Uncle Sam Transit Center Project

City of Troy, County of Rensselaer, State of New York

DETERMINATION AND FINDINGS
December 13, 2017

DETERMINATION AND FINDINGS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 2 OF THE EMINENT DOMAIN
PROCEDURE LAW REGARDING THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY RIGHTS REQUIRED IN
REFERENCE TO CDTA UNCLE SAM TRANSIT CENTER, CITY OF TROY, COUNTY OF
RENSSELAER, STATE OF NEW YORK

Pursuant to Article 2 of the Eminent Domain Procedure Law (EDPL) of the State of New
York, the Capital District Transportation Authority Board of Directors hereby makes the
following Determination and Findings:

I. THE PUBLIC BENEFITS, USE OR PURPOSE TO BE SERVED BY THE PROPOSED
PROJECT ARE:

The purpose of the project is to serve the growing needs oftransit riders and
existing transit service with an improved facility, while expanding bus service
frequencies and destination options from this location. High levels of existing ridership,
undersized passenger waiting spaces, lack of customer service and convenience facilities
and inadequate space to load and stage buses indicate a clear need for an improved
facility. Some passengers currently wait outside the existing bus shelters due to lack of
space, blocking sidewalks for pedestrians who are using the sidewalk, accessing the
adjacent park spaces and retail businesses. The current facility includes curbside bus
stops, with a northbound bus shelter at the intersection of 4th Street and Fulton Street
and a southbound bus shelter at the intersection of River Street and Fulton Street in the
City of Troy, New York.

II. THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED PUBLIC PROJECT AND
THE REASONS FOR THE SELECTION:

During project development, three (3) alternatives were considered for the
location of the new facility. Alternatives development included outreach and
coordination with the affected property owner and public outreach and meetings with
the Iocai municipality. Based on the input provided during alternatives development,
one alternative was chosen as the preferred. The alternative comparably provides the
best location for an enclosed, climate~controlled facility, as the proximity to the existing
bus stops and present ridership demand, the capacity to serve existing and future bus
service demand and the potential to expand to meet additional facility and service
needs outweigh the other alternatives considered. Design elements ofthe facility have
been coordinated with adjacent property owners and members of the public and
adjusted to reduce the overall effects of the project, including locating the facility where
there is currently vacant land and retail space, relocating idling layover buses from areas
adjacent to the City riverfront park and view shed to an alleyway that will feature a wall
to buffer noise to the adjacent hotel and locating it away from the store-front of other
retail business on Fulton Street. The alternative also incorporates features to minimize
impacts to public streets, pedestrians, and on?street parking.

This alternative constructs a transit center at the southeast corner of the Uncle
Sam Parking Garage property, erects canopies along Fulton Street and 4th Street to
provide covered waiting areas for four bus berths, reconfigures River Street, 4th Street
and Fulton Street to provide contraflow bus lanes and reconstructs the existing alleyway
to accommodate four bus layover spaces. The project limits are from the alleyway
immediately north of the Uncle Sam Parking Garage south to Fulton Street and includes
work on River Street and 4th Street.

The proposed project will provide customers with an appropriately sized,
enclosed and climate?controlled facility, ticket sales and restroom facilities and will
accommodate future growth in passenger ridership and bus service expansion. The
proposed project will also provide for seamless integration with the future River
Corridor Bus Rapid Transit bus service expansion while encouraging transit usage over
automobile usage, thereby reducing vehicular congestion, air pollution levels, and
parking demand.

Implementation of this alternative is based upon engineering, social, economic
and environmental considerations and provides improvements that are consistent with
the project objectives while limiting adverse impacts to the surrounding features.

Ill. GENERAL EFFECTS OF THE PROJECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND RESIDENTS OF
THE LOCALITY:

NEPA Classification: This project is classified as a Class II project in accordance
with the definitions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as defined
in 23 CFR 771.115.

SEQR Classification: The project is classified as a Type ll Action per Part
617, State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Act.

The Capital District Transportation Authority Board of Directors has been
designated as lead agency.

The proposed project has been designed to minimize environmental, cultural, and
historical impacts to the greatest extent possible.

RESOLUTION
The foregoing Determination and Findings were adopted by the Board of Directors of

ution No. ?73 ?90%f 2017 and
ea. amber: 2017.