HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-17
Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force
Minutes of the Meeting Monday, May 17, 2021 Via Zoom
Attendance: Bob Beck, Alice Green, John Lampman, Chris and Diane Tessaglia-Hymes,
Loren Sparling, Rosalie Borzik, Todd Bittner, Dan Lamb, Judy Pierpont, Susan Ashdown,
Steve Winans
Call to order at 7:05 pm – Bob Beck, Alice Green
Additions to agenda: Portrait opportunity: Spirit of Tompkins, TCat to Trails, Task Force
membership
Approval of April minutes unanimous
Receipt of DEC Game Farm approvals – Dan
Both the NYS Department of Conservation (DEC) and the Town have now completed the
paperwork for the 20-year agreement, and the agreement has been approved by the DEC,
Dan reported. He said approvals have also come through for trestle renovation and trail
resurfacing at the Game Farm.
Work plan with Highway/DPW – Bob
Bob plans to meet with Rick Young from DPW tomorrow morning. His crews are ready to go
with the trestlework at the Game Farm.
State Parks EPF grant update – Bob
Bob has been in touch with Kathleen McIsaac from NYS Parks now that Game Farm
agreement has come through, marking the last right of way needed to sign the EPF grant.
Bob has asked Town Attorney Peter Walsh to revise the Town Opinion of Council and sent it
to Kathleen who will pass it on to Albany. Kathleen doesn’t know how long it will take to
complete the review in Albany.
She told Bob that, contrary to what was understood earlier, the costs of stone dust surface
can be included under the EPF grant. Todd asked if that grant could also be used for the
base, adding that this addresses important issues in leveraging funding for the project.
Todd said this now means the EPF and TAP grants can match each other. Since the grant’s
approval in 2017, much of the Town’s match has been accomplished through in-kind
contributions by volunteers and donations. Now the TAP grant can be used for reciprocal
match with the EPF grant, and vise versa. Bob reported that Bruno Schickel has brought the
project up to date for documenting volunteer work and donations in 2019, and he has asked
that the Town pick up the seven kiosk roofs he has stored in a barn. Bob said that the DPW
would retrieve and store them.
Road crossing signage and installations
It’s still not clear whether the grant could cover the costs of crossing signage and other
necessary installations like flashing lights. Bob said that two years ago, the Task Force was
told that the EPF grant would not cover the costs of the many road crossings along the trail.
Recently Kathleen McIsaac stated that EPF grants don’t cross roads, but Bob reminded that
this grant has already been approved and it’s clear that it crosses roads. If the crossings are
not covered in the grant, Bob hopes the Town DPW budget might cover the signage, road
markings, and any flashing lights required.
Route 13 pedestrian bridge update: Proposed Resolution to Town Board – Bob, Todd,
Alice, Dan
The Route 13 bridge subcommittee has met with engineers, and prepared and sent the Task
Force a resolution regarding the bridge alignment and acquisition of two properties on the
eastern side of the planned pedestrian bridge. It requests that the Town Board approve going
ahead with designs for Alternative 11, and also to engage the DOT to take over management
of proceedings on the properties that need to be acquired. Bob explained that approval by the
Town Board to move forward would lead to the next step, a public hearing, possibly to be
scheduled in July, and then approval of the DOT contract by the Board.
Dan emphasized that the Town Board hopes for unanimous approval of the
recommendation. Alice reminded Task Force members that this step of agreeing with the
DOT to handle these proceedings is the first of several steps towards acquiring the small
property sections needed on the east side of the bridge. After about 5 years of attempts to
obtain an agreement from the print shop property owner and a year of contacts with the
residential owner requesting an amendment to their previously donated (in 2016) trail
easement, it’s hoped that the DOT outreach will lead to an amicable agreement for a fair
purchase price for the two portions of properties, one residential and the other commercial.
Bob shared the map for the proposed bridge alignment showing that the eastern ramp curves
away from the residential property.
Nancy suggested softening the language to “pursuing negotiations,” rather than asking that
the resolution ask the Town to enter the contract with DOT. After discussion and a slight
modification, the Task Force members unanimously approved the revised resolution
(attached).
Spur trail to Fall Creek wetland issue – Bob, Todd
Bob has had exchanges with DOT and Dondi Harner from TG Miller about plans to build the
spur trail on the west side of Route 13. He also spoke with Margaret Sullivan from the Army
Corps of Engineers. She advised avoiding the wetland there. On Friday Bob met with Ron
Lacain, a wetlands specialist, who walked with Bob on the wet area, and said he
recommended against crossing the wetland because it would be a long-term process, “a
nightmare,” adding that “it could take years” to secure permissions. Based on these
consultations, Bob recommends that the Task Force should put the spur trail section on hold
for now, halting TG Miller’s work on surveying the area, and not requesting a work permit
from DOT.
Todd said when the DRT initially, pursued this spur trail option, it appeared the wetland
along the proposed section fell under the amount of acreage that requires a permit.
However, with further study, it now seems that the area is large enough to require a federal
permit. Though we expected that paperwork could be in place to allow for DPW to do the
construction this year, this is clearly not the case now. Todd has a DEC contact in wetland
regulation that he will reach out to see how onerous the process would be. To be clear, he
said, when the section is dry it’s walkable. A permit is necessary only if enhancements are
sought. The spur is a necessary link to the parking area under the Route 13 Bridge.
Game Farm Road crossing plan – John Lampman, Bob
John Lampman is creating a plan for the Game Farm crossing, which he described as pretty
rudimentary. Given that the County has planned to remove a rise from the road, the sight
distance to the crossing will be improved. He thinks it would work to have trail crossing
signs on the road in advance of the crossing and the usual stripes and signage at the crossing
itself. The plan calls for full 30-inch stop signs facing pedestrian, bike and equestrian traffic
from each side of the trail. He said full sized stop signs reinforce the pedestrian and biker
responsibility.
He thinks pedestrian operated flashing lights are not necessary. He said that signs at both
sides of the trail crossing would reinforce advance signs. Bollards and/or gates for
emergency vehicles can be placed on both sides of the road. He looked at other trail
crossings around the County, and only in the Village of Dryden are there the pedestrian
operated flashing lights. John operated under the assumption that the speed limit would be
reduced to 45 MPH. However, the Towns of Dryden and Ithaca have not yet received a
response from the DOT to their February 2020 request for the reduction of speed on Game
Farm Road from 55 to 45 MPH.
Todd asked if John reviewed any other crossings that had parking near a county road with 55
MPH. John said there’s one on Black Diamond trail where the trail comes out through the
parking lot. This analogue is useful to make the case that the county shouldn’t require
anything more at Game Farm than they do at other county trail crossings. Rose suggested a
supplemental sign for trail users that state that traffic doesn’t stop for pedestrians or cyclists.
It was noted that traffic entering and exiting the parking lot on the Town of Ithaca side
should be factored in the plan.
John said he could have a plan ready to present to the county in a couple of weeks.
Design for trail parking signs – Diane
Diane said she would have some designs to distribute to the group via email in the near
future.
Response to House of Reps funding request – Dan
Dan reported that the DRT did not receive a House of Representatives directed grant. Now
the Senate has instituted the same type of grant, and Dan has committed to submit a
reworked version of the Congressional grant to the Senate. This will be the sole federal item
that the Town will be pursuing, to cover the gap in bridge funding. The submission will go to
both Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand. Will know within a month.
Spirit of Tompkins Portrait- Alice
Local photographer Robyn Wishna is recruiting individuals and organizations in Tompkins
County to portray the Spirit of Tompkins County. Alice asked if Task Force members were
interested in participating, and there was discussion about an appropriate time and location
along the trail.
TCAT to trails (Cayuga Trails Club/Design Connect) -Todd
A meeting about this collaborative project is scheduled for 4pm Monday, May 24, at The
zoom link is:
https://cornell.zoom.us/j/99389143529?pwd=RnBvKzhtcUUxSG1VNGdNWXI1ZU9JZz09
Schedule June 21 meeting
Adjournment at 9:04 pm
Respectfully submitted by Alice Walsh Green
Rail Trail Task Force resolution to Town Board – 5/17/21
Recommending approval of a contract with NYSDOT for managing the process of
acquiring two parcels east of Route 13 for the Dryden Rail Trail Route 13
pedestrian bridge, based on a design alternative minimizing the impact on the two
land parcels
WHEREAS, the Rail Trail Task Force’s successful grant-writing efforts have yielded
multiple awards for the Town to construct a pedestrian bridge crossing at Route 13.
These grants include: a grant from Cornell University, a Tompkins County Tourism
Implementation Grant, a Tompkins County Tourism Capital Grant, a New York State
Multi-Modal Grant and a New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT)
Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant,
WHEREAS, Erdman Anthony, the engineering company hired with overseeing the
project, has prepared eleven bridge alignment alternatives with cost estimates and land
requirements,
WHEREAS, the Rail Trail Task Force in continuing its careful review of the alternatives,
while considering cost and the alternative alignments (within the historic railroad 66-
foot “curb cut” constraint in crossing this controlled-access highway) has selected
Alternative 11 (see attachment) which offers the lowest estimated cost,
WHEREAS, the trail and eastern bridge-approach ramp of the selected alternative
requires areas of 0.16 and 0.71 acres, respectively within the northern and southern
parcels adjacent to Route 13, for which extensive Task Force effort has, to date, been
unsuccessful in obtaining adequate trail easements,
WHEREAS, the area of land required to cross the edge of each parcel will be partially
contained within a previously encumbered Town of Dryden sewer and water easement,
WHEREAS, the width of the required land crossing the edge of each parcel will be
defined as a minimum needed for construction, use and maintenance of the trail and
bridge approach ramp,
WHEREAS, the approach ramp will be positioned as far away as feasible from the
private residence to the north, and
WHEREAS, NYSDOT has offered to provide to the Town of Dryden their services and
expertise in property acquisition,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Rail Trail Task Force recommends
Alternative 11 as the preferred alternative, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force recommends that the Town sign the
contract with NYSDOT authorizing NYSDOT to manage the process for the acquisition
of the required portions of the two parcels east of Route 13.
Approved by unanimous vote.
Attachment: Route 13 Pedestrian Bridge Alternative 11