GTC PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
Monroe County Emergency Operations Center
August 22, 2002
PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT
James Brady, Wayne County Highway Department
John Czamanske, Yates County Planning Department
Joan Dupont, NYSDOT Region 4
Steve Hendershott, Monroe County Supervisors Association
Kristen Mark Hughes (Committee Vice-Chairman), Ontario County Planning Department
George Stam, City of Rochester
Larry Stid, City of Rochester
Wayne Zyra, Monroe County Legislator
ALTERNATE REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
Paul Johnson representing Rocco DiGiovanni, Monroe County Planning
Scott Leathersich, representing Terrence J. Rice, Monroe County DOT
Alicia Nolan, representing Jonathan McDade, FHWA
David Zorn, representing Paul Howard, G/FLRPC
OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE
Deborah Elliott, GTC Staff
Angela Ellis, Ontario County Planning Department
Erik Frisch, GTC Staff
Steve Gleason, GTC Staff
Marvin Kleinberg, NYSDOT Region 4
Sharon Lilla, Wayne County
Larissa Masny, Monroe County Legislature
Richard Perrin, GTC Staff
Rob Slaver, NYSDOT Region 4
John Thomas, City of Rochester
Charles Walker, RGRTA
Paul Way, City of Rochester
PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT AND UNREPRESENTED
S. William Baker, US EPA
Philip Brito, FAA
Glenn Cooke, Seneca County
Donald Cooley, Orleans County
Stephen Ferranti, Member-At-Large, Monroe County
Richard Garrabrant, NYS Thruway Authority
Glenn Guarino, Member-At-Large, Monroe County
Timothy Hens, Genesee County
John T. Hicks, NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation
Charles Nesbitt, Jr., Empire State Development
Don Riley, RGRTA
Thomas Skoglund, Wyoming County Planning Department
William Sullivan, City of Rochester
Clara Wallace-Douglas, FTA
David Woods (Committee Chairman), Livingston County Planning Department
(Vacant), Member-At-Large, City of Rochester
1. Call to Order
Kristen Mark Hughes called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m.
Sandy Macaluso gave a brief tour and description of the Monroe County Emergency Operations Center to the Planning Committee members
2. Public Forum
No public comment was offered.
3. Approval of Minutes
Wayne Zyra made a motion for approval of the minutes from the July 18, 2002 Planning Committee meeting. Larry Stid seconded the motion. The motion passed unopposed.
4. Reports and Action on Old Business
a. Reports on UPWP Projects and Other Activities
Steve Gleason reported on GTC Staff and Committee activities:
The UPWP Heads Up letter will be mailed out on September 6th
A flyer will be mailed out regarding the Walkable Communities Workshop to be held on September 17th
The Transportation Safety Information Analysis scope of work was approved at the July Planning Committee meeting, but no action has been taken yet
The Transportation and Industrial Access scope of work was approved at the July Planning Committee meeting and GTC is working with G/FLRPC to finalize the data items for the inventory. Kristen Mark Hughes and David Woods made suggestions to improve the scope at the July Planning Committee meeting which were incorporated into the final version
GTC is progressing on the Regional Rights-Of-Way Preservation Study
Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Study scope was approved and the RFP has been posted in the NYS Contract Reporter
The number of projects in the Priority Trails Advancement has been reduced by the Regional Trails Initiative Steering Committee from 20 to 7. The Steering Committee will meet on September 16 to narrow this number to the 1-3 projects that can be funded for further study in the Priority Trails Advancement UPWP project funding
b. Participating Agency Reports on UPWP Projects and Other Activities
Monroe County
Scott Leathersich reported:
The GIS Database Integration for Monroe County DOT project is still awaiting final setup of software
Sear Brown has been selected as the consultant for the Multi-lane Conversion Study. Monroe County DOT Staff is inventorying 4/5 lane roadways. The consultant stage will begin in late September or October.
Paul Johnson reported:
The Monroe County Land Use Monitoring Report for 2001 has been completed; work on the 2002 report will begin in December
Ontario County
Angela Ellis reported:
Work is still progressing on the Route 332 Corridor Management Study
The scope of work for the Route 5 & 20 Corridor Study Scope of Work will be presented in October
A report on the Ontario CATS Bus System Plan will be ready for the October or November meeting
Wyoming County
Steve Gleason reported:
There were 20 requests for the Transportation & Scenic / Historic Resources in Wyoming County RFP. They are due back on September 6th
Yates County
John Czamanske reported:
The consultants (Lu Engineering and Allee King Rosen & Fleming) are gathering data for the Route 14A Corridor Study
City of Rochester
George Stam reported:
Street Condition Rating Update Study will be sent to City Council in September. They are negotiating the scope of work and the fee for additional work
The downtown phase of the High Volume Bus Stop Pavement Management Study is complete and covers a large section of the Main Street area. The City will install pilots of a new product overlay on Main Street at bus stops as part of routine milling and resurfacing. The Study is now entering Phase 2
G/FLRPC
David Zorn reported:
The Rural County Land Use Monitoring Report for 2001 has been completed
A Regional Roundtable for the Main Street Transportation Tools has been scheduled for September 5th
The scope for the Technical Assistance portion of UPWP 5800 will be available for the next Planning Committee meeting
Data collection for the Regional Atlas are complete and maps are beginning to be developed with a final list of items to be included
RGRTA
Chip Walker reported:
The Gates-Chili Transit Study is still awaiting additional funding
An RFP is being prepared for the Area Wide Job Access and Reverse Commute Plan
The ridership surveys for the Wayne and Wyoming County Strategic Plan for Public Transportation are complete. Two public forums have been held in Wayne County and the final report should be completed in December of this year. Two public forums will be held in Wyoming County on September 18th and 19th and the final report should be complete in January 2003
There has been no change in status on the Security and Safety Plan for Public Transportation
The Route Analysis Information System project has begun with initial data entry underway
There has been no change in status on the Alternative Fuels Technology Study
In other news, a traffic light has been installed at the entrance to the RGRTA offices and bus garage on Main Street, and RGRTA has ordered 20 new buses (14 city/6 suburban) that will be delivered in December
b. Any Other Old Business or Announcements
Steve reported that with the Governors Traffic Safety Grant, a pedestrian workshop will be held at the Crown Plaza Hotel on State Street in Rochester on September 17th with an afternoon and evening session.
5. Planning Committee Action items
a. Planning Committee concurrence with 2003-2008 Transportation Improvement Program update process
Steve Gleason distributed the 2003-2008 TIP Draft Development Schedule, and reviewed the proposed TIP development process. He noted that the TIP Development Committee approved the process at its August 8 meeting.
Steve Hendershott motioned to approve the 2003-2008 Transportation Improvement Program Draft Development Process and Schedule. James Brady seconded. The motion passed unopposed.
b. Recommendation to GTC Board concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by increasing the Right-of-Way Acquisition cost and advancing a portion of the Construction phase of the Route 104 Rochester project/Proposed Council Resolution 02-22
George Stam introduced Paul Way and asked him to explain the project and answer any questions. Paul provided an overview of the status of the project and explained the request for increasing and advancing the funds for the City to pay for demolition of existing structures in the project area.
Kristen Mark Hughes asked about impacts on historic structures and relocation/renewal of structures in the project area for low-income housing purposes.
George Stam motioned to recommend approval of Proposed Council Resolution 02-22. Joan Dupont seconded. The motion passed unopposed.
Steve suggested that the Planning Committee approve the RGRTA and NYSDOT TIP Amendments in separate blocks for each agency rather than voting on each resolution individually.
Kristen asked the committee and it was agreed to vote on the RGRTA TIP Amendments in a single block.
c. Recommendation to GTC Board concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by increasing the funding to the Rochester Central Station project/Proposed Council Resolution 02-23
Chip Walker from RGRTA reviewed Proposed Council Resolution 02-23 for the committee.
Paul Johnson brought the Committees attention to the inclusion of 000 in the TIP tables when they are already presented in thousands of dollars and that they should be corrected to reflect the true amount.
d. Recommendation to GTC Board concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by adding the RGRTA Emergency Response Exercises and Drills project/Proposed Council Resolution 02-24
Chip reviewed Proposed Council Resolution 02-24 for the committee.
e. Recommendation to GTC Board concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by reducing the cost of the Lift Line Bus Replacement project and by adding the RTS Fleet Expansion project/Proposed Council Resolution 02-25
Chip reviewed Proposed Council Resolution 02-25 for the committee.
f. Recommendation to GTC Board concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by adding the RGRTA Facility Improvements project/Proposed Council Resolution 02-26
Chip reviewed Proposed Council Resolution 02-26 for the committee.
Steve Hendershott motioned to recommend approval of TIP Amendment Requests / Proposed Council Resolutions 02-23, 02-24, 02-25, and 02-26. Wayne Zyra seconded. The motion passed unopposed.
g. Planning Committee Action concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by increasing the Total Cost, Federal Share, State Share and Local Share of the RTS Bus Replacement project and by increasing the Total Cost, Federal Share, State Share and Local Share of the Lift Line Van Replacement project/Proposed Planning Committee Resolution 02-2
Steve Gleason explained that this was a Planning Committee action to be voted on for approval, noting the difference between a Planning Committee action and a Board action.
Joan Dupont motioned to approve the Proposed Planning Committee Resolution 02-2. Scott Leathersich seconded. The motion passed unopposed.
Kristen Mark Hughes proposed to the Committee that the NYSDOT TIP Amendments be voted on in a block like the RGRTA Amendments. The Committee concurred.
h. Recommendation to GTC Board concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by reducing the Construction & Inspection cost of the Route 31F at Baird Road Intersection project/Proposed Council Resolution 02-27
Rob Slaver explained Proposed Council Resolution 02-27 to the committee.
i. Recommendation to GTC Board concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by reducing the Right-of-Way Acquisition cost of the Route 252 (Jefferson Road) Stage 1 project/Proposed Council Resolution 02-28
Rob explained Proposed Council Resolution 02-28 to the committee
Sharon Lilla asked if the amount reduced would be put back into the TIP fund and Rob responded that these funds would be used to offset cost increases elsewhere in the TIP, citing the Route 104 Amendment (Resolution 02-22) as an example, since the TIP is a constrained document.
j. Recommendation to GTC Board concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by reducing the Construction & Inspection and Right-of-Way Acquisition costs of the Mount Read Boulevard and English Road Intersection project/Proposed Council Resolution 02-29
Rob explained Proposed Council Resolution 02-29 to the committee.
Larry Stid motioned to recommend approval of Proposed Council Resolutions 02-27, 02-28, and 02-29. Joan Dupont seconded. The motion passed unopposed.
k. Planning Committee Action concerning Amending the 2001-2006 TIP by adjusting the schedule or fund source of various projects/Proposed Planning Committee Resolution 02-3
Steve Hendershott asked if the change in the Buffalo Road Sidewalk TIP Amendment would impact the project as planned. Joan Dupont responded that there would be no impact other than the project would likely happen sooner, and because it will be combined with the Union Street project, Chili will no longer have to administer it.
Steve Hendershott motioned to approve the Proposed Planning Committee Resolution 02-3. Scott Leathersich seconded. The motion passed unopposed.
6. Planning Committee Information Items
a. Overview of process and schedule for upcoming Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Update
Steve Gleason gave an overview of the LRTP. The last update was in 1999 with the next update required no later than December 2004. Steve discussed the conceptual approach and the schedule that would be needed to complete the LRTP by Fall 2004.
Scott Leathersich inquired about the inclusion of highway functional class review. Joan stated that now would be a good time to do it based on the availability of 2000 census data.
Marvin Kleinberg asked if this LRTP would be a new plan or an update of the 2000-2020 LRTP. Steve responded that this will be a new plan and that GTC is beginning work now with a full staff to meet the December 2004 deadline, as opposed to the tight timeline and the reduced GTC staff had available to complete the 2000-2020 LRTP.
Michael J. Fazioli, an Innovative Finance Specialist from the Federal Highway Administration, gave a brief overview of innovative financing including GARVEEs and other methods. Mr. Fazioli discussed uses of innovative finance techniques in other states, using Ohio as an example. Mr. Fazioli provided his contact information and brochures of the FHWA report on innovative financing
Steve inquired about the status of GARVEEs at the Buffalo MPO (GBNRTC) and Mr. Fazioli responded that GBNRTC and NYSDOT have had initial discussions with FHWA and are looking further into using GARVEEs
Kristen Mark Hughes inquired about the risk associated with using some of the new financing techniques including loans against future grants. Mr. Fazioli responded that the market would dictate the amount of risk and, subsequently, the interest rate associated with the loans.
Kristen asked if Mr. Fazioli would be able to come back and give a more in-depth presentation to the Committee. Mr. Fazioli responded that if the Region was interested, he would be willing to give a detailed 2-hour presentation in the future.
7. New Business
a. Steve asked the Planning Committee if they would prefer an additional meeting in September to approve priorities for the upcoming UPWP Call for Projects and Priority Trails Advancement decisions, or address these decisions via mail ballot. The Committee responded that they would prefer a mail ballot
8. Next Meeting
The next Planning Committee meeting will be held on October 17, 2002 at the Ontario County Public Safety Building in Hopewell at 10:00 a.m.
9. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m.