherman intersection analysis – the Glens Falls Board of
Public Safety has approved the recommendations within the draft
plan and will pursue removal of a tr affic signal that meets no signal
warrants. Final document has b een received from The Chazen
Companies.
4. Pavement scoring report – paveme nt scoring report was completed
by CME in early December – 2nd year of analysis – scores are
pretty consistent, average down by .07. Frank asked when the
previous analysis had been done; Aaron guessed that it was either
2004 or 2006. Rob asked if the contract was a one-year
assignment. Aaron responded that it was, but the second year was
awarded to the winning firm from the first year to preserve
evaluation consistency and minimize initiation costs.
2) Exit 17 Land Use study – a draft plan has been produced by CME and will
be reviewed by staff and the commi ttee prior to scheduling a public
outreach session.
3) Bike/Ped plan update – Kate pres ented initial work on a GIS-based
pedestrian generator model based on a similar approach developed by
SMTC. The model is intended to foreca st anticipated pedestrian activity
from a variety of inputs, including residential and commercial land uses.
Significant discussion ensured regarding criteria. Staff will investigate
incorporation of commercial lodging and recreational facilities. The
general consensus was that this approach is useful addition to the
bicycle and pedstrian plan.
4) Document Updates
1. CHSTP – Kate stated the reason for updating the plan (compliance
with MAP-21) and that the Plan wa s just updated one year

prior. A
motion was made to approve the CHSTP update for public review.

Moved By: Scott Sopczyk Seconded by: Stu Baker Motion carried
2. Public Participation Plan – Aaro n summarized the elements of the
draft, including:

 regular meetings will be advertised and held in accessible
locations; time devoted to visito rs issue will be included on
the agenda
 staff will retain office hours, also in an accessible location
 establishes a hierarchy of pr oducts, with core documents
and major planning studies (those with distinct tasks in the
UPWP) 30 day public comment pr ior to approval, with core
documents accompanied by legal notice
 technical reports will be made available in draft form online
for 14 days
 affirms website as primary me ans of communication, to be
supplemented by social media
A 45-day public comment period is required by MAP-21. Scott
Sopczyk noted that GGFT references the MPO’s public
participation plan and reques ted that the relationship between
the public transportation operator and the MPO be called out
within the document. Rob note d that the enclosed graphic, as a
linear depiction of the project development process, may not
accurately capture the actu al MPO process. Aaron agreed to
have another look at the graphic.
A motion was made to approve the draft for public review.
Moved By: Stu Baker Seconded by: Brian Abare Motion carried
5) 2014-15 Program
1. Summary of Proposed Program – Aaron summarized the draft
UPWP (handout). Carryover funds are up slightly, with incoming
new federal funds essentially le vel from the current year. New
tasks were highlighted, includin g those requested by various
municipalities (Warren County, Fo rt Edward, Glens Falls). Major
studies are to include corridor study reassessments and a regional
public transportation study for non-urban areas.
2. Approval for Public Comment – A motion was made to approve the
document for public review.

Moved By: Frank Bonafide Seconded by: Stu Baker Motion carried

5. Transit
A. GGFT Update – Scott Sopczyk that GGFT wa s in the process of receiving a new
trolley and selling a reti red vehicle at auction.
B. FTA 5310 Update – Kate reported on NYSD OT’s timeline to conduct a solicitation
for FTA 5310 funds. The targeted date fo r applications is April 2014, and program
workshops are planned for stakeholder outreach.

6. TIP
A. Amendments and Modificati ons – Aaron summarized the minor administrative TIP
actions taken since the last meeting – (11,000 ROW to CR 16; 70,000 INCD to
Lake George Gateway project).
B. Project updates from sponsors – A a

ron read from a summary provided by Warren
County DPW, noting among other items the ongoing discussion of alternatives for
Valley Road. Scott Tracy reported that PS&E for CR 16 had been delivered on
time. Stu Baker stated that closings on 3 of the 4 properties required for the
Aviation Road project had been scheduled, with eminent domain required for the
fourth. A letting is anticipated in March. Ed Bartholomew noted that Broad Street
was moving towards a Spring 2014 construction. Frank reported that the low bid

for Route 4 over the Champlain was below estimate, and that most of this year’s
capital program had already been let.
C. Preservation program meeting recap – Aaron summarized the 1/16 meeting of
area public works and highway superint endents to discuss the preservation
programs – turnout was moderate, but the municipalities with the majority of
eligible highways were there – among the items discussed for pavement were
eligibility, possible treatmen ts and the availability of a state contract for vendor
placed pavement that could reduce admi nistrative and design activities; on
bridges, a consultant-based project se lection approach was discussed. Warren
County DPW has concurred with the consultant-based approach provided that the
counties are still empowered to choose their own candidates.
D. Make the Connection solicitation – Aaro n – one application received so far;
deadline is January 31 – will be looking for volunteers to review and prioritize the
applications.
E. Highway Safety Improvement Program solicitation – NYSDOT is conducting a
solicitation for safety projects – that has been forwarded to committee members
with a deadline of 2/21. Frank noted the funding mechanism established by MAP-
21. Aaron noted that an annual HSIP setaside (separate from this solicitation)
was available to be programmed. Chris Round asked if the Bay/Sanford
intersection, recently studied by A/GFTC, was a potential candidate.
F. Transportation Enhancements Program announcement – Aaron – TEP awards
were announced last week – the LG Ga teway Project was among four from the
region that were selected. Frank noted that projects within the region fared well
and that this was likely somewhat attribut able to the regional concurrence on a
singular list of priorities.

7. Draft 2014 meeting schedule – Aaron passed out the draft schedule, noting a potential
change of the December meeting to No vember. Committee members were asked to
identify any potential schedule conflicts and notify A/GFTC staff.

8. Other Items / Adjourn – the meeting was adjourned at 3:03.
 
 

Policy Committee Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Attendees Agency
Mitchell Suprenant (Chair) Supervisor, Town of Fort Edward
Ralph Bentley (Vice Chair) Supervisor, Town of Horicon
Sam Zhou (Secretary) Regional Director, NYSDOT Region 1
Frank Bonafide Planning and Program Manager, NYSDOT Region 1
Kevin Geraghty Chairman, Warren County Board of Supervisors
Scott Sopczyk Director, GGFT
John Strough Deputy Supervisor, Town of Queensbury
Jeff Tennyson Superintendent, Warren County DPW
Mike Valentine Senior Planner, Saratoga County

A/GFTC Staff:
Kate Mance
Aaron Frankenfeld

1. Welcome and Introductions: Chairman Mitch Suprenant opened the meeting at 10:10. A
quorum of affected parties was declared.
2. Visitors Issues: none
3. AGC – EDC Infrastructure Study – no report
4. Completed and Ongoing Staff and Consultant Activities – Aaron reported on the following
projects:
 Exit 17 / Route 9 Study – Town of Moreau. Goal is to formulate transportation and land
use strategies that encourage economic development while preserving the functionality
of the existing transportation systems. The study is about 60% complete. Preliminary
analysis indicates that should future development occur at a level equivalent to what
existing zoning permits then the Town could be faced with sever traffic congestion. The
next advisory committee meeting and a public workshop will be scheduled soon.
 Fire Road / Crandall Park / Kensington School area pedestrian improvements report is
in final draft; plan identifies a mix of sidewalks and a multiuse path as the preferred
solution for reasons of cost and effectiveness – estimate is $468,000.
 We are awaiting word from the Town of Queensbury regarding a new analysis for Exit
20. The TAC was presented with a request to have another look at the corridor, and in
turn requested that the Town look to set up a meeting with the development
community to determine interest and commitment before initiating any additional
technical work.
 Regional bicycle and pedestrian plan is in development; the hiring of an intern was
beneficial to this effort; analysis refinement is ongoing.
 Bay / Sanford crash analysis is also in final draft, awaiting comments from the Glens
Falls Board of Public Safety – study concluded that signal visibility may be a
contributing factor in the crash history
Adirondack / Glens Falls Transportation Council
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 Initiated an intersection review of the intersection of Crandall and Sherman to review
safety data and determine any beneficial alteration to the signal, including removal
 Completed crossing guard location analysis for the GFPD
In response to a question from Sam Zhou, Aaron listed the consultants engaged in those
projects as follows: Creighton Manning Engineering: Exit 17 and Fire Road; CHA:
Bay/Sanford; Chazen Companies: Crandall / Sherman
5. A/GFTC Long Range Transportation Plan – Aaron summarized Resolution 13-7, the adopting
resolution for 2035 Ahead, the A/GFTC Long Range Plan. The resolution affirms that the LRP
was:
 prepared in consultation with NYSDOT, GGFT, and state and local resource agencies
 made available for public comment and reviewed in a public meeting
 fiscally constrained, and
 approved by the TAC and recommended to the Policy Committee for its consideration
Chairman Suprenant requested a motion to approve Resolution 13-7:
 Motion: Ralph Bentley Second: Sam Zhou Motion Carried
Aaron acknowledged Kate’s efforts in writing the plan, crediting her for the
improvements in the plan’s organization, content and formatting. Chairman Suprenant also
expressed appreciation.
6. Greater Glens Falls Transit Update (Scott Sopczyk) – Scott briefed the committee on ongoing
transit capital and operating projects. The original (1989) roof at the GGFT facility was
recently replaced. Four replacement mini-buses have been purchased. The 2014 FTA grant
will facilitate preventative maintenance for existing GGFT equipment and the purchase of one
new trolley. Annual ridership is down around 2%; poor weather during Memorial Day and
Americade as well as major road projects were cited as contributing factors. SUNY Adirondack
services have been well-utilized, but recently reinstated evening services have
underperformed to date. Sam Zhou asked about revenue; Scott replied that farebox revenue
amounted to about $250,000 for a recovery rate of about 24 percent.
7. TIP
A. Project Updates (major developments since May 2013)
1) Warren County: Jeff Tennyson gave the following project updates:
 The Grist Mill Road reimbursement dispute with FHWA has been resolved, with
the County receiving its full reimbursement. Jeff credited Region 1 for its
assistance.
 Milton Street disputed work issues have been resolved.
 Beach Road is complete. EFC has withdrawn funding for long-term monitoring of
environmental factors, but Darrin Freshwater Institute has expressed an interest
in future analysis.
 Lanfear Road Bridge is complete.
 Hicks Road is underway and should be completed in Spring 2014.
 Crane Mountain Road bridge will open this week; wetland work will continue in
Spring 2014.
 Blair Road, Palisades Road, and Valley Road bridges are in design. Creighton
Manning has been awarded the design contract for the project
 MTC projects are progressing. Complications are expected with the West Brook
sidewalks given the other projects underway in the area. In response to a

question from Sam Zhou regarding the letting schedule, Jeff noted that the work
would be done in-house next summer.
2) Washington County – Aaron shared the report from Washington County DPW
presented at the last TAC meeting, with some updates:
 CR 12 over the Mettawee River is now open
 CR 61 over Batten Kill should be completed in Spring 2014.
 The county is working to resolve utility relocation issues related to CR 16
over Halfway Brook in Fort Ann.
 Closeout was progressing on the Dewey’s Bridge removal.
 County Route 12 / Hatch Hill Road safety project will be started in Spring
2014.
3) Saratoga County – Mike Valentine noted the continued planning effort for Exit 17
and Route 9, following through on prior recommendations from the 2002 BF&J
study, the Regional Access Management Plan, and the updated Comprehensive
Plan. He also noted the rapid progress of and minimal delays associated with the
Route 9 safety project in South Glens Falls.
4) City of Glens Falls – no report.
5) Town of Queensbury – John Strough reported on Aviation Road. The Town Board
recently approved ROW acquisition for portions of four parcels. Project completion
is expected in Spring 2014.
6) NYSDOT – Frank Bonafide gave the following project updates:
 Vendor Placed Pavement (VPP) contracts are out for Route 22 in White
Creek, Cambridge, and Salem, as well as Route 372 in Cambridge.
 Route 4 / 149 intersection was let. Contract is for $1.3M.
 Beach Road Phase II has encountered delays involved with archaeological
discoveries. Letting is scheduled for December.
 VPP for 372 between Greenwich and Cambridge is scheduled for 2014.
 Route 28N over the Hudson River was let last month.
 Whitehall bridges (removal of the theater bridge and replacement of the
Route 4 bridge over the Champlain Canal) should be let soon.
 Route 9 over Trout Brook and Route 196 over the Feeder Canal are in
design and scheduled for repair, depending upon timetable and budget.

Ralph Bentley asked about the status of pavement repairs to Route 8, noting that it
was in very bad shape. Frank reported that those repairs would likely be pushed out
another year; 28N in Newcomb and I-88 have had large impacts upon the regional
capital program. Sam Zhou has traveled the road, noting that eastbound was in
worse shape than westbound, possibly due to loaded logging trucks headed in one
direction and empty trucks returning in the other. Sam has asked the Residency to
shim the roadway as a short-term repair.

Jeff Tennyson noted that DEC had been referring to the Beach Road project as a two-
phase project. Frank Bonafide stated that the parking lot repairs were not part of the
NYSDOT project., but were a separate DEC project. Jeff stated that there may be
some complaints with the road project, as it appears to be inconsistent with the
public comments received while Warren County was administering the project. The
County had no input into the latest design, which appears to be based upon an
earlier inclusion in the design report. Frank stated that DEC was very concerned

about pedestrian safety near the beach entrance, and that those concerns may
account for the change in traffic pattern.

Ralph Bentley raised the issue of the Middleton Bridge replacement, contending that
ORPS has stated that the land bordering the Schroon River, (which would be the
preferred location for a new structure to replace the one that is currently closed) is
not Forest Preserve. Sam Zhou stated that NYSDOT legal staff had contacted DEC
legal staff to present a way forward that would not entail amendments to the state
constitution; he also stated that he would look into the status of that discussion.

Sam Zhou announced that Rob Fitch was NYSDOT’s new Resident Engineer for
Warren County.
B. Transportation Enhancements Program: Aaron reported that review and prioritization of
regional projects had been completed through a collaborative process involving staff from
A/GFTC, CDTC, NYSDOT, and Essex and Greene Counties. A list of five projects was sent from
Region 1 to NYSDOT Main Office. The Warrensburg streetscaping and pedestrian improvement
project was among the five on the list. Frank stated that the list was comprised of the
Region’s recommendations; those responsible for project selection could choose other
projects, but having a good, single list that includes regional priorities should be beneficial to
the process. An end-of December project award announcement is still targeted. Sam and
Aaron both noted the cooperation evident in the regional prioritization process, with Aaron
directing credit to Frank and his staff.
C. Upcoming Funding Solicitations
1) Pavement and bridge preservation programs – Aaron informed the committee that
the Transportation Improvement Program listed over $3.0M in bridge preservation
and $2.2M in pavement preservation that would be available for qualifying projects
in FFY 2014-5. Design funds for those projects would be made available via project
solicitation soon; additional discussions with potential project sponsors would be
needed to inform the solicitation process.
2) Make the Connection Program will be available within the week. The purchasing of
speed feedback signs has been added to the list of eligible expenses. Application
deadline will be December 16, 2013.
3) FTA 5310 – MAP -21 has changed the program requirements, which has caused a
delay in the program solicitation. Staff will be participating in an information
webinar on 11/13.
4) UPWP Projects – Also upcoming is the annual solicitation for planning projects to be
undertaken by staff and its consultants. In addition to level funding from the
current year, we anticipate a surplus of between $150k and $200k so we will have
the programming capacity to entertain a variety of municipal requests. We have
already been presented with some regional trail projects and a safety study
candidate. Staff and the TAC will work on assembling the work program over the
winter – which will be presented to this committee in March for approval.
Sam Zhou asked if the municipalities were considering packaging the preservation
projects together. Jeff responded that this was under active consideration, perhaps even
among multiple municipalities.
8. Other Items: Aaron Thanked Mitch Suprenant for chairing the committee during the last two
years, and noted the impending retirements of Ron Montesi and Ralph Bentley (currently our
longest-serving committee member).

Sam Zhou encouraged the committee to participate with the ongoing Capital District
Regional Economic Development Council’s Infrastructure Workgroup, to ensure that the
northern portion of the region was represented. Aaron noted that the Adirondack Gateway
Council AGC was actively participating, and that a regional infrastructure needs survey that
was recently completed by AGC and EDC of Warren County was largely consistent with
previously identified MPO priorities.

9. Next meeting and motion to adjourn – The next meeting will be held in the first or second
week of March in order to approve the annual work program.

A motion was made to adjourn the meeting.

Motion: Ralph Bentley Second: Sam Zhou Motion Carried -meeting adjourned at 11:12.

 
 
 
 
 
Meeting Minutes of the A/GFTC Technical Advisory Committee
October 16, 2013

Attendees Agency
Stu Baker Town of Queensbury Community Development
Ed Bartholomew Warren County EDC
Michael Breault Washington County DPW
Rob Cherry NYSDOT Region 1
Tracy Conlon Trustee, Village of Fort Edward
Christina Doughney CHA
Karen Hulihan NYSDOT Region 1
Preston Jenkins Supervisor, Town of Moreau
Wayne LaMothe Warren County Planning
Keith Oborne Town of Lake George
Chris Round Chazen Companies
Dan Rourke Barton and Loguidice
Ron Shaffer NYSDOT R1
Scott Sopczyk Greater Glens Falls Transit
John Strough Deputy Supervisor, Town of Queensbury
Jeff Tennyson Warren County DPW
Scott Tracy Washington County DPW
Mike Valentine Saratoga County Planning

A/GFTC Staff:
Aaron Frankenfeld
Kate Mance

1. Welcome and Introductions: Aaron opened the meeting at 1:32.
2. Visitors Issues: No visitors issues were presented.
3. NYS 9N Bicycle and Pedestrian Issues – Letter from Bolton – Lake George: Aaron introduced
the letter from the Towns of Bolton and Lake George that had been previously circulated to
committee members. Keith Oborne spoke on behalf of the Town of Lake George, affirming
concerns with bicycle and pedestrian safety issues along NYS Route 9N between Lake George
Village and Bolton Landing. Rob Cherry discussed the crash data from the corridor, noting the
sections of the roadway did feature crash rates that were slightly higher than statewide
expected rates, but not enough so that safety analysis would typically be initiated. Wayne
LaMothe and Aaron conveyed prior conversations with Bolton Town Supervisor Conover
stating a desire to investigate targeted bicycle and pedestrian space improvements along the
corridor where possible in the short-term, noting that corridor-wide width extensions were
more likely in the long-term. Noting the emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian safety, Rob
agreed to request to have the matter investigated further by NYSDOT and engage in
additional discussions with the Towns upon receipt of the findings of that investigation.
4. Exit 20 Corridor – Letter from T. of Queensbury – Aaron introduced the letter from the Town
of Queensbury, also previously circulated to committee members. John Strough expanded
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upon the introduction, noting the Town’s position that new development concepts (150,000
square feet of potential development since plan was written) and persistent traffic issues
combined to warrant a fresh look at the previous plan and consideration of new alternatives.
Mike Valentine noted that the original plan was only four years old. Aaron added that the sum
of the new development concepts had been included within the forecasts contained in the
plan, and questioned whether there was an alternative that could garner the kind of
consensus support that would be necessary to implement improvements. Ed Bartholomew
highlighted the concern for emergency vehicle access during peak traffic periods, and added
that one of the developers was looking to change his business model by attempting to attract
a different kind of retailer. Wayne LaMothe noted that improvements on privately-held land
would be essential. Discussion ensued regarding traffic impact fees, which are currently not
assessed in Queensbury. Wayne LaMothe suggested that the Town clearly identify specifically
what has changed since the 2009 study. Scott Sopczyk noted that the 2009 study was itself a
follow-up to a previous study, and that nothing would change until developers got on board.
Preston Jenkins stated a need for stronger access management as implemented by planning
boards. Aaron stated that if the goal is to review and assess the surface transportation utility
of potential privately implemented improvements then that would be a worthwhile endeavor,
but there is simply no programming capacity available for congestion related improvements
for State-owned highways. Procedural requirements for amending the UPWP were discussed,
as was the potential applicability of A/GFTC’s Local Transportation Planning and Engineering
Program. It was agreed that Town would look to set up a meeting with the development
interests in an attempt to reach consensus on a way to move forward. Aaron would
participate and report back to the committee. If attitudes have indeed changed with regard to
potential improvements, that could prove to be beneficial.
5. UPWP
A. Completed / Ongoing Activities
1) On-call assistance projects
a. Fire Road Pedestrian Improvements – Kate reported on the status of the
project. Of the three alternatives that have emerged throughout the course
of the study, the preferred alternative consists of a shared use path along
Jerome Avenue and Fire Road, a raised crosswalk between Crandall Park
and the YMCA, and new sidewalk connection on the south side of Fire Road
to Glen Street. The estimated cost to implement that alternative is
$470,000. The final report, currently being drafted by CME, would include
implementation and funding source options.
b. Bay / Sanford Crash Analysis – Aaron reported that CHA has completed a
draft analysis that is currently being reviewed by the Glens Falls Board of
Public Safety, with comments requested by the end of October. The
intersection was found to have a crash rate that is over double the
statewide expected rate, with rear-end and angle accidents the most
common. The visibility of the traffic signal is thought to be an issue.
Recommendations include trimming and removing vegetation on two of the
approaches, corrected the pedestrian signals, lowering the position of the
signal heads, installing reflective backplates behind the signals, and, longer
term, consider access changes to Hunter Street immediately to the south of
the intersection.
c. Request for new project – Crandall / Sherman intersection – Aaron – GFPD
has requested an intersection analysis of Sherman Avenue and Crandall
Street to review crash patterns and signal operations. The City’s Board of
Public Safety has been approached by intersection neighbors concerned
about crashes and circulation. We have solicited letters of interest from our
four participating consulting and received a response from all four, with

 
 
costs ranging from $3,650 to $7,000. Consultant selection will take place
before the end of this week.
2) Exit 17 Land Use Study – Aaron reported on the project. Since the last meeting,
CME and Behan Planning have met with Town officials to review developable
property and previous proposals that could impact traffic operations. That data was
analyzed and results were presented to the Study Committee during the August 26
meeting. We had hoped to have something to report from the October meeting,
but that has been rescheduled for 10-21. Preliminary improvement concepts will
be presented then.
3) Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update – Kate – A considerable amount of
data collection had been completed during the summer by A/GFTC’s Planning
Assistant. We took the extensive amount of data collected this summer and have
done the GIS analysis for shoulder width, using the same methodology as the
Warren County plan. We also received some input from stakeholders in Washington
County and the Town of Moreau concerning the priorities of cyclists, which were
mapped. We are exploring the potential to use GIS to analyze where pedestrian
improvements are needed. Syracuse recently presented some success with a
model they created, based on factors like proximity to pedestrian generators and
population density.
6. Long Range Plan update –
A. Comments on draft – Kate summarized the results of the public outreach activities,
including a public meeting and a staffed display at the Washington County Fair, and the
associated technical revisions that had been made to the draft LRP since the last
meeting as a result of that outreach as well as committee member review. Aaron noted
that no committee action is requested at this time – the draft has already been approved
and approval of the final will be considered by the Policy Committee at its November
meeting.
7. Transit
A. GGFT Update – Scott Sopczyk reported that the FTA triennial review of GGFT had been
recently completed, and that ongoing construction projects on Route 4 in Hudson Falls,
Route 9 in South Glens Falls, and Hicks Road in Queensbury had posed some operational
obstacles.
8. Transportation Improvement Program
A. Amendments and Modifications – Aaron summarized recent TIP changes to the TIP,
including necessary modifications to several Make the Connection Program projects and
the additional of the CP Rail project in Fort Edward that had been approved at the last
meeting. A new amendment request from the Town of Lake George was presented. The
Town has been award funding from the NYS Strategic Transportation Enhancement
Program (STEP) to advance design of the proposed Lake George Gateway Project on
Route 9 between Exit 21 and the Village of Lake George. The project was selected from
a regional prioritized list; as such, there is no local competition for these funds as no
other project is currently eligible. A total of $900,000 in matched federal funds is
requested for preliminary and detailed design. A motion was made to approve the
request.
Moved by: Wayne LaMothe Second: Jeff Tennyson Motion Carried

In response to a question from Wayne LaMothe, Rob Cherry emphasized that the selection
was for design only. While a future construction award is anticipated under the same
program, that is not guaranteed. The Town is advised to complete the design process in a

 
 
timely manner in order to maximize the potential for construction funds to ultimately be
awarded.
B. Project Updates
 Karen Hulihan circulated a project tracking spreadsheet for local project delivery
performance.
 Jeff Tennyson reported on several Warren County projects. Completion is
anticipated on Crane Mountain Road bridge by next month. Hicks Road is on
schedule for a Spring 2014 completion. Blair Road and Valley Road are
progressing. The county is working in house to resolve ROW issues with Palisades
Road over Brant Lake inlet. The scope of the Make the Connection project on
West Mountain Road has been extended northward. The use of the MTC funds is
one of the only ways that the County can look to implement specific
improvements for bicyclists when it is having a very difficult time keeping pace
with deteriorating pavement conditions. Aaron added that we would be meeting
with the Warren County Safe and Quality Bicycling Organization to reiterate that
the shift to a maintenance-oriented program did not necessarily constitute a
positive opportunity to implement bicycling improvements.
 Scott Tracy reported on Washington County projects. CR 12 over the Mettawee
River is on schedule to open on October 25. CR 61 should be completed in the
spring. The County was working through some utility location discrepancies
related to the CR 16 project. Closeout paperwork was being completed for
Dewey’s Bridge. County 12 and Hatch Hill Road will be the first project in Spring
2014.
 Reacting to the DOT spreadsheet (noted above) Tracy Conlon asked about the
status of the Mullen Park MTC project. Karen agreed to look into it and respond.
 Ed Bartholomew reported that the Common Council has authorized moving
forward with the Broad Street project. Aaron noted that bids for the project were
above the engineer’s estimates and that additional program adjustments may be
required in the future as a result.
 Stu Baker reported that ROW acquisition was moving forward for the Aviation
Road project.
 No project specific updates were provided by NYSDOT. Rob Cherry noted the
staffing realignments that have been necessitated by dwindling staff resources.
 Frank Bonafide reported on NYSDOT projects. Work on U.S> Route 4 continues.
the 197 bridge over the Hudson River is scheduled for an 8/15 letting. Route 28N
over the Hudson is due to be let in October. The Route 4/149 intersection project
will be out for bid in October; ROW has been successfully acquired. Removal in
advance of replacement of the Route 4 bridge over the Champlain Canal in
Whitehall is scheduled for December. Frank also reported that Region 1
performed well in project delivery as compared to other DOT regions, but noted
that delivery of the Make the Connection program projects could be improved.

C. Preservation program solicitation – (Aaron) At the last meeting, it was decided that a
subcommittee of this group would by conducting the selection process. Application and
selection criteria have been drafted and circulated to that group with no comments
received. Unless there is additional discussion today, we will finalize the materials and
get them out next week, with an eye on selected projects before year’s end. Karen
asked if we were soliciting for construction, design, or both for the first year of the
program. Aaron noted that there was discrepancy in PINs between the A/GFTC and
CDTC TIPs that R1 was familiar with and that he would look in to resolving that before
conducting the solicitation.
D. Make the Connection solicitation (Aaron) – A program solicitation for MTC was pending.
Project delivery has been an issue with this program. We are looking for suggestions to

 
 
improve deliverability. Citing the success noted with regard to the West Mountain Road
project, Jeff Tennyson noted that opportunities to build new connections, even short
ones, were limited and that we should consider focusing on enhancing existing projects.
Staff agreed with this suggestion.
E. TEP (Aaron) – two of the 20 projects received by Region 1 were from this area (Lake
George and Warrensburg). Staff would be participating in the regional prioritization
process. A meeting will be held to review and prioritize all 20 projects on 10/22 at CDTC.
Mike Valentine asked about next steps; the response was that a single prioritized list
would emerge from that meeting and be transmitted to the Main Office by the end of the
month.

9. Other Items – none

10. Schedule next meeting – The next meeting will be December 18. The next Policy
Committee meeting is scheduled for November 20.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:22.
 

 
 
 
Meeting Minutes of the A/GFTC Technical Advisory Committee
August 14, 2013

Attendees Agency
Brian Abare Village of South Glens Falls DPW
Stu Baker Town of Queensbury Community Development
Frank Bonafide NYSDOT Region 1
Michael Breault Washington County DPW
Rob Cherry NYSDOT Region 1
Tracy Conlon Trustee, Village of Fort Edward
Richard Doyle Washington County DPW
Karen Hulihan NYSDOT Region 1
Larry Mulvaney NYSDOT Region 1
Joe Orlow Mayor, Village of South Glens Falls
Scott Sopczyk Greater Glens Falls Transit
Jeff Tennyson Warren County DPW
Mike Valentine Saratoga County Planning

A/GFTC Staff:
Aaron Frankenfeld
Kate Mance

1. Welcome and Introductions: Aaron opened the meeting at 1:30.
2. Visitors Issues: No visitors present
3. Administrative Items –
A. iPoolNorth contract – As noted at the last meeting, A/GFTC has merged its online
ridesharing matching service (iPoolNorth) with that of CDTC (iPool2). Requested items
for the next RFP for a provider of those services are currently under consideration.
B. RPB reimbursements – A/GFTC was informed that payments to the host agency in
advance of services was not a reimbursable expense, despite having sustained the
practice for several years. The Regional Planning Board has adjusted their billing
accordingly after discussions with staff and the RPB’s accountant.
4. UPWP
A. Completed / Ongoing Activities
1) On-call assistance projects
a. Fire Road Pedestrian Improvements – Kate reported on the status of the
project. A successful joint public meeting was held between the Glens Falls
Common Council and Glens Falls School Board to discuss the project, and
outreach to individual stakeholders has been conducted. The preferred
option that has emerged is a multiuse trail. A presentation of the draft
report is planned for the Common Council in September; thus far, the City
seems content with the project.
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b. Bay / Sanford Crash Analysis – Aaron reported that CHA staff was in the
field as of last week conducting additional data collection. Receipt of a draft
report is anticipated soon.

2) Exit 17 Land Use Study – Aaron reported on the project. A study kickoff meeting
was held July 25th, during which we reviewed the advisory committee
representation and project schedule. A meeting with Town of Moreau officials to
discuss potential buildout was scheduled.

3) Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update – Aaron reported that A/GFTC’s
Panning Assistant had been working on shoulder data collection for Moreau and
Washington County as a complement to the information that had been compiled as
part of the Warren County Bicycle Master Plan. A/GFTC staff also met with several
representatives from Washington County to discuss the planning initiative and
establish contacts. Mike Valentine asked about the data collection. Aaron noted
that it was shoulder width and speed data that would ultimately be used in the
analysis.
5. Long Range Plan update –
A. Comments on draft – Aaron asked the committee for any substantive comments on the
draft that would require resolution prior to staff releasing the draft. Smaller, technical
corrections can be resolved during the public comment period. To date, comments had
been received from NYSDOT and the Canal Corporation and staff was working to
incorporate those into a revised draft.
B. Approval for public comment – A motion was made to approve the draft for public
comment.
Moved by: Stu Baker Second: Mike Valentine Motion Carried
6. Transit
A. GGFT Update – Scott Sopczyk reported that four new buses had been delivered. The
entire GGFT fleet is now equipped with onboard cameras that have proven to be quite
valuable. The roof replacement project has been completed. Procurement of a new
trolley during FFY 14 has been initiated. Regarding operations, construction on Route 4
has been a challenge but has not resulted in any significant service disruptions. SUNY
Adirondack students will now be able to present their student IDs as fare for GGFT
services. Ridership increases are anticipated as a result. Aaron reported that A/GFTC
staff has updated the GGFT route map; maintaining the map had been a challenge on
account of previous formatting.
7. Transportation Improvement Program
A. Amendments and Modifications – Aaron summarized recent TIP changes to the TIP,
including necessary modifications for the Beach Road, Fort Edward Visitors Center,
Broad Street, GGFT Trolley Purchase, Routes 28N and Route 4 bridge, and West
Mountain Road MTC projects. An amendment was presented by NYSDOT to reintroduce a
project to improve the at-grade CP rail crossing at East Street, a project that was
previously on the TIP but had been withdrawn on account of inactivity. Aaron noted that
the Village of Fort Edward was supportive of this amendment request. A motion was
made to approve the amendment request for project 193286.
Moved by: Mike Valentine Second: Tracy Conlon Motion Carried

B. Project Updates
 Jeff Tennyson reported on Warren County projects. Bids had been received for
the Crane Mountain Road bridge replacement and Hicks Road reconstruction
projects. No resolution has been made on the ongoing dispute with FHWA
regarding reimbursement for ARRA projects. FHWA has not responded to the
latest County inquiry and it is anticipated that a political push will be necessary.
Beach Road is completed. Steel repairs are ongoing on the Lanfear Road bridge.
The Draft Design Report for Valley Road bridge is almost complete. PS&E for Blair
Road over Mill Brook is underway. ROW issues have been encountered with
Palisades Road over Brant Lake inlet; Warren County will attempt to resolve
those without a TIP amendment. Scott asked about the schedule for Hicks Road;
Jeff noted that project could begin as soon as September and that the contractor
is aware of the need to coordinate schedules with the balloon festival.
 Mike Breault reported on Washington County projects. CR 12 over the Mettawee
River is on schedule. CR 61 was delayed on account of high water and a resulting
change in the bridge footing.
 Mayor Orlow reported that field personnel for the Route 9 safety project have
been responsive and helpful. The Village would have preferred additional
amenities as part of the project, but the project has been well received
nonetheless.
 Stu Baker reported that although elements of the design authorization have been
delayed, the Aviation Road project is still on schedule for construction in Spring
2014.
 Frank Bonafide reported on NYSDOT projects. Work on U.S> Route 4 continues.
the 197 bridge over the Hudson River is scheduled for an 8/15 letting. Route 28N
over the Hudson is due to be let in October. The Route 4/149 intersection project
will be out for bid in October; ROW has been successfully acquired. Removal in
advance of replacement of the Route 4 bridge over the Champlain Canal in
Whitehall is scheduled for December. Frank also reported that Region 1
performed well in project delivery as compared to other DOT regions, but noted
that delivery of the Make the Connection program projects could be improved.

C. Draft STIP – Aaron noted that the draft STIP has been released for public comment and
can be accessed at the A/GFTC office.

D. Preservation Program Solicitation – Aaron noted that design funds for the pavement and
bridge preservation block programs would be available for obligation by October 2013.
A discussion ensued as to how to conduct the solicitation. A motion was made to
establish a working group to conduct the solicitations.
Moved by: Jeff Tennyson Second: Frank Bonafide Motion Carried
E. TEP – Aaron noted that the application deadline is Friday, August 16. Few local projects
were expected to be submitted, but Frank noted that the Region was expecting dozens
of applications. A project selection process similar to what had been recently deployed
with success for the STEP process was anticipated. Aaron noted that that process had
worked well in the past. The Regional office will determine eligibility. No firm timeline for
announcement of awarded projects has been provided.

8. Next Meeting and Adjourn
The next meeting was scheduled for October 16 at 1:30. The meeting was adjourned at 2:48
PM.
 

 
 
 
 
Meeting Minutes of the A/GFTC Technical Advisory Committee
June 25, 2013

Attendees Agency
Brian Abare Village of South Glens Falls DPW
Stu Baker Town of Queensbury Community Development
Ed Bartholomew Community and Econ. Development Director, City of Glens Falls
Michael Breault Washington County DPW
Rob Cherry NYSDOT Region 1
Richard Doyle Washington County DPW
Ed Doughney Warren County DPW
Kevin Hajos Warren County DPW
Karen Hulihan NYSDOT Region 1
Joe Moloughney NYS Canal Corporation
Mike Valentine Saratoga County Planning

A/GFTC Staff:
Greg Francese
Aaron Frankenfeld
Kate Mance

1. Welcome and Introductions: Aaron opened the meeting at 1:30.
2. Visitors Issues: No visitors present
3. Administrative Items –
A. Personnel update – Aaron introduced Greg Francese, A/GFTC’s Planning Assistant for
Summer 2013.
B. Host Agency fee – Aaron reported that NYSDOT Expenditures had conveyed that advance
payment of the Host Agency fee to LC-LGRPB in absence of billable tasks was not an
eligible expense. The RPB has been informed that these expenses will need to be
recouped through other means.
C. UPWP Amendment – FTA MPP – Aaron reported that revised allocations for Federal
Transit Administration Metropolitan Planning Program funds (+$898) and Federal
Highway Administration PL funds (-$281) were included in Federal Register.FTA
regulations require an amendment to the UPWP for any change in MPP funds. A motion
was made to approve initiation of a public comment period for the required
amendment in advance of Policy Committee consideration.
Moved by: Ed Bartholomew Second: Mike Valentine Motion Carried
D. 5310 Administration – Aaron reported that NYSDOT has requested notification from
A/GFTC that indicates that A/GFTC consents to NYSDOT continuing to administer the FTA
5310 program on the MPO’s behalf. A/GFTC has the option to assume hosting of its own
program and solicitation, but staff recommends that we do not choose this option as the
administrative requirements would be a significant burden to MPO or GGFT staff.
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   www.agftc.org 

A motion was made to approve NYSDOT continuing to administer FTA 5310 on
behalf of A/GFTC.
Moved by: Stu Baker Second: Ed Bartholomew Motion Carried
E. iPoolNorth contract – Aaron reported that A/GFTC has been invoiced for $7,500 by
Ecology and Environment (ENE) to continue to maintain iPoolNorth, A/GFTC’s ridesharing
website. Staff has reviewed the contract and determined that the expense outweighs the
benefit given that iPool2, a similar service operated by Capital District Transit Authority
(CDTA), could accommodate our users. Staff consulted CDTA prior to contacting ENE to
request an estimate to merge the two systems. ENE has provided a cost of $2,040 to
migrate iPoolNorth users to Ipool2. A/GFTC and CDTA will work out a cost sharing
mechanism for future services. A motion was made to approve the ENE proposal to
merge iPoolNorth with iPool2.

Moved by: Ed Bartholomew Second: Stu Baker Motion Carried
4. UPWP
A. Completed / Ongoing Activities
1) Coordinated Human Services Transportation Committee – Kate reported on the
ongoing efforts to identify and develop an online mobility management tool. The
eventual product will likely not be map-based, but will allow users to enter
information regarding location and destination, trip purpose, and accommodation
needs in order to obtain transportation service options. The difficulty in securing
continued committee input was noted, and staff is continuing to pursue avenues
that would allow for greater participation. Ed Bartholomew noted that regional
mobility would be considered as part of the Adirondack Gateway Council’s
Sustainable Communities regional planning grant, funded by the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development.
2) On-call assistance projects
a. Fire Road Pedestrian Improvements – Kate reported that a kickoff meeting
and a joint public meeting of the Glens Falls School Board and the Glens
Falls Common Council have been held. Both meetings were well attended
and enabled productive discussion. The committee discussed the Jerome
Avenue component, engagement of the YMCA, and a potential link to Cole’s
Woods.
b. Bay / Sanford Crash Analysis – Aaron reported that the Glens Falls Police
Department has requested a review of crash history at this location. Of
particular concern are two incidents involving roadway departure along this
heavily traveled pedestrian corridor. Staff has summarized the crash reports
and forwarded that data to CHA for consideration.
3) Exit 17 Land Use Study – Aaron reported the Creighton Manning Engineering has
been selected from seven applicants to conduct the study. Region 1 Planning has
provided a significant amount of related traffic data to staff and the consultants. A
late July kickoff is anticipated.

5. Long Range Plan Presentation – Kate presented progress made in updating the Long Range
Plan. The document will be reorganized, tying projects and priorities to the Planning
Principles. The Goals and Objectives, somewhat duplicative of the Planning Principles, will be
removed. Rob Cherry noted his support for that approach. Kate continued to summarize the
document section by section, noting changes to the content, challenges and opportunities,
and proposed projects and priorities. Changes in Census statistics and infrastructure were
reviewed. The public engagement process, originally proposed prior to formulation of the

draft, was reviewed and clarified. The committee was asked to consider the information
presented and submit comments by 7/5. A draft document will be circulated to the committee
around 7/19, and the committee will be asked to vote on the document at its 8/14 meeting.
6. Transportation Improvement Program
A. Amendments and Modifications
1) Town of Warrensburg request for MTC funds – Aaron reported that Warrensburg
was requesting an award of the unprogrammed funds from the last round of the
Make the Connection program in order to address concerns raised by NYSDOT staff
regarding increased FHWA scrutiny of allowable in-kind contribution. As a result,
the Town will have to bid out certain elements of its existing Make the Connection
and Safe Routes to School projects in order to satisfy administrative requirements
(the Town had planned on completing those elements with Town labor). In
response to questions from the committee, staff clarified that there were no
competing needs for these funds from other sponsors or program applicants. A
motion was made to award the previously unprogrammed Make the
Connection funds to the Town of Warrensburg.
Moved by: Kevin Hajos Second: Mike Valentine Motion Carried
2) Beach Road Phase II Amendment – Aaron noted that the ballot to approve funding
for the second phase of the Beach Road project had been distributed to the Policy
Committee with a requested response date of 7/1
B. Status of TIP Development – Aaron reported that he was continuing to reconcile
differences from the approved TIP found in draft STIP. A letter to NYSDOT confirming
coordination of those two programs will be delivered by the end of this week.
C. TEP solicitation – Kate updated the committee on the ongoing project solicitation for the
Transportation Enhancements Program.
D. Project updates (added to the agenda)
1) Warren County – Kevin Hajos reported the following:
 Beach Road was nearing an anticipated 8/1 completion. There will be a
gap between completion of the County project and initiation of work on
the State-owned section.
 The County was still waiting for federal authorization for Crane Mountain
Road and Hicks Road (Karen Hulihan stated that both were at FHWA for
review)
 FHWA had been provided with additional information regarding the
ongoing investigation of the Stony Creek ARRA bridge projects
2) Washington County – Mike Breault reported the following:
 CR 16 – DDR has been reviewed; RK Hite is ready to begin ROW ACQU
 CR 12 – construction is ongoing and ahead of schedule
 CR 61 – existing structure has been removed; construction is ongoing
 Dewey’s Bridge – demolition is complete
 CR 10 – Governor of Vermont has added this project to FFY 14 roster
 CR 12 / Hatch Hill Road scope is under review
3)
Saratoga County – Brian Abare noted positive progress in NYSDOT’S Route 9 safety
project in South Glens Falls.
4) NYSDOT – Rob Cherry reported that Route 197 over the Hudson (west branch) was
on track for a late August letting. Rob also noted that that NYSDOT was awaiting
delivery of PS&E for two projects – the Route 149 MTC project (Warren County)
and Broad Street reconstruction (Glens Falls).

5) Town of Queensbury – Stu Baker reported that elements of the design report for
Aviation / Dixon were under development. ROWACQU will begin in August, with
construction scheduled for next April.
7. Other Items
A. Cleaner Greener Phase II – Kate reported on the availability of NYERDA funding for the
next round of Cleaner Greener Communities program. Program details will be distributed
to the committee.
B. Bike/ped data collection – Aaron reported that staff may initiate two data collection
efforts later this summer – (1) an analysis of the effectiveness of sharrows at select
locations in Glens Falls and (2) updated trail user counts along the Feeder Canal Trail
and Warren County Bikeway.
8. Next Meeting and Adjourn
The next meeting was scheduled for August 14 at 1:30. The meeting was adjourned at 3:30.
 
 

Policy Committee Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Attendees Agency
Mitchell Suprenant (Chair) Supervisor, Town of Fort Edward
Ralph Bentley (Vice Chair) Supervisor, Town of Horicon
Sam Zhou Regional Director, NYSDOT Region 1
Ed Bartholomew Community and Econ. Development Director, City of Glens Falls
Frank Bonafide Planning and Program Manager, NYSDOT Region 1
Wayne LaMothe Director, Warren County Planning
Nadine Lemmon Tri-State Transportation Campaign
Scott Sopczyk Director, GGFT
John Strough Deputy Supervisor, Town of Queensbury
Steven Sweeney Division Canal Engineer, NYS Canal Corporation
Jeff Tennyson Superintendent, Warren County DPW

A/GFTC Staff:
Kate Mance
Aaron Frankenfeld

1. Welcome and Introductions: Chairman Mitch Suprenant opened the meeting at 11:10.
2. Visitors Issues: Nadine Lemmon spoke to the committee on behalf of New Yorkers for Active
Transportation (NY4AT), a coalition of advocates for bicycle and pedestrian transportation
improvements. This group was established to inform project selection stemming from funding
flexibility created by MAP-21. Nadine has been reaching out to MPOs to request adequate
funding for bike/ped projects. The group also wants better performance measures that would
make it easier to quantify the benefits of bicycle and pedestrian modes. Nadine suggests that
when projects are selected for the TIP, that those with bike/ped features get extra points. She
also recommended that the Policy Committee members actively support bike/ped issues.
Nadine noted that there are opportunities in other funding sources, like the Highway Safety
Improvement Program (HSIP), which could be used to fund bike/ped projects. The NY4AT
group is lobbying for DOT to create a Surface Transportation Program (STP) set-aside for
bike/ped projects. Nadine also asked about Complete Streets policies in the region, and
whether the MPO has adopted a Complete Streets policy. NY4AT is able to draft policies for
adoption by other agencies if requested. Aaron responded that A/GFTC usually includes
bicycle/pedestrian facilities with all large projects; however, routine maintenance /
preservation projects, which will now make up the majority of projects on the TIP, do not
include bike/ped as a matter of course. Also, our understanding is that Transportation
Alternatives money can be transferred by NYS to routine preservation projects, which would
further decrease funding available for bike/ped. Nadine noted that the A/GFTC set-aside for
bike/ped projects (Make the Connection program) is a great model for other MPOs. Aaron
stated that he will take the concept of a Complete Streets policy to the Technical Advisory
Committee. John Strough stated that he would also report on the Complete Streets policy
idea to the Warren County Safe & Quality Bicycling Organization. Jeff Tennyson stated that
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the County is largely in support of Complete Streets, but has not passed a specific policy
because it is difficult to make Complete Streets without complete funding.
3. Administrative Items –
A. Personnel update – Aaron noted that A/GFTC has hired a summer intern that will be starting
on May 29 to assist with the LRP, our GIS architecture, and other projects. The position is
temporary and anticipated to sunset in the fall.
B. Urban Area Boundary approval (Resolution 13-4) – Aaron recommended that Chairman
Suprenant call a quorum of affected parties to facilitate voting on the resolution. Although
Saratoga County was not represented at the table, there has been consistent participation
from the County at Technical Advisory Committee meetings. In addition, the proposed
changes to the UAB in Saratoga County are minor. USDOT requires that any changes to the
adjusted urban area boundary be approved by the Policy Committee. Adjusted urban area
boundaries are based on the Census-defined urban area and then adjusted to geographical
boundaries. Chairman Suprenant called a quorum.
Motion to adopt Resolution 13-4
Motion: Ed Bartholomew Second: Ralph Bentley Motion Carried
4. Completed and Ongoing Staff and Consultant Activities – Aaron reported on the following
projects:
Completed:
 Draft Crossing Guard location assessment for the City of Glens Falls Police Department has
been submitted for review.
 Draft crash analyses were submitted to the TAC in late March. These studies were completed
for Washington County and for the Town of Moreau. A similar effort for Warren County will be
undertaken once traffic count data is made available to staff.
Ongoing:
 Consultant selection for the Exit 17 Transportation / Land Use study is underway. Seven
proposals were received and have been distributed to affected parties for review and rating.
Reviewers have been asked to send their recommendations in by next week. If anyone is
interested in participating, please contact Aaron.
 A crash analysis for Bay Street and Sanford Street has been commenced, using the on-call
engineering agreement with Clough Harbor Associates. Staff and the consultant have met
with the Chief of Police to kick-off the project.
 The Bicycle and Pedestrian connection improvements for the Crandall Park/Fire Road/YMCA/
Kensington School area is underway. Kate is working with a small steering committee and
Creighton Manning Engineering, and the first meeting will be at the end of May.
 Long Range Plan update work is still underway. It is anticipated that the new assistant will
help with data collection and public outreach.
 Coordinated Human Services Transportation Committee- Kate has developed a scope for an
online mobility management site, which would show all available transportation services
based on location and user needs. This committee is meeting this week. Ed Bartholomew
asked to have a copy of the data concerning the transportation providers, to be included in
the City’s Community Challenge project.
 WCSQBO – Kate has been working with this group on a series of maps for kiosks along the
Warren County Bikeway and Feeder Canal Trail, as part of the group’s “Bike exit” sign effort.
 Upstate APA conference – Kate will be speaking about the Warren County Bike Plan at an
upcoming conference in the fall.
 Capital District Regional Economic Development Council – Staff have been involved in the
Infrastructure Workgroup meetings, which are intended to help align the priorities of the
CDEDRC with various infrastructure group priorities, including transportation.

5. Greater Glens Falls Transit Update (Scott Sopczyk) Scott briefed the committee on ongoing
transit capital and operating projects, noting that overall ridership during the previous
calendar year was another record high and has increased this year as well. Also noted was the
ongoing efforts to enable SUNY Adirondack students to use student IDs to access GGFT
services. Jeff Tennyson inquired about GGFT’s process for auctioning retired vehicles, noting
potential interest in shuttle operations in Warren County. Ralph Bentley stated that a private
operator had attempted to provide similar services but was unable to comply with increased
DOT requirements.
6. TIP
A. Project Updates (major developments since March 2013)
1) Warren County: Jeff Tennyson gave the following project updates:
 Beach Road – the hardscape will be installed next week, and the plantings put in after
that.
 Hicks Road – PS&E has been submitted, with an anticipated June let date
 Lanfear Road Bridge – the contract for painting/maintenance has been signed
 Crane Mtn Road – PS&E has been submitted, and ROW clearance is needed
 Blair Rd – Creighton Manning has been awarded the design contract for the project
 Grist Mill Rd – This was an ARRA project that was left open because the County is in
the process of disputing FHWA chargeback for micropiles. FHWA had identified a
discrepancy in documentation required for the Buy America Act. Warren County
originally held back funds from the contractor, but then received correspondence from
FHWA that indicated it was acceptable for the project to move forward. Ten months
later, the FHWA reversed their previous approval, and have charged back $30,000.
Since ARRA funding expires in September, it is important that this issue be resolved
soon. Jeff noted that DOT Region 1 has gone above and beyond to help the County in
working to resolve this with FHWA.
2) Washington County: Aaron noted that Washington County provided a written update, which
will be sent around to the members via email.
3) Saratoga County: not present
4) NYSDOT: Frank Bonafide gave the following project updates:
 Route 197 over the Hudson: August letting date for element-specific work
 Route 4 over the Champlain Canal: This is a deck replacement and other element-
specific work
 Route 4/149 intersection: Design Approval received last week, and an offer has been
made to the property owner. Anticipated October letting date
 Route 196 over the Feeder Canal: April/May letting for element specific work
 Frank also expanded on the FHWA recent efforts to tighten control of projects. Many
Regions are in mediation for projects, over tiny details. These must be closed out by
September.
 Ralph Bentley asked about the status of pavement repairs Route 8. Frank noted that it
is on the radar screen, probably for the next 1-2 years.
B. Amendments and Modifications – Aaron noted that the SRTS projects in Warrensburg and Fort
Edward were added to the program. He also noted that A/GFTC is expecting a request for
additional funding to the Make the Connection Program from the Town of Warrensburg. This
would offset cost increases to the SRTS project resulting from a change in federal policy
regarding use of in-kind services. Chairman Suprenant asked if this policy change would also

affect Fort Edward, who received SRTS funding as well. Kate replied that it is unlikely, but
that she could check and confirm that.
C. 2014-18 Transportation Improvement Program and 2013 Self-Certification
1) Aaron explained that Resolution 13-5 approving Self-Certification is required in conjunction
with the TIP; this document states that the MPO is following established federal policies and is
not engaged in programmatic discrimination.

Motion to approve resolution 13-5
Motion: LaMothe Second: Bartholomew Motion Carried

Aaron then summarized Resolution 13-6 to approve the TIP. The draft TIP was approved for
public comment by the TAC at its March meeting; public comment period has closed with no
comments received. The TIP is $91.319M, the smallest capital program since 1991. There is
about $45M in bridge and pavement preservation projects. There will be annual solicitations
for maintenance and repair projects starting in the 2nd year of the new program. There are
no major capital replacement projects beyond 2015 except for CR 113 over the Batten Kill.

Motion to approve resolution 13-6
Motion: Lamothe Second: Bartholomew Motion Carried
D. Update on STEP solicitation: Aaron reported that, after proposals were received for the
Statewide Transportation Enhancement Program, the Region and MPOs ranked the proposals
and submitted a short list to the Main Office. Since then, the MPO received a letter stating
that the list of projects submitted by each Region would not be awarded funds in the short
term, but would serve to inform future funding decisions in the future. The NYSMPO
Association has attempted to determine what has happened to the funding which was slated
for the program, but has not heard any clear answers. Sam Zhou noted that the Regional
Directors received the same letter at the same time. The Region’s inquiries have determined
that the current Main Office policy is that future funding levels are not as firm as previously
hoped; therefore, rather than build up false hopes, they have decided to delay awarding
funding for these projects. Frank noted that the Region understands full well how much work
goes into the solicitations and the proposals. He also reported that the previous Beyond
Preservation solicitation has been awarded. Of the 33 projects submitted by Region 1, funding
has been awarded for design-phase only for two projects, including the Rexford Bridge.
E. Transportation Enhancements Program: Aaron reported that program materials were sent out
to the committee members and call chief elected officials about a week ago. The funding
eligibility has been narrowed from 12 categories to 5, including bike/ped projects, rails to
trails, landscaping and beautification, scenic or historic highway corridors, and environmental
mitigation of highway runoff. DOT is requiring all potential sponsors to attend a Federal Aid
101 workshop and a Transportation Enhancements workshop. There will be a combined event
for both on June 11 at the Crandall Library. Sponsors that attended last year’s Federal Aid
101 workshop do not have to attend another one. Frank noted that there is also a workshop
being held in Albany, and that some workshops will be available as a webinar as well. The
application deadline is August 16; awards are listed for October. Regional awards are
anticipated to be in the $2-3 million range.
7. Other Items:
Steve Sweeney reported that he is retiring from the Canal Corporation and this is his last
A/GFTC meeting.
Ed Bartholomew reported that noted expert Jeff Speck will be coming to Glens Falls on May
23, at 6:30 in the Queensbury Hotel, to give a talk about walkability issues.

 John Strough reiterated the priority of the WCS&QBO to have the shoulders of Route 9L
repaired and widened. Sam noted that he had received a call from Betty Little and was
making plans to tour the roadway in the near future.
8. Next meeting is scheduled for November 20.
Motion to close the meeting
Motion: LaMothe Second: Sweeney Motion Carried Meeting adjourned at 12:20

  
 
MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE A/GFTC TAC March 27, 2013
Attendees Agency
Members and Participants
Brian Abare Village of South Glens Falls DPW
Ed Bartholomew City of Glens Falls
Frank Bonafide NYSDOT
Robert Cherry NYSDOT
Dick Doyle Washington County DPW
Kevin Hajos Warren County DPW
Karen Hulihan NYSDOT
Wayne LaMothe Warren County Planning
Larry Mulvaney NYSDOT
Scott Sopczyk GGFT
Jeff Tennyson Warren County DPW
Scott Tracy Washington County DPW
Michael Valentine Saratoga County Planning

Staff

Aaron Frankenfeld A/GFTC
Kate Mance A/GFTC
Minutes of the Meeting

1. Welcome and Introductions – Aaron called the meeting to order at 1:32.

2. Visitor Issues – none

3. Administrative Items – Aaron reported that a draft resolution was sent regarding the
proposed changes to the Ethan Allen rail service. One alternative entails elimination of
service to Fort Edward. There are not yet enough votes to process the resolution. Several
municipalities have passed their own resolutions regarding the proposed change. Two
abstentions were noted, from NYSDOT and the Thruway Authority. Aaron noted that the
procedure for dealing with abstentions is unclear, and no action can be taken until enough
votes are received. Ed Bartholomew noted that the City of Glens Falls is planning on
passing its own resolution regarding maintaining the Ethan Allen service, and requested
an updated version of the draft resolution from A/GFTC.

4. UPWP
A. 2013-14 Unified Planning Work Program – Aaron reported that this has been
approved and staff has begun implementing tasks.
B. Completed / Ongoing Activities
1) Coordinated Human Services Transportation Committee – Kate reported
that the group met a few weeks ago. Although attendance at the
meetings is light, the members express appreciation for the group in
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terms of networking and linking resources. The group is interested in
Mobility Management activities, so staff is putting together a proposal to
create a web application/map which would allow residents to access
information regarding available transportation services based on
location, availability, or service providers. This would take the place of
creating a Mobility Management Plan on the A/GFTC work plan. Initial
feedback from the CHSTC indicates that the group supports the
application/map idea.
2) Crash History Scans – Kate reported that draft safety screening
documents were sent to the TAC last week for Washington County and
the Town of Moreau. Warren County’s document will be initiated once
traffic count data is available. Staff is looking for comments on the
documents over the next few weeks, prior to the reports being made
available for public review. Rob Cherry noted that DOT is conducting a
County Counts initiative, funded by SPR. This will increase the number
of counts taken off of the State system. DOT is looking to partner with
counties to get these counts completed. The counties would be
reimbursed for each count. This data could then be used to help apply
for HSIP (safety) funding in the future.
3) Planning for Electric Vehicles – Kate reported about a presentation at the
recent Clean Communities meeting, which outlined a study in Albany to
determine good locations for electric vehicle charging stations. The
Albany study was very involved and covered topics such as local codes.
However, it may be possible to adapt the charging station location
methodology as a staff mapping exercise for the urbanized area.
Although there is not currently a large demand for electric vehicles in
the A/GFTC area, it might be a good idea to be prepared once demand
begins to rise.
4) On-call assistance projects
a. Fire Road Ped improvements – Aaron reported that requests for
Letters of Interest for this project have been sent out and are due
on the 28th. Once the deadline passes, staff will share the results
with the City and select a consultant.
b. Chestertown intersections – Aaron noted that staff needs to meet
with the Supervisor and Warren County Planning to identify the
project scope. This is largely dependent on the Supervisor’s
schedule and desire to get started.
5) Exit 17 Land Use study – Aaron noted that a meeting was held with the
Supervisor and Saratoga County Planning to refine the scope of this
project. An RFP will be developed after the draft TIP is complete.

5. Transit
A. GGFT Update – Scott Sopczyk reported no additional updates since last meeting.
B. 5316/5317 Solicitation – Aaron reported that no applications were received for
the A/GFTC area. This is not uncommon, as it is difficult to solicit interest in these
programs due to the level of administration required compared to the funding
available. The funds will either lapse or return to the statewide pool. In the
future, we will be looking to fold in these grants into the annual funding received
by GGFT.

6. TIP
A.
Amendments and Modifications – Aaron reported that the Safe Routes to School
(SRTS) projects need to be added to the TIP. There are two projects which were

awarded SRTS funding – Fort Edward and Warrensburg. These are funded at
100% and will not affect the financial aspect of the TIP.

MOTION TO AMEND THE TIP TO INCLUDE THE WARRENSBURG AND FORT EDWARD
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECTS:

MOVED BY: Wayne LaMothe SECONDED BY: Frank Bonafide MOTION CARRIED

B. Review and approval of Draft TIP – Aaron noted that the goal was to go through
the roster of projects and note any technical questions such as project costs,
dates, and so forth. This will allow staff to prepare a draft for public comment,
with the goal of a May approval by the Policy Committee. Specific discussion
items included:
1) Transit Projects: The spreadsheet includes carryover funds from previous
years, and fits into the fiscal constraint requirements. These projects
maintain the existing fleet and operational capacity. No TIP changes
noted.
2) SAR 115/104342: Discussion regarding the specifics of this project. Frank
Bonafide noted that it is a preservation project. No TIP changes noted.
3) WAR 100/175527: This project has been placed in Post-TIP. Jeff Tennyson
noted that the project is being held up by discussion among state
agencies and cannot move forward at this time. Aaron noted that if the
project is expected to become active in the future, it may affect the fiscal
constraints, since it is not a preservation project. The group discussed
whether it might be possible to use preservation funds to remove the
bridge entirely, if needed. No TIP changes noted.
4) WAR 147/175907: The group discussed the timing of this project.
Although the sponsor expressed a desire to construct in 2013-14, since it
is a preservation project, the construction has been moved out to 2014-
15. Ed Bartholomew asked what would happen to the project timing if any
other projects were pushed/removed from the TIP. Karen Hulihan stated
that the project could then be in line for advancement and moving it up in
this situation would probably not affect preservation targets. No TIP
changes noted.
5) WAS 126/175725: This project is being split with Vermont, and the
matched share for Washington County will be around $500,000. The TAC
agreed to transfer the balance of funds (approximately $1.1M) to the
preservation program, with 70% towards pavement and 30% towards
structures.
6) WAS 101/175532: The group discussed the potential for this project to get
SPP funding. If SPP funding is awarded, it will potentially free up capital $
alloted to this project for other uses. If SPP funds are not awarded, the
project can still be kept on the program.

The group had a general discussion about the TIP, including maximizing NHPP
funds and ensuring programming design phases for bridge and pavement
preservation.

MOTION TO OPEN THE DRAFT TIP TO PUBLIC COMMENT:

MOVED BY: Wayne LaMothe SECONDED BY: Mike Valentine MOTION CARRIED

7. Other Items:
A. Karen Hulihan presented the current list of projects for the region. This year’s list
of projects includes a 10% “slush” allowance for cost overages, and a 30-day
window for PS&E. DOT staff worked hard with the sponsors and consultants to
come up with a realistic list for the Commissioner to sign. Jeff noted that he
would like to see more realistic goals for turnaround times built in. Project
sponsors and DOT may be doing all they can to turn things around, but other
agencies and consultants may not. It would be helpful to have data on the
average turnaround time for the various project phases prior to construction,
which could inform schedules more accurately.
B. Ed Bartholomew reported that the Broad Street project finally received a waiver
for environmental issues related to the Indiana Bat.

8. Next meeting and adjourn – The next meeting will be held June 19th. The meeting was
adjourned at 2:47 p.m.

MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE March 6, 2013
Attendees Agency
Members and Participants
Frank Bonafide RPPM, NYSDOT Region 1
Trace Conlon Trustee, Village of Fort Edward
Kevin Geraghty Chairman, Warren County Board of Supervisors
Kevin Hajos Deputy Superintendent, Warren County DPW
Preston Jenkins Supervisor, Town of Moreau
James Lindsay Supervisor, Town of Kingsbury
Ron Montesi Supervisor, Town of Queensbury
Scott Sopczyk Director, GGFT
John Strough Deputy Supervisor, Town of Queensbury
Mitch Suprenant Supervisor, Town of Fort Edward
Steve Sweeney Division Engineer, NYS Canal Corp.
Matt Traver Mayor, Village of Fort Edward
Michael Valentine Senior Planner, Saratoga County Planning
Sam Zhou Regional Director, NYSDOT Region 1

Staff

Aaron Frankenfeld A/GFTC
Kate Mance A/GFTC
Monika Bulman A/GFTC
Minutes of the Meeting

1. Welcome & Introductions – Mitch Suprenant called the meeting to order at 1:34.
A. Committee representation update – Aaron, The new members of the committee
were introduced.
2. Visitor Issues
A. Warren County Safe and Quality Bicycling Organization – John Strough,
(handouts). Mr. Strough commented on needed improvements to Route 9L to make
it safe and attract bicycling. This year WCS&QBO hopes to attract Medalist
Sports, a sporting events promoter based in Atlanta. This makes it essential that the
portion of 9L from Lake George Village to Bay Road be re-constructed.

3. Administrative Items
A. Resolution 13-1 approving Functional Classification changes – (Aaron)
(handout) The new federal highway legislation (MAP 21) took effect October 1,
2012 and changed National Highway System eligibility for Principal Arterials
A/GFTC was asked to review the federal aid-eligible highway network to see if
there were candidates that were designated as Minor Arterials that should be
designated as Principal Arterials. NYSDOT and A/GFTC staff conferred and the
following candidates were advanced: NYS Route 9N in its entirety in Warren County,
NYS Route 29 from the Saratoga County line eastward to the intersection of NYS
Route 372 in the Village of Greenwich, and a section of US Route 9 bounded by NYS
Route 149 in the Town of Queensbury to the south and by NYS Route 9N in the Town
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Page 2

of Lake George to the north. These roadways will be eligible for National
Highway Performance Program funding pending approval of the resolution.

A motion was made to approve Resolution 13-1

MOVED BY: Ron Montesi SECONDED BY: Sam Zhou MOTION CARRIED
B. In-kind service rates update (handout) – (Aaron) MPO planning activities that
are federally funded require a local match. Committee members are asked to
complete the In-kind Service forms so an accurate accounting of time contributed
can be documented.
4. Annual Work Program (handouts)
A. Completed and ongoing staff and consultant activities – Aaron went over the
list of A/GFTC accomplishments for 2012-2013.
B. 2013-14 UPWP – Aaron, a summary of the draft work program, the basic
financial tables and tasks was distributed to committee members prior to the
meeting. The TAC approved the draft when it was presented to them in January.
The public comment period closed on February 19. No public comments were
received. The overall program amount is relatively level from the previous year
despite having a new MPO in the state that will draw down from shared statewide
funding allocations.

A motion was made to approve Resolution 13-2 the final 2013-2014 UPWP

MOVED BY: Matt Traver SECONDED BY: James Lindsay MOTION CARRIED

5. Greater Glens Falls Transit Update, Scott Sopczyk
Operations are doing well. A record-high in ridership occurred in 2012. Night
service, including service to ACC, is under review. Consideration is being given to ID
cards for full time students riding the bus. GGFT is gearing up for the summer
season.
On the capital side: roof replacement on the building, purchasing four new small
buses, updating the capital program for the TIP. No major expansion is expected.
Sam Zhou asked about the GGFT operating budget. Scott replied that it is $1.7M.
Questions were asked regarding the possible rerouting on Route 4 during
construction. Scott has spoken with the project engineer and they hope to keep
two way traffic flowing.
6. TIP
A. Project Updates
1) Warren County, Kevin Hajos
Warren County has 18 open federal projects. Ten are bridge projects,
three road projects, and five are Make the Connection projects.
There are only two projects that are authorized right now, Lanfear
Road and Beach Road.
 Corinth Road still has a claim on eminent domain in court so
the project cannot be closed out.
 Middleton Bridge over the Schroon River-working with the
attorney general’s office to see if the bridge can be moved
north one mile on to land deemed as State Forest Preserve.

Page 3

 Milton Street Bridge Project in Warrensburg is completed
 Warrensburg Road and Grist Mill Road in Stony Creek, waiting
on resolution of micropiles issues
 Harrington Road over Mill Creek in Johnsburg is completed and
closeout documentation is being progressed.
 Beach Road, under construction, eastern segment of the project
is for the most part completed, West Brook Culvert is also
completed.
 Alder Brook Bridge in Chester – waiting on Marchiselli approval
to close out project
 Hicks Road has design approval
 Lanfear Road, all bids were rejected last year; project was put
back out to bid
 Crane Mountain, ROW proceeding will start soon
 Valley Road, PE phase was authorized June 11
 Blair Road over Mill Brook, just distributed RFPs
 Palisades Rd, conducted additional geotechnical investigations
 Make the Connection: West Mountain Road, 149 sidewalks,
bike path and grade crossings, Cameron and Lawton Avenue
bikeway connectors will be paved.

2) Washington County, a written report from DPW was given to Aaron
 CR 12, significant progress
 CR 61 over Battenkill was been awarded
 CR 16 over Halfway Brook, had a public information meeting
and work is progressing
 CR 10 over the Poultney and Whitehall (shared project with the
state of Vermont), waiting for Vermont to initiate and take the
lead

3) Saratoga County – no comments, interested in status of Route 9
project
4) NYSDOT, Frank Bonafide
 Rte 29 over Blackbridge in the Town of Salem was let on June
12 for replacement
 Rte 4 in the Village of Hudson Falls should be starting up,
contractor is on site getting ready to begin
 Rte 9 Safety Project (see above), will be let tomorrow
 197 over the Hudson, August 15 letting
 4/149 intersection improvements in Fort Ann, October letting,
are in the ROW phase
 Rte 28N over the Upper Hudson River Railroad in the Town of
Johnsburg , October letting
 Two projects let together will be Rte 4 over the Champlain
Canal in Whitehall and Clinton Street removal over the Canal
(Theatre Bridge)
 Beach Road, the section between the two Warren County pieces
will be let this summer

5) Make the Connection Program awards, Aaron
This is a small set-aside we provide annually for small scale bicycle
and pedestrian related improvements. This year we awarded two
applicants: Town of Warrensburg-sidewalk improvements and

Page 4

Washington County – extend sidewalks from Rte 4 to the Municipal
Center campus in Fort Edward.
There are some leftover funds. A/GFTC was approached by DOT to
consider using some of these funds for the sidewalk portion of the Safe
Routes to School application in Warrensburg, allowing portions of that
project to be put out to bid rather than have them completed by
municipal forces. That discussion is ongoing.

B. Amendments and Modifications – Aaron, the Town of Putnam rail crossing
project has been added to the TIP via an amendment that was previously
processed.

C. 2014-19 Transportation Improvement Program, Frank Bonafide
1) Programming Direction and Targets – Slideshow
Frank outlined NYSDOT”s Forward Four programming strategy and the
implications of that strategy on the Region’s Capital Program Update and the
TIP that is being developed. The potential benefits of moving away from a
worst-first repair and replace approach to bridge and pavement maintenance
strategies were illustrated. Redefined federal funding eligibility, the new
programming approach, and the 30% of certain programs that is setaside for
competitive statewide solicitation and Commissioner’s reserve will leave little
available capital for major rehabilitation or replacement-type projects after
FFY 13-14.

2) Schedule – (Aaron) The TIP is under development. We will
have a draft out for public review in April.

Frank Bonafide (handout) announced the five projects that were advanced by
Region 1 for consideration for the Strategic Transportation Enhancements
Program, including the Route 9 Gateway project in Lake George.
Aaron acknowledged Region 1’s effort to make this project selection process
inclusive and collaborative.

7. Other Items
8. Next meeting and adjourn: The next meeting will be May 15.

A motion to adjourn the meeting was made at 2:55

 
MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE A/GFTC TAC January 16, 2013
Attendees Agency
Members and Participants
Brian Abare Village of South Glens Falls DPW
Stu Baker Town of Queensbury
Ed Bartholomew City of Glens Falls
Frank Bonafide NYSDOT
Mike Breault Washington County DPW
Paul Cummings Chazen Companies
Ron Conover Town of Bolton
Dennis Dickinson Town of Lake George
Ed Doughney Warren County DPW
Preston Jenkins Town of Moreau
Wayne LaMothe Warren County Planning
James Lindsay Town of Kingsbury
Scott Sopczyk GGFT
Steve Sweeney NYS Canal Corp.
Scott Tracy Washington County DPW
Michael Valentine Saratoga County Planning

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 1:35.
2. Visitor Issues – Paul Cummings from Chazen Companies presented the plan that calls for
restoration and revitalization of the Route 9 Lake George Gateway Corridor. The initial
planning document was funded by A/GFTC and the Town wants to get a project listed on
the TIP. The total cost for related improvements (in 2015 $) is over $6 million.
Recently the project was awarded $550,000 from the NYS Environmental Facility
Corporation. This would fund a significant portion of sidewalk work. The Town is
looking at other funding sources. Aaron pointed out that we have about $6 million
worth of total non-preservation capital for the entire region over a four year program
period. Funding is so limited that we did not conduct a program solicitation for new
projects. We are trying to accommodate existing projects. Frank Bonafide stated that
the sponsor of the project needs to be clearly identified, reiterated NYSDOT’s
Preservation First strategy, and requested that if the project were to be included in the
TIP that it should be an illustrative project and include a notation that no funding beyond
that obtained from EFC had been identified. Paul Cummings felt if there was a budgetary
change in the future, we need to not miss an opportunity of getting this project on the
TIP. Ed Bartholomew and Wayne LaMothe both supported the notion that this project
was warranted from a regional perspective and noted its standing as a project that had
planning support. Aaron suggested that we could give it a project listing but assign it
beyond the active years of the TIP.
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Glens Falls, NY 12801 
p:  (518) 223 – 0086  f:   (518) 223 – 0584 
info@agftc.org
   www.agftc.org 

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A motion was made that we add this project to the post-TIP period as long as
it does not impact existing projects.
MOVED BY: Wayne LaMothe SECONDED BY: Michael Valentine MOTION CARRIED

There was a discussion regarding whether a solicitation should go out for illustrative
projects. Dennis Dickinson reiterated that the Town of Lake George is committed to this
project.
3. Administrative Items
A. Approval of 12/19 Minutes A motion was made to approve the minutes.
MOVED BY: Wayne LaMothe SECONDED BY: Michael Valentine MOTION CARRIED

B. Draft Operation Plan – Aaron At the last meeting this was briefly discussed.
Organizationally we lack strong guiding documentation. An Operations Plan would
help to formalize procedures and clarify our relationship with our Host Agency.
Whether we go forward with the Plan depends upon committee input. Does the group
wish to continue with consensus voting for the MPO or do we wish to make a change
to this procedure? There is nothing in Federal statute that says MPOs have to be
consensus. After a lengthy discussion it was decided we would continue with
consensus voting. Given that that is unchanged from existing A/GFTC procedure, the
Operations Plan will be put on hold unless necessitated by other events.
4. UPWP
A. Completed/Ongoing Activities – Aaron
The Accident Analysis for Washington County is nearly done. We received some data
from the Town of Moreau.
Safety Analysis for Crandall and Orville- there was a public hearing at the City of
Glens Falls to consider installing stop signs as a result of the technical analysis we
did at that intersection. Those have since been installed.
Crossing Guard Analysis- GFPD has taken the initiative of moving one of the crossing
guards in advance of any final report we had done. The move was based upon public
feedback and initial data collection results.
The public hearing has been set for the Town of Warrensburg prior to
implementation of the recommended changes to the subdivision and street
standards.
B. 2013-14 Unified Planning Work Program (handout)
1) Summary – Aaron, we need to approve a draft UPWP for public comment.
Aaron reviewed the handout and also pointed out that it was available online with all
of the financial tables. The reduction in carryover from FHWA is a result from a
discrepancy that always exists between staff accounting versus what FHWA has
officially released as savings. Aaron listed the new projects that were included in the
upcoming program.

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2) Approval for Public Comment – A motion was made to approve the draft
UPWP and make it available to the public for a 30 day comment period.
MOVED BY: Wayne LaMothe SECONDED BY: Ed Doughney MOTION CARRIED

5. Transit
A. GGFT Update: Scott Sopczyk – Transit had a record high ridership (343,000).
GGFT is working on an update to its capital program. Still concerned about the
impact of the Rte 4 project on Exit 20 traffic this summer. Trolleys may have to
use I-87 to bypass congestion near the Outlets. An RFP is out for roof
replacement for GGFT offices.
B. 5316/5317 Solicitation, Aaron – Discussed this at last meeting and elected to
allow NYSDOT to conduct the solicitation on our behalf. The solicitation is out
with a deadline in the Contract Reporter, but there is no information on the State
website and local parties have not been informed. There is a February 15th
deadline which does not allow much time for completion of the application.
6. TIP
A. Amendments and Modifications: Aaron – The Putnam Rail Crossing Amendment
and the Rte 9 Safety Project Amendment have both been processed.
B. Make the Connection Program – Aaron – the TAC had consented not to conduct a
subcommittee evaluation of the two projects we had received and approved them
pending DOT review. Frank Bonafide said that we could go ahead and notify the
sponsors of their successful applications.
C. 2014-19 Program Outline, Aaron – Region 1 has gone through the exercise of
identifying what is required to satisfy the preservation target associated with the
upcoming capital program. (Handout) Frank has separated out the State set-
aside needs from the program, identified an amount that is potentially available
for local preservation type projects, and identified an amount that is potentially
available for local non-preservation type projects. Aaron stated that the absolute
numbers aren’t necessarily fixed, but the order of magnitude between programs
is likely close. The Department is not seeking any non-preservation project
candidates. Due to local system eligibility requirements, the Region has made
efforts to shift as much of its program to the National Highway Performance
Program where applicable to free up STP funds for local use.
Frank – We have gone though our program and we’ve pretty much decided what
we need to do to meet the goals that we have been given. The Available
Planning Target for Preservation guide, covering a four year period, on the
handout was explained in detail. After subtracting for State system preservation
needs, the balance for local system preservation projects totals $23.289 million.
Frank also explained the funding for Available Planning Target for Beyond
Preservation.
Aaron noted that he had added the Unresolved Projects to the handout, including
CR113 over the Batten Kill, Middleton Bridge over the Schroon, CR 10 over the
Poultney and Dix Avenue rehab. All except for Dix Avenue were likely to be non-
preservation projects and thus difficult to accommodate within the new program.
Ed Doughney raised the objection from Warren County regarding the
preservation mandate, as Warren County already does preservation work at its

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own expense. He stated that while preservation-first may be an effective strategy
for dealing with State infrastructure, it was not in the best interest of Warren
County to shift so much funding away from substantial capital projects. There
was a discussion on what Warren County spends on bridge preservation. Frank
noted that there will be opportunities to transfer local preservation work to the
federal program and thus free up some local capital for other purposes. Aaron
acknowledged that there will be funds available for municipalities that choose to
advance preservation candidates but noted the unfortunate heavy-handed nature
of the programming instruction; Frank countered that this was the Department’s
attempt to preserve as much infrastructure as possible given the limited capital
resources.
Aaron asked Frank if was any committee action required given the emergence of
some internal NYSDOT programming deadlines that had little relation to the
A/GFTC timetable. Frank said that he would like a program that represents the
TIP/STIP into their database by the end of January. CDTC has a 60 day public
comment period for their TIP, and it is necessary to review the entire R1 program
as a whole. Frank was clear that this is the program being proposed that meets
the guidelines and balances the budgets. Aaron pointed out that the preservation
requirements don’t kick into our TIP until the second year. We have a federal
fiscal year of time to get some of our existing capital commitments in line,
executed and delivered.
6. Other Items
Handout – State Fiscal Year 2013 Listing Projects, Consultants, etc
Frank emphasized the importance of adhering to project delivery schedules.

7. Next meeting and adjourn
The next TAC will be March 20 and the Policy Committee will meet February 20th.
A motion to adjourn the meeting at 3:15 was made.