2020 - 2024 Transportation Improvement Program
Appendix 2
Summary of Public Comments Received
The 30-day public review period for the 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Transportation Conformity Determination for the Long Range Transportation Plan for the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region 2040 and the 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program began on May 10, 2019 and concluded June 10, 2019.
Through the close of business on June 10, 2019, two sets of written comments were received by GTC staff. The comments are summarized below and responses are provided. Copies of the original comments are provided in Attachment 1.
General Summary of Comments:
- GTC should prioritize Complete Streets projects that accommodate all system users, including bicycle, pedestrian and transit facilities in both highway and bridge projects.
- Response: Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Transit supportive design elements comprise half of the available points under the highway and bridge Mode-Specific Project Evaluation Criteria. The inclusion of these facilities in projects also are considered under Mobility, Accessibility, and Safety criteria applicable to all projects. Projects that incorporate Complete Streets elements gain points under the aforementioned criteria.
- Additional funding should be programmed for stand-alone bicycle and pedestrian projects
- Response: There were three stand-alone bicycle and pedestrian projects for which TIP applications were submitted. In light of limited available funding, the TIP Development Committee recommended the implementation of other highway and bridge projects with accommodations on higher priority corridors. While each of these projects were eligible for consideration under the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), project sponsors did not apply for TAP funds. GTC staff will offer to work with the project sponsors should they choose to apply for the next round of TAP or other potential funding.
- The Genesee Riverway Trail is in need of repair and should be included as a project in the TIP
- Response: NYSDOT and GTC can only consider projects that were submitted for TIP funding by the facility owner. The City of Rochester did not submit a TIP application for the Genesee Riverway Trail. However, we understand that the City is advancing projects along this corridor through its ROC the Riverway initiative.
- The funding of bridge rehabilitation and replacement projects should favor those that include protected bike lanes and pedestrian accommodations.
- Response: As noted previously, projects that incorporate Complete Streets elements gain points under various criteria. However, the Long Range Transportation Plan 2040 identifies Transportation System Needs by Place and recognizes that the setting is a major determinant in the project design. For example, there is not an expectation that a new bridge in a Rural place will have a raised sidewalk if there is no sidewalk to connect to on the approaches. Conversely, a sidewalk would be expected on a new bridge in a Mature Suburb place, even if approach sidewalks do not currently exist since the bridge is designed to last at least 75 years. Similarly, projects intended to replace an entire bridge or even a bridge deck are expect to be widened such that the new configuration matches the shoulders of roadway approaches and do not maintain an existing constriction to the space used by bicycle and pedestrians.
- There is support for transit capital projects and further strategic divestment projects (i.e. Inner Loop East).
- Response: The funded transit projects align with the RGRTA Transit Asset Management Plan and 2018-2021 Comprehensive Strategic Plan to ensure a state-of-good-repair and implement new service objectives.
There are multiple highway preventive maintenance and reconstruction projects that have ‘road diets’ either already planned or that will be considered through the design process. Such projects look for opportunities to better serve all users (i.e., Complete Streets).
Strategic Divestment (i.e., facility removal) is a relatively new concept that will be explored as part of an overall Asset Management approach. GTC staff and various facility owners have already begun to discuss the potential for divestment at other locations. It would be necessary to determine the feasibility of any such divestment before it is a candidate for TIP funding.
- Response: The funded transit projects align with the RGRTA Transit Asset Management Plan and 2018-2021 Comprehensive Strategic Plan to ensure a state-of-good-repair and implement new service objectives.
- Post-construction audits should be implemented to ensure that bicycle and pedestrian facilities are completed as proposed.
- Response: Projects are reviewed at multiple stages of the design and construction process to ensure that the described facilities are included in the final project.
- Complete Streets elements should be given greater weight in the project scoring process and bicycle and pedestrian facility conditions should be included in the scores.
- Response: See the response to Comment 1. Additionally, GTC staff is planning to undertake multiple data collection efforts for bicycle and pedestrian facility conditions in order to support future project evaluations. There is no current standard data collection process.
- Additional points should be awarded to projects that join bike lanes or trails to form a larger network of protected bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
- Response: The TIP Project Evaluation Criteria recognize the importance of closing gaps in the bicycle and pedestrian network. While bike lanes are typically considered part of a larger road project, multi-use trail and sidewalk-focused projects are usually stand-alone projects and are evaluated under the Bicycle and Pedestrian mode-specific criteria. Under this section, the first, and most valuable, criterion is “Decrease gaps in the core multi-use trails network or increase the amount of federal-aid roads with complete sidewalks”. While projects that do not close gaps may still be eligible for TIP funding, the evaluation criteria favor those that do.
There were no comments received relating to the Transportation Conformity Determination for the Long Range Transportation Plan for the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region 2040 and the 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program.
Comments from Reconnect Rochester and Mr. Bill Collins