VILLAGE OF COLONIE THOMAS TOBIN 2 THUNDER ROAD DEPUTY MAYOR COLONIE, NY 12205 PATTY SCHWARZ LOCKART (518) 869-7562 FAX (518) 464-0389 TRUSTEE EDWARD F. SIM, MAYOR JACK MURPHY TRUSTEE villagehall@colonievillage.org JAMIE BLOT CLERK www.colonievillage.org Traffic Advisory Committee November 14, 2019 6:30 p.m. There was a meeting of the Village of Colonie Traffic Advisory Committee, held on November 14, 2019 at the Village Hall, 2 Thunder Road, Albany, NY 12205. The meeting started at 6:30 p.m. Chairman Prevratil called the meeting to order with a salute to the flag. Those Present: Chairman, Mr. Frank Prevratil Mr. George Lashoff Mr. Daniel Hornick Mr. Les Samiof (Absent) Mr. Dan Judge Mr. John Gillivan Secretary, Julianne Okun Colonie PD Officer, Jason DePaulo (Absent) Liaison, Mayor Edward Sim Kevin France, DPW Traffic Advisor The minutes from both the October 10, 2019 and the September 13, 2019 meeting were reviewed and approved. Chairman Prevratil took this time to acknowledge Mayor Leak’s retirement and congratulate Mayor Sim as the new appointed Mayor of the Village of Colonie. Ms. Okun stated there has been communication from Ms. Carol Sparanza from Lanci Lane stating there have been delivery trucks from Stewart’s continuing to use Lanci to turn around on Gail and then trying to catch the light on Lanci to get back out on Central Avenue. Ms. Okun provided the Committee with a photograph of said truck that was e-mailed from Ms. Sparanza. Mr. Judge stated that he spoke with someone who works at Stewart’s, and the employee suggested they call the distributor to get their message across. Chairman Prevratil stated that the Committee, as well as Officer DePaulo, will look into the situation and follow up with Ms. Sparanza. Ms. Okun stated there had been an e-mail from Ms. Mickey Angier of Woollard Avenue thanking Mayor Sim and the Traffic Committee in hearing the concerns of the neighborhood. Since the last Traffic Committee meeting, the Mayor and the Board of Trustees passed a local law to allow for a 4-way stop at the intersection of Holland and Harriet. In recent months, that particular intersection has been the site of several accidents, and resident’s feared, with the winter approaching, there would be an increase in the accidents. Mayor Sim stated the Board is waiting for the State of New York to acknowledge the local law, but they are prepping the bases for when the Village received that notice. Mayor Sim also stated that if the weather warms up, they can 1 possibly stripe the intersection. Mr. France stated that usually, if the roads have already been salted, then striping would not happen until the spring. Mayor Sim stated that until then, they will be putting up lights, flags, and oversized sighs at the intersection. Mr. Lashoff asked what the justification was for the 4-way stop at that particular intersection, with Mayor Sim responding that the recent accident history called for some kind of action. Mr. Judge asked the Committee if this is something they should publicize and let residents know that the Mayor and the Board took action on this issue. Mayor Sim responded that, should they advertise to the public about this particular intersection, residents would want them everywhere, even at intersections where there is no accident history. Mayor Sim stated when it comes to the 4-way intersections, that less is more. Mayor Sim wanted to update the committee on the Locust Park corridor. Mayor Sim is looking into possibly having a comprehensive study done that includes Sand Creek Road, Locust Park, Peter Drive, and the surrounding cut through streets. The Board is looking to possibly have meetings with the public this upcoming winter on how to implement traffic calming ideas. Mr. Lashoff stated he would like to have a rough base count of traffic information this year, and again next year so that the committee may compare the information and if the traffic is increasing or decreasing over the years. Mayor Sim stated that the traffic is currently already increasing there needs to be some sort of action taken on the issue, but there must be a comprehensive study done by an outside firm so that the Mayor and the Board has all the information and can look at all options. Chairman Prevratil spoke on the issue, living in that particular neighborhood, the light on Hunting and Computer Drive backs traffic up all the way down Sand Creek Road, making it impossible to take a left out on that road. Chairman Prevratil stated there needs to be one more light on the road in order to break up the traffic. Mayor Sim stated this is why the Village need an outside firm to complete a comprehensive study. Mayor Sim also stated that he and Mayor Frank Leak and he lobbied for the Town of Colonie to lower the speed limit of the Town’s portion of Sand Creek Road from 40mph to 30mph, matching the Village’s speed limit. Mayors Leak and Sim worked together with the Town of Colonie Police Department as well as the Town Board and they have approved the lower of the speed limit, and are just waiting on the signage. Mr. Gillivan stated that he knows of various organizations that will help municipalities obtain funding and grants if their projects help the health, safety, and welfare of those using the streets. Mayor Sim stated that will helpful, as the comprehensive study is likely to be an expensive project. Mr. Judge stated that the previously proposed and withdrawn Planning application for a potential Amazon warehouse included a traffic study of the intersection of Jupiter and Central Avenue, and that the Traffic Committee could use that going forward. Mr. Gillivan stated he has seen the cost of these comprehensive studies and understands that it could reach upwards of $100,000.00. Mayor Sim stated any funding for the project the Committee is able to obtain will be helpful. A discussion was held regarding the bus stop in front of Cumberland Farms. Mayor Sim noted that it has been difficult to work with CDTA and NYSDOT in regards to traffic lights and bus stops. Mayor Sim stated to the Committee he would like to see them involved when it comes to reaching out and setting up meetings with the above mentioned organizations. Mayor Sim stated to the Committee there will be a red light going in front of the firehouse. This red light will help the trucks to get out by halting traffic on Central Avenue. Mayor Sim also stated that Colonie Police will have cameras on masts, and the pole will be going in in December. The red light will be connected to the red light on Locust Park, so that when a firefighter hits the button for the red light, Locust Park will also turn red to halt traffic. Chairman Prevratil wanted to take this time to thank the Traffic Committee for all their time and effort with this year’s sign campaign success. There have been many compliments and requests for signs on various streets. The Traffic Committee worked together as a team on nights and weekends to ensure that the Village is a safer place. The campaign will pick up again in the Spring time. 2 Mr. Judge made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:10 PM. Mr. Lashoff seconded the motion. VOTE: All in favor to adjourn the meeting. Respectfully submitted, Julianne Okun Traffic Safety Coordinator 3