The Town of Colonie wants to hear from you on the condition of its trails and bike-paths.
On Monday, March 24, at 7 p.m., the Town of Colonie Planning and Economic Development Department (PEDD) will hold a pathways planning workshop at The Crossings of Colonie Park, 580 Albany Shaker Road. The workshop follows the well attended workshop from October in which citizens were given the opportunity to impart feedback on the town’s plans to expand its pedestrian and bicycle paths.
This is town-wide that we’re looking at, commented Joseph LaCivita, director of PEDD, on the scope of the projects.
`There were a number of focus groups that gave priority lists. This meeting is to finalize those priorities.`
LaCivita said no immediate time frame for the overall
project was available, but noted that the plan for the upcoming meeting is to finalize the work from the initial October meeting and to see what resources and actions are obtainable.
`The purpose of this workshop is to present the draft plan and get public comment on that draft,` adds PEDD Senior Planner Kevin DeLaughter, who adds that implementation of the plan can take `several forms,` including assistance from the state, county, and private groups.
When the workshop is complete, the plans will be brought to the town’s government for approval. `We take this back to our department and present it to the Town Board,` said LaCivita. However, given the town’s current fiscal situation, LaCivita comments that feasibility of the plan might come into question.
In 2005, the town adopted a Comprehensive Plan to improve the quality of life for its citizens. One of the action items of this plan was to craft a sidewalk plan. The pathways workshop is a part of this action. The town, which wished to support active living for all residents, seeks to make its sidewalks and corridors safer for pedestrians and bicyclists, by expanding these pathways and the entire pedestrian environment. The town currently maintains 33 miles of sidewalks throughout the town, seven miles of the Mohawk Hudson Bike-Hike Trail, and many miles of multi-use trails in the Crossings of Colonie Park, The Colonie Mohawk River Park and Schuyler Flatts.
For information, contact PEDD at 783-2741 or visit the town’s Web site at www.colonie.org/pedd.“