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Show New Visions Addresses Issues Important to the Capital District Transportation Safety- The New Visions 2030 plan lays out a clear strategy to meet a long-standing goal of improving the safety of the transportation system for all of its users both in response to new federal requirements and recent developments in the state of the practice. The plan relies on an integrated approach for safety planning activities which not only supports the continued use of traditional safety countermeasures on high speed facilities (clear zones, rumble strips, etc.), where appropriate, but also encourages use of the "Complete Streets" concept (where arterials, collectors and local roads are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users) and innovative design techniques. These include use of roundabouts, "visual friction" (the visual cues drivers get from the road environment to slow down), and access management techniques (to reduce conflict points between users of a roadway). This integrated approach also recognizes that education and enforcement efforts by local safety professionals also has a real impact on driver behavior and that designing improvement projects in sync with surrounding community context can help encourage responsible driving behavior. Taken together this approach will help reduce the level of risk for the region's most vulnerable users of the transportation system, namely bicyclists, pedestrians, children and the elderly. Transit Service- Transit provides travel options, increases mobility and can support economic development. The New Visions Plan incorporates CDTA's Transit Development Plan which will improve and grow a variety of transit services for the Capital District. CDTC is investing in Bus Rapid Transit or BRT in the Route 5 corridor. "Big ticket" initiatives outline a vision of potential further investment in BRT and fixed guideway transit systems as a means of supporting regional growth. Highways and Bridges- The cost to maintain the highway and bridge infrastructure in the Capital District over the next 20 years is staggering. The plan provides for $3.4 billion worth of investment in highway rehabilitation, reconstruction and redesign and $1.8 billion in bridge maintenance, repair and replacement by 2030. The New Visions Plan makes a strong commitment to keeping the region's highway and bridge system in good condition. Travel Demand Management- The New Visions Plan continues to call for a variety of programs and initiatives aimed at managing travel demand. Park and ride lots, encouraging car pooling, telecommuting, employer based programs, guaranteed ride home, and support of use of non-auto modes such as transit, bicycle and pedestrian investments are strongly supported by CDTC. Traffic Congestion- The Plan incorporates the CDTC "Congestion Management Process" (CMP). The CMP recognizes that congestion is worst in the AM and PM peaks; and that the most unbearable congestion is related to incidents, especially on 11 |
