HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-06-20
Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force Meeting Minutes
Monday, June 20, 2022 at Dryden Town Highway & DPW Office
Attendance: Bob Beck, Chair, Chris and Diane Tessaglia Hymes, Todd Bittner, Susan
Ashdown, Alice Green, Rose Borzik arrived near the end.
Call to order at 7:05 pm – Bob Beck
Additions to agenda:
Susan wondered if it might be time to reach out for an article about the Dryden Rail Trail in a
national magazine. It was suggested to wait till the bridge is completed.
Route 13 Bridge discussion. Public notice has been made in the paper of record that the Town
will receive the Knickerbocker property. The Final Design Report is being approved by DOT.
The DOT acquisition just began in spring 2022 and officials said this can take a full year.
Construction could begin in summer 2023 and if steps can be done quickly enough it could be
completed by late Fall 2023, but there may be supply chain issues so it might take longer.
Pocket Park in Freeville is complete. It’s full of great info and railroad history and lights.
Wetland behind the Senior Citizens’ home. Bob reported on a plan to name this for Bard and
Gina Prentiss. Bard was very involved with the Schug Trail section.
Approval of May minutes unanimous
Dryden Dairy Day report – Bob
Bob thanked Alice, Tony, Janice and Rose for their help. There were lots of supporters and
no opponents visiting the Rail Trail tent June 11. Rail Trail merchandise sales totaled $54 at
Dairy Day and $82 at Streets Alive the previous month.
Game Farm Road crossing update – Bob
Bob reported that Dan worked with B&L on the crossing plan, and now is working with NYS
DOT. Assemblywoman Anna Kelles will join him in a Zoom meeting with DOT reps to present
his request for a temporary area speed limit of 35 miles. He has learned that DOT is already in
the process of approving a 45 MPH speed limit. This will allow better safety at the crossing and
possibly less expensive crossing devices.
The B&L plan is being revised, there’s a meeting this week with the two Towns and the
County. The B&L study will be finalized and sent to the county. Hopefully with the 45 MPH
speed limit the County will accept the plan.
There was renewed discussion about planning for an opening ceremony. When the time
frame for the plan approval is known, it will be possible to plan for installing the signage and
planning an opening of the section through from Game Farm. In earlier brainstorming about an
opening, the idea was to engage local bike and running groups to stage an event utilizing both
East Hill Recreation and the Dryden Rail Trail right out to Route 13.
Todd suggested that Cornell’s B lot could be used for parking. Participants could go two
blocks on sidewalk, then to Judd Falls Rd and cross 366 to join the East Ithaca Rec Way at the
trail’s Pine Tree Rd. pedestrian bridge. With a wink, members said that those not attending the
meeting were designated as the opening planning committee.
Parking along Game Farm Rd. Cars are still parking illegally to access the trail. Todd
approached Rick Young, Jeff Smith and others about a proposal to install quarry blocks to make
it much more difficult to park illegally there. (This worked successfully to deter illegal parking
for Flat Rock along Forest Home Drive.) He said this could be a good solution for Game Farm
Rd.
Renewed requests to Highway/DPW – Todd, Bob
There are advance warning signs in place at Mt. Pleasant and Stevenson Rd., but no other
necessary signage. The Task Force has requested flashing lights at Mt. Pleasant and signs at
Stevenson Rd. Rick ordered an additional set of flashing signs anticipating it would be installed
at Game Farm. It’s still not clear whether it can be used or something else will be required.
Rick Young reported at a Town Board meeting that the pedestrian operated light on Springhouse
Rd has been damaged. Todd pointed out that the other could still be moved to a crossing where
it’s more needed.
Trestles within the Game Farm section need more barriers along the steep bank, but they
have not been installed. Quarry blocks are another alternative. Kyra Stephanoff has already
donated toward a memorial bench for her husband, but installation is delayed till the barriers are
installed. There was a question about why the DPW did not install pedestrian crossing signs right
at the crossings when they put up the advance signs. Bob will meet with Rick Young.
Grant planning update – Todd, Bob
Bob and Todd met with Amanda Anderson on June 3 regarding reimbursement from the
NYS Parks grant. There was still DPW machine time to be entered. That could be used for our
match, and this will help to figure out the tally. The Task Force still needs receipts for donated
materials arranged by Bruno Schickel. Bob said he got some additional info from Bruno, but
Bruno made clear that it would be a lot of work to dig into his files for some still missing
receipts. Bob went directly to RMS gravel and found that RMS had donated all the gravel used
and the costs of delivery. They will write up something official.
Bob talked with Kathleen McIsaac on June 15. She’s planning to move in a month and later
leave her NYS Parks position. She’d like to get the contract signed and to get reimbursement
requests started before she leaves, but Albany still hasn’t approved our trail right-of-way
easements including the last agreement with DEC for the Game Farm.
F.H. Fox Bridge memorial update – Bob, Diane
Bob talked with Henry Fox, who wants to meet with his siblings (three sisters) at the Bridge
soon (with Bob, Diane and possibly Todd). Henry is director at the Syracuse Zoo. The requested
amount is $50,000 for the naming opportunity. Todd said the costs of the signage should be
about $5000, and the remaining $45,000 will go toward building other aspects of the trail.
There’s signage to be designed for both motorist passersby and trail users. Jerry Bertoldo is still
trying to get Vet School alums to donate for some other additional signage.
Plan for photos, maps & text for future kiosks – Bob, Diane, Todd
The next kiosk installations will be at Stevenson Rd. for the Game Farm Section and Monkey
Run Rd. Content is needed. This could include historical railroad photos, educational material
from DEC, pictures of the old trestles before renovation, info on Cascadilla Creek and Fall
Creek. Susan said she can get info from the College of Human Ecology on the education
programs that used to travel on the railroad. A new trail map will be generated. It could show the
completed Route 13 bridge with a sticky note showing the expected opening date.
July Meeting scheduled for 7 pm July 18. Caldwell Conference Room in Town Hall. In person.
Task Force members are legally allowed to join by Zoom.
Adjournment at 8:36 pm
Respectfully submitted by Alice Walsh Green