Bi-county study to improve traffic flow
By MICHAEL ANICH, The Leader-HeraldJOHNSTOWN - Planning officials from Fulton and Montgomery counties have been meeting to discuss a possible bi-county study on improving traffic flow from New York State Thruway Exit 28, north to Fulton County.
Fulton County Planning Director James Mraz told the Board of Supervisors' Buildings and Grounds-Highway Committee Monday that the state Department of Transportation is encouraging the two counties to "get together and look at ideas" for alternative routes.
Mraz recounted how in 2007, then-Fulton County Board of Supervisors Chairman Stephen Barker sent a letter to DOT asking it to consider alternative traffic routes as part of the proposed bridge replacement project in the village of Fonda.
He said DOT Region 2 Director Michael Shamma responded by acknowledging the volume of commercial traffic using Route 30A. Mraz said he also supported conducting an engineering evaluation that considers growth alternatives for improving traffic flow between Exit 28 and Fulton County.
Mraz said he met with representatives of the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development and Planning to discuss the concept of a two-county study to improve traffic flow from the exit to Fulton County.
Mraz said his agency is working on obtaining budget estimates from consultants on what it may cost to perform some type of preliminary engineering evaluation on improving that traffic flow.
Once budget estimates are available, Mraz said they will be presenting them in "more detail" to the Buildings and Grounds-Highway Committee.
He said a determination needs to be made if there is a desire among supervisors to appropriate funds in the 2009 budget to undertake the preliminary engineering evaluation.
On another matter, Mayfield Supervisor Alan McLain said he understands a "huge" Harley-Davidson franchise might be built off Bellen Road.
"The traffic's going to increase 20-fold," McLain said.
The supervisor said he understands state Sen. Hugh T. Farley, R-Niskayuna, will propose either the state or the county put in a road off Route 29 as part of the project and maintain it.
The committee authorized distribution of a request for proposals to obtain lease proposals to rent the longtime restaurant building on the grounds of the County Airport. Fulton County owns the building, which has been utilized as various restaurants over the years.
Mraz said the county currently leases the cafe to Christopher Hughes and that lease expires Dec. 31.
The Board of Supervisors will authorize distribution of the requests for proposals Sept. 8, with proposals due back by Oct. 15. The board is expected to award a new lease Nov. 10.
On another airport matter, Mraz said the beacon replacement project will be done in September.
Mraz also reported on general activities in his department in the past month. He said his agency is still looking at "some options" concerning its vacant civil engineer position that was held many years by George DiMarco, who retired earlier this year.
"We have advertised on two separate occasions," Mraz said.
He said the first solid candidate eventually didn't want the position, and the second time the Planning Department advertised, there were no applicants.
"There are four or five communities looking to do comprehensive updates to their zoning ordinances," Mraz also reported.
Michael Anich covers Fulton County and Johnstown. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.
|
bubbasdad
|
|
|---|---|
|
09-01-08 3:30 PM
|
They might better just set in a room and stare at the ceiling.
|
|
DivaGod
|
|
|
09-01-08 12:36 PM
|
Almost 20 years too late. Montgomery county should have demanded this when impact studies were being done during the early stages of the Wal-Mart DC. I wonder if one of their solutions will be to wipe out what is left of little Fonda? It seems that this is what is happening slowly and silently.
|