HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-03-18Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force
Minutes of the Meeting Monday, March 18, 2019
Freeville Village Hall
Attendance: Steve Winans, David Bravo-Cullen, John Kiefer, Arlene Krebs,
Stephanie Goddard, Heather Sheridan-Thomas, David Fogel, Milo Richmond, Bruno
Schickel, Bob Beck, Ewa Wdzieczar-Smering, Russ Nelson, Ryan Maher, Chris and
Diane Tessaglia-Hymes, Alice Green, Susan Ashdown, Rose Borzik, John Lampman,
Will Olson, Brandon James.
Call to order (7:02 p.m.) – Bob Beck
Additions to agenda: Bruno and Bob will do a presentation to Dryden Town
Historical Society on April 25.
Approval of February minutes
County Parks & Trails Grant: $5,000 awarded – Bob
The Task Force was notified Thursday it has received this grant. Bob said he had
intended to ask for 3 kiosks, but realized that much of that material was donated,
and we wouldn’t have invoices for these. So instead he applied for two flashing
lights systems for Mt Pleasant and George Rd. These are Town roads, so this can be
installed without going through state or county process. There was a question
about the Game Farm Rd. crossing, a county road. The new bridge affords a space
for an under the bridge crossing, but this would require new easements and trail-
building to accomplish. Judy asked whether these lights are required everywhere;
are they really needed at Mt Pleasant Rd.? Todd said there’s a sight-line issue. There
are other slower roads where it won’t be necessary. Milo thought the county would
want to be involved with helping with the Game Farm crossing because of the
volume of traffic coming along the trail from campus. Bob said one possibility is
that the county might re-grade the rise on the Varna side. Bruno thought people
wouldn’t use an under the bridge pass way at Game Farm because many would head
straight for their cars parked nearby.
County Tourism Capital Grant: application submitted – Todd
Todd and Bob completed this request for $65,000. When the Rail Trail project got
the county strategic tourism grant last year, the county encouraged going back for
infrastructure improvements. This grant was envisioned as local match for the TAP
Route 13 grant, which has not been announced yet. If this grant isn’t awarded, then
this will be earmarked for trestles in Game Farm area, washout repair near FH Fox
Bridge, and railings on that bridge. Todd said they were told they wouldn’t get full
request. Notifications about this grant are expected in a month or so.
Event planning: Dryden-to-Freeville trail celebration (Saturday, May 11) –
Susan
The celebration is scheduled from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturday May 11. It will happen
at an equipment storage pavilion near Old George Rd. There will be tables along the
trail at ¼ mile intervals offering raffle tickets and train-themed cookies, logo
stickers and ice cream truck at Spring House Rd. At the pavilion there will be music,
food trucks, speeches and activities for kids. Susan said her committee is looking for
lots of volunteers, e.g. for helping with parking arrangements. It will be necessary to
get sheriff’s department help with traffic management. Most people attending will
walk or bike to the site from either Freeville or Dryden village. There will be
parking at each end, but there’s limited parking at Freeville. There was a suggestion
to ask Fire Hall for parking there at this event only. There’s room for significant
numbers of cars at Elm St. in the Village of Dryden. Bruno said he could ask for
parking at Perkins Funeral home. People can find parking on village streets. The
distance to the George Rd event site is about 1 ½ mile Dryden, and 1-¼ miles from
Freeville There will be shuttle if people want to ride home.
George Agency staff are on board. They said the pavilion is not completely
watertight. They will provide cookies, clean up the area. Port-a-potties will be
rented for the site.
Stephanie and Heather from the Freeville community council said they want to help
with children’s activities. Judy will work with the raffle items solicitation.
Ewa will help coordinate making PR contacts. A pre-event story will be sought in
local papers. Major volunteer needs are to head up efforts for:
Parking -Chuck G.
Raffle tickets -Judy
PR -Ewa
Community Connections - Still need a volunteer to contact local groups to see if
they’d like to be part of the event.
Fundraising for the event – Bruno
Whitmore Fence, B&B Flooring and Upscale Remodeling each gave $500. He is glad
to make up a budget to ask for more. More funds may be needed for musicians.
Kiosk graphics update – Diane
Diane emailed latest drafts for kiosk graphics and invited edits. The cost of graphics
for each kiosk will be about $500. She will get quotes from CNY graphics in Dryden,
and one or two more. These three sets of signs took 40+ hours to do. Future ones
won’t take so much time. The most history content is in George Rd. kiosk, Diane
said. Village kiosks have more on current amenities. David offered feedback that he
noticed the station signs were a bit off center, and the names size could be bumped
up. There was discussion about whether to label the George Junior Republic School
district on other than on the George Rd. kiosk.
Order more benches: when? – Bob
There are three more benches left to install; and there are no benches yet at
Freeville and Dryden kiosks. Bruno suggested ordering more in the fall. Turnaround
time was about a month, Bob said, the Task Force could talk about this in August.
There are existing benches in the section between Monkey Run and the Fox Bridge
where the apartment complex already has benches, tables and charcoal grills next to
the trail.
Game Farm trestle renovation plan – Bruno
There was more rot than expected on these trestles. Bruno distributed sketches.
Rot was inside and came from top down. He said this makes sense because the
treatment was on the outside. They only rotted on the downslope bridge ends. He
worked out a way to layer the old posts with pressure treated lumber, and then
remove content on top of bridge, and add a membrane and layer of gravel. He said
the idea is to come up with a 30-50 year solution to stabilizing these bridges. Gary
Bush is donating engineering time to review this plan. He’ll do calculations to rate
this bridge for the weight it can bear.
It looks like the amount budgeted will cover this work. Bruno will need some
volunteers to get this done quickly. He’ll reach out to other professional builders to
do the undercarriage work in one day. He’s already talked with a couple of builders.
Are permits needed? Todd said, no, this is pre-approved under nationwide linear
transportation policy. Bruno has already talked with DEC in Cortland about this.
Milo asked why these bridges have to accommodate emergency vehicles.
Because of historic character of the trestles, Todd asked about how the details will
be finished. Will trail users see any of the retrofitted elements, e.g. bolted on parts,
or edge of the membrane? Bruno said you might see some pressure treated lumber
at flare out; railings will be the most visible new wood. Membrane won’t show,
which will preserve its life. The hope is to receive the engineer’s calculations by next
week.
Chris asked if it’s realistic that this area of Game Farm could be open by the
beginning of fall semester? Bruno said yes. Bob said more kiosks will be needed at
Game Farm, and also at Route 13. But they need to discuss signage options with
Evan Wills about what designs and content the DEC/Game Farm will want to have
installed. These are things to consider for future development.
Bruno reminded that there are back surfaces on the kiosks that could be used
for displays. Bruno said at the transition point from East Hill Recreation Way, we
can afford to be very generous with letting the Game Farm and DEC tell the story
they want to tell. Diane said it would be great if we started working on content for
these next kiosks and we had them done and had to wait for Bruno.
Policy for kiosk-naming donations – Bruno
Bruno reminded Task Force members about his Jan 2017 proposal for different
naming rights opportunities for five trail sections, 14 kiosks, and 30 benches He
proposed rights to name a trail section would cost $50,000; kiosks, $5,000; and
benches are now $800 each. He estimated all these could potentially raise about
$470,000.
Five benches (three installed) have already been “named” at $800 each.
Todd said kiosk-naming rights should cover the costs, without donations, as well as
multipliers. Bruno wondered whether the $5,000 kiosk donation figure should be
raised. Todd suggested that the quality of the kiosks and their informational content
is very strong. $8,000 would be more appropriate for kiosks. When donations are
received for naming items within the scope of the EPF grant, we are multiplying the
benefit because they can match the grant, Todd reminded.
Alice asked if the DRT wanted to send a resolution to the Town Board, as they did
with a naming policy for benches. John volunteered to make a resolution that
addresses a kiosk policy, and suggested some language that mentions board’s
willingness to negotiate additional arrangements for naming rights for sections or a
set of signs.
Project Lead for youth: to continue trail clearing in Etna – Alice
Milo can’t lead this this year; he’ll check to see if any natural resources grad students
could help be crew boss. Alice will stay in touch with Jeff Panek, project lead
coordinator from Cooperative Extension. Bob suggested the teen crew can work in
the Etna section, extending the work of the previous crew in 2017.
Easements Update – Bruno, Bob
Kathy Perkins easement has been signed and submitted to Freeville Village Board.
There will be a public hearing on that easement acceptance on April 2
Bruno has already obtained signed easements for five parcels off Kirk Rd.
WORK Schedule - Bruno
The plan is to get Factory St. to DPW Drive built as soon as Freeville Village
approves the work. He wants to do more work down by the sewer plant, and there’s
another section through the woods, which has been crowned and needs some stone
dust. This all should be done before May 11. Gravel that was installed near George
Rd. kiosk is nice and high and dry now.
Bob and Bruno met with Dryden Village Mayor, Mike Murphy, and DPW chief, Paul
Sabin. Their crew will trim box elders from Main Street to Elm St.
LimeBikes on the Trail- Todd
Because LimeBike is collaborating with the Rail Trail for the opening celebration,
Todd offered a heads up about a new development. The company wants to bring
Lime scooters to City of Ithaca. These go 15 miles/hr. Rail Trail policy bars all
motorized vehicles, except e-bikes, but the new scooters are close to e-bikes.
They’re solar powered. Issues include: injuries, people leaving them on sidewalks
where they obstruct pedestrians. They don’t stand up, so they’re scattered
everywhere. He said there is an article about this in Ithaca Voice today.
Other -
Diane said Jim Schug’s sons agreed that it’s fine to consider the Jim Schug Trail as a
section of the Dryden Rail Trail.
Bob said he now knows that the Updike Cut at George Rd. was filled in (and the road
bridge removed) in 1980 or so, but he still doesn’t know when the sewer line was
put in.
Schedule next meeting – DPW April 15
Adjourn 9:10 pm
Respectfully submitted by Alice Walsh Green