Referred to:  The Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit Committee (Chairman Cahill and Legislators Archer, Corcoran, Delaune, Litts, Maio, and Uchitelle), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Archer, Bartels, Haynes, Maio, Parete, Ronk, and Walter)

Chairman of the Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning, and Transit Committee, Brian B. Cahill, and Deputy Chair Herbert Litts, III offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Planning; and

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 275 of August 19, 2014 established a policy for rail with trail for the Ulster and Delaware Railroad Corridor (U&D) providing for the U&D Corridor west of Phoenicia to be utilized for trail purposes; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Transportation Council (UCTC) conducted a Ulster and Delaware Corridor Revitalization Study that examined the feasibility of construction of a Rail Trail from Highmount to Big Indian that included conditions of the existing railroad infrastructure, identified design criteria of the proposed trail, analyzed alternative design considerations, evaluated connections to existing and future trails in the area, and assessed the existing environmental conditions of the corridor; and

WHEREAS, this study makes recommendations to convert the railroad corridor into a trail, including construction access locations, trailhead locations, material selection, pedestrian railing locations, bridge rehabilitation alternatives, project phasing, and estimated costs concluding that the conversion to a rail trail is feasible, can act as an important connector to state facilities, offers significant recreation and economic advantages and can be accomplished in phases; and

WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has made available funding under the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) to support bicycle, pedestrian, multiuse paths and non-motorized transportation-related projects for which the project would be eligible; and

WHEREAS, utilizing the Study the Ulster County Planning Department has submitted a preliminary application for evaluation by NYSDOT after which the project has been deemed eligible for funding; and

WHEREAS, the County is proposing to construct the first phase of the project that would extend from Highmount to the area just past the Belleayre Day Use Area approximately 2.5 miles; and

WHEREAS, the project as proposed would enable connections to Pine Hill, the Belleayre Day Use Area and the recently acquired 1,200 acres of Wild Forest Area owned by New York State; and

WHEREAS, the County has received letters of support from local and state elected officials, the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) and a supporting consistency determination by NYSDEC; and

WHEREAS, the estimated project costs are $4,950,000.00 and NYSDOT has requested assurances that the required twenty (20) percent match of $990,000.00 would be available if funding was awarded; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Executive or his designee is hereby authorized to submit an application, as well as all necessary understandings, assurances, and additional information as may be required, to the New York State Department of Transportation under the TAP program in the amount of $4,950.000.00, with a Federal amount of $3,960,000.00, and a local match of $990,000.00 for purposes converting approximately 2.5 miles of the U&D Corridor from Highmount to the Belleayre Day Use Area to a rail trail; and, be it further

RESOLVED, Ulster County will make available the required local match if the funding is awarded,

and move its adoption.

 ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

 AYES:                       NOES:

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit on ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­____________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$ 3,960,000.00 – ADDITIONAL FEDERAL REVENUE DOLLARS

      (NYS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATON)

$    990,000.00 – REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH (COUNTY DOLLARS)