Transportation
Committee Summary
Thursday, November
15, 2007
1:00 pm - 3:00
pm
ATTENDEES
Kendra Adams - NYS Motor
Truck Association, Inc.
Kenneth
Adams - The Business Council
of New York State, Inc.
Frank
Amrosio - URS Corporation
John
Armstrong - Southern Tier Logistics
Wayne E. Bonesteel - Erdman
Anthony
Helen Brooks - FedEx
Corp.
Terry Everetts - Dresser-Rand
Company
William Fahey - NY
School Bus Contractors
Michael
Fleischer - NYS Thruway Authority
Stan Gee - NYS Department of
Transportation
Matthew Geitner
- C&S
Companies
Steve Hewitt
- NYS Department of Transportation
Matthew Hobart - New York Farm
Bureau
Daniel Mackay - Preservation
League of NYS
Thomas Madison
- Spectra Subsurface Imaging
Stephen D. Morgan - Featherstonhaugh,
Wiley & Clyne, LLP
Walter
Pacholczak - The Business Council
of New York State, Inc.
Phil
Pepe - Spectra Environmental
Group, Inc.
Donald J. Smith
- Urban Engineers of New York,
P.C.
Richard M. Stack - Albany
Port Railroad Corp.
Steve Stallmer
- Associated General Contractors
Ron Thaniel - Amtrak National
Railroad Passenger
Jack Vandervort
-The Vandervort Group, LLC
Walt Windus - Erdman Anthony
Bob Zerrillo - NYS Department
of Transportation
CALL
TO ORDER AND WELCOME
Committee Chairman and General
Manager of Southern Tier Logistics,
John Armstrong called the meeting
to order at 1:00 PM at The
Corporate Woods offices of
The Business Council.
OPENING
REMARKS
Kenneth Adams , President
and CEO, Business Council,
welcomed Chairman Armstrong
and Transportation Committee
Members. Mr. Adams thanked
Stan Gee, Executive Deputy
Director, NYS Department
of Transportation; Michael
Fleischer, Executive Director,
NYS Thruway Authority; and
Thomas Madison, President,
Spectra Subsurface Imaging
for their participation and
insight into the transportation
needs of New York State.
Mr. Adams introduced Walter
Pacholczak, the new Director
of Government Affairs.
Walter
Pacholczak , Director of
Government Affairs, Business
Council, briefly discussed
his background in the State
Legislature and politics,
new position at The Business
Council and introduced John
Armstrong as the returning
Transportation Committee
Chairman.
PRESENTERS
Stan Gee, Executive
Deputy Director, New York
State DOT
Executive Deputy Director
Stan Gee made a presentation
about the New York State
Department of Transportation
20-Year Needs Assessment
Plan (2010-2030). The NYSDOT
20-Year Needs Assessment
Plan outlines the current
state of the transportation
system; system trends and
conditions; and a preliminary
$175.2 billion multi-modal
capital investment strategy.
To
view Mr. Gee’s PowerPoint
presentation click here.
Mr. Gee emphasized the importance
of New York’s transportation
system as a prerequisite
to job creation, economic
competitiveness, and overall
quality of life. A NYSDOT
analysis of current conditions
and future trends illustrates
a rapidly deteriorating
infrastructure confronted
with a multi-billion dollar
capital funding imbalance.
The methodology utilized
by the NYSDOT in developing
the 20-Year Needs Assessment
Plan evaluated all transportation
needs; existing infrastructure;
and a needs assessment
period from 2010-2030.
Mr. Gee described the 20-Year
Needs Assessment Plan’s
cost of $175.2 billion
as balanced investments
in roadways, bridges, rail,
ports, aviation and includes
major capital projects
such as the Tappan Zee
Bridge/I-287; Northern
Tier Expressway, I-86 Corridor;
Peace Bridge; The Gowanus
Expressway and others.
The 20-Year Needs Assessment
Plan’s preliminary
cost of $175.2 billion
is in 2007 dollars and
is not adjusted for inflation.
Funding for the plan is
predicated on commitments
from Federal, State and
Local Governments.
Michael Fleischer,
Executive Director, NYS Thruway
Authority
Executive Director Michael
Fleischer outlined the 2007-2011
NYS Thruway capital program;
customer service initiatives;
and financial plan including
the proposed toll hike.
To
view Mr. Fleischer’s
PowerPoint presentation click
here.
Mr. Fleischer detailed
the Authority’s commitment
to maintaining and operating
the highway; delivering high
levels of safety and service;
improving the travelers’ experience
and implementing a capital
improvement plan. Mr. Fleischer
stressed that the Thruway Authority’s
commitments are challenged
by mounting fiscal constraints
that jeopardize the ability
to execute the capital program
and customer service initiatives.
Mr. Fleischer discussed a
study by Stantec Consulting
that examined the costs, benefits,
and impacts of traffic and
transportation. The Stantec
Consulting study shows that
declining traffic growth trends
tied to high fuel prices, shorter
trip lengths and increased
E-Z Pass usage will produce
out-year budget deficits that
have compelled the Authority
to propose a 5% general toll
hike in 2009 and 2010.
The proposed toll hike requires
formal approval by the Members
of the Thruway Authority Board.
The scheduled November 19,
2007 Board meeting was postponed
with a new date and time to
be announced.
Thomas Madison, President,
Spectra Subsurface Imaging
Thomas Madison, President,
Spectra Subsurface Imaging,
provided an overview of
New York’s aging transportation
system, fiscal constraints
and an innovative public/private
partnership (P3) financing
method. Mr. Madison reflected
back to the fiscal challenges
he faced during his tenure
as NYSDOT Commissioner,
and his ongoing endeavor
to help bring financial innovation
to the State transportation
system through public/private
partnership agreements.
Mr. Madison discussed the
tremendous benefits of P3 financing
that would bring billions in
private capital; create jobs,
provide technical innovation;
limit risk and deliver projects
on-time within budget. Mr.
Madison highlighted successful
P3 agreements in Illinois,
Ohio and across the globe as
a model of efficiency saving
billions in taxpayer dollars.
Mr. Madison’s P3
presentation stimulated a
vigorous discussion among
Business Council Members.
A majority of Members viewed
P3 financing as a dynamic
and promising alternative
to the traditional funding
methods of increasing taxes
and debt.
To
view Mr. Madison’s
PowerPoint presentation click
here.
Closing Remarks
Walter Pacholczak closed
the meeting and announced that
the next Transportation Committee
meeting will be in early 2008.
Adjournment
