HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-04-19
Dryden Rail Trail Friends and Task Force
Minutes of the Meeting Monday, April 19, 2021
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Via Zoom
Attendance: Bob Beck, Alice Green, Steve Winans, Chris and Diane Tessaglia-Hymes, Susan
Ashdown, Todd Bittner, Judy Pierpont, Dan Lamb, Karl Kolesnikoff, Greg Mezey, Tom Corey,
Margaret Johnson
Call to order – Bob Beck, Alice Green
Additions to agenda: none
March minutes were approved unanimously. Susan commented that the Monkey Run trail
section is in need of some maintenance, but the dry spring this year means it has a few puddles,
not a lot, as indicted in the March minutes.
Congressional earmark funding request – Dan, Bob, Todd
Dan brought the Task Force up to date on new possible earmark funding. The House of
Representatives in Congress re-instated earmarks recently to help get bi-partisanship on
particular votes. Dan, Todd, Bob and Ray Burger were all involved in submitting an application
for Rail Trail funds, within just a few days. The selection process is political and random. But
the project is a very solid one, shovel ready. Dan said this funding would come through
appropriation bills, in particular the Housing and Transportation bill. So word would not be back
to Dryden till September. Dan said there might be Senate earmarks coming, and the Town might
have better luck with the current leadership in the Senate. Todd suggested asking CU VP Joel
Malina to put in a good word with Congressman Reed’s office. Wouldn’t compete with any
Cornell requests because CU doesn’t put in a lot of transportation requests.
Bob said the Task Force would also be looking for a big infrastructure bill that may be
coming and that may benefit the Rail Trail
Route 13 bridge update – Bob, Todd, Alice, Dan
Todd reported that DOT responded to several proposals for cost savings on the bridge.
• Break in access: the bridge and abutments need to be within the original 66-foot break in
access, but portions of the bridge ramps may extend outside the 66’ within the DOT right
of way. He said this represents two steps forward one step back in terms of cost saving.
The bridge abutments may be closer to route 13 reducing the cost of the span, but the
abutments will need to be more constrained,
• The length of railings that will be required along the ramps: Todd said the bridge
subcommittee would need to negotiate whether the railing can be removed safely on
lower sections of the ramps.
• Reducing the trail width on the approach to the bridge from 10 to 8 feet. DOT was cold to
this idea. They said cost savings would not be an adequate reason to narrow the trail
approach.
• Reducing the amount of sub-base along the trail because it’s built on railroad ballast. This
seemed viable, but we’ll need to do some more justification for the reduction.
Spur trail (to Fall Creek bridge underpass) update – Todd, Bob
Bob explained this is part of the State Parks grant project. Todd said he and Bob met with
Rick Young, Highway Superintendent at the spur trail site. Rick felt it would be feasible to
complete the spur this year if he juggles this project with other road resurfacing.
The spur t’s off the rail trail and goes north to the bridge, and will be about ¼ mile long. There’s
a Town utility easement on this trail, but there’s no existing rail bed, so it will be built from
scratch.
Todd said the biggest challenge is two wetlands that cross the trail. One is 270 feet long; the
other is 240 feet long. The Army Corps of Engineers provides rules on whether permits are
required for construction at wetlands. No permit is required if a project is less than a tenth of an
acre and less than 300 linear feet long. The question is whether the two along the spur can be
considered as one or two wetlands.
He suggested getting guidance from NYS Parks or from the Army Corps to find out if we’re
required to get a wetland permit. It we need it, it will be more complicated to document the
impact of the trail. TG Miller did prepare a preliminary work permit for this a couple of years
ago, and this has been resubmitted to DOT. A culvert would be required within the DOT ROW
near the Fall Creek bridge. Bob said he would talk with Kathleen McIsaac of State Parks about
this wetland issue.
Todd said they also talked with Rick Young about two possible construction methods for
traversing the wetlands. One would be boardwalks, which could benefit wetland protection, but
would require more maintenance. The other would be using free Cornell gravel and placing
culverts in both sections, then topping the surface with stone dust. Rick thought the latter would
be more achievable because of rising lumber costs. So Bob and Todd will work with Rick to
provide this embankment system. There may also another source of gravel at the Virgil Creek
flood control project east of Dryden, Rick said.
Steve asked why both the bridge and the spur trail? Todd said the spur trail is purely
recreational. It’s covered by the NYS Parks grant. The bridge is to make the trail a transportation
route, and it’s covered by the TAP grant. The spur trail doesn’t rejoin the trail on the east side of
Route 13.
Susan noted that people are pulling off Route 13 and parking on the trail. Bob said he’d
contact Rick Young to get some No Parking signs put up there.
Graphics content for future kiosks (Monkey Run & Game Farm Road next) – Diane, Todd,
Bob
Diane said the first part of kiosk content is maps. Todd has been providing these. Diane
asked if anyone has ideas for content that would appear there.
• Game Farm: info about the Game Farm, more RR history (including the old rail trestles),
info about connection with East Ithaca Recreation way, and natural history related to
Cascadilla creek. Karl pointed out that there is a great birding spot at the Game Farm,
near the CU compost area.
• Monkey Run: The network of Cayuga Trails, CU Natural areas. Fewer community
attractions like the ice cream store.
• Spur trail at the Route 13 Fall Creek bridge might have more visitors as a trailhead than
Monkey Run. So we might do that first.
• Mt Pleasant Road: This could include more Varna information
Parking and Crossing Signage
• Chris suggested creating some P (parking) signs with DRT logo, to show folks where
they can legally park. Bob said there is hope to build a small parking area on property
owned by Nan Brown on Monkey Run Rd. Susan said people are parking there
informally and it is tearing up the property.
• Directional signs are not in the work permit with DOT, according to Todd. NYS Parks
funding does not cover these.
• Bob asked Dan if parking signs and multi-use trail signs could come from Town DPW
funds, rather than trail funds. Dan said if it’s on a Town Rd., this could fall in a highway
dept. expense line. Bob said the flashing lights would be the most expensive signage.
There are 15 road crossings in the 10.4-mile project, including Dryden Main Street and
Game Farm Road, most without signage yet. Most are town roads; two are state road
crossings, and Game Farm Rd. and Etna Lane are county roads. Dan said he’ll talk with
Rick about this, and the Town Board is likely to be willing to cover this in the Highway
Department budget.
Consider potential Triad Foundation grant – Bob, Todd, Alice
Bob said that even though the project hasn’t been able to complete the trestle restoration
covered in a $15,000 grant from the Triad Foundation because of delays from DEC, there’s
encouragement to apply again. Todd noted that there’s no match required for these grants, so
there’s no downside to applying. He suggested asking for a larger grant, like $100,000 towards
the cost of the Route 13 Bridge. If the foundation would prefer to give less until the first project
is complete, the request might be for $15,000 for stone dust and the kiosk at the Game Farm
section.
Dryden’s broadband fiber plan to use rail beds – Bob, Dan
Hunt Engineers called Bob to discuss the rail bed use as a main corridor for laying the fiber
optic cable for the Town’s broadband project. Bob said the Town already has utility easements
on the entire 10.4 miles of the rail corridor. Some of the broadband loop around the Town will
also be along highways. Dan said there a cost to lay utilities along state highways, and there’s a
push from private Internet providers to reduce those costs.
Dan reported that The Town is applying for an Appalachian Regional Commission
(ARC) grant to build the core of the backbone fiber optic network. If this funding comes in to
match the recovery funding the Town has already received, this work could be done later this
year. He said in some sections the crews would use horizontal drilling between 16 and 24 inches
deep to lay the fiber. Todd cautioned that if the drilling is moved off the center of the trail to
avoid existing utilities and railroad ties, that could impact mature trees along the side of the trail.
Asked about possible synergies or benefits to the trail from this broadband project, Dan joked
that maybe the Town will be able to offer Internet hot spots at trail kiosks.
Final Use and Occupancy Agreement with DEC - Dan
Dan reported he’d talked with DEC Wildlife Chief Jim Farquhar last week. The agreement is
moving along, and the permits for trestle work and resurfacing will be issued after the final
agreement is processed.
Next Meeting scheduled for Monday May 17
Adjournment at 8:35 pm
Respectfully submitted by Alice Walsh Green