Publication Type: public comment

draft feasibility report for the Old Fort Edward Junction Locks trail concept

Draft White Creek Pedestrian and Parking Study 070523

DRAFT Feasibility Report

White Creek Pedestrian and
Parking Study

Prepared for:

Adirondack |Glens Falls Transportation Council

11 South Street, Suite 203
Glens Falls, New York 12801

And

Town of White Creek

28 Mountain View Drive
Cambridge NY 12816

Revision 1
July 2023

Prepared by
Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C.
10 Airline Drive, Suite 200
Albany, New York 12205

1.0
INTRODUCTION
The Town of White Creek has identified several pedestrian improvements and parking needs to be
addressed near the Cambridge Community Forest (CCF) and Town Hall area including Rockside Drive and
Mountain View Drive. The need for this study has developed from the expansion and increased
popularity of the CCF. Currently the CCF leases a small parking lot area near Rockside Drive and Old
Route 313 intersection that is approximately 1,000 ft. away from the CCF entrance. Users of the CCF will
frequently park along Rockside Drive to be closer to the entrance or because they are unaware of the
leased parking lot. Rockside Drive is a narrow two-way local residential roadway that does not include
provisions for on-street parking. Parked cars will often block the traveled way of the roadway or
encroach on the resident’s lawns. This study also includes parking improvements to the nearby Town
Hall with the intent to provide additional parking capacity for both the CCF and the nearby Cambridge
Central School, and to improve pedestrian mobility from the Town Hall to the Nearby State Route 22.
Additionally, the Town intends to install Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations at or around the Town
Hall. EV charging stations for public or commercial use are categorized as Level 2 or Direct Current Fast
Charging (DCFC or Level 3) equipment. Level 2 stations will charge a Batter Electric Vehicle (BEV) in 4 –
10 hours and a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) in 1 – 2 hours. The Level 3 equipment will charge
the BEV in an hour and is not compatible with most PHEV’s. For the purposes of this study, level 2 EV
charging stations are assumed to be the most compatible with the needs of the Town of White Creek.

The study will examine the existing conditions of the project area including the Town Hall parking lot,
the CCF parking area, Rockside Drive, and Mountain View Drive. This report will assess potential
mitigation options to address the parking concerns as well as provide conceptual designs of the revised
parking plan at the Town Hall.

2.0
INVENTORY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS
A site visit was conducted on April 10, 2023 to inventory the existing project area conditions. The
inventory included signing, striping, roadway widths, existing structures, and any noteworthy features or
conditions. The existing conditions of the roadways are described below as well as displayed on the
existing conditions map in Appendix A. The existing roadways included as part of this study, Rockside
Drive, Brookside Drive, and Mountain View Drive, are all owned and maintained by the Village of
Cambridge.

2.1.
Cambridge Community Forest Parking Assessment
The trailhead and entrance to the CCF is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of
Rockside Drive and Brookside Drive. Currently, parking is not accommodated within the vicinity
of the trailhead to the CCF. The flat berm at the trailhead entrance to the CCF that connects
Rockside & Brookside Drive to the bridge over the White Creek is approximately 24 feet wide,
which is not wide enough to support parking in any configuration at this location. Additionally,
the available pavement width of both Rockside and Brookside Drive ranges from 19-20 feet,
which is the minimum recommended by the NYSDOT Highway Design Manual for two-way travel
on local residential roadways.

Figure 2-1: Rockside Drive looking West (left) and trailhead to the CCF (right).

A small area for parking has been leased by the CCF located approximately 1,000 feet west of
the trailhead on Rockside Drive. The parking lot is a grass and gravel surfaced area delineated
by wooden logs and signage directing CCF users to park in this area. The area measures
approximately 55 feet in length by 40 feet in width. The parking area can accommodate
approximately 6-8 cars in it’s current configuration. However, without clear parking delineation,
the lot is percieved to hold less vehicles as users tend to park their vehicles further apart when
parking stall delineation is not provided.

Figure 2-2: CCF Parking area on Rockside Drive

2.2.
Town Hall Parking Lot
The existing parking facility surrounding the White Creek Town Hall consists of a gravel
surface with two separate parking areas, one directly in front of the entrance to the
town hall and a larger area to the side of the Town Hall building. The front area
measures approximately 72’ x 33’ and the larger parking area on the east side measures
65’ x 125’. There are two reserved parking spaces in front of the Town Hall for ADA
accessible parking.

2.3.
Pedestrian Mobility between Town Hall and State Route 22
No dedicated pedestrian facilities are present along Mountain View Drive between the
Town Hall and State Route 22. There are sidewalks along State Route 22, and a marked
crosswalk to cross State Route 22 to the Cambridge School Campus.

3.0
CONCEPT ALTERNATIVES

3.1.
Standards
The proposed design layouts and recommendations are based on the following
standards:
NYSDOT Highway Design Manual (HDM),
AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets 7th ed., 2018,
FHWA Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 2009,
NYS Supplement to the MUTCD,
Empire State Trail Design Guide, October 2017

3.2.
Cambridge Community Forest Parking Opportunities
Since parking within the immediate trailhead area and on-street parking on Rockside or
Brookside Drive is not feasible within the existing right-of-way (ROW) and roadway footprint,
additional auxiliary parking lot improvements should be considered to provide more parking
opportunities for users of the CCF. One option for additional parking is within the former
roadway footprint and ROW of Old Route 313, which connects Rockside Drive to State Route 22.
The roadway is currently barricaded off on the northern side near Rockside Drive and appears to
be most recently used as a driveway to access adjacent properties along State Route 22, which
have since been abandoned. The ROW of the former roadway is assumed to be owned by the
Town or Village of Cambridge. A Highway Work Permit (HWP) from NYSDOT will be required for
any work that overlaps onto State Route 22 or State Route 313 (Gilbert Street). The available
ROW width of the former roadway is approximately 40 feet, which is enough space for one way
travel operation and 45° parking stalls. If installed, traffic operation should be from Rockside
Drive to State Route 22 and should contain 8-10 parking stalls. The recommended travel lane
width is 14 feet, and the parking stalls should be 20 feet measured perpendicular to the edge of
the travel lane to the edge of the parking surface. An asphalt pavement surface is desirable for
the roadway and parking stalls to provide a durable surface and reduce the future maintenance
of the roadway and parking area. Additionally, pavement markings should be installed on the
asphalt to delineate the angled parking stalls. Wayfinding signage should also be installed to
notify users that this area can be used for CCF parking and to direct them to the trailhead. EV
charging stations should also be installed near the new parking stalls and connected to the
existing utility pole for power supply.

To reduce parking along the roadways around the CCF, parking restriction signs along the
roadways can be installed to limit parking for residents only. It appears that some residents may
have already installed similar signs on their own on adjacent trees. All signs installed on public
roadways should conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which
states that “the legend on parking signs shall state applicable regulations. Parking signs shall
comply with the standards of shape, color and location.” Therefore, the Town or Village may
pass a local ordinance to restrict parking along these roadways for residents only and install

signs indicating that this restriction is in place. Signs shall follow the requirements of the
MUTCD and should include a green outline and text that reads “Resident Parking Only” or a sign
with a red outline and text that reads “No Parking Expect for Residents”. The locally placed
signs on trees should be removed to not cause conflicts with the MUTCD compliant municipally
owned signage.

Figure 3-1: Modified parking signs R7-5 (left) and R7-1 (right)

3.3.
Town Hall Parking Opportunities
Improvements to the existing Town Hall parking area should consist of formalizing the parking
by adding asphalt pavement and delineating spaces with pavement markings. Drivers will
typically park their vehicles further apart from others when no pavement markings are present;
therefore, reducing the number of available parking spaces. If paved within the existing
footprint of the gravel parking area, the new asphalt parking lot will accommodate 30 vehicles.
The two existing handicap parking spaces should remain in front of the Town Hall and an EV
charging station could be added to the east side of the building. Additionally, there is a large
grass field to the North of the Town Hall building that could be converted to parking in the
future, if the need for more than 30 parking spaces arises. See Appendix B for conceptual plans.

3.4.
Pedestrian Mobility Improvements between Town Hall and State Route 22
Until recently, the Town Hall parking area has been used as an informal drop-off location for the
nearby Cambridge Central School. Parents would drop their children off at the Town Hall and
the Children would then walk along Mountain View Drive and cross State Route 22 at the
crosswalk with the assistance of a crossing guard. However, the drop off situation recently
ended, and the school is no longer providing a crossing guard at this location. The option to
install sidewalks along Mountain View Drive to provide pedestrians with a dedicated walking
area still exists. The parcel of land in the northeast corner of the intersection of Mountain View
Drive and State Route 22 is owned by the Town and a sidewalk could be installed directly from
the crossing of State Route 22 to the Town Hall. Additionally, new ADA compliant sidewalk
ramps should be installed at the State Route 22 crossing as the current crossing is not ADA
compliant. This sidewalk connection along with an extension along State Route 22 in front of the
Car Dealership would provide the continuous pedestrian facility between the Town Hall,
pedestrian path or parking area along the abandoned road ROW, Rockside Drive, and the CCF.

3.5.
Environmental / Permitting Requirements
Preliminary investigations into Environmental and Cultural Resources and potential impacts and
recommendations are included in the following discussion, along with the anticipated
permitting needs. Additional detailed environmental investigations will be required during the
Engineering phase, depending on the type of funding that is secured.

3.5.1.
Surface Waters
Review of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)
Environmental Resource Mapper (ERM) indicated that White Creek is a mapped NYSDEC
Class C Stream with C Standards, is identified as resource PWL:1102-0026, and is a
tributary of the Upper Hudson River. The ERM also indicated that the creek is listed as a
303(d) stream. No work is proposed to this stream. There are no mapped NYS wetlands
located within or adjacent to the project area.
The National Wetland Inventory (NWI) mapping was reviewed to determine whether
any wetland polygons are depicted within the project limits. There are no mapped NWI
wetlands within or adjacent to the project area.

3.5.2.
Flood Zone
The 100 year flood zone of White Creek encroaches into the project area along
Brookside Drive and a portion of Mountain View Drive. However, no proposed
excavation work is located within the floodzone of the White Creek. See Appendix C for
the Flood map.
3.5.3.
Historical Resources
A review of the New York State’s Office of Historic Preservation’s (SHPO) Cultural
Resource Information System (CRIS) was completed. The review indicated that the
corridor is not located within an historical district, and there are no recorded National
Register (NR) Listed, Eligible buildings, or structures within or substantially contiguous to
the proposed improvements. Coordination with SHPO should be progressed once the
SEQR process begins and a Lead Agency for the project has been established or
coordination with a permitting agency requiring SHPO coordination such as NYSDEC or
USACE has begun.
3.5.4.
SEQRA/NEPA Review
If federal funding is obtained for the project, a review under the National Environmental
Policy Act is required. The project will likely be categorized as a Categorical Exclusion. If
state funding, federal funding administered by a state agency, local funding, or a permit
is required from a state agency, then a review under the State Environmental Quality
Review Act is required. The project will likely be categorized as an Unlisted Action and
the Town of White Creek will be able to issue a Negative Declaration as the Lead
Agency.

3.5.5.
State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES)
If the excavation area of the proposed project disturbs more than one acre of land, then
a SPDES permit (GP-0-20-001) and the development of a Stormwater Pollution
Prevention Plan will be required. The proposed parking lots/areas at Town Hall and on
Old Route 313 total approximately 0.4 acres; therefore, will not require a SPDES permit
at this time.
3.5.6.
Anticipated Permits
-NYSDOT Highway Work Permit for work within the State Route 22 and Route 313
right-of-way.

4.0
COST ESTIMATES
Preliminary cost estimates were prepared for the four project elements and also combined to show the
total project costs, if pursued as one project. The cost estimates were prepared with the assumption
that the project would receive funding through a federal or state grant and constructed through the
traditional design-bid-build process. Federal or state grant programs typically provide funding to cover
50% to 80% of the total project costs and require engineering and construction inspection services. The
cost estimate table also includes the potential costs that would be the responsibility of the Town
at the typical 20%, 25%, and 50% match requirements. The total costs for the project elements include:
Old Route 313 Parking Conversion: $110,000
Town Hall Parking Improvements: $188,000
Pedestrian Improvements betweeen Town Hall and Route 22: $58,000
Signs on Rockside and Brookside Drive: $7,000
Total Project Costs: $363,000

 

5.0
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
There are several potential funding opportunities that are available for pedestrian, parking, and
recreational improvement projects. The Town should be aware that all the funding sources are
reimbursement programs that will require the Town to expend the initial project costs and then receive
reimbursements from the funding source. Most of the programs also require the local municipality to
provide a portion of the total grant amount, which varies by program.

A/GFTC Make the Connection Program is available to assist municipalities with funding to improve the
region’s non-motorized travel network. Project types that are considered in the program include new
sidewalk and trail connections, pedestrian safety improvements, and pavement marking improvements.

Make the Connection funding is available through the FHWA and administered by the A/GFTC.
20% Local Match
Design Only Projects have a minimum of $25,000
Design & Construction or Construction Only Projects have a minimum of $75,000
Federal Aid Procedures Apply
EV charging stations are not eligible for funding through this program

NYSOPRHP Recreational Trails Program (RTP) provides funding for the development and maintenance
of recreational trails or trail-related facilities. RTP funding is available through the FHWA and
administered by the NYSOPRHP. RTP can be applied for through the NYS CFA that is due at 4:00pm on
July 28, 2023.
20% Local Match
Federal Aid Procedures Apply
Design & Construction: Minimum = $25,000; Maximum = $250,000
$1.9 Million available during the 2023 CFA application period
EV charging stations are not eligible for funding through this program

NYSOPRHP Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) provides funding for the development and planning of
parks and recreational facilities open to the public to preserve these lands for recreation, or
conservation purposes. EPF projects can be applied for through the NYS CFA that is due at 4:00pm on
July 28, 2023.
Grant will fund up to 50% of total project cost
Design & Construction: Minimum = $25,000; Maximum = $500,000
$26.0 Million available during the 2023 CFA application period
EV charging stations are not eligible for funding through this program

Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), Catalyst Program is designed to stimulate economic
growth and inspire partnerships that improve rural economic vitality across the NBRC region that
includes public infrastructure and outdoor recreation projects. The 2023 application process has already
passed so the spring 2024 program should be targeted.
100% Federal Funds (0% Local Match)
Federal Aid Procedures Apply
$45 Million was available during the 2023 application period
EV charging stations are eligible for funding through this program

NYSDEC Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Grant Program is available to municipalities for
the installation of Level 2 or DCFC electric vehicle supply equipment that are for public use. The 2023
program has not been announced at this time.
Up to 80% State Funds
There is no project minimum cost; Maximum = $250,000
Funding may be combined with the Utility Make Ready Program

Electric Vehicle Make-Ready Program is available in White Creek through National Grid to provide
municipalities with funding assistance for the construction of the infrastructure necessary (transformers,
meters, electrical panel, trenching, conduit, etc.) to support the Level 2 or DCFC charging stations for
public use. The charging stations can be municipal pay to park or free parking locations. Currently the
program can be applied for at any time.
Up to 90% of costs are covered
There is no project minimum or maximum costs
Funding may be combined with the NYSDEC Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure
Grant Program

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