HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-07-20Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force
Minutes of the July 20, 2020 Meeting Via Zoom
Attendance: John Kiefer, Alice Green, Susan Ashdown, Steve Winans, Bruno Schickel, Dan Lamb,
Bob Beck, Chris and Diane Tessaglia-Hymes, Todd Bittner, Loren Sparling, Karl Kolesnikoff
Call to order at 7:06 pm – Bob Beck, Alice Green
There were no additions to the agenda.
June minutes were approved.
Coming breakthrough on DEC Game Farm trail agreement – Dan, Bob
As announced earlier on the list serve, Dan explained that he has secured a verbal agreement with DEC
officials to replace the 3-year stewardship agreement for the Rail Trail right of way at the Reynolds
Game Farm, with a 20-50 year Concurrent Use and Occupancy Permit. He said he was grateful to the
Task Force for giving him till the end of June to re -contact DEC officials to negotiate a new agreement,
after NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYS OPRHP) found the short-term stewardship
agreement insufficient. The new, long term agreement is not yet in writing, but Dan said the DEC’s Jim
Farquhar assured him that it would be forthcoming in a matter of weeks.
Todd asked if NYS OPRHP had been contacted to determine if the Concurrent Use and Occupancy
Permit would be sufficient. Bob said he would contact our local State Parks Representative, Kathleen
McIsaac to make sure.
Game Farm Road crossing update – Alice, Bob, John L
Town Supervisors from Dryden and Ithaca have met with county officials about a 3-way memorandum
of understanding that will spell out responsibilities for creating and maintaining an at-grade crossing at
Game Farm Rd. Town of Ithaca Supervisor Rod Howe encouraged starting work on the plan for the
crossing while the MOU is still a work in process. John Lampman, who retired as a county highway
department engineer, has offered to do the plan pro bono.
Todd noted that he’s seen evidence that the DOT is conducting a traffic study on Game Farm Rd. Alice
confirmed that both Towns and the County officially requested a reduction in speed on Game Farm road,
and the study results will inform what kinds of crossing amenities (flashing lights, signage etc.) are
needed at the intersection. There is currently no funding approved for crossing needs. Bruno commented
that if there the project is strapped, the solar powered units at Springhouse Rd. could be transferred to
Game Farm, since the need is less at Springhouse.
Route 13 bridge project update; report on kickoff meeting with engineers and DOT – Bob, Todd, John
K, Bruno, Dan, Alice, John L, Ray
The Route 13 Bridge subcommittee met with project engineers Erdman Anthony (EA) just this
afternoon. Bob reported that the session went really well. Dan noted that several Department of
Transportation officials were present, and it appeared they are eager to support the project. Paul Presutti,
EA Project Manager, said the surveys at the site are nearly complete. The next step will be EA’s work to
provide design alternatives and cost estimates for the crossing. They will also look at maximizing the
leverage of grant matches for the project, which has multiple funding streams. Todd noted that he was
happy to hear that DOT might be willing to allow the bridge to move slightly out of the grandfathered
right of way from the original railroad crossing if that “”break in access” were the only obstacle in the
way of making an economical bridge. There is also a possibility that utility relocation for the bridge may
not be as expensive as originally estimated. Subcommittee members were also happy to have EA
confirm that they will handle the complicated paperwork for grant reporting. There will be a public
hearing to present design alternatives when they are ready, possibly in early fall.
Bruno said he believes the Task Force should recruit a volunteer to assist with paperwork for the State
Parks EPF grant, which has utilized much more DPW and volunteer assistance than the bridge project
will. Alice and Bob said there are records of Town expenditures on the project in both the DPW and
Bookkeeping Departments at Town Hall. It’s not always easy for volunteers to get access to these
spending records in a timely way. John Kiefer has already prepared a spreadsheet template that enables
project data to be entered in the required format. Alice volunteered to work with Town departments to
gather information for claims. But she reminded that claiming can’t start until the State Parks contract is
finally signed, which in turn depends on the approval of a DEC Game Farm agreement, the last right of
way needed for that grant.
Signs and graphics update – Diane, Susan, Bob
Susan reported that the COVID 19 signs that were laminated and installed in the spring have begun to
fade. Todd Bittner said that the Cornell Natural areas have needed to install many more signs than usual
because of increased usage in the new pandemic atmosphere. There was some discussion about whether
to pay for more professional COVID protocol signs, but the consensus was that in the changing situation,
less expensive laminated signs would work.
Bruno said he would speak with DPW about another signage issue: they’ve recently placed DPW signs
that aren’t part of the design for displays on two kiosks.
Vote on extension of Story Walk Installation on Schug section - Alice
The Task Force unanimously approved the continuation of the Family Reading Partnership’s Story Walk
installation for pre-schoolers and families, on the Schug section starting at Dryden Agway. The Dryden
Village DPW maintains that section, and recently took out three panels after trees fell in a storm. The
FRP has secured a sponsor for the costs of replacing the panels and for rotating nature-based stories
through the year. There was agreement that the Task Force wants to limit the total number of signs along
the trail.
Appreciation for regular trail maintenance by Town and two Villages – Bob, Bruno
Bob and Bruno said the Town and Village DPWs have responded quickly to remove recently downed
trees along the trail. The Task Force expressed appreciation to Rick Young, and to Paul Sabin and Pat
Brennan, Dryden and Freeville Village Superintendents of Public Works. Diane made a template for a
sticker with the correct phone number for reporting maintenance issues, which will be added to trail
signage.
Potential upcoming trail work – Bruno, Bob
Bruno hopes that when the DEC agreement is signed he can move forward to mobilize volunteer crews
to renovate the two railroad trestle bridges in the Game Farm section. He said the crews would be small,
and careful because they will be working at close quarters under the bridges in the pandemic conditions.
He would also like to do some stone dust application on areas of the trail that are open but rough, like
sections near George Rd. and between the FH Fox bridge and the Compost Rd off Stevenson Rd.
He said this will require gravel and donations are harder to come by now. Todd responded that Cornell
dredges material from local creeks and there’s a large pile of dewatered gravel available for free. There
would still be trucking and possibly screening costs involved, but this has been a good source for Natural
Areas trails. He offered to connect Bruno with the Cornell contact for the gravel.
Other volunteer work to be scheduled when conditions allow: assembly of ten more benches and
installation along the trail.
Trail Map s – Bob
Bob said the Town Planning Department has been looking for “shape files” for the whole trail, as they
might be used to plan for laying cable for the Town’s municipal broadband project. Todd created this
mapping for the Task Force.
August meeting: 7 pm Monday August 17, Format TBD
Adjournment at 8:30 pm
Respectfully submitted by Alice Walsh Green