Draft 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan

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ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

Orange County Transportation Council’s (OCTC) 2020-2045 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) contains an assessment of the county’s current transportation system, looks ahead to the future, and presents strategies for meeting the county’s transportation needs over the next 25 years. This Plan is required by the Federal government to be updated every four years as a condition for receiving federal funding.

People in Orange County depend on roads, bridges, and public transportation services to get to work, school, appointments, and shopping destinations. Businesses rely on an efficient freight transportation network to remain competitive and grow. This plan starts with an understanding of how residents, businesses, and visitors use transportation, lays out a vision for the future, and defines the strategic investments that are needed in order to strengthen the county’s economy, keep its communities healthy, and sustain the natural resources and open spaces that make Orange County a great place to live, work, and play.

Looking forward to the changes that are coming over the next 25 years, OCTC’s members will harness new technologies to make it safer and easier to move people and freight around the region, make the transportation system more resilient to a changing climate, and operate public and private transportation services that meet the diverse needs of everyone in Orange County.

This LRTP builds on the strong foundation of the recently-adopted update to Orange County’s Comprehensive Plan, providing additional details about the transportation investments that will move us toward the county’s goals. The specific viewpoints of cities, towns, and villages within Orange County are represented by OCTC’s members who have supported development of this plan and a broader group of stakeholders who contributed their thoughts about what needs to be improved and how transportation can move the county toward its shared vision and goals.

Finally, the LRTP looks outward and addresses 2019 UPDATE national, state, and regional funding priorities. It is a Adopted May 2019 product of ongoing coordination with OCTC’s partners at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the New York Metropolitan Transportation ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK COMPREHENSIVE Authority (MTA), and the Port Authority of New York PLAN & New Jersey. OCTC is grateful for the technical and financial support they have provided for the development and implementation of this plan.

Please visit www.orangecountygov.com/OCTC to learn more about the OCTC, learn about how to remain involved in implementation of this plan’s recommendations, and stay in touch.

ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING

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ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

PART 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE 2045 LRTP...... 1

The Orange County Transportation Council ...... 2 Mid-Hudson Valley Transportation Management Area...... 3 Highlights of the 2045 LRTP...... 4 Federal Requirements for Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Their Long-Range Transportation Plans... 5 2045 LRTP Development Process...... 6

PART 2 TRANSPORTATION POLICIES...... 9

Introduction...... 10 A Vision for Orange County’s Future Transportation System...... 11 Federal Planning Factors...... 12 Long-Range Transportation Goals, Objectives, and Strategies...... 13 Transportation Performance Management...... 16

PART 3 ORANGE COUNTY’S PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ECONOMY...... 25

Context for Transportation Planning...... 26 Orange County’s Managed Land and Open Space...... 32 Orange County’s Residents...... 34 Priority Growth Areas...... 43 Transportation and the Economy...... 61

PART 4 ORANGE COUNTY’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM...... 67

Overview of the Transportation System...... 68 Performance of Orange County’s Transportation Network...... 87 Vulnerabilities, Risks, and Opportunities...... 101

TABLE OF CONTENTSTOC | i ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

PART 5 TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES...... 111

Future Investment Needs and Strategies...... 112 Environmental Mitigation...... 142

PART 6 FINANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION...... 145

Financial Plan Requirements...... 146 Sources of Transportation Funding...... 147 Resource Forecasts...... 155 Short Term Fiscal Outlook...... 155 Cost Estimates...... 159 Fiscal Constraint...... 159 Financial Tables...... 160

ii | TABLE OF CONTENTS ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

PART 5 LIST OF FIGURES

TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES...... 111 Figure 1. Transportation Performance Management and Continuous Improvement Cycle...... 16 Future Investment Needs and Strategies...... 112 Figure 2. Orange County Transportation Council Structure...... 23 Environmental Mitigation...... 142 Figure 3. Members of the Metropolitan Area Planning (MAP) Forum ...... 28 Figure 4. Orange County’s Multimodal Transportation Network...... 31 Figure 5. Managed Land...... 33 Figure 6. Orange County Historical Population Growth, 1980-2015...... 34 PART 6 Figure 7. Orange County Population Growth Projections, 2020-2045...... 35 FINANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION...... 145 Figure 8. Age Distribution of Orange County Population, Compared to New York State and United States...... 35 Financial Plan Requirements...... 146 Figure 9. Average Household Size for Orange County Towns and Cities...... 36 Sources of Transportation Funding...... 147 Figure 10. Population Density...... 39 Resource Forecasts...... 155 Figure 11. Environmental Justice Areas in Orange County, New York...... 42 Short Term Fiscal Outlook...... 155 Figure 12. Priority Growth Areas ...... 43 Cost Estimates...... 159 Figure 13. Retail Clusters...... 49 Fiscal Constraint...... 159 Figure 14. Medical Centers and Hospitals in Orange County...... 52 Financial Tables...... 160 Figure 15. Major Employment Centers in Orange County...... 54 Figure 16. Means of Travel to Work for Orange County Residents...... 55 Figure 17. Estimated Average Commute Time to Work for Orange County Towns and Cities, 2016...... 56 Figure 18. County-to-County Commute Patterns Out Of and Into Orange County...... 57 Figure 19. Colleges and Universities in Orange County...... 59 Figure 20. Orange County Roadway Network...... 70 Figure 21. National Highway System in Orange County...... 71 Figure 22. National Highway Freight Network in Orange County...... 73 Figure 23. Multi-Use Trails and State Bicycle Routes ...... 76 Figure 24. Transit Orange Structure...... 77 Figure 25. Orange County Park & Ride Lots...... 80 Figure 26. Airports in Orange County...... 82 Figure 27. Flood Prone Roadways in Orange County...... 102 Figure 28. Number of Flood Inundation Points for Roadways...... 103 Figure 29. NYSDOT Rating of Bridges in Floodplain...... 104 Figure 30. Flood Prone Passenger Rail Map...... 105 Figure 31. Flood Prone Freight Rail map...... 106 Figure 32. Orange County Airport—Potential Flood Inundation...... 108 Figure 33. Suitability of Potential Locations for Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations...... 109

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. OCTC Performance Measures and Targets...... 20 Table 2. Estimated 2017 Populations of Orange County’s Towns, Cities, and Villages...... 38 Table 3. Estimated 2017 Populations of Orange County’s Towns, Cities, and Villages...... 41 Table 4. Truck Parking Locations in Orange County...... 85 Table 5. Highway Safety (PM1) Baseline Performance and Targets—2017...... 90 Table 6. Highway Safety (PM1) Baseline Performance and Targets—2018...... 91 Table 7. Pavement Condition Performance Thresholds...... 92 Table 8. Bridge Condition Performance Rating Thresholds...... 93 Table 9. Pavement and Bridge Condition (PM2) Performance and Targets...... 94 Table 10. System Performance Measures and Targets ...... 97 Table 11. Transit Asset Performance Measures...... 98 Table 12. Transit Asset Management Measures and Performance Targets...... 100 Table 13. Flood Inundation Points for Roadways...... 103 Table 14. Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Project Candidates in Orange County...... 113 Table 15. Examples of Roadway Safety Strategies and Projects...... 114 Table 16. Transit Agency Shift to Proactive Risk Management...... 115 Table 17. Representative Highway Preservation and Modernization Projects...... 116 Table 18. Representative Bridge Projects...... 117 Table 19. Examples of Roadway Preservation and Maintenance Strategies...... 120 Table 20. Transit State of Good Repair Projects in Fiscal Year 2020-2024 TIP...... 122 Table 21. Walking and Biking Strategies...... 130 Table 22. Transit Enhancements...... 133 Table 23. Roadway System Enhancement Projects, Studies, and Strategies...... 136 Table 24. Freight Transportation Strategies...... 139 Table 25. Intermodal Connectivity Strategies...... 140 Table 26. Project Needs and Projected Resources...... 159

iv | TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE 2045 LRTP

Orange County Transportation Council (OCTC) is responsible for developing a Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) every four years in order for OCTC members to continue receiving federal funding for surface transportation. This section explains the role of the Orange County Transportation Council in regional transportation planning, describes the purpose of the Long-Range Transportation Plan, summarizes federal requirements for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) as they conduct regional planning and develop their Long- Range Transportation Plans, and reviews the process used to develop this Plan.

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THE ORANGE COUNTY IN THIS SECTION TRANSPORTATION 2 The Orange County Transportation COUNCIL Council The Orange County Transportation Council 3 Mid-Hudson Valley Transportation (OCTC) is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Orange County, New York Management Area and is responsible for fostering inter-municipal 4 Highlights of the 2045 LRTP cooperation and coordinating planning activities among municipalities and government agencies 5 Federal Requirements for Metropolitan to fulfill countywide planning objectives, develop Planning Organizations and Their capital improvements, and supply public services. Long-Range Transportation Plans A large part of this work involves planning transportation improvements for Orange County 6 2045 LRTP Development Process and the Mid-Hudson region in conjunction with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the MPOs in the Transportation 2. Two Town Supervisors from the following Management Association (TMA), as well as other areas on a two-year rotating basis: agencies, such as the New York State Thruway »» Newburgh Urbanized Area (Cornwall, Authority (NYSTA) and the New York Metropolitan Montgomery, New Windsor, Newburgh) Transportation Authority (MTA). »» Southern Area (Blooming Grove, Chester, OCTC has a Planning Committee comprised of staff Highlands, Monroe, Palm Tree, Tuxedo, from the various OCTC members, which meets Warwick, Woodbury) monthly. OCTC is comprised of the following »» Western Gateway Area (Crawford, Deer- structure and membership: park, Goshen, Greenville, Hamptonburgh, 1. Permanent Voting Members: Minisink, Mt. Hope, Wallkill, Wawayanda)

»» Orange County Executive, 3. Two Mayors from any two of Orange County’s Permanent Chairperson Villages for a two-year rotating term. »» NYSDOT Region 8 Regional Director, »» [Co-located Villages and Towns cannot Permanent Secretary be voting members at the same time.]

»» MTA Chairman 4. Non-Voting Members »» NYSTA Executive Director »» All other Towns and Villages » City of Middletown Mayor » »» New York State Bridge Authority »» City of Newburgh City Manager Executive Director »» City of Port Jervis Mayor »» Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Regional Administrator »» Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Division Administrator »» Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

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MID-HUDSON VALLEY TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT AREA OCTC addresses regional transportation needs through its participation in the Mid-Hudson Valley Transportation Management Area (TMA). The TMA is a federal designation used to classify Urbanized Areas that have populations of 200,000 or more. As of the 2010 Census, the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh NY-NJ Urbanized Area has a population of approximately 424,000 and extends into Passaic County, New Jersey where the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) oversees transportation planning. In addition to OCTC, the TMA includes the Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) and the Ulster County Transportation Council (UCTC), which oversee transportation planning for their respective counties. There is no separate governing entity for the TMA. The three MPOs coordinate TMA planning activities primarily through their staff.

The TMA is responsible for ensuring that federally funded highway and transit projects are the products of a comprehensive, cooperative and continuing planning process that meet the goals and priorities of their planning areas in accordance with federal transportation regulations. They also provide an important forum for state and local officials to discuss transportation issues and reach a consen- Greene sus on transportation plans and programs Delaware Columbia involving highway and transit projects. Berkshire Saugerties Saugerties Shandaken Woodstock Tivoli Hardenburgh OCTC, DCTC, and UCTC participate in a Red Hook Red Hook Kingston Ulster Milan Pine Plains collaborative planning partnership which Hurley Millerton Denning Olive Kingston Rhinebeck Northeast focuses on regional transportation needs, Rhinebeck UlsterUlster County Stanford including congestion management, public (UCTC)Marbletown ClintonDutchess County Rosendale Esopus (DCTC) Amenia Rochester Litchfield transit, and adhering to the federal require- Hyde Park Washington Millbrook Pleasant Valley New Paltz Dutchess ments of a TMA. One such requirement is for Wawarsing New Paltz Lloyd Sullivan Ellenville the TMA to prioritize and agree upon the Gardiner Poughkeepsie Union Vale Dover La Grange

Shawangunk Plattekill allocation of public transit funds, FTA Poughkeepsie Marlborough Beekman Section 5307 (Urbanized Area) and FTA Wappingers Falls Wappinger Pawling Crawford Pawling Walden Newburgh East Fishkill Section 5339 (Buses and Bus Facilities), in Montgomery Fishkill Montgomery Fishkill Wallkill NewburghBeacon the region. Another requirement of the TMA Maybrook Otisville New Windsor Mount Hope Deerpark Middletown Hamptonburgh is to develop a Congestion Management Orange County Washingtonville Putnam Goshen Cornwall (OCTC) Blooming Grove Wawayanda Orange Port Jervis Process (CMP). The CMP is a living docu- Pike Greenville Goshen Chester Highlands Kiryas Joel Minisink Florida Chester ment that identifies strategies to reduce Monroe Woodbury Harriman Unionville Monroe traffic congestion and improve operations. Warwick Warwick Poughkeepsie-Newburgh NY-NJ UA (2010) Tuxedo Greenwood Lake Tuxedo Park While the three MPOs work together to Westchester look at transportation planning on a Sussex Rockland regional level, each MPO also works Passaic Fairfield Passaic County independently to conduct the transporta- (NJTPA)Bergen Morris tion planning and programming activity Nassau within its respective planning area. The three MPOs meet on a regular basis to discuss regional transportation issues and needs at the TMA level, as well as to coordinate the planning and programming of multimodal transportation improvements to keep people and goods moving safely and efficiently in the region.

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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2045 LRTP

PART 1, Introduction to the 2045 LRTP, explains the role of the Orange County Transportation Council in regional transportation planning, describes the purpose of the Long Range Transportation Plan, summarizes Federal requirements for Metropolitan Planning Organizations as they conduct regional planning and develop their Long Range Transportation Plans, and reviews the process used to develop this Plan.

PART 2, Transportation Policies, summarizes the long range vision for Orange County’s transportation system, the goals, objectives, performance measures and performance targets that guide transportation planning decisions, and how the LRTP is aligned with relevant national, state, regional, and local plans.

PART 3, Orange County’s People, Places, and Economy, provides the context for regional transportation planning. It provides details on Orange County’s residents, describes why and how people travel, and discusses the importance of transportation to the county’s and region’s economy.

PART 4, Orange County’s Transportation System, presents an overview of the current and future transportation system, including how the system is performing, and identiﬁes the issues and opportunities OCTC needs to address through long range planning and investment decision making.

PART 5, Transportation Strategies, describes OCTC’s investment policy and the speciﬁc strategies and investments that will move the OCTC planning area toward its vision, goals, and objectives.

PART 6, Finance and Implementation, provides projections of revenues and costs and describes how OCTC will implement the plan given constraints on available funding.

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FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR LONG- RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLANS

Federal Transportation Plan Requirements National Goals

The U.S. Census Bureau defines an Urbanized Area »» Safety as a central place(s) and adjacent territory with a general population density of at least 1,000 »» Infrastructure condition people per square mile of land area that together have a minimum residential population of at least »» Congestion reduction 50,000 people. Each Urbanized Area is required to »» System reliability be served by an MPO. »» Freight movement and eco- Formed in July 1982, OCTC is the MPO for Orange County, NY. MPOs are tasked with certain nomic vitality responsibilities in accordance with federal »» Environmental sustainability transportation legislation. The most recent legislation is Fixing America’s Surface Transpor- »» Reduced project delivery delays tation (FAST) Act, which became effective in December 2015. The policy provisions of this legislation are still in the process of being carried Federal regulations stemming from the FAST Act out by the U.S. Department of Transportation and similar legislation passed by Congress dating (USDOT) through regulatory process. back to 1991 require that MPOs produce three major products:

FEDERAL PLANNING FACTORS A Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) that links the regional vision, goals, and per- 1. Economic vitality formance targets to an investment strategy; 2. Safety A Transportation Improvement Program 3. Security (TIP) that sets out a schedule of capital 4. Accessibility and mobility projects to be funded and built/undertaken 5. Environmental protection over the next five years, using a combination 6. Connectivity of federal, state, local, and private transportation dollars; and 7. Efficiency 8. Preservation A Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) that describes the planning studies 9. Resiliency and reliability and related activities that will be undertaken 10. Travel and tourism. by the MPO and its members to identify

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transportation needs, formulate strategies Department of Transportation. Regional transpor- to address those needs, evaluate potential tation planning by legislative definition must be solutions, and detail the specific alternatives comprehensive (including all modes), cooperative that best meet the identified needs and will (involving a broad array of stakeholders and other move the region toward its goals. interested parties), and continuous (ever improving and evolving). Orange County’s LRTP must be updated at a minimum every four years because the urbanized Regional transportation plans must also address area that the MPO Planning Area is part of is a a broad set of planning factors, outlined in federal designated “maintenance area” for particulate transportation funding legislation, most recently emissions, meaning these emissions previously promulgated as Moving Ahead for Progress in the exceeded thresholds specified in the Clear Air Act 21st Century (MAP-21) and FAST Act. These plan- Amendments to the National Environmental Policy ning factors are listed in the accompanying text Act and in related regulations issued by the U.S. box and are described in more detail in Part 2, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Transportation Policies.

2045 LRTP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS The 2045 LRTP builds on the foundation established by the Orange County Comprehensive Plan (adopted in May 2019), particularly Supplemental Chapter 6, which outlines a vision for transportation policies for both the County and the larger region. The 2045 LRTP was developed with input from stakeholders and the public, and was supported by technical analysis as follows:

Public input is a critical and required element of any transportation plan. OCTC’s 2045 LRTP engaged the public through continuous and meaningful public events and activities throughout the planning process. These outreach efforts provided opportunities for the general public as well as key stakeholders across transportation and non-transportation sectors to provide input on transportation challenges and opportunities in Orange County and the New York Metropolitan region. Through this extensive outreach, regional goals and objectives were defined, issues were identified, and projects were both solicited and vetted. (See Appendix A for additional details on public involvement.)

The OCTC LRTP Advisory Committee was comprised of OCTC members, which includes a number of key public sector agencies and municipalities, including:

»» Voting members: Orange County Executive; NYSDOT; City of Newburgh City Manager; City of Middle- town Mayor; City of Port Jervis Mayor; MTA Chairman / Chief Executive Officer; NYS Thruway Authority Executive Director; two voting members from the towns in each of the three transportation areas; and two voting members from all of the villages in Orange County.

»» Non-voting members: All municipalities in Orange County not presently serving as voting representatives; FTA Region II Administrator; FHWA NY Division Administrator; New York State Bridge Authority; and Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.

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Public and Partner Engagement

Participation requirements: The 2045 LRTP public engagement process meets, and exceeds, the requirements set forth in the OCTC Operating Procedures, adopted June 2016. In addition, the 2045 LRTP engagement process addresses Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.

Participation activities: The 2045 LRTP Process provided for a variety of different types of public input opportunities, including the OCTC LRTP Advisory Committee, public workshops, surveys for both transportation professionals and the general public, social media, and presentations at local public events.

Public Participation Plan and Milestones: This 2045 LRTP involved the following events:

1. Three public forums were held with the express purpose of discussing current transportation issues, goals, and potential actions and recommendations.

2. A preliminary draft of the 2045 LRTP was sent to OCTC and NYSDOT on [DATE] for review and comment.

3. A preliminary draft of the 2045 LRTP was reviewed by the OCTC LRTP Advisory Commit- tee and Federal resource agencies during [DATE].

4. A revised draft was sent to the OCTC LRTP Advisory Committee and [OTHER AGENCIES] on [DATE].

5. A draft 2045 LRTP document was provided to the public on [DATE], for a 30-day comment period including an advertised final public hearing on [DATE]. These documents were advertised in public facilities, in English and Spanish language, available for download from the OCTC website, and available as hardcopy documents from the OCTC office.

6. The draft 2045 LRTP was approved for public comment by the OCTC LRTP Advisory Committee on [DATE] and recommended for approval by the Committee on [DATE]. The Policy Committee approved the 2045 LRTP for submission to the USDOT on [DATE].

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Technical analysis undertaken by Orange County Planning Department staff and their consultants provided an objective basis for analyzing current and future transportation needs and evaluating potential strategies to address those needs.

»» The County used the Orange County Travel Demand model to obtain a better understanding of how future development might impact use of the transportation system.

»» Orange County also used analysis tools available from the University of Albany’s Albany Visualization and Informatics (AVAIL) Labs to assess travel speeds, travel time reliability, and other indicators of how well major roadways are performing for people and freight.

»» Finally, Orange County worked with an Interagency Coordination Group to ensure that transportation- related emissions in the New York Urbanized Area remains within established limits over the next 25 years, and that transportation improvements do not cause or contribute to a violation of any air quality standard.

These three sources of input on the vision for the future of transportation in Orange County, transportation goals and objectives, improvements needed to the county’s transportation system, and potential solutions to address these needs helped inform the content in the rest of this LRTP document. Part 2 of this LRTP, “Transportation Policies,” addresses vision, goals, and objectives, and the sections that follow discuss existing and future conditions, transportation needs, and strategies, as well as how to fund and implement future transportation system improvements.

8 | PART 1 PART 2 TRANSPORTATION POLICIES

This section of the Plan details the vision, goals, objectives, and performance targets that Orange County Transportation Council (OCTC) uses as its foundation for decision making, and it discusses how Orange County’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) is aligned with the policies, plans, and investment strategies that have been adopted by our partners.

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INTRODUCTION Orange County’s transportation planning process is evolving to take advantage of: IN THIS SECTION A wealth of data about how people and 10 Introduction freight move, how the transportation system is performing, and where there are gaps in 11 A Vision for Orange County’s Future infrastructure and services; Transportation System New tools and techniques to help identify 12 Federal Planning Factors vulnerabilities and address future uncertain- ties in how people and freight shippers will 13 Long-Range Transportation Goals, use transportation, what technologies Objectives, and Strategies services will be available to them, and what external factors might affect demand for and 16 Transportation Performance supply of transportation; and Management

Successful business models that public agencies, non-government agencies, community organizations, and the public can use to tional models, and processes to improve the organize, communicate, and collaborate to Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) advance shared visions and goals. transportation planning process. Effective transportation performance management can:

Help the Orange County Transportation Establish Goals and Objectives, Council learn which past investments worked, Set Targets, and Monitor Progress which did not, and why;

Adapt policies and performance measures to ensure realistic and achievable targets are Transportation Assess being set; Performance Needs, Develop, Management Design, and Evaluate Select the solutions that are most likely to Deliver Solutions, succeed at addressing identified needs; Projects and Allocate Resources Improve the design and delivery of projects using information on past performance of similar projects;

Monitor and report on performance outcomes; and As Orange County Transportation Council moves to implement Transportation Performance Promote accountability and build trust Management in accordance with federal require- among the public and elected representa- ments and industry best practices, we will con- tives that OCTC’s members are using limited sider appropriate use of data, tools, organiza- resources effectively.

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A VISION FOR ORANGE COUNTY’S FUTURE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OCTC’s policy framework rests on a vision for the future of transportation. The Transportation element of the 2019 Orange County Comprehensive Plan contained the following vision:

Provide a transportation system that will enhance the community quality of life for Orange County residents and visitors over the long term, with a focus on providing robust inter- and intra-county transportation alternatives that support the strength and prosperity of the Orange County economy and provide transportation solutions that are socially equitable and environmentally sustainable.

The OCTC is reaffirming this vision to guide future transportation investments. If we are successful, in 2045 Orange County’s transportation system will benefit residents and businesses in many ways:

People in Orange County will have transportation options that offer safe, affordable, convenient, and reliable access to employment, education, health care, and the goods, services, social interactions, and recreational opportunities that meet their daily needs.

A seamless, connected, efficient transportation system will support the needs of existing businesses and encourage future growth of emerging industries, providing residents with well- paying jobs.

Transportation assets and services will be maintained, managed and operated throughout their lifecycles to use limited resources effectively, achieving and maintaining a state of good repair, remaining robust and secure in the face of discrete hazards and threats, and exhibiting resilience to long-term changes.

Coordinated transportation, land use, economic development, energy, and sustainability policies and decisions will complement each other to create economic value and enhance quality of life in Orange County’s communities, in support of their visions and plans for the future, and promote responsible stewardship of the environment and natural resources.

This section of the Plan explores ways that OCTC can move towards each of these four desired outcomes.

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FEDERAL PLANNING FACTORS Federal regulations require MPOs to consider the following “planning factors” in the metropolitan planning process and in the implementation of projects, strategies, and services:

1 Support the economic vitality of the metropolitan area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity, and efﬁciency.

2 Increase the safety of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users.

3 Increase the security of the transportation system for motorized and non-motorized users.

4 Increase accessibility and mobility of people and freight.

5 Protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns.

6 Enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system, across and between modes, for people and freight.

7 Promote efﬁcient system management and operation.

8 Emphasize the preservation of the existing transportation system.

9 Improve the resiliency and reliability of the transportation system and reduce or mitigate stormwater impacts of surface transportation.

10 Enhance travel and tourism.

Source: 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 450.306, Scope of the metropolitan transportation planning process.

OCTC has considered these planning factors in the development of the vision for Orange County’s future transportation system and the long-range transportation goals, objectives, and strategies contained in this LRTP.

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LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES

Goal People in Orange County will have transportation options that offer safe, affordable, convenient, and reliable access to employment, education, What do we want Orange health care, and the goods, services, social interactions, and recreational County’s Transportation opportunities that meet their daily needs. System to look like in 2045?

Objectives REDUCE fatalities and serious injuries for people driving, walking, and biking How will we know we’re INCREASE number and share of trips made by walking, biking, and transit headed in the right MAINTAIN or IMPROVE travel time reliability on Orange County’s roadway direction? network

Implement the safety improvement strategies in emphasis areas identified in Strategies the New York State Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and the New York State Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP). What do we need to do to move toward our goals, Increase the extent, connectivity and continuity of Americans with Disabilities and where will these Act (ADA)-compliant sidewalks, protected bicycle facilities, and trails in areas actions be most effective? where walking and biking trips could replace driving trips, facilitate connections to mass transit services, or otherwise enhance access to destinations within cities, villages, hamlets, and crossroads communities.

Implement operational strategies identified in the New York State Active Trans- portation Demand Management (ATDM) Implementation Plan.

Increase the frequency, hours of service (HOS), and on-time performance of scheduled, fixed-route bus and rail transit services, particularly within and between Orange County’s centers of population, employment, education, health care, retail, and community services, and between Orange County and the surrounding region.

Reduce the cost of operating transportation services that can be summoned on demand via smart phone apps and call centers, where development density supports them, and reduce financial and other barriers to using them.

Make other targeted investments in new transportation capacity where aligned with economic development, land use, and sustainability plans and policies.

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Goal A seamless, connected, efficient transportation system will support the needs of existing businesses and encourage future growth of emerging What do we want Orange industries, providing residents with well-paying jobs. County’s Transportation System to look like in 2045?

Objectives REDUCE bottlenecks and gaps in the freight transportation network How will we know we’re MAINTAIN or IMPROVE travel time reliability on Orange County’s roadway headed in the right network for freight and people moving in trucks, transit and motor vehicles direction? REDUCE freight transportation costs and travel time needed to move raw materials, parts, and finished goods through supply chains and distribution networks INCREASE the number of visitors using passenger rail and bus services to access destinations in Orange County

Strategies Implement the strategies recommended in the 2019 New York State Freight Plan. What do we need to do to Improve multimodal connectivity and access to freight-intensive industries and move toward our goals, industry clusters from the regional highway and rail network. and where will these Make targeted investments in additional highway and rail capacity and oper- actions be most effective? ational improvements to relieve bottlenecks along major freight corridors and at intermodal connection points, where aligned with economic development, land use, and sustainability plans and policies.

Goal Transportation assets and services will be maintained, managed and operated throughout their lifecycles to use limited resources effectively, What do we want Orange achieving and maintaining a state of good repair, remaining robust and County’s Transportation secure in the face of discrete hazards and threats, and exhibiting resil- System to look like in 2045? ience to long-term changes.

Objectives INCREASE the share of transportation assets in good condition

How will we know we’re REDUCE the share of transportation assets in poor condition headed in the right direction? REDUCE the person-hours of disruption due to closed roads and rail lines

Strategies Implement the strategies included in New York State Department of Transpor- tation’s Transportation Asset Management Plan. What do we need to do to move toward our goals, Implement the strategies included in Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plans ad- and where will these opted by Orange County and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). actions be most effective? Establish and maintain cooperative partnerships with federal, state and local agencies to mitigate adverse impacts from projected climatic shifts, prepare emergency response and recovery plans for the types of events that can be anticipated, and proactively adapt the transportation system to reduce the likelihood and consequences of disruptions.

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Goal Coordinated transportation, land use, economic development, energy, and sustainability policies and decisions will complement each other to What do we want Orange create economic value and enhance quality of life in Orange County’s County’s Transportation communities, in support of their visions and plans for the future, and pro- System to look like in 2045? mote responsible stewardship of the environment and natural resources.

Objectives INCREASE the number of jobs that can be accessed within 30 minutes by walking, biking, driving, and transit How will we know we’re headed in the right REDUCE vehicle miles of travel per capita direction? REDUCE the share of greenhouse gas emissions and other emissions from transportation sources

Strategies Provide technical support and guidance to cities and towns to better coordinate land use and transportation policies, particularly within priority growth What do we need to do to areas, transit centers, and local centers identified in Orange County’s Compre- move toward our goals, hensive Plan. and where will these actions be most effective? Monitor transportation performance, assess transportation needs, formulate potential solutions, and prioritize transportation investments associated with economic development opportunities, with input from with the Mid Hudson Regional Economic Development Council and the private sector.

Support implementation of the transportation recommendations in the New York State Energy Plan, including the ChargeNY initiative, which seeks to build a bridge to a self-sustaining market for plug-in electric vehicles powered by large- scale renewable energy sources.

Implement recommendations in the Orange County and New York State Hazard Mitigation Plans and the adaptation strategies identified in “Adapting to Climate Change in New York State (the “ClimAID Report”) specific to transportation. Also implement those recommendations addressing energy and telecommunications infrastructure that is interdependent with transportation.

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TRANSPORTATION PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Transportation performance management is a collection of related processes that use information about how the county’s transportation system is performing in order to help the OCTC plan for the future, develop and design improvements that respond to transportation needs, deliver projects that will move the county toward its strategic, long-range transportation goals and objectives, and manage and operate the transportation system while monitoring how performance is trending (see Figure 1).

All MPOs are required by federal regulations to adopt transportation performance management, and associated policies and practices, into their long-range transportation planning processes as well as the processes used to develop and adopt the 5-year TIP.

Figure 1. Transportation Performance Management and Continuous Improvement Cycle

Establish a Vision PLAN Set Policies and Performance Targets Establish Goals and Objectives, Assess Tradeoffs and Allocate Resources Set Targets, and Monitor Progress Manage Assets Identify Strategies and Adopt Plans Operate Systems Monitor Performance IMPROVE

D E Engage and Organize

E G Assess People Revise and Imple- S

A I

ment Processes Manage G

Needs, N N

A and Enhance Data Assets Evaluate Assess Needs

M and Information Technolo- Solutions, Formulate Solutions and Allocate gies Evaluate Alternatives Resources Design Projects Prioritize Investments Construct Projects DEL ER Implement Policies IV

Source: Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

This LRTP focuses on the “Plan” portion of Figure 1. In this part of the LRTP, the OCTC summarizes transportation policies that form the basis for investment decisions. In the remainder of the LRTP, Part 3 (Orange County’s People, Places, and Economy) and Part 4 (Orange County’s Transportation System) summarize a wide range of indicators based on current and historical data available from a variety of sources. Part 5 (Transportation Strategies) summarizes the types of strategies that are most likely to help the OCTC planning area advance toward local, county, regional, statewide, and national goals. Finally, Part 6 lays out the framework for funding and implementing the LRTP.

The LRTP does not encompass the entire range of activities that occur under the umbrella of transportation performance management. OCTC’s members are responsible for using performance data to help assess tradeoffs across investment programs (e.g., what happens if more money is allocated to safety projects, or

16 | PART 2 ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

bridge replacements, or public transportation services?) and they then allocate resources to the mix of investment types that are most likely to succeed at advancing the OCTC’s vision and goals for the future of the transportation system. OCTC member agencies and transportation planning partners then assess needs, formulate solutions, evaluate alternatives, and design projects that become candidates for funding.

With projections of available revenues over the near term and long term, the OCTC and its member agencies determine how to best fund these projects’ lifecycle costs (up front construction, long-term operation and maintenance, major rehabilitations, and replacement or decommissioning) and prioritize specific projects. Transportation agencies and operators of the transportation system then oversee construction and implementation of projects and policies, using techniques and technologies that are honed based on practical research and experience, and they manage and operate transportation infrastructure and services while monitoring conditions and optimizing performance.

Transportation performance management ultimately is intended to become a continuous process to improve the entire cycle to plan, design, deliver, and manage the transportation system. Related continuous improvement activities are shown in the center of the diagram: engaging stakeholders and experts in regular conversations about how the system is performing from their perspective, organizing staff within agencies to best use available resources and talents, revising existing policies and procedures and implementing new ones as needed, and managing and enhancing data assets and information technologies to better collect, manage, and disseminate performance information and the knowledge and experience that stems from it.

Federal Transportation Performance Management Requirements for MPOs

Federal laws and regulations require MPOs to develop LRTPs through a “performance-driven, outcome-based approach to planning.” With the enactment of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and the subsequent modifications contained in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the U.S. Congress set in motion a series of formal actions by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to establish a federal regulatory framework for performance management in the surface transportation planning process.

As part of their planning processes, FHWA and FTA regulations that took effect in 2018 require MPOs to:

Integrate goals, objectives, measures and targets contained in related transportation plans developed and adopted by state departments of transportation and public transportation providers (see next section);

Establish performance targets in areas related to national goals for the federal-aid highway program and public transit systems, as specified in MAP-21 (see National Goals for the Federal Aid Highway Program callout on the following page) and further detailed in subsequent FHWA and FTA regulations (see next section);

Report on progress toward achieving targets (see the System Performance Report included in Part 4, “Orange County’s Transportation System”);

Coordinate on establishing targets and reporting on performance with relevant state departments of transportation, other MPOs, and public transportation providers (see next section); and

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Jointly develop written agreements that document the roles and responsibilities of states, MPOs, and public transportation providers for sharing transportation performance data, setting targets, and reporting performance (these agreements have been executed and are on file with the respective agencies).

As the first LRTP adopted by OCTC after the new regulations took effect, this document addresses each of the new federal requirements.

National Goals for the Federal Aid Highway Program

Excerpt from Chapter 23, Section 150 of the U.S. Code (Federal law)

(a) Declaration of Policy. Performance management will transform the Federal-aid highway program and provide a means to the most efficient investment of Federal transportation funds by refocusing on national transportation goals, increasing the accountability and transparency of the Federal-aid highway program, and improving project decision making through performance-based planning and programming.

(b) National Goals. It is in the interest of the United States to focus the Federal-aid highway program on the following national goals:

(1) Safety. To achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.

(2) Infrastructure condition. To maintain the highway infrastructure asset system in a state of good repair.

(3) Congestion reduction. To achieve a significant reduction in congestion on the National Highway System (NHS).

(4) System reliability. To improve the efficiency of the surface transportation system.

(5) Freight movement and economic vitality. To improve the National Highway Freight Network (NHFH), strengthen the ability of rural communities to access national and international trade markets, and support regional economic development.

(6) Environmental sustainability. To enhance the performance of the transportation system while protecting and enhancing the natural environment.

(7) Reduced project delivery delays. To reduce project costs, promote jobs and the economy, and expedite the movement of people and goods by accelerating project completion through eliminating delays in the project development and delivery process, including reducing regulatory burdens and improving agencies' work practices.

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OCTC Performance Measures and Performance Targets

OCTC has adopted goals and objectives as part of its previous LRTPs and made adjustments to the transportation policy framework as needed to address federal requirements and reflect changing conditions in Orange County and the surrounding region. In this LRTP update, the OCTC includes performance measures and related near-term performance targets to comply with regulations adopted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the FTA since the last update of OCTC’s LRTP. OCTC’s performance measures reflect those adopted by the FHWA and FTA in recent federal regulatory actions, and OCTC's targets are aligned with those established by the New York State Department of Transporta- tion (NYSDOT) and transit operators in Orange County in response to the federal regulatory requirements.

The OCTC has adopted a policy that OCTC members will plan and invest in transportation improvements that support progress toward NYSDOT's performance targets (for safety on all public roads and for performance of the NHS) as well as those adopted for transit asset management by Orange County and the New York MTA.

The performance measures and related targets adopted by OCTC for this LRTP are shown in Table 1. Additional detail about these targets can be found in Part 4, Orange County’s Transportation System.

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Table 1. OCTC Performance Measures and Targets

Adopted Performance Performance Performance Measures Baseline Targets Highway Safety (All public roads) 5-year aver- 1-year age 2013-2017 Number of Fatalities 1,084 1,040.4 Rate of Fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) 0.86 0.826 Number of Serious Injuries 11,242 11,017 Rate of Serious Injuries per 100 million VMT 8.89 8.709 Number of Non-motorized Fatalities and Non-motorized Serious Injuries 2,736 2,626.8 Asset Management: National Highway Performance Program 2017 Base 2-year | 4-year Percent pavements on Interstate System in Good condition 52.2% N/A | 47.3% Percent pavements on Interstate System in Poor condition 2.7% N/A | 4.0% Percent pavements on the NHS (excluding the Interstate System) in Good condition 20.4% 14.6% | 14.7% Percent pavements on the NHS (excluding the Interstate System) in Poor condition 8.3% 12.4% | 14.3% Percent NHS bridges classified as in Good condition 20.2% 23.0% | 24.0% Percent NHS bridges classified as in Poor condition 11.7% 11.6% | 11.7% System Performance: National Highway Performance Program 2017 Base 2-year | 4-year Percent person-miles traveled on the Interstate System that are reliable 81.3% 73.1% | 73.0% Percent person-miles traveled on the Non-Interstate NHS that are reliable 77.0% N/A | 63.4% Truck travel time reliability index (TTTR) 1.38 2.00 | 2.11 Transit Safety Total number of reportable fatalities by mode [to be adopted in Public Fatality rate per total vehicle revenue miles by mode Transportation Agency Safety Plan to be published on or before Total number of reportable injuries by mode July 20, 2020] Injury rate per total vehicle revenue miles by mode Total number of reportable events by mode Rate of events per total vehicle revenue miles by mode Mean distance between major mechanical failures by mode Transit Asset Management Useful Life 1-year Benchmark Equipment: Percentage of non-revenue, support-service and maintenance vehicles that have met or exceeded their useful life benchmark BR—Over the road Bus 12 years 5% BU—Bus 14 years 5% CU—Cutaway Bus 5 years 5%

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Adopted Performance Performance Performance Measures Baseline Targets Rolling Stock: Percentage of revenue vehicles within a particular asset class that have either met or exceeded their useful life benchmark Nonrevenue automobiles 8 years 5% Bus shelters 15 years 5% Facilities: Percentage of facilities within an asset class rated below condition 3 on the TERM scale Administration N/A 5%

Source: Orange County Planning Department and NYSDOT.

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Integration of OCTC LRTP with Other Performance-Based Transportation Plans

OCTC is required to integrate into this LRTP the goals, objectives, measures and targets contained in related transportation plans developed and adopted by state departments of transportation and public transportation providers. “Related” transportation plans include the following, which are specifically referenced in federal regulations:

The New York State Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Annual Report and the New York State Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP); The New York State Transportation Asset Management Plan for the NHS; Transit Asset Management Plans (TAM) adopted by Orange County Planning Department (developed on behalf of transit service providers in Orange County who receive FTA funding) and the New York MTA (which is responsible for funding maintenance and capital improvements on the Metro-North Port Jervis Line); The New York State Freight Plan; and Mid-Hudson Valley Transportation Management Association (TMA) Congestion Management Process Technical Reports (CMP).

Transit Asset Management Plan

Strategic Highway Safety Plan Strategic Highway Safety Plan 2017-2022 2017-2022 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo | Commissioner Matthew J. Driscoll final report August 2019 Transportation Asset Management Plan

prepared for Orange County Department of Planning

prepared by Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

July 5, 2018 www.camsys.com

June 2019 Marie Therese Dominguez, Commissioner

OCTC has considered and integrated the policies and strategies contained in these plans into this LRTP, and OCTC has committed to supporting progress toward performance targets adopted by New York State Department of Transportation, the Orange County Planning Department, and the New York MTA.

In addition, within 180 days of their adoption, OCTC will integrate in its planning process the measures and targets contained in the Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) to be adopted on or before July 20, 2020 by Orange County and the New York MTA.

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Coordination with NYSDOT, Public Transportation Providers, and Other MPOs

The OCTC uses a number of mechanisms to coordinate its performance-based planning process with NYSDOT, public transportation providers, and neighboring MPOs.

NYSDOT is a voting member on the OCTC, and the Regional Director for Region 8 is OCTC’s Permanent Secretary. OCTC staff and NYSDOT coordinate regularly on MPO planning and programming activities.

The Orange County Executive is the permanent chair of the OCTC. The county is a direct recipient of funds from transit programs authorized under Title 49 U.S.C., and thus public transportation providers in Orange County are represented by the County Executive (as a voting member of OCTC) and by a Senior Transit Planner who represents Transit Orange at OCTC meetings.

Figure 2. Orange County Transportation Council Structure

OCTC is an active member in the New York State Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (NYSAMPO), including an executive committee of MPO directors and other topical committees that discuss state and MPO performance measures, target setting, data collection and management, analyt- ical tools and techniques, and information systems and other mechanisms for reporting and communi- cating performance. NYSDOT is an active participant in NYSAMPO meetings, providing updates to OCTC and other MPOs on planning studies and statewide plans under development, as well as performance management activities like data collection and analysis, target setting, and reporting.

OCTC is one of three MPOs that make up the Mid-Hudson Valley Transportation Management Area (TMA). Working with the NYSDOT the Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC), and the Ulster

PART 2 | 23 ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

County Transportation Council (UCTC), the TMA coordinates transportation planning and performance management for the TMA region, with a specific emphasis on the CMP for the TMA.

The Mid-Hudson Valley TMA has entered into agreements with NJTPA regarding coordination across MPO boundaries, as part of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh Urbanized Area cross from Orange County, New York into Sussex County, New Jersey, which is within the NJTPA metropolitan planning area.

OCTC also is a member of the Metropolitan Area Planning (MAP) Forum, which was established to foster coordination among the eight MPOs within and adjacent to the New York City Metropolitan Area in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Other MAP Forum participants include the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC), the NJTPA, Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WESTCOG), Connecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments (METROCOG), Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG), South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG), Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments (RIVERCOG), and the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.

The next two parts of the LRTP document discuss how people and freight use the transportation system in Orange County and how the transportation system performs.

24 | PART 2 PART 3 ORANGE COUNTY’S PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ECONOMY

Orange County's transportation system serves people who live in a variety of communities nestled into the hills of the Lower Hudson Valley. These people, and the county's economy, depend on a well-functioning transportation system that is reliable, accessible, and resilient. This section of the plan provides an overview of Orange County's people, places, and economy, setting a foundation for a discussion about transportation needs.

| 25 ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

CONTEXT FOR IN THIS SECTION TRANSPORTATION PLANNING 26 Context for Transportation Planning Orange County is located in the Hudson River 32 Orange County’s Managed Land and Valley in New York State, about 60 miles upstream from New York City. Situated on the outskirts of the Open Space New York City metropolitan area, at the cross- 34 Orange County’s Residents roads of several major transportation arteries, Orange County offers its residents and businesses 43 Priority Growth Areas connectivity and access to urban amenities and 61 Transportation and the Economy markets, with enough physical separation and open space to maintain a high quality of life at relatively low costs. The county’s geography and topography have fostered a mix of small cities surrounded by suburban development, charming The Wallkill River, Moodna Creek, and and historic villages and hamlets with distinct Ramapo River form three other river valleys identities, meandering rivers that have deposited that define the county’s landscape and rich soils ideal for agriculture, and rugged, historically have supported agriculture and forested hills that break up the landscape and are industry. part of an extensive system of parks and preserves. Over time, rail lines running through the county Water has been a key driver of Orange County’s connecting New York City to points north and development, facilitating transportation, agricul- west continued expansion of Newburgh and ture, and industry: helped develop Orange County’s second-largest city, Middletown. Middletown grew at the junction The Hudson River forms the eastern border of of several rail lines, including the Erie Railroad’s the county and facilitated the growth of the Main Line and the New York, Ontario and Western county’s largest city, Newburgh, along key Railway. The Erie Railroad’s Main Line, which trading routes between New York City and connected the Hudson River at Piermont, New points north and west. West Point Military Jersey with Lake Erie at Dunkirk, New York, also Academy and the surrounding Military spurred development of several villages in central Reservation were sited in southeast Orange Orange County, including Harriman, Monroe, County along the Hudson at a strategic Chester, and Goshen. Maybrook was formerly the location between New York City and Canada. site of a major rail yard and switching point between railroads in New England and points The Delaware River forms part Orange west. Railroads also helped Montgomery, Walden, County’s western border, separating New and Warwick prosper by giving industries their York State from Pennsylvania. The City of Port lower-cost access to seaports along the Hudson Jervis grew along the river at a point where River and consumer markets along the East Coast. the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania borders intersect.

26 | PART 3 ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

A third form of development in Orange County Jersey, between New York City and suburban Long followed the construction of the New York State Island, and between New York City and the lower Thruway, the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge Hudson Valley. These three sets of inter-area trips (formally known as the Tappan Zee Bridge), and a also feature significant proportions of transit trips. network of interregional and interstate highways Although highways, and the cars, buses, and that provided fast connections for people (in cars trucks that use them, have transformed Orange and buses) and freight (on trucks) between County and the broader region, the county has Orange County and the rest of North America. been able to maintain a healthy mix of communi- Car ownership allowed people to live in more ties, open space, agriculture, and industry. Aside spread out, suburban-style residential develop- from limited areas of suburban-style development ments that were separated from offices, schools, around Newburgh, Middletown, Woodbury, shopping centers, restaurants, services, and Monroe, and near major highway interchanges, recreation, but linked to them by a network of Orange County has largely retained its rural and county roads. Bus companies began to offer small town character, with agricultural areas, one-seat rides from villages (and, later, park & ride natural features, and open space dotted with lots) in Orange County to the Port Authority Bus villages, hamlets, and rural crossroad communi- Terminal in Manhattan, and people drove them- ties. Nearly 70 percent of Orange County is selves to jobs at companies who were relocating forested; only about 10 percent of the county’s from Manhattan to suburban areas like Bergen land area is developed. While Rockland County, County, New Jersey, and Westchester County, New Orange County’s neighbor to the south, is almost York. Trucking companies and wholesale traders completely built out where development is built warehouses and distribution centers on allowed and cost-effective, several contiguous relatively cheap land in Orange County near state parks and the West Point Military Reserva- major interregional highways. tion in eastern and southeastern Orange County In many ways, Orange County is increasingly have created a 15-mile-wide zone of limited being integrated into the larger New York metro- development that buffers Orange County from politan region. This larger multi-state metropoli- development pressures present in the rest of the tan region is the largest such area in the nation in New York Metropolitan Area. terms of population and one of the largest in the Changes in transportation and communications world, as approximated by the U.S. Census technology, and accompanying social changes, Bureau’s New York Metropolitan Statistical Area may bring about another wave of development (MSA). The New York MSA is home to over 20 changes in Orange County. The section titled million people (2015 estimate) and covers 25 “Where and Why People Travel” and a later counties. section of the Plan covering transportation The transportation system of the multi-state infrastructure and services will delve into these metropolitan region is large, complex, and aging, issues and opportunities in more detail. tied together by a network of highways, rail lines, bridges, tunnels, and other infrastructure. In terms of daily trips made between the subareas, the majority of these inter-area trips are made between New York City and northern and central New

PART 3 | 27 ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

The Metropolitan Area Planning (MAP) Forum is a consortium of nine Metropolitan Planning Organiza- tions (MPO) from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania that have entered into an agreement to better coordinate planning activities in the multi-state region. The MAP Forum is comprised of:

Orange County Transportation Council (OCTC) Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of North Jersey Transportation Planning Governments (RIVERCOG) Authority (NJTPA) Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments New York Metropolitan Transportation (NVCOG) Council (NYMTC) Western Connecticut Council of Governments Connecticut Metropolitan Council of (WESTCOG) Governments (METROCOG) Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG)

Since 2008, the MAP Forum’s membership has changed to reflect MPO reorganizations in Connecticut, and in 2017 it was expanded to include OCTC in New York and LVPC in Pennsylvania.

Figure 3. Members of the Metropolitan Area Planning (MAP) Forum

Source: Metropolitan Area Planning Forum.

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The MAP Forum was initially created in 2008 as a discuss and review areas of coordination, coopera- result of Federal Transit Administration(FTA) and tion and consultation as outlined in the Planning Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recom- Coordination MOU. In addition to the full MAP Forum mendations that the five MPOs of the Greater New meetings, two working groups also meet periodi- York Metropolitan Transportation Management cally: Area formalize the manner in which they coordinate The Multi-State Freight Working Group on the development of transportation planning is the first working group to be formed under documents, as well as how they coordinate to meet the MAP Forum. The focus for the Multi-State the attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Working group is to provide a multi-state Standards (NAAQS), the MPOs collaborated to perspective on commodity flows and supply craft a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), chains, vehicle volumes and intermodal which addressed those recommendations. moves, bottlenecks and system gaps. The Under the terms of the Planning Coordination Working Group collaborates to study and MOU, the nine signatory MPOs agree to certain advance “boundary” projects, multi-state planning coordination activities, including: freight programs, supported by freight data and analysis. The Multi-State Freight Working Exchanging information, discussing opportuni- Group meets once a year; and ties for collaborative activities, and engaging in consultations on the following program areas: The Metropolitan Mobility Network (MMN), which was originally created by New »» Unified Planning orkW Program (UPWP); York Metropolitan Transportation Council »» Modeling; (NYMTC) in the late 1990s as an advisory »» Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP); working group to NYMTC’s Program, Finance and Administration Committee, has been »» Transportation Improvement Program (TIP); and re-established by NYMTC after several years of inactivity in conjunction with the MAP » Air Quality State Implementation Plan » Forum in the multistate metropolitan region Conformity. surrounding New York City. As an advisory Holding an annual meeting of the Executive group to NYMTC, the MMN focuses on infor- Directors and appropriate key managers of mation sharing and fostering the develop- the MPOs which are parties to the agreement, ment, enhancement and maintenance of as well as interested policy board member integrated multi-modal management and agency representatives, including the public operation strategies at the regional level— transit operating agencies and the Port both building on and contributing to the met- Authority of New York & New Jersey. ropolitan transportation planning process. A major objective of the Group is to make the The MAP Forum meets periodically in person and via regional transportation system safer and conference call to discuss and coordinate planning more efficient. The re-established Network issues. These meetings provide an opportunity for consists of the staffs and member agency discussion among the key MPOs in the multi-state staffs of NYMTC and the MAP Forum member region, in accordance with the provisions of the MPOs and council of governments that are MOU. The purpose of these periodic meetings is to involved in Transportation System Manage- advance the efforts of regional planning, and to ment and Operations.

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Overview of Orange County’s Multimodal Transportation Network

Orange County’s multimodal transportation network provides mobility and access within communities, connections between them, and a global reach.

Three major highways (I-87, I-84, and NY-17) serve the most densely populated portions of the county and most of its employment centers (see Figure 4). These highways connect Orange County to areas with more than 60 million people within a six-hour drive, plus international airports, seaports, and rail terminals. Additional roads maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Orange County, local governments, and private landowners provide connections between and within communities. A range of public transit services operate on Orange County’s roads and highways: Three regularly-scheduled, fixed-route local services operate in Orange County: two in and around the cities of Middletown and Newburgh, and one in and around the Village of Kiryas Joel. Several private bus operators offer commuter bus services to New York City as well as intercity bus services to the rest of New York State. Eight demand-responsive Dial-a-Bus services operate in ten towns, primarily serving shorter-distance trips. A bus shuttle connects New York Stewart International Airport (SWF), the Route 17K park & ride lot in the Town of Newburgh, and the City of Newburgh to the City of Beacon, in Dutchess County, and its Metro North Railroad station. Additional paratransit services and human services transportation operators provide mobility to segments of the population who cannot drive, do not have access to a private vehicle, or cannot afford other means of transportation. A network of New York State bicycle routes, locally-designated bicycle routes, multi-use trails, and bike lanes serve commuter and recreational bike trips, and sidewalks allow people to walk short distances within developed areas. Portions of this multimodal network can also serve electric bikes, motorized scooters, and other light electric vehicles that are emerging as low-cost alternatives to automobiles. A significant network of recreational trails draw tourism to the area. Water trails, such as the Wallkill River Trail, are used by kayaks, canoes, and other forms of water-based non-motorized transportation. Equestrian Trails are also popular in Orange County and are accommodated at some county parks. Hiking trails such as the Appalachian Trail and the Long Path connect open spaces in Orange County as well as a connect to a network of regionally significant recreational hiking trails. Two Class I freight railroad lines that are part of national networks run through the county, and New Jersey Transit operates regional passenger rail service on one of these lines in partnership with Metro- politan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro North Railroad. A third major rail line that indirectly serves Orange County hugs the east shore of the Hudson River and carries intercity passenger rail operated by Amtrak, regional passenger rail operated by MTA Metro North Railroad, and additional freight rail services. A passenger ferry running across the Hudson River between Newburgh and Beacon primarily serves commuters using the Beacon Station on Metro North Railroad’s Hudson Line, which, in turn, provides direct service to Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Privately operated marine terminals south of Newburgh load and unload cargo from barges and ships, including petroleum products and chemicals (via pipelines and tanker trucks), and construction materials (transported by truck). Just west of Newburgh, New York Stewart International Airport is a commercial service airport owned by NYSDOT and operated by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, with scheduled non- stop passenger service to seven cities in the U.S. and facilities available for international flights. The airport also provides air cargo services. There also are five general aviation airports in Orange County.

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Figure 4. Orange County’s Multimodal Transportation Network

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess County

Putnam County

Pike County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County

Westchester LEGEND County State Route Park & Rides County Road Newburgh-Beacon Ferry Waterbodies Airports NEW JERSEY Streams Rockland County Train Stations Metro-North Port Jervis Line Rail Trail Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES Future Rail Trail

Source: Orange County Planning Department and New York State Department of Transportation.

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It shall be the practice of the Department of ORANGE COUNTY’S Transportation to: MANAGED LAND AND " Coordinate and communicate closely with OPEN SPACE state and federal resource agencies to identify opportunities to advance state and Parks, preserves, cultural and historical places, federal environmental policies, programs and open spaces all contribute to Orange and objectives. County’s quality of life and its attractiveness to new residents and tourists. OCTC’s transportation Ensure that all necessary steps are taken in planning process starts with an understanding of planning, design, and construction to avoid what land is protected, sensitive to construction or and minimize adverse effects of transporta- operation of transportation facilities, or otherwise tion projects and operations on important important to the people and businesses that call elements of the environment and adjacent Orange County home. communities.

Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transporta- Proactively plan, design, construct and tion Act of 1966 requires recipients of federal maintain transportation projects in an transportation funding to consider parks, recre- environmentally sound manner using context ation areas, wildlife refuges, and historic and sensitive design to meet transportation needs archaeological sites in transportation planning, while at the same time protecting, conserv- project development, design, and construction. ing, restoring or enhancing important natural Federal regulations adopted by the Federal and man-made resources. Highway Administration (FHWA) and the FTA Incorporate into department of transportation require transportation agencies to first attempt to (DOT) capital and maintenance projects avoid these lands and sites by evaluating multiple specific design features or facilities to alternative alignments or locations for transporta- mitigate unavoidable adverse impacts to tion corridors and facilities, or, if there is no the environment. “feasible and prudent” avoidance alternative, plan and design transportation improvements to Consider and implement, as appropriate, minimize and mitigate impacts to these lands. measures to enhance natural and man-made resources above and beyond project-specific New York State has similar laws and regulations permit and mitigation requirements. regarding environmental conservation, avoidance, and mitigation for environmentally-sensitive Incorporate, where practicable, environmen- land and places with historic, cultural, or archaeo- tal projects funded by local agencies or logical significance. The “Environmental Initiatives groups into ongoing DOT projects as Guidelines and Procedures” incorporated into The “Environmental Betterments.” Environmental Manual by NYSDOT contain the following statement of policy: Promote an environmental and context sensitive design ethic within all Department organizations."

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Figure 5 shows land currently owned and managed in Orange County as a park, recreation area, refuge, or other open space.

Figure 5. Managed Land

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess County

Putnam County

Pike County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County

Westchester LEGEND County State Route Managed Land County Road West Point Military Reservation Waterbodies Parks, Recreation Areas, Refuges,NEW JERSEY Streams and Managed Lands Rockland County

Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

Orange County completed a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) as part of the “Effect of Climate Change on Orange County, New York” Report published in July 2019. The overall goal of the report is to provide information and recommend strategies specific to Orange County in order to guide local policies and plans that, when executed, will reduce vulnerabilities, conserve natural resources, and make communities more resilient to the changing climate. The NRI features (19) maps of naturally occurring resources within Orange County as well as priority man made features. For more information on the NRI, visit the Orange County Department of Planning webpage or use the provided link: https://www.orangecountygov. com/DocumentCenter/View/13988/Effects-of-Climate-Change-in-OC-NY

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ORANGE COUNTY’S open space, and parks and recreation. RESIDENTS Since the mid-2000s, Orange County’s rate of growth has slowed (see Figure 6). The county’s population growth rate of 0.3 percent per year Population Trends and Projections from 2010 to 2018 has been below the national rate (0.7 percent) but above the state rate (0.1 Orange County recorded a population of approx- percent). (The 2018 population estimates for imately 373,000 in the 2010 Census and had an Orange County, New York State, and the U.S. estimated population of 382,000 as of 2018, provided by the U.S. Census Bureau may be making it the 12th most populous county in New revised once the official 2020 Census is recorded.) York State. From a population of just over 250,000 Through 2045, Orange County’s population could in 1980, Orange County has grown by 50 percent grow by around 32,000 if the recent 0.3 percent over the past four decades (about 1.1 percent per average annual growth rate continues. The year on average), due largely to: county could add 136,000 people if growth Relatively low housing costs, good schools, matches the 1.1 percent average annual growth and low crime rates; rate expected for the New York City metropolitan region. For purposes of forecasting travel Proximity to jobs, services, and amenities in demand, this LRTP and the associated Air Quality New York City, Rockland and Westchester Conformity determination assume Orange Counties, and northern New Jersey, and County’s population will grow by 100,000, to 481,000 people, from 2020 through 2045 (see Quality of life associated with close-knit Figure 7). This would correspond to an average communities, small villages and hamlets, annual growth rate of 0.9 percent, just below the historical and cultural resources, rural areas, long-term historical average.

Figure 6. Orange County Historical Population Growth, 1980-2015

Population Growth (in thousands) 372.8 375.4 341.4 364.5 307.6 323.5 259.6 279.4

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Figure 7. Orange County Population Growth Projections, 2020-2045

Population Growth (in thousands) 406 481 425 444 388 406

2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 Source: Orange County Travel Demand Model Socioeconomic and Demographic Data and Projections.

Children under 18 currently make up 25 percent of the county’s population, compared to 21 percent of New York State and 22 percent of the United States (see Figure 8). Compared to the rest of the state and the country, there are more people between ages 18 and 24 in Orange County, fewer people between 25 and 39, and fewer people over age 65. Figure 8. Age Distribution of Orange County Population, Compared to New York State and United States

14% 16% 16% 65 and481 over

32% 32% 32% 40 to481 64

18% 21% 21% 25 to481 39 11% 10% 9% 18 to 24

25% 21% 22% Under 18

Orange County New York United States Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2018 Population Estimates.

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Household sizes vary considerably between municipalities in Orange County (see Figure 9). There is a range from 2.3 people per household on average in Tuxedo up to 4.1 people per household on average in Monroe (based on 2016 data that predates the formation of the Town of Palm Tree). The average for all of Orange County is 2.9 people per household; the average in both New York State and the U.S. is 2.6 people per household. The number of children or older family members who cannot drive themselves, the number of unrelated people living together, and the number of people in the household who are employed all impact the household’s trip making characteristics.

Figure 9. Average Household Size for Orange County Towns and Cities

Tuxedo 2.34 City of Port Jervis 2.48 Deerpark 2.51 Goshen 2.65 Warwick 2.67 City of Middletown 2.67 Cornwall 2.69 Highlands 2.70 Wallkill 2.75 Montgomery 2.77 New Windsor 2.80 Newburgh 2.82 Crawford 2.88 Blooming Grove 2.93 Mount Hope 2.98 Wawayanda 3.01 Greenville 3.05 City of Newburgh 3.05 Chester 3.06 Minisink 3.18 Woodbury 3.35 Hamptonburgh 3.45 Monroe 4.09

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Communities Survey 5-Year Estimates.

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Where People Live in Orange County

As shown in Figure 10 and Table 2, the highest absolute population and highest population densities in Orange County are in the following areas:

The City of Newburgh and the adjacent towns of Newburgh and New Windsor; The City of Middletown and the adjacent Town of Wallkill; and The Village of Kiryas Joel (within the Town of Palm Tree) and the Town of Monroe.

Relatively dense villages located throughout the county (notably those in the large towns of Warwick and Montgomery and along the Route 17 corridor) account for much of the rest of the county’s population.

Population densities of greater than 2,500 to 4,000 persons per square mile are necessary in order to support basic fixed-route transit service that depends on walk access. Newburgh, Middle- town, and Kiryas Joel all have contiguous neighborhoods with population densities over 4,000 persons per square mile. Lower densities of 1,500 to 2,000 persons per square mile may be sufficient to support commuter rail or commuter bus service that uses park & ride access to draw from a greater commuting shed, assuming the commuter services transport people to large business districts (like those in New York City and Westchester County). These population densities are more widespread in Orange County, as shown in Figure 10.

In addition to population density, federal law also requires recipients of federal funding for transportation to consider race, household income, and people with limited LEP when planning and prioritizing transportation projects.

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Table 2. Estimated 2017 Populations of Orange County’s Towns, Cities, and Villages

Towns Population Cities Population Villages Population

Warwick 31,305 City of Newburgh 28,444 Kiryas Joel 22,794

Newburgh 30,697 City of Middletown 27,729 Woodbury 10,791

Wallkill 28,540 City of Port Jervis 8,670 Monroe 8,579

New Windsor 26,799 Warwick 6,801

Montgomery 23,664 Walden 6,781

Palm Tree 22,794 Washingtonville 5,774

Monroe 20,119 Goshen 5,381

Blooming Grove 17,725 Montgomery 4,526

Goshen 13,864 Chester 3,965

Cornwall 12,491 Highland Falls 3,841

Highlands 12,152 Maybrook 3,298

Chester 11,971 S. Blooming Grove 3,184

Woodbury 11,628 Greenwood Lake 3,116

Crawford 9,234 Harriman 2,965

Deerpark 7,799 Cornwall-on-Hudson 2,936

Wawayanda 7,288 Florida 2,845

Mount Hope 6,993 Otisville 1,074

Hamptonburgh 5,506 Unionville 592

Greenville 4,697 Tuxedo Park 536

Minisink 4,513

Tuxedo 3,552

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Communities Survey 5-Year Estimates.

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Figure 10. Population Density

Ulster County N

Sullivan County Walden

Dutchess Montgomery County Newburgh Maybrook Otisville

Middletown Putnam County Washingtonville Cornwall-On-Hudson Pike South Blooming Grove Goshen County, Port Jervis PENNSYLVANIA Highland Falls

Florida Kiryas Joel

Unionville Harriman Sussex County Monroe Warwick Westchester LEGEND County State Route Persons per Square Mile County Road ≤ 250 Tuxedo Park Waterbodies 251–500 NEW JERSEY Greenwood Streams 501–1,000 Lake Rockland County 1,001–5,000 > 5,000 Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

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Title VI / Environmental Justice Identifying the locations of minority, low-income, and LEP populations is a key step in complying with Executive Order 12898 of 1994, Federal Actions to Title VI and Environmental Justice requirements. For Address Environmental Justice in Minority Popula- the Title VI and Environmental Justice analysis, the tions and Low-Income Populations, looks to identify OCTC used data from the Census Bureau’s 2013- and address “disproportionately high and 2017 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year adverse human health or environmental effects” Estimates to identify census tracts that were above on low- income and minority populations. the County’s average for minority populations, Executive Order 12898 evokes similar principles of low-income populations, and LEP populations. the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits discrimination by recipients of federal Environmental Justice Areas financial assistance, including federal transportation funds, on the basis of race, color, and Census tracts that were identified as having a national origin, or matters related to language higher rate than the County average were access for Limited English Proficient (LEP) persons. indexed and given one point per category. Orange County has an average of 25.9 percent In support of Executive Order 12898, the United minority population, an average of 12.2 percent of States Department of Transportation (USDOT) the population living below the poverty line, and issued an Order on Environmental Justice (USDOT an average of 8.9 percent considered LEP house- Order 5610.2) in 1997, followed by an FHWA Order holds. The index gives the census tracts a value on Environmental Justice (FHWA Order 6640.23) in based on the total points for the three indicators, 1998. The FHWA order requires the incorporation with scores going from 0-3. Census Tracts with of Environmental Justice principles in all FHWA three points were identified as Environmental programs, policies, and activities. As a federally Justice Areas (Table 3). Figure 11 shows the index funded agency, the OCTC is required to be in scores for all census tracts countywide. compliance with both of these federal regulations. OCTC recognizes not all projects may benefit local There are three core Environmental Justice populations and may lead to a decrease in principles: quality of life for an area. Projects that increase accessibility, such as bicycle and pedestrian 1. Avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportion- improvement projects, are a valuable tool to ately high and adverse human health and increase quality of life. A highway project may environmental effects, including social and move a higher volume of vehicles, but the increase economic effects, on minority and low-in- in traffic and speeds may negatively affect the come populations; quality of life for the surrounding community. In 2. Ensure full and fair participation of all poten- order to assess the distribution of transportation tially affected communities in the transpor- investments across Orange County, projects tation decision-making process; and programmed in the 2020-2024 TIP were overlaid on maps of the Environmental Justice Areas. Only 3. Prevent the denial of, reduction in, or sig- those projects with a specific geographic location nificant delay in the receipt of benefits by were mapped for both state and local highway minority and low-income populations. projects (Table 3).

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Table 3. Estimated 2017 Populations of Orange County’s Towns, Cities, and Villages

Census Tract in Environmental Justice Area Municipality

CENSUS TRACT 1 City of Newburgh

CENSUS TRACT 2 City of Newburgh

CENSUS TRACT 3 City of Newburgh

CENSUS TRACT 4 City of Newburgh

CENSUS TRACT 5.01 City of Newburgh

CENSUS TRACT 5.02 City of Newburgh

CENSUS TRACT 6 City of Newburgh

CENSUS TRACT 11 City of Middletown

CENSUS TRACT 12 City of Middletown

CENSUS TRACT 15 City of Middletown

CENSUS TRACT 113 City of Middletown

CENSUS TRACT 151 Town of Wallkill

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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Figure 11. Environmental Justice Areas in Orange County, New York

Source: Map: Orange County Planning Department. Data: U.S. Census Bureau 2013-2017 American Communities Survey 5-Year Estimates.

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PRIORITY GROWTH AREAS Orange County reaffirmed its Priority Growth Areas as part of its 2019 Comprehensive Plan update (see Figure 12). The County Plan’s Priority Growth Area concept is fundamentally based on a differentiation between urban and rural areas, and the specific needs of each of these two areas. The Priority Growth Areas are divided into three categories: Growth Areas, Local Centers, and Transit Centers.

Growth Areas include the cities and villages of the County where growth has historically occurred, with some outlying areas where growth is projected and could potentially be accommodated. Most of the Areas include a prominent central business district, regional civic and employment sites, a mix of land use types and intensi- ties, pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods, access to major transportation systems, and a diversity of housing, community and commercial activities.

Figure 12. Priority Growth Areas

Source: Orange County Comprehensive Plan, 2019.

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The Growth Areas are intended to be able to Transit opportunities—train stations, park accommodate growth that is projected for the & rides, intermodal connections; and/or County, and typically include: Neighborhood-scale commercial and Centralized water and sewer services; institutional uses that are pedestrian friendly. Land use and zoning allowing a diverse mix of uses and housing types within a walk- Within these Growth Areas, Orange County able area; prioritizes providing technical support, incen- tives, and investment in physical infrastructure Complete Streets criteria, such as a such as: connected road network, bicycle lanes and accessible sidewalks, along with other Central water and sewer service; facilities to increase safety and ease of use; Sidewalks and bike lanes; Other services and infrastructure that allow Transportation infrastructure; and for the efficient use of land and relatively low-impact development; Affordable housing.

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Transit Centers

The County gives additional focus for growth within the County to areas of existing transit service. Priority consideration are given to providing options for intermodal connections between transit, motor vehicle, and pedestrian or bicycle transportation for both long-distance and local travelers. The County’s Comprehensive Plan “strongly endorses” the transit-oriented development concept that offers pedestrian-scaled projects and an appropriate mix of residential and commercial development at densities and scales sited to take advantage of transit connections.

Local Centers

Another component of the Priority Growth Area concept is the Local Center, which includes many of the County’s more established hamlets, some of which may provide limited services to surrounding residents. They may include some community or civic facilities and modest retail or professional services. Centralized public services are not common in these centers, but may be needed to accommodate added growth. Local centers also include some crossroads and major road intersections that could serve as future community or neighborhood centers but are not reliant on immediate arterial or interstate highway access.

Investment in these locations is focused on addressing preexisting water and sewer infrastructure needs, improving transit and transportation, the enhancement of amenities (such as parks, trail development and tourist attractions), small business development, and improved overall county and regional connectivity.

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Potential Impacts of Transportation Technology Changes on Land Use and Form of Development

Although the Priority Growth Areas adopted as part of Orange County’s Comprehensive Plan indicate where future development could be accommodated, many factors will impact how development will occur in these areas. The following three illustrative examples are not meant to be an exhaustive forecast of all possibilities for the future, but rather a portrayal of three alternative futures that may impact how Orange County grows and develops over the 25 year horizon of this plan.

Under a “business as usual” case, people would continue to live, work, and shop largely as they do today. Orange County would continue to see single family and multi-family home construction separated from retail, office, and industrial development in this scenario. People would continue to need a personal car for most trips, and those vehicles would continue to see incremental improvements in safety and comfort. Last-mile deliveries of packages to homes and businesses would continue to be somewhat labor intensive, although the cost of moving freight and goods would continue to drop as shipping firms optimize the locations of order fulfillment centers and vehicle fleet dispatching. Long-haul trucking would continue to compete with freight rail. Higher-value goods and time-sensitive packages would continue to be shipped by air.

If the pace of change in vehicles, communications, robotics, and artificial intelligence technology accelerates, people may have the option of driving more all-electric vehicles with increasingly sophisticated safety features in the future. These safety features, combined with extremely high-speed and

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reliable wireless communications networks, may one day enable people to operate vehicles in semi- or fully-automated modes on most roads and highways. Low vehicle operating costs associated with battery-electric motors, combined with the fact that in-vehicle time could be productive work time for some employees, could allow people to travel further from home to work, constrained only by the amount of time they are willing and able to travel in a day and the amount of capacity that transportation agencies can provide to accommodate potentially very large increases in vehicle-miles of travel. Homes and businesses could spread out, and people may interact less in person and more via virtual methods. The food service industry, and the land currently occupied by fast food and “fast casual” restaurants, could be transformed by automation of travel as people order food on-demand to be delivered to their homes and places of work, eating out only for special occasions. Service-oriented businesses may be able to offer more in-home services, enabled by advanced robotics (for personal services), remote sensing and diagnostics (for preventive health care and follow-up visits), and improved videoconferencing capabilities (for meetings). Retail stores could be replaced by a small number of showrooms that highlight customer experience and focus on high-value electronics and appliances, furniture and mattresses, cars and trucks, and other goods that are too expensive or risky to ship to a customer’s house and return to a warehouse.

Other people who value more interpersonal interactions, active lifestyles, and communal experiences might choose to live in more dense, mixed use communities in the future. Transportation options in these communities would include a wide range of options scaled to trip purposes: walking and human-powered modes (like bicycles); lightweight, personal electric vehicles (electric motorized scooters, e-bikes, e-mopeds, and e-cargo bikes); small, enclosed electric vehicles with climate control (for short-distance travel in inclement weather with parcels and personal items); personal or shared cars, trucks, and vans for carrying groups of people and bulkier goods on demand, with the capability to dynamically match people and/or freight traveling along similar routes; and small and large mass transit vehicles that connect the highest-demand places with published and coordinated schedules. The changes to the food service industry, other service-oriented businesses, and retail described in the paragraph above could still occur, although with a larger customer base in walking distance, it may be feasible to transform more of the existing commercial space in Priority Growth Areas to destinations and experiences that can be shared with family and friends, both in person and via social media.

Although it is too soon to say which of these three futures is a plausible outcome over the next 25 years, the members of OCTC will monitor how the vehicle fleet changes over time, how transportation costs and cost of living influence how and where people choose to live, work and play, and how the private sector is responding to meet the needs of Orange County’s residents, businesses, and visitors. OCTC and Orange County Planning Department will coordinate to monitor development patterns in Orange County and elsewhere to prepare for any combination of these alternative futures.

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WHERE AND WHY PEOPLE TRAVEL Different people have different transportation needs. Peoples’ ages, what kinds of jobs they have, their households’ incomes, their access to a car, whether or not they have children or other dependents, and degree of disabilities influence how, when, and where they travel each day. The 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics groups trips into several categories. For purposes of this discussion, the NHTS categories are grouped together as follows:

Shopping, health care, other professional services and other errands (with about one in five trips, these categories together account for the largest share of trips in the U.S.—about one in five trips; Commutes to and from work; Social and recreation trips (including trips to visit family and friends); Trips to school, day care, or a religious activity; and Trips for other purposes.

This section discusses how transportation has served each of these trip purposes in the past, current trends, and what the future might hold.

Trips for Shopping, Health Care, Professional Services and Other Errands

Shopping

Until the mid-20th century, people in Orange County walked from their homes to downtown business districts or traveled into town from rural areas to go shopping and conduct other business. From about the 1950s onward, with the introduction of the automobile and the spread of suburban development patterns, people began to drive their cars to shop and run errands. Stores and many service-oriented businesses relocated from business districts to malls and strip shopping centers. Major roadways leading into and out of cities and villages, crossroads of major county and state roads, and highway interchanges became centers of commerce.

Notable clusters of retail and service-oriented businesses in Orange County currently include the following (see Figure 13):

The Woodbury Common outlet mall and surrounding retail centers in Woodbury and Harriman, near the intersection of New York State Route 17, Route 32, US 6, and Interstate 87 (the New York State Thruway); The Route 211 corridor east of Middletown in the Town of Wallkill, near the interchange of I-84 and Route 17. This area includes Crystal Run Galleria, an indoor mall; and The area around the Route 300/17K intersection in Town of Newburgh (near the interchange of I-84 and I-87, the New York State Thruway). This area includes the Newburgh Mall.

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These three areas serve as regional shopping the towns of Woodbury and Harriman are coordi- destinations, attracting people from outside nating to better manage traffic on existing infra- Orange County. Woodbury Common is a major structure at peak periods and provide travelers with tourist destination, attracting people from through- better information about real-time traffic condi- out the New York City metropolitan area and tions and parking availability. Completion of a new neighboring states. Particularly on weekends and interchange at Routes 17 and 32 and additional at peak holiday shopping periods, roads and improvements along Route 32, including direct highways around Woodbury Common can access from Route 17 into the Woodbury Common become severely congested. Coach USA offers bus parking lot, will provide some relief for local traffic services seven days a week from the Port Authority by providing bypasses of busy intersections. New Bus Terminal in New York City to Woodbury Com- adaptive signal control technology will also be mon, but other shoppers are coming from places incorporated into the project to monitor the traffic that are too dispersed to accommodate via transit. and change the timing of the lights during peak The mall operator, NYSDOT, the New York State and non-peak traffic times. Thruway Authority (NYSTA), Orange County, and Figure 13. Retail Clusters

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess County

Putnam County

Pike County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County

Westchester LEGEND County State Route County Road Waterbodies NEW JERSEY Streams Rockland County Retail Clusters

Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: Business Location Analysis Tool (BLAT) and Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

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Today, Orange County, like much of the U.S., is seeing vacancies in formerly vibrant strip shopping centers and enclosed malls throughout the county. Aside from Woodbury Common, large expanses of parking lots are empty even during the peak holiday shopping period. More people are shopping online and having apparel, home goods, small electronics, and even meal kits delivered to their door, sometimes with shipping and returns included in the price. Forms of electronic media downloaded online can be linked to the decline in entire categories of retailers such as music stores and video rental stores, and there is some doubt about the future viability of many other forms of “bricks and mortar” retail aside from showrooms for bulky and/or higher-value products like automobiles, furniture, mattresses, appliances, and electronics.

Over the past decade, small package deliveries have grown exponentially in Orange County, and the movement of goods from factories to homes and businesses has changed dramatically and continues to change. Large retailers like Amazon and Walmart increasingly are using their supply chains (ships, trains, and long- haul trucks) as “moving warehouses” and rely on an increasing number of local “fulfillment centers” to enable same-day, one-day, or two-day delivery of countless items. Potential implications of these market changes on demand for freight movement will be discussed in the next section, “Transportation and the Economy.”

Grocery Shopping and Access to Fresh Food

While other types of retail struggle, online grocery shopping and grocery delivery services may soon reach a point where online grocery shopping for bulk, non-perishable goods is appealing and widespread, but people may continue to pick out their own produce, meat, fish, and dairy. Large supermarkets and superstore chains are facing fierce competition from smaller, no-frills stores that have fewer choices and fewer staff, accompanied by mark- edly lower prices. Meanwhile, specialty grocers are pursuing higher-income households by emphasizing the shopping experience, with large prepared foods sections, exotic produce, and generously staffed bakeries, butchers, delis, and fish counters.

It remains to be seen how grocery shopping will evolve and how the next generation of grocery stores impacts where, when, and how often people buy groceries. A continuing chal- lenge is to ensure access to fresh, healthy food for all people in Orange County, regardless of age, income, or disability. Access to fresh, healthy food can be improved by siting periodic or permanent produce stands and places that sell meat, fish, and dairy in vulnerable communities, improving walkability to healthy food options, and access can be improved by providing transit service from these areas to existing fresh food markets.

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Health Care and Professional Services Medical specialists at teaching hospitals and other world-renowned health care providers in It is harder to plan for travel to health care service New York City are accessible by public transporta- providers and other types of personal appoint- tion or car from Orange County. For qualifying ments because these trips tend to happen less veterans, there are VA medical centers in frequently, and they are spread across a large Wappinger (Dutchess County), Montrose number of destinations. Orange County does (Westchester County), The Bronx, Manhattan, and have several notable clusters of health care Hackensack, New Jersey. A combination of service providers that are located at major transportation services funded by the Veterans crossroads and are served by fixed route buses Administration and local volunteer organizations and demand-responsive transit services: like Disabled American Veterans (DAV) assist Orange Regional Medical Center is located Orange County veterans who need to access on a 61-acre campus on East Main Street in health care services at these facilities. the Town of Wallkill. The medical center, which opened in 2011, is located near the intersection of I-84 and Route 17. Nearby, Crystal Run Road has a cluster of outpatient centers, doctor's offices, and urgent care providers. Both are served by one of Middle- town Transit’s fixed route buses as well as Dial-A-Bus services offered by the Town of Wallkill and neighboring towns;

Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital on Dubois Street in the center of the City of Newburgh. There is an outpatient center in Cornwall-on-Hudson. Both are served by Newburgh buses and Dial-a-Bus services;

Bon Secours Community Hospital in the City of Port Jervis is located along US 6 near I-84. It is served by Port Jervis Dial-A-Bus; and

St. Anthony Community Hospital in the Village of Warwick is located along Route 94. It is served by Warwick Dial-A-Bus.

Figure 14 shows the locations of medical centers and hospitals in Orange County that have emergency rooms. There are several urgent care centers, outpatient centers, and other medical facilities throughout the county not shown on the map. Typically, these are located in the county’s larger population centers with roadway access to surrounding communities.

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Figure 14. Medical Centers and Hospitals in Orange County

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess County Monteﬁore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital

Putnam Orange Regional Medical Center County

Pike County, PENNSYLVANIA Bon Secours Community Hospital

Sussex County

St. Anthony Community Hospital Westchester LEGEND County State Route County Road Waterbodies NEW JERSEY Streams Rockland County Medical Centers and Hopsitals Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

Industry consolidation in health care means there are fewer, larger hospitals in the region and medical groups replacing individual practices. Orange Regional Medical Center formed through a merger of two hospitals, one of which was located in central Middletown and other in the Town of Goshen along Route 17. Medical centers and outpatient clinics have moved medical services out of city and village centers to larger parcels surrounded by ample parking. These sites are more difficult to serve by transit, particularly for people who need door-to-door service.

Prescription drug delivery by mail has made prescription drugs and drug refills more accessible to people who are home-bound or have disabilities. That said, the spread of drug store chain store locations mirrors the overall increase in the market for prescription drugs in the U.S. as the population ages and drugs are more widely prescribed. Drug store chains also are functioning as local convenience stores in some communities that lack a grocery store.

The combination of higher-quality videoconferencing capabilities, increasingly sophisticated robotics, and artificial intelligence are making remote diagnostic tools more viable in health care. For now, trained technicians

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are using imaging and non-invasive testing tools in doctors' offices and outpatient centers to save people from making a longer trip to see a specialist in person. In the near future, as the hardware Coordinated Public becomes less expensive, communications networks Transit Humans Services become more reliable, and patients’ comfort levels Transportation Plan increase, some tests and follow-up visits may be done at a patient’s home with things like home test The OCTC Coordinated Public kits and videoconferencing, with or without a nurse Transit Humans Services or home health aide present. In addition to improving health outcomes and quality of life associated Transportation Plan Update with preventive and follow-up care, these technolo- (2017) notes that the Orange gies could appreciably impact demand for para- County Department of Social Ser- transit, dial-a-bus services, transportation offered vices (OCDSS) provides non-emer- by human service agencies, and transportation coordinated by volunteers and not-for-profit entities. gency medical transportation The demand for medical devices also is driving services for eligible county residents. demand for warehousing and distribution space in OCDSS also contracts with Medical Orange County, with accompanying truck trips. Answering Services (MAS) for transportation of Medicaid recipients to Commuting to Work day-treatment programs and for out of county travel to the Westches- While shopping, health care, professional services, and other errands may be the largest sources of ter Medical Center for dialysis and demand for transportation in Orange County, other medical services. Veterans they tend to be spread out throughout weekday needing transportation to VA medical hours and on weekends. Commute trips, however, centers outside Orange County can exhibit peaks that lead to congestion on roadway schedule transportation on services and transit networks in the region. Historically, serving trips to and from work locations has been funded through the VA or rely on the primary emphasis of transportation planning. volunteer drivers. There are also a

As shown in Figure 15, large employers in Orange number of community providers of County (defined as greater than 25 employees) transportation services, including are clustered around population centers and Access Supports for Living, Orange major transportation corridors. The area around AHRC, Inspire, and Hamaspik of Orange Regional Medical Center and the Crystal Run health care corridor in Wallkill stands out as Orange County, among others. one of the largest and most concentrated clusters, along with West Point Military Academy in Highland Falls. Retail centers, professional services in downtown Newburgh and Middletown, and clusters of light industrial businesses and ware-

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houses at highway interchanges account for many of the rest of the highlighted areas. Some clusters of employment such as retail centers and schools may not be represented in Figure 15 based on the data source.

Figure 15. Major Employment Centers in Orange County

Source: Orange County Partnership Large Employer Data and Orange County Comprehensive Plan, 2019.

Newburgh and Middletown are served by fixed route transit, but people largely depend on roads and highways for access to these jobs. Figure 16 shows the breakdown in commuting by mode of transportation for Orange County. About 84 percent of people commute to their jobs in a car, either driving alone or in a carpool. Public transportation serves 5 percent of commuters, and another 4 percent of people walk to work. About 5 percent of Orange County’s residents report that they work from home.

The average travel times to work for both Orange County and New York State are 33 minutes, compared to an average of 26.4 minutes in the entire U.S. Average travel times to work range from over 40 minutes for residents of Greenville, Mount Hope, Tuxedo, Warwick, and Woodbury to a low of 18 minutes for residents of the Town of Highlands (which includes staff and faculty of West Point Military Academy). People in the cities of Newburgh and Port Jervis and those in the towns of Deerpark and Wawayanda have average commutes of less than 30 minutes. Orange County is home to many “mega county commuters” who travel more than 90 minutes and 50 miles

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to get to work. For example, commuters from Orange County who work in Manhattan travel on average 110.7 minutes and 62.3 miles to work. Orange County to Manhattan is the fifth-largest “mega county commuter flow” in the U.S., measured by the number of people who make this long trip. Overall, 1.9 percent of commutes in the New York-Norther New Jersey-Long Island metropolitan area meet the “mega county commute” threshold, the second-highest share in the country.

Figure 16. Means of Travel to Work for Orange County Residents 2% 5% 4% other means worked at home 5% walked public transportation

9% carpooled 75% drove alone

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Communities Survey 5-Year Estimates.

An estimated 4.8 percent of Orange County workers 16 years of age or older do not have access to a vehicle, compared to 4.4 percent nationwide and 21.9 percent in all of New York State (including New York City). These people either walk, use transit, or carpool to work.

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Figure 17. Estimated Average Commute Time to Work for Orange County Towns and Cities, 2016

U.S. average Orange County and 26.4 minutes NY State average 33 minutes Mount Hope 42.1 Greenville 40.8 Tuxedo 40.7 Woodbury 40.2 Warwick 40.1 Blooming Grove 39.2 Crawford 38.0 Chester 37.3 Goshen 36.0 Wallkill 35.1 Hamptonburgh 34.5 New Windsor 34.3 Minisink 33.2 Monroe 32.9 Cornwall 32.4 Montgomery 31.8 Newburgh 31.0 City of Middletown 30.5 Deerpark 30.0 Wawayanda 29.2 City of Port Jervis 26.0 City of Newburgh 26.0 Highlands 18.3 Estimated average commute time (minutes)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Communities Survey 5-Year Estimates.

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Commute Flows Into and Out of the majority of those headed to Bergen County). Orange County More than 6,000 people per day commute across the Hudson River to Dutchess County, and more As estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2013- than 3,000 commute north to Ulster County. 2017 American Communities Survey, more than one-third of Orange County residents work Ulster County is the biggest source of out-of- outside the county. As shown in Figure 18, on an county labor for businesses located in Orange average day, more than 19,000 people commute County, with more than 10,000 commuters on an from Orange County to New York City by some average day. More than 5,800 people per day combination of bus, train, or car. Another 30,000 commute into Orange County from Sullivan people commute south to Rockland and West- County and another 5,100 per day commute from chester counties and to northern New Jersey (with Duchess County.

Figure 18. County-to-County Commute Patterns Out Of and Into Orange County

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013-2017 American Communities Survey 5-Year Estimates.

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Travel to Schools, Day Care, and Extracurricular Activities

Travel to schools, day care, and religious activities Expectations that college-bound students will are other notable reasons people travel in Orange participate in a diverse range of extracurricular County. As public schools in Orange County have activities also has generated demand for car trips relocated from village centers to larger campuses to and from schools during afternoon hours and at the edge of developed areas (where land for into peak commute times. Two-worker house- parking and playing fields is more abundant), holds may have the additional chore of driving and as budgets for school buses have been cut, their younger children to day care centers and parents have increasingly been driving their pre-Kindergarten classes before work and picking children to and from school. With more than them up after work. 57,000 students enrolled in 17 public school Most of the transportation needs for school-age districts around the county in the 2018-2019 school children are handled by local roadways, side- year (according to the New York State Depart- walks, and multi-use trails. Around schools, ment of Education) trips and from schools make enforcement measures (of school speed zones, up a significant share of morning peak period yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks, and stop trips and early afternoon trips. signs) has been effective at reducing fatal and serious injury crashes involving school children. Various state and federal programs have funded safety improvements including sidewalk connectivity, ramps and curb cuts to make intersections and crosswalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (which also benefits families with strollers), and addition of bike infrastructure (for example, painted lanes, trails, bike racks, and bike racks on buses). Orange County has adopted Complete Streets principles to ensure that all users of a transportation facility are considered in the design of infrastructure improvements. In the future, the OCTC can consider safety improvements on existing sidewalks and bike routes and filling gaps in connectivity in sidewalks, curb cuts, crosswalks, and “low stress” bike networks where children feel safe walking and riding to school.

In addition to public and private primary and secondary schools, Orange County has several notable institutions of higher education which attract students and faculty from throughout the county and the surrounding region. Most notably, United States Military Academy (also known as West Point) is the oldest continually occupied military post in the United States and is located on

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the Hudson River in West Point. In addition, the offer housing for faculty or students, who would County is home to Orange County Community need to regularly commute to campus. There is a College (OCCC), with locations in Middletown, shuttle bus service connecting the Newburgh and Newburgh, and Port Jervis (all affiliated with the Middletown campuses of OCCC, but it is difficult State University of New York System (SUNY). Other for potential students in other communities to four-year colleges include Touro College of reach these opportunities for job training and Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown and Mount career skills development. Although Touro College St. Mary College in Newburgh. Although most and Mount St. Mary College both offer on-campus faculty and students live on-base at West Point, housing, students and faculty may require Orange County’s other educational institutions transportation services to reach destinations in have unique transportation needs. Both faculty the surrounding communities, as well as further and staff require reliable transportation access to afield in New York City, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, work and education. The OCCC campuses do not and the Mid-Hudson Valley.

Figure 19. Colleges and Universities in Orange County

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess Mount St. Mary College County

OCCC – Newburgh

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine OCCC – Middletown Putnam County

Pike West Point Military Academy County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County

Westchester LEGEND County State Route County Road Waterbodies NEW JERSEY Streams Rockland County Universities and Colleges

Military Academy Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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Social and Recreation Travel

There were more than 4 million visitors to Orange Day cruises often pass by Newburgh, but improve- County in 2012, spending over $430 million, ments to the pier on the Hudson River could supporting over 9,000 jobs and contributing more attract small cruise ships and provide opportuni- than $28 million in local tax revenue. Some of the ties for tourism-oriented ferries and pleasure top tourist attractions in New York State are in boats along the river. A recent recreation pilot Orange County, including Woodbury Common, with a solar-powered ferry could not be sustained West Point, and Storm King Arts Center. In addi- with public funding, but Orange County is exploring tion to Storm King, Orange County has a number potential partnerships with the private sector and of historical and cultural attractions, including the accompanying revenue-generating opportunities New York State Renaissance Festival, other local to fund operation and maintenance. festivals, and multiple historic village centers. LEGOLAND New York Resort is scheduled to open There are ample opportunities for outdoor in 2020 in Goshen. Construction is underway to recreation throughout the County, including relocate Exit 125 on Route 17 to provide more direct hiking, bicycling, kayaking, skiing in state and access to the resort. In addition to access for county parks including Harriman, Schunnemunk visitors, employees will need to be able to get to Mountain, Storm King, Highland Lakes, and the and from jobs at and near the resort. Orange Appalachian Trail. Bicyclists and hikers can enjoy County Planning Department is investigating New York State Bike Routes, the Heritage Trail, ways to improve transit service to and from Wallkill River trails, and bed and breakfasts LEGOLAND and the surrounding areas where catering to their lodging needs. There is a large hotels and other tourism-oriented businesses are and growing dining and craft beverage industry likely to locate. in the County, known as agritourism, offering There are a number of opportunities to improve breweries, distilleries, wineries, you-pick orchards, access to Orange County’s tourism and arts and specialty markets to consumers. attractions. Installing wayfinding signage, particularly in historic downtowns such as Newburgh, is a low-cost way to guide visitors to attractions using public transit or other shuttle offerings. Moreover, developing better access points for water trails would improve accessibility for visitors. Establishing designated tourist “trails”, weekend circulator buses, and organized private and group tours for wineries, distilleries, cideries, and breweries to encourage visitors to leave their cars at home, ensuring safe and coordinated access for visitors from outside and within the County. In addition, marketing Orange County as a tourism “reverse commute” for visitors to New York City has the potential to attract even more visitors, though it is contingent upon improving weekend and off-peak bus and train service.

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TRANSPORTATION AND THE ECONOMY Orange County’s Economic Development Strategy (2015) and the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Develop- ment Council (REDC) have identified several industry sectors that contribute to Orange County’s economic success. Each of these has specific transportation needs. The economic development principles from the 2015 strategy were reaffirmed in the 2019 update to the core Comprehensive Plan document. This section of the Plan discusses the link between transportation and Orange County’s economy.

Manufacturing and Technology

Manufacturing is Orange County’s third-largest industry by revenue (2012) and employed approximately 12,500 workers in 2017. Biotechnol- ogy (biotech) and high-tech manufacturing were noted as two emerging industries in the Mid-Hudson REDC’s Strategic Plan (2017). Orange County currently hosts six biotech companies, including Randob Labs, which manufactures products for pain relief from insect stings and bites. Developing a thriving biotech sector requires several elements, including access to modern and affordable research and development facilities, capital, a skilled workforce, and research institutions. The Hudson Valley Eco- nomic Development Corporation (HVDEC) launched the NY BioHud Valley initiative to market and brand the Hudson Valley into a thriving biotech epicenter. NY BioHud Valley fosters a pro-business environment designed to land suitable for factory location and its proximity reduce legislative burdens, foster collaboration to the New York City market. Transportation is criti- among life sciences companies and educational cal to move goods to and from manufacturing institutions, and assist companies with access to centers, warehouses, distribution facilities, as well venture capital. In addition, MedLine, a major as international destinations via major freight distributor of medical devices, has built a hubs such as Stewart Airport, John F. Kennedy warehouse and distribution center in Orange Airport, and the Port of New York and New Jersey. County and plans to expand operations in the With Orange County’s sizable inventory of avail- County. able, shovel-ready building sites, motivating the development of manufacturing and technology Manufacturing and technology in Orange County facilities by promoting sites near to existing public benefit from the ability to move goods quickly transportation hubs or access points, or areas of throughout the Northeast, the nation, and the the County with multimodal transportation access, world. In addition, the industry benefits from the such as trails, will help accommodate commuters County’s large amount of undeveloped industrial seeking alternative transportation options. Shift

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workers can struggle to access jobs at manufactur- depend on affordable access to reliable transpor- ing facilities that operate in shifts, as either the start tation services as a lifeline to basic needs such as time or end time or both may be outside the service employment and medical care. Night shift hours of Orange County’s transit providers. workers and patients seeking off-hour urgent care need safe and reliable transportation service. During daytime hours, people need access to preventative care, specialized care, follow-up visits, and pharmacies for prescription drugs. In both cases, patients in need of medical care that do not own a car or have a driver’s license need adequate public transportation service to access these facilities.

Retail

In 2017, over 24,000 people in Orange County worked in the retail trade sector, or about 14 percent of total employment. Retail employees, most of whom are shift workers earning approximately $27,750 annually, depend on efficient access to brick-and-mortar locations in both downtown areas and clusters of retail complexes, where public transit accessibility is more limited. Health Care

In 2012, the healthcare sector was Orange County’s fourth-largest industry by revenue and employed about 20,500 employees. Jobs in health care services are clustered around Orange Regional Medical Center and along nearby Crystal Run Road in Wallkill. Montefiore St. Luke’s-Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh is Orange Country’s other main hospital with a 24-hour Emergency Room. Smaller community hospitals, outpatient care centers, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes are located throughout Orange County. Medical offices account for more than half of the Class I office space built in Orange County since 2000.

Healthcare workers and patients in Orange County have round the clock transportation needs, particularly hospital employees. They

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The section “Where and Why People Travel” location, warehousing and distribution centers in above includes more information about retail Orange County are servicing customers locally, clusters and the direction of the retail sector in throughout the Mid-Hudson Region, and even in Orange County. The decline of “bricks and New York City. mortar” retail could mean that retail employment Transportation needs for the County’s warehous- also declines in Orange County. The next section, ing and distribution sector cover both the “Warehousing and Distribution,” discusses the vehicles entering and leaving these facilities as freight implications of shifts in retail toward well as access by facility employees. Trucks are e-commerce. the dominant delivery vehicle for shipments to and from warehousing and distribution centers. Warehousing and Distribution Ensuring adequate infrastructure and level of service on major freight highways throughout To support the large and growing e-commerce Orange County enables trucks to efficiently demand, warehousing and distribution facilities transport goods to and from these facilities to are occupying an increasing amount of space meet consumer demands. Because warehousing throughout the Mid-Hudson Region. The majority and distribution facilities tend to be located of distribution facilities in the region are located in outside downtown areas, ensuring adequate Orange County. This is due to readily available, public transit via bus can help improve accessi- shovel-ready sites throughout the County, but bility for workers. To increase the proportion of especially near major highways such as I-84 and freight moving by rail as opposed to truck, the I-87. Warehousing and distribution facilities in County can focus on preserving industrial space Orange County are within a 1-day drive from over near freight rail corridors for businesses that can 52 million people allowing fast access to the benefit from rail access. market. They are generally clustered around I-84/I-87 interchange and the north side of Stewart Airport, Neelytown Road/I-84 Exit 5 in Montgomery, Ballard Road in Wallkill (east of Crystal Run Galle- ria), Leone Ln/Elizabeth Dr in Chester, and in Harriman near I-87/NY-17 interchange.

E-commerce demand is expected to continue to rise, as these supply chain strategies are trans- forming the retail industry by providing consumers with the ability to purchase items anytime and anywhere. With these changing habits come changing consumer expectations. These expectations have been shaped in a large part by Amazon’s Prime Service, which offers member’s two-day, one-day, and even same-day shipping speeds. To meet this ever-growing consumer demand, retailers are increasingly locating warehousing and distribution centers nearer to its customers. Given its centralized

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Even in locations where there are clusters of delivery options in order to retain their customer warehouses and distribution centers that are bases. For example, Target offers same-day separated from other land uses, there may be delivery at its Orange County locations for a impacts on residential areas due to truck noise, variety of groceries, electronics, housewares, and vibrations, and emissions. Lacking adequate other items using Shipt services. It also offers truck parking, some truckers resort to parking in “drive up” delivery, allowing customers to order residential areas and at park & ride lots to have goods ahead of time and have them delivered to a safe and convenient place to rest. The area their car while parked in designated spots. Both around the Chester park & ride lot is one of these shopping options require trips to example of an area with high truck demand Target—either a Shipt employee or the cus- but little parking that is safe, appropriate, and tomer—but the time spent at the store decreases legal for trucks. significantly. Other retailers are also adapting to changing consumer behaviors. Similar to the trends in warehousing and distribution facilities in Orange County, Amazon Prime Transportation needs for the County’s retail and the expectations of its members are also sector cover both the freight and passenger influencing retailers themselves, many of which vehicles entering and leaving these facilities. have moved to offer a competitive range of Retailers need space for delivery vehicles, either curbside or via delivery docks at larger facilities, as well as roadways that can accommodate a variety of delivery vehicles, from 53-foot trailers to delivery vans.

Similar to manufacturing, shift workers can struggle to access jobs at warehouses that operate throughout the day and night. Either the start time or end time or both may be outside the service hours of Orange County’s transit providers.

Tourism

Orange County’s growing tourism sector com- petes with the same labor pool as other key industries. Parks, cultural and historic sites, and seasonal destinations like winter sports and “you-pick” farms tend to be located in remote locations that are difficult to access via transit for both visitors and employees. Major employers like Woodbury Common, large warehouses and distribution centers, and hospitals can afford to operate their own shuttles to and from the places where their employees live. Orange

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County and local municipalities are working with Orange County Planning Department’s Major other employers to determine how local dial-a- Employer Transit Service (METS) Plan is address- bus services and other resources can help to ing the needs of employees who rely on public connect tourism employers and workers. transportation to get to work and the needs of employers who are searching for a skilled work force. This LRTP explores the types of strategies Agriculture that would be most effective at promoting the agricultural sector in Orange County, for exam- Approximately 16 percent of Orange County’s ple providing better connectivity form the Black land is farmed, which is second only to Dutchess Dirt region to Route 17 or providing more safe County in the Mid-Hudson region, and is the truck routes that are not blocked by low clear- largest non-residential land use by acreage ance bridges, narrow road and bridges, or throughout the County. As of the 2017 Census for weight restrictions. Agriculture, Orange County’s 621 farms sold $8.2 million worth of products. Agriculture in Orange County supports the local food movement by bringing locally-grown food to farmers’ markets and creating “pick-your-own” and farm share programs such as CSAs (community-supported agriculture). Although agricultural sales and total farms have declined in recent years, agritourism in Orange County continues to draw visitors interested in value-added products such as fresh-baked goods, local cheeses, and craft breweries. The rich soil of the Black Dirt, region in particular, is important due to its suitability for root crops.

Transportation needs for agriculture are complex, involving moving bulk materials (i.e. seed and fertilizers) to farms and crops and other food products (e.g., cheese, jam, bread) from farms to market, which may be a local farmer’s market, grocery store, or home delivery. Allowing for food processing and other value-added facilities near farms helps reduce the distance that trucks travel on local roads to move crops from farm to processing. In addition, the rural nature of Orange County’s farms and food processing facilities makes it more difficult for its labor force to commute via public transportation.

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PART 4 ORANGE COUNTY’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM As detailed in Part 3, Orange County’s People, Places, and Economy, people, businesses, and visitors depend on Orange County’s multimodal transportation network to access daily needs, get to work and school, attend meetings, and ship freight. People travel in personal vehicles for most of their trips in Orange County, but at peak periods, buses play an important role in moving large volumes of people from Orange County to employment centers outside the county, and trucks and delivery vehicles need roads to get goods into, out of, and through Orange County. This section summarizes the roads, bridges, rail lines, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities used by Orange County’s residents, visitors, and businesses, as well as the public transportation services and freight transportation services that operate over this infrastructure. | 67 ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045

OVERVIEW OF THE IN THIS SECTION TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM 68 Overview of the Transportation System 87 Performance of Orange County’s Transportation Network Roads and Highways 101 Vulnerabilities, Risks, and Opportunities Orange County has more than 2,800 centerline miles of roadway. The roads that comprise the network fall under the jurisdiction of the New York crossing the Hudson River into Dutchess State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) County, and continues east into Connecti- and the New York State Thruway Authority cut. Aside from passing lanes on major (NYSTA) (which together operate and maintain uphill grades, I-84 has two lanes in each about 14 percent of the centerline miles of road- direction through Orange County, although way in the county), Orange County (11 percent), there are three lanes each way east of U.S. Army and other state agencies (10 percent), US 9W across the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. and forty two municipalities (65 percent). From the Pennsylvania border to US 6 near Three major highways provide high-speed, Middletown, I-84 carries about 30,000 high-capacity connections between Orange vehicles per day. I-84 adds traffic at each County and the rest of the United States.1 interchange east of US 6, reaching 53,000 vehicles per day, on average, at I-87 and I-87 starts at the Canadian border south of 72,000 vehicles per day, on average, on Montreal, joins the New York State Thruway the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge crossing the at Albany, and then runs south parallel to Hudson River into Duchess County. the Hudson River, crossing the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge into Westchester New York Route 17 starts at I-87 in Harriman County before continuing south into New and runs northwest parallel to the former Erie York City. There are two interchanges in Railroad Main Line route into Sullivan County. Orange County at Route 17 (Exit 16) and at The highway has two through lanes in each I-84 (Exit 17). South of Route 17, I-87 has three direction, with the exception of a short stretch lanes in each direction and carries more than between Exit 122A (Fletcher Street) and Exit 125 90,000 vehicles on an average day. North of (South Street), where there are three through Route 17, I-87 has two lanes in each direction. lanes in each direction. The highest travel About 50,000 vehicles travel on the section volumes on Route 17 are between Exit 123 between Route 17 (Exit 16) and I-84 (Exit 17) on (US 6/Route 17M in Goshen) and Exit 130A an average day, and average traffic volumes (US 6 in Woodbury), with 60,000 to 64,000 drop to 44,000 vehicles per day north of I-84. vehicles on an average day. Between Exit 120 (Route 211) and Exit 121 (I-84), Route 17 also I-84 crosses the Delaware River from Penn- carries about 60,000 vehicles on an average sylvania into Orange County at Port Jervis, day. Route 17 is being upgraded to Interstate passes Middletown and Newburgh before Highway System design standards and will

1 NYSDOT Traffic Data Viewer accessed October 2019 https://www.dot.ny.gov/tdv.

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be able to carry an “I 86” designation when serve intra-county rather than inter-county construction projects related to this upgrade travel. Examples of urban collectors are Car- are completed. penter Avenue in the City of Newburgh and There are three other basic types of roads in Monhagen Avenue in the City of Middletown. Orange County: Non-Limited Access Arterial System: Limited-access arterials—roads with exits, Local System: Local roads provide access to such as interstate highways and other roads land and serve short trips. Service for through intended for long-distance travel—provide traffic on these streets is generally inefficient. unhindered travel with free-flowing traffic. If there is heavy congestion on higher func- Non-limited access arterials—roads that do tional class facilities, local roads sometimes not require an entry ramp—are intended to become short cuts. The use of navigation move through traffic, not provide access technology can further worsen this problem, for local traffic. Routes 17K and 300 in the as most traffic apps can identify where traffic Town of Newburgh and Route 211 in the Town jams are in real-time and offer alternative of Wallkill are non-limited access arterials. routes. This can result in reduced safety and Having a lot of development along arterials quality of life along local roads not designed compromises the ability to move through for heavy traffic. This activity is apparent traffic. Adding local trips to through trips on on roads like Old Temple Hill Road in Vails an arterial causes congestion and safety Gate, Dolsontown Road in Wawayanda and problems. Access management practices Cheechunk Road in Goshen. are intended to address these issues. In many Collector System: In urban areas, the cases, past (and current) land use decisions collector system may service land identified have led (and are leading) to congested for residential purposes as well as providing arterials with many commercial curb cuts, connections between local streets in residen- and sometimes even residential driveways. tial neighborhoods and the arterial system. All of these things reduce the ability to carry In rural areas, the collector routes generally through traffic smoothly.

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Figure 20. Orange County Roadway Network

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess County

Putnam County

Pike County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County

Westchester LEGEND County Major Highways County Road NYS Routes NEW JERSEY U.S. Highways Rockland County Waterbodies Streams Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES Metro-North Port Jervis Line

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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National Highway System

The National Highway System (NHS) is a set of roads intended to serve as the backbone for the nation’s economy, defense, and mobility. Developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation in cooperation with states, local officials, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO), the network includes the following routes in Orange County (see Figure 21):

All of Interstates 87 and 84 in Orange County;

All of US 6, US 9W, and US 209 in Orange County;

All of Route 17 in Orange County;

All of the Palisades Interstate Parkway (New York State Reference Route 987).

Figure 21. National Highway System in Orange County

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess County

Putnam County

Pike County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County

Westchester LEGEND County State Route County Road Waterbodies NEW JERSEY Streams Rockland County Designated National Highway System Roadway Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: New York State Department of Transportation

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The following routes are designated as a NHS Intermodal Connector to New York Stewart International Airport (SWF):

Route 747, Route 207 and Route 300 from I-84 (Exit 5A) to I-84 (Exit 7), as well as Breunig Road from Route 207 into the airport.

NHS Principal Arterials include all roads with the functional classification of “Principal Arterial” (as determined by NYSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)) that were not already designated as part of the NHS when the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) legislation was signed into law in July 2012. The following roadways are designated as NHS Principal in Orange County:

NY 208, NY 94 and NY 32 between I-84 (Exit 5) and I-84 (Exit 10); and

Route17K from Route 17 to Route 9W.

All NHS routes must comply with federal regulations including requirements for design standards, contract administration and oversight, advertising/junkyard control, and data collection and reporting to satisfy the requirements of the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP), as described in the section “Perfor- mance of Orange County’s Transportation Network” below.

Strategic Highway Network (STRAHNET) routes are identified by the Department of Defense and are intended to aid the movement of military supplies and personnel in times of need. In Orange County, the following route is designated as part of the STRAHNET:

Route 17, US 6, and Route 293 from I-87 to the United States Military Academy (West Point).

National Highway Freight Network miles, about 90 percent of which are part of the Interstate Highway system. As defined by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the purpose of the Non-PHFS Interstates are also included in National Highway Freight Program (NHFP) is to the NHFN so that it captures the entirety of improve efficient movement of freight on the the Interstate System. National Highway Freight Network (NHFN). The Critical Rural Freight Corridors (CRFCs) FAST Act includes $6.2 billion in formula funding are public roads not in an urbanized area for freight projects on the NHFN and $4.5 billion in which provide access and connection to the discretionary, freight-focused grant programs for PHFS and the Interstate with important ports, states, MPOs, local governments, and other public transportation facilities, and other entities through FY2020. The NHFN is comprised of intermodal freight facilities. four subsystems of roadways: Critical Urban Freight Corridors (CUFCs) The Primary Highway Freight System are public roads in urbanized areas which (PHFS) is a network of highways identified provide access and connection to the PHFS as the most critical highway portions of the and the Interstate with important ports, U.S. freight transportation system determined public transportation facilities, and other by measurable and objective national data. intermodal freight facilities. The network consists of over 41,500 centerline

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The length of I-84 from the Pennsylvania State CRFCs, CUFCs, or intermodal connectors in Line to the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge is part of the Orange County. Figure 22 shows the extent of the PHFS. I-87 from I-84 south to the Orange/Rockland NHFN in Orange County. County Line also is part of the PHFS. There are no

Figure 22. National Highway Freight Network in Orange County

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess County

Putnam County

Pike County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County

Westchester LEGEND County State Route County Road Waterbodies NEW JERSEY Streams Rockland County National Highway Freight Network Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: New York State Department of Transportation.

Other Roadways Eligible for Federal Aid

The Federal Aid Secondary Highway System includes some county and local roads in Orange County beyond the NHS. Funding from federal sources can be spent on improvements to these roads.

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Bridges and Culverts Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

In addition to roads, there are 458 public roadway There are three multi-use trails in Orange County bridges in Orange County. Of these, 201 are owned that can be used by bikes, other nonmotorized or maintained by the NYSDOT and 259 are owned vehicles, and people walking: by others. Overall, 46 percent of the bridges in the County have some level of deficiency rating The Heritage Trail has been an ongoing (44.2 percent of the NYSDOT owned bridges, effort since the mid-nineties to develop a 47.3 percent of the other bridges). The NYSDOT shared-use path through the central portion maintains 7 bridges that are owned by the of Orange County via a linear multi-modal Palisades Interstate Parks Commission, 3 of which pedestrian oriented trail. Starting in 1988 the (43 percent) are deficient. County of Orange began purchasing the right of way associated with the mainline of the Three major bridges link Orange County to New York and Erie Railroad, which ended ser- neighboring counties: vice between Harriman and a point northwest of Middletown as of 1983. The Heritage Trail The Newburgh-Beacon Bridge carries I-84 across the Hudson River on two parallel has been constructed in segments over the spans from Newburgh to Beacon in Duchess past three decades and currently extends from County This toll bridge is operated by the the Village of Monroe Department of Public New York State Bridge Authority. The north Works (DPW) north and west through Chester span was opened to the public in 1963, and and Goshen into the Town of Wawayanda south span opened to the public in 1980. at Echo Lake Road. Construction to advance the trail into the City of Middletown began The Bear Mountain Bridge carries US 6 and on September 30, 2019. Future construction 202 over the Hudson River between Highlands phases will continue to extend the trail through and Westchester County. This toll bridge the City of Middletown to the city’s northwest opened in 1924 and is currently operated by border and on to the hamlets of the Howells the New York State Bridge Authority. and southward from Monroe to Harriman.

I-84 crosses the Delaware River from Mat- The Wallkill-Walden Rail Trail extends amoras, Pennsylvania to Port Jervis, New York north from the Village of Walden, crosses the near the “three corners” intersection of the Orange-Ulster County Line, and continues New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey state north into the Village of Wallkill. This trail is borders. The bridge, built in 1967, is owned planned to eventually connect to the Hudson and maintained by the NYSDOT. Valley Rail Trail in Ulster County.

In addition, a large number of culverts allow The D&H Canal Towpath, a national streams to pass under state, county, and local historic landmark, stretches from the Ulster roadways. The NYSDOT has recently expanded County border, southwest into the City of Port its bridge management system to include invento- Jervis, then northwest along the Delaware ries and inspection data for large and small River back into Sullivan County. culverts in an effort to better understand and manage these assets.

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There are four New York State Bike Routes in Figure 23 shows multi-use trails and state bicycle Orange County: routes in Orange County.

Bike Route 17 enters Orange County from There are approximately 750 miles of hiking Sullivan County on Route 97, and then follows trails within county or state parks and almost 100 Route 42, US 6, Route 207, and US 9W before miles of connector trails within the county borders. crossing the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge into Connector trails are defined as regional trails that Duchess County; connect users to multiple counties. The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference maintains three Bike Route 208 begins at Bike Route 17 (on regional trails which run through Orange County, Route 207) in Hamptonburgh and travels including the Appalachian Trail, the Long Path north along Route 208 to the Orange-Ulster and the Highlands Trail. There are hiking trails County Line; throughout state and privately-owned parks, Bike Route 209 begins at Bike Route 17 in including the Harriman State Park, Sterling Forest, Port Jervis and follows Route 209 south across Storm King State Park, Schunnemunk Mountain the Delaware River into Pennsylvania, where it State Park and Stewart State Forest. continues as Pennsylvania Bike Route Y1; and While Orange County does not maintain connec- Bike Route 9 travels through the extreme tor trails or state parks, these destinations provide southeast corner of Orange County, following key tourism and recreational opportunities for Route 202 north from Rockland County and residents and visitors. In some cases, connector then turning across the Bear Mountain Bridge trails run through urban areas, have sections on into Westchester County. county or local roads, or, like the Long Path, have a section on multi-use paths like the county-owned and maintained Heritage Trail.

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Figure 23. Multi-Use Trails and State Bicycle Routes

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess County

Putnam County

Pike County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County

Westchester LEGEND County State Route Multi-Use Trails and Bike Routes County Road New York State Bike Route Waterbodies Existing Multi-Use Trail NEW JERSEY Streams Planned Multi-Use Trail Rockland County

Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: Orange County Planning Department and New York State Department of Transportation.

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Public Transit

Orange County residents have access to a wide variety of bus transit, passenger rail, and ferry services that provide transport between locations within the county, region, state, and nation. Orange County does not have a central countywide transit operator; however, through the work of the Orange County Planning Department (as host agency to the MPO), the services of the individual operators are coordinated. “Transit Orange” is now used to identify the individual and coordinated transit services in and around Orange County (see Figure 24) .

Figure 24. Transit Orange Structure

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

Commuter Rail Metro-North serves nearly 87 million customers annually in the New York Metropolitan area, but Orange County is served by the Metro-North Port only a relatively small portion are from Orange Jervis line (PJL) which runs from Hoboken, NJ to the County, due to the configuration of the rail lines City of Port Jervis. The PJL is operated by New Jersey and the barrier presented by the Hudson River. Transit through a service contract with Metropolitan Annual ridership data show a decrease of Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North 3.5 percent in ridership on the PJL between 2016 Railroad and includes seven stations in Orange and 2017. The Pascack Valley Line, also located on County: Port Jervis, Otisville, Middletown, Campbell the west side of the Hudson River, provides service Hall, Salisbury Mills, Harriman, and Tuxedo. In order which is used by some Orange County residents to access New York City, riders must transfer at the from Spring Valley Station in Rockland County. It Secaucus Junction to take a New Jersey Transit train experienced a decrease of 3.8 percent in ridership to New York-Pennsylvania Station, or at the Hoboken between 2016 and 2017. Orange County residents Terminal to take the Port Authority Trans Hudson can also utilize Metro North’s Hudson Line by (PATH) service or NY Waterway operated ferry.

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Montreal, Toronto, and Chicago, and Boston. From New York City, residents can access routes to a large number of destinations including the population centers on the Northeast Corridor.

Newburgh Beacon Shuttle and Newburgh Beacon Ferry

The Metro-North Beacon Station has a lot capacity of 1,534 vehicles and has an extensive waiting list for monthly parking permits. Two services connect the City of Newburgh to the Beacon station on Metro-North’s Hudson Line.

The Newburgh-Beacon-Stewart Shuttle is a bus service that connects the Route 17K park & ride lot and downtown Newburgh to Beacon. The service is subsidized by NYSDOT and is intended as an alternative to driving across the I-84 Newburgh-Beacon Bridge.

The Newburgh-Beacon Ferry operates across the Hudson River during the morning and evening peak commute hours, carrying passengers from a park & ride lot in Newburgh across the river to Beacon. The Newburgh-Beacon Ferry has been operating since 2005, connecting the City of Newburgh to the City of Beacon in Dutchess County. The Ferry is operated by New York Waterway under contract with Metro-North and carries between 250 and 300 passengers per day across the Hudson River. The Ferry docks adjacent to the Metro-North Beacon station which provides service north to the City of Poughkeepsie and south to Grand Central crossing the Hudson River to stations at Beacon Terminal in Manhattan via the Hudson Line. (Newburgh-Beacon Bridge) and Manitou or Peekskill (Bear Mountain Bridge). The shuttle bus and ferry both help ease the high parking demand on this lot as well as reduce rush Orange County residents can also access Amtrak hour congestion over the Newburgh-Beacon Empire Corridor service through stops in Pough- Bridge and within the City of Beacon itself. Com- keepsie (Dutchess County) or Croton-Harmon muters using the shuttle and ferry also can reduce (Westchester County) with service to Albany and their commuting costs when compared to driving New York City. From Albany, trains are available to and parking at the Beacon Station. Currently,

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Metro-North does not have the resources to within the Hebrew calendar. As such, sched- subsidize additional ferry service and sufficient ules can vary more so than with other transit demand for off-peak and weekend service does and commuter services. not appear to exist currently.

Commuter Bus Services Park & Ride Lots Commuter bus service in Orange, which leaves Park & ride lots serve as a gathering from the many park & ride lots throughout the point to transition between private county, typically provides service between Orange vehicle use and public transit. In County and New York City. These commuter and Orange County, there are two formal regional transit services provide the majority of park & ride lot systems: trips for Orange County with approximately two »» One system is owned and main- million passengers annually. Operators include: tained by Metro-North at rail Coach USA/Shortline provides major com- stations. Parking is available at muter service to the New York City area with all stations on the Port Jervis Line over 100 trips per day to and from Orange (paid on weekdays, free on week- County during the morning and evening ends and holidays) with stations at peak hours. The commuter routes operate Harriman, Salisbury Mills/Cornwall, along the Route 17 and Route 32 corridors, Campbell Hall, Middletown, Otis- with the commuter park & ride lots being the ville, and Port Jervis. principal stops. There is also service provided »» The other is a system of park & ride to West Point. Coach USA provides service to lots owned and maintained by the the East Side of Manhattan via the George cooperative efforts of public and Washington Bridge and operates the Orange private entities, especially NYSDOT, Westchester Link (OWL), which provides Orange County, and Coach USA/ service to the White Plains area. Both of these Shortline. The county’s goal (in its services are provided via five daily weekday role as a host agency for the MPO) round trips. is to continue to work in conjunction with the NYSDOT, Coach USA/ New Jersey Transit provides commuter and Shortline and the relative munic- off-peak service to New York City and north- ipalities to maintain and rehabil- ern New Jersey from Greenwood Lake and itate park & ride facilities so they Warwick. This bus service is provided along remain safe, convenient and open Route 210 and Route 17A and serves the Green- to all users. Transit Orange identi- wood Lake and Warwick park & ride lots. fies 17 lots within this system, shown in Figure 25. Many park & ride lots Monroe Bus Lines provides commuter and exceed capacity, and the county off-peak service to Manhattan from Kiryas continues to look for opportunities Joel. Service is also provided to the Borough to assist filling the demand for Park and Williamsburg neighborhoods of more spaces. Brooklyn. Although these services are open to the general public, service is operated around holidays and customs commonly observed

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Figure 25. Orange County Park & Ride Lots

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Dutchess County

Putnam County

Pike County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County

Westchester LEGEND County State Route County Road Waterbodies NEW JERSEY Streams Rockland County Park & Rides Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

Local Fixed Route Bus Services carried approximately 120,000 revenue passengers over a total of approximately 170,000 There are three local fixed-route bus services in revenue miles, making it the largest of the Orange County: county’s three fixed-route systems.

Newburgh Area Transit, operated by Village of Kiryas Joel Bus Transporta- Newburgh Beacon Bus, consists of 4 routes, tion operates 3 routes in the densely-popu- each of which begins or terminates at the lated Village of Kiryas Joel. One of the three intersection of Broadway and Liberty Street routes operates entirely within the Village of in Downtown Newburgh. Service is operated Kiryas Joel. The remaining routes operate to from Monday through Friday between the and from Woodbury Commons, as well as hours of 6:50 AM and 7:00 PM, as well as Walmart in Harriman Commons. In 2018 this on Saturdays between the hours of 7:50 AM service carried just over 113,000 revenue pas- and 7:00 PM. In 2018, Newburgh Area Transit sengers over nearly 85,000 revenue miles.

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Middletown Area Transit, operated by the Shortline Transportation Center at the Coach USA, consists of 4 loop-routes oper- Route 17K park & ride lot in Newburgh and ating in and around the City of Middletown. Monroe Taxi in Monroe. Each of the 4 routes services a different Adirondack Trailways provides service portion of the Middletown area, but all four to New York City and upstate New York via converge at a central stop at the Railroad a stop at the Route 17K park & ride lot in Avenue Bus Terminal. Service is operated Newburgh. from Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7:00 AM and 5:30 PM. In 2018, Mid- Greyhound provides service throughout the dletown Area Transit carried approximately United States from the Shortline Transporta- 55,000 revenue passengers over a total of tion Center at the Route 17K park & ride lot in approximately 86,000 revenue miles, making Newburgh and a stop in Harriman. it the smallest of the three fixed-route systems. Monsey Trails connects Kiryas Joel and Dial-A-Bus Services Monsey in Rockland County with five daily round trips. This service is spread throughout Municipal Dial-A-Bus services operate in Goshen, the day but focuses on those commuting Chester, Highlands, Monroe, Montgomery, between Kiryas Joel and Monsey. Newburgh, Port Jervis, Warwick, and Wallkill. With a few exceptions, these services operate primarily within the boundaries of each municipality’s Airports respective boundaries. Open to the general public, Dial-A-Buses provide curb-to-curb trans- Orange County has four public airports and two portation service. These services delivered just private airports (see Figure 27): over 110,000 trips in 2018. To schedule a pick-up, Public Airports: riders are required to call the local Dial-A-Bus dispatcher and make a reservation at least 24 New York Stewart International Airport (SWF); hours in advance. Service, arranged by the Orange County Airport; dispatcher, is on a first-come, first-serve basis, as the dispatcher will attempt to accommodate the Randall Airport; and rider’s request for pick-up. Although hours vary by municipality, service is operated from morning Warwick Airport. until afternoon or evening, Mondays through Private Airports: Fridays or Saturdays. Lewis Landing; and

Intercity Bus Services Sha-wan-ga Valley.

The following intercity bus service operators The largest by far is Stewart, which serves both provide transportation to cities outside of Orange passenger and freight needs in the County and County: the region. CoachUSA provides service to multiple locations throughout New York and the United States. Stops in Orange County include

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Figure 26. Airports in Orange County

Ulster County N

Sullivan County

Sha-wan-ga Valley Airport Dutchess County

Orange County Airport New York Stewart International Airport

Putnam County Randal Airport Pike Lewis Landing Airport County, PENNSYLVANIA

Sussex County Warwick Valley Airport Westchester LEGEND County State Route County Road Waterbodies NEW JERSEY Streams Rockland County Commercial Service Airport Other Airports Passaic County 0 2.5 5 10 MILES

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

Orange County is also located within 100 miles of New York Stewart International Newark International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, all three of which are major commercial service hubs that SWF is operated by the Port Authority of New together provide service to a wide range of York—New Jersey (Port Authority) and with its domestic and international destinations. West- 11,817- foot main runway, still partly serves a chester County Airport in the City of White Plains military purpose, for which it was originally th provides additional scheduled passenger flights. constructed. It is the home of the 105 Airlift Wing In addition, Newark and John F. Kennedy Interna- of the New York Air National Guard and two tional Airport (JFK) are the primary air cargo hubs Marine Air Squadrons. It is the only airport in the for goods bound to or from Orange County, County which operates twenty-four hours per day providing scheduled air cargo services to many and has a control tower. Passenger service is global hubs. currently provided by Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta, and JetBlue. Stewart handled more than

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690,000 passengers in 2018, a 54 percent General Aviation Airports increase from 2017. Construction is currently underway on a $37 million addition to provide a Orange County Airport is the second largest dedicated inspection station for U.S. Customs and general aviation airport in New York with over 165 Border Protection to use in screening international based aircraft and two runways serving both travelers. To attract new carriers providing service smaller commercial, charter and general aviation to international destinations, Stewart has enlisted entities including corporate and flight school the help of a new joint venture called Future users. The airport is located just south of the Stewart Partners. The airport is also served by Village of Montgomery on Route 211. Although I-84 Independent Helicopters, which offers charter and passes within one mile of the airport, the nearest flight school services. interchange is five miles away (Exit 5, Maybrook).

Access to the Stewart facility is provided along A $30 million project was completed in January Breunig Road from state Route 207 and an 2019 which realigned an existing runway, provid- entrance from Route 747. Route 747 provides ing an obstruction free and flood mitigated access from I-84 at Exit 5A, and extends from a takeoff and landing surface. With current and new intersection with Route 17K to Route 207 on projected future use at the airport in addition to the south. This area was also the subject of accelerated local development along the County focused analysis and planning as part of the Route 99 (Neelytown Road) corridor with newly Newburgh Area Transportation and Land Use constructed warehouse and distribution facilities, Study. the need to provide a new interchange with I-84 is an increasing concern. For ground transit, the airport is served by Coach USA’s Stewart Airport Express, which offers service Warwick Airport is a small airport serving between the airport and New York City and by general private aviation, providing rentals, instruc- Leprechaun Bus Lines’ Newburgh-Beacon-Stewart tion, and charter services. Only one of its runways Link, which offers service between Newburgh, is paved. Existing access to Warwick Airport is Beacon’s Metro-North Station with rail service to from County Route 13 (CR13—King’s Highway). NYC, the Route 17K park & ride, and the airport. Airport plans include more parking areas, fueling facilities for aircraft, an area for helicopters, and a Freight services at the airport are offered by longer runway to allow utilization by more types Federal Express, United Parcel Service, and the of aircraft. Based on the projected levels of aircraft U.S. Postal Service. Multiple plans from both the activity in its master plan, the Warwick Airport will Governor’s office and the Port Authority have probably not generate more than 100,000 annual examined expanding freight operations at vehicle trips on the local road system. Stewart as a way to relieve congestion (both at the airport and on the highways surrounding Randall Airport is the smallest of the four them) at Newark and JFK. The significance of air airports in Orange County. It is located southeast transportation in Orange County and the relation- of Middletown. ship to surface transportation and land use will be an increasing subject of interest should these expansion plans move forward.

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Freight and Logistics Infrastructure

Truck Movement Windsor, and near Route 17 (future I-86) in the Town of Chester. In addition, the Cities of Middle- Due to its location at the crossing of I-84, I-87, and town and Newburgh have a variety of mid-sized Route 17 (future I-86), Orange County is an employment centers and the City of Port Jervis has important center and conduit for freight move- a heavy manufacturing employment concentration. ments. Efficient movement of goods in and through Orange County is important to both the The majority of shipments passing through these regional economy and to New York State and facilities have origins and destinations outside beyond. Over-the-road freight movement is also a Orange County, via travel on the interstate significant factor in regard to traffic, congestion, system. In addition, a large amount of freight also safety, security, road and facility design, and air uses the Interstate system to “pass through” quality. Orange County imports 1.3 million tons Orange County with origins and destinations in and exports 1.1 million tons as “secondary traffic,” other areas around New York State or the region. goods that are shipped to and from distribution NYSDOT reports maximum annual average daily centers or through intermodal facilities. Based on truck traffic (AADTT) in Orange County of 5,000- 2015 data from the U.S. Census, more than 80 10,000 on portions of I-84 and between 2,500- trucking companies call Orange County home 5,000 on other portions of the highway network and trucks carry the majority of freight delivered including I-87 and Route 17. to and shipped from the County. Major concen- Under the FAST Act, signed into law in December trations of freight and trucking companies are 2015, FHWA created the NHFN which identifies located near I-84 Exit 5 in the Town of Montgom- routes critical to freight movement. Within Orange ery, near I-84 and I-87 by Stewart International County, I-87 and I-84 are part of this system. Airport in the Towns of Newburgh and New One critical piece of infrastructure related to trucking freight are truck stops, which allow drivers a place to park and fulfill federal hours of service (HOS) rest requirements. They also commonly have amenities such as bathrooms available for drivers, although additional amenities such as showers, food, internet service, etc. vary widely between locations. Parking can be provided by both the public and private sector, and it can range from large truck travel centers and highway rest areas to small convenience stores or turn-outs on the side of a highway. In Orange County, the sites listed in Table 4 are available.2

2 Note that this list may be incomplete. Other private businesses may allow trucks to park on their land.

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Table 4. Truck Parking Locations in Orange County

Number of Truck Location Route Public or Private Parking Spaces

Plattekill Travel Plaza I-87 (NB) Public 15

Modena Travel Plaza I-87 (SB) Public 20 Rest Area (east of Middletown) I-84 (WB) Public 12

Rest Area (west of Middletown) I-84 (EB) Public 11 Rest Stop (east of Port Jervis) I-84 (EB and WB) Public 10 EB, 10 WB

TA Maybrook #210 (Montgomery) I-84 Private 188 Pilot Travel Center #394 (Newburgh) I-84 Private 80 Stewart Airport Diner (Newburgh) I-84 Private 15

Quickway Diner (Wallkill) Route 17 Private Unknown

Walmart (Monroe) US 6/Route 17 Private Unknown

Source: TruckerPath and Google Maps for parking space count. Note: There is also a Pilot Travel Center (#880) in Montague, just south of Port Jervis on New Jersey State Route 23.

Freight Rail Town of Warwick with approximately two trains operating per day. The second is the Maybrook The rail freight operators in Orange County are Industrial track running seven miles from Hamp- CSX, Norfolk Southern (NS), New York Susque- tonburgh to Montgomery. The third is the Walden hanna and Western (NYS&W), and Middletown & Secondary running six miles between Hampton- New Jersey (MNJ). burgh to Walden. Approximately one train CSX and NS are Class I operators with over 100 operates on each of these lines per week. New miles of track. The largest carrier is CSX, which York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (NYSW) operates approximately 52 trains per day on the also operates a one-mile section of track within West Shore River Line along the Hudson River. This the Town of Warwick, the Belvidere Industrial 3 line has no overhead limits (maximum height Track, with one train per week. 20’3”) or weight restrictions (maximum weight The operating costs of the rail system are the 315,000 pounds). NS operates between two and responsibility of the private carriers. The state four freight trains per day from Port Jervis to currently contributes toward improving rail Tuxedo on Metro-North’s Port Jervis Line. clearances on the existing systems that will MNJ Railroad operates three short rail lines. The eventually allow intermodal and double-stack first is the Hudson Secondary, which extends services, thereby expanding market share for the twenty miles from the Town of Montgomery to the rail system. Double-stack cars are currently being used by CSX on the River Line.

3 http://www.mnjrr.com/

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Rail-highway at-grade crossings are an important Marine Cargo part of the County’s rail infrastructure. These locations can be a serious safety concern for both Approximately 17 million tons of cargo moved highway and rail travelers and incidents create between the Upper Bay in New York City and delays across both the highway and rail network Waterford via the Hudson River in 2014. However, that can disrupt the movement of people and the vast majority of river traffic bypasses Orange goods across a wide region. County with few shipments originating or ending their movement in the County. One potential There are 134 public at-grade highway-rail project that may impact goods movement on the crossings in Orange County. The busiest of these Hudson River is the proposal by the U.S. Coast crossings—on Route 211/Wickham Ave. in Middle- Guard, which identified a need for additional town—sees nearly 20,000 vehicles per day while anchorages in the Hudson River between Kings- more than half see 1,000 or fewer vehicles per day. ton and Yonkers which could potentially include Between 2016 and 2018, there were five incidents locations adjacent to Orange County. This that occurred at these 134 crossings proposal was withdrawn by the U.S. Coast Guard in 2018 after issuing the findings from the Hudson Washington St. in Newburgh (2017) River Ports and Water Ways Safety Assessment Shipyard Crossing in Newburgh (2017) Report; however, the opportunity for a similar Washington Street in Newburgh (2018) proposal in the future still exists. Coldenham Road in Walden (2018) The Port of Newburgh is served by CSX rail. Goshen Road in Chester (2018) Industrial access to the Hudson River waterfront can be supplied by barge via the Hudson River, by Two of the crashes involved unoccupied vehicles, rail or by highway via I-84 and I-87, however, one was a motorized lift, and two were with trucks must use local roads to reach the highway vehicles where the drivers did not stop for train access points. Power plants and oil terminals have horns or in one case, went around a down gate. capitalized on the infrastructure in Newburgh. None of the crashes resulted in fatalities, one resulted in four injuries to railroad crew. Air Cargo

Newark International Airport in Newark, NJ and JFK International Airport in Queens, NY are the two main air cargo hubs for Orange County (and much of the northeast). Within Orange County, Stewart International Airport offers freight service for FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service. Cargo activities at Stewart grew by 8.3 percent in 2018 over 2017 to nearly 23,000 short tons, based on high volumes of FedEx and United Parcel Service (UPS) shipments. Stewart plays an important role as home to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New York Animal Import Center. Animal Import Centers play a role in clearing animals or animal products for import/export from the United States. The site in Newburgh is one of two air/ocean- borne control sites on the eastern seaboard

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PERFORMANCE OF ORANGE COUNTY’S TRANSPORTATION NETWORK The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century System Performance Report Act (MAP-21) Act of 2012 and the FAST Act of 2015 established a Transportation Performance In accordance with the Planning Rule, Orange Management framework under which state County Transportation Council (OCTC) must departments of transportation (DOT), MPOs, and include as an element of its Long-Range Trans- providers of public transportation must carry out portation Plan (LRTP) a description of the perfor- their federally required transportation planning mance measures and targets that apply to the and programming activities. The framework OCTC planning area and a System Performance requires the establishment and use of a coordi- Report. This section of the 2045 LRTP includes nated, performance-based approach to trans- information to meet the requirements of the portation decision-making to support national System Performance Report. The System Perfor- goals for the federal-aid highway and public mance Report evaluates the condition and transportation programs. performance of the transportation system with respect to required performance targets, and In the legislation, Congress defined national goals reports on progress achieved in meeting the for the transportation system and directed the targets in comparison with baseline data and U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to previous reports.5 establish performance measures to track progress toward reaching these goals. USDOT promul- The Planning Rule specifies the following time- gated a series of performance measure rules frames for when OCTC must include the System throughout 2014-2018. States, MPOs, and provid- Performance Report in the LRTP: ers of public transportation must set performance targets for each measure to be achieved within a In any LRTP adopted on or after May 27, 2018, specified time period, and then monitor perfor- the System Performance Report must reflect mance and periodically report on progress Highway Safety (PM1) measures. toward achievement of the targets. In any LRTP adopted on or after October 1, 2018, the System Performance Report must reflect On May 27, 2016, the FHWA and the Federal Transit Transit Asset Management TAM measures. Administration (FTA) issued the statewide and nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning; In any LRTP adopted on or after May 20, 2019, the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Final Rule, System Performance Report must reflect Pave- referred to as the Planning Rule.4 This rule details ment and Bridge Condition (PM2) measures. how state DOTs and MPOs must implement the In any LRTP adopted on or after May 20, 2019, new MAP-21 and FAST Act planning requirements, the System Performance Report must reflect including the new transportation performance System Performance, Freight, and Congestion management provisions, in the statewide and Management and Air Quality Improvement metropolitan planning process. Program (PM3) measures.

4 The Final Rule modified the Code of Federal Regulations at 23 CFR Part 450 and 49 CFR Part 613. 5 If OCTC were to use scenario planning during development of the LRTP, the System Performance Report must also include an analysis of how the preferred scenario has improved the performance of the transportation system and how changes in local policies and investments have impacted the costs necessary to achieve the identified targets.

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In any LRTP adopted on or after July 20, 2021, Establishing Initial Performance the System Performance Report must reflect Transit Safety measures. Targets

Reflecting these timelines, this OCTC System States and transit providers are required to Performance Report includes the Highway Safety establish initial performance targets within a (PM1), TAM, Pavement and Bridge Condition (PM2), specified amount of time after the effective date and System Performance, Freight, and Congestion of each performance measure rule, as follows: Management and Air Quality Improvement For the performance measures addressing Program (PM3) performance measures, targets Safety on All Public Roads, NYSDOT was and performance. required to establish initial statewide highway The following sections detail these performance safety targets by August 31, 2017. measures and the associated performance For performance measures addressing NHS targets established by OCTC in coordination with Bridges and Pavement and National Highway state and local partners. System Operational Performance, NYSDOT was to establish initial statewide targets by May 20, 2018.

For the TAM and State of Good Repair measures, Orange County, on behalf of recipients of FTA funding, was required to establish targets by January 1, 2017.

The deadline for setting performance targets addressing Transit Safety is July 20, 2020.

The OCTC has agreed to plan and program projects in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that contribute toward the accom- plishment of the NYSDOT or Orange County transit targets. OCTC’s numeric target is identical to the NYSDOT and Orange County transit numeric target, and OCTC will plan and program projects that contribute to these numerical targets.

These requirement details and responsibilities are also specified in the Performance Management Agreement relating to performance based transportation management, planning, and programming in Orange County between OCTC, NYSDOT, MTA, and Orange County. This agreement was executed on June 18, 2018.

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Baseline Condition and mance reports to reference performance outcomes relative to previous targets. Accordingly, Performance this first OCTC System Performance Report focuses on baseline performance. The System Performance Report is required to discuss the condition and performance of the The NYSDOT and Orange County will continue to transportation system for each applicable target monitor and report performance on an annual or as well as the progress achieved by OCTC in meet- biennial basis, depending on the measure. Future ing targets in comparison with system perfor- OCTC System Performance Reports will discuss mance recorded in previous reports. Given that progress made toward meeting each of the the federal performance measure requirements targets since this initial baseline report. are new, there are no previous system perfor-

Safety on All Public Roads

Safety Performance Measures

Effective April 14, 2016, the Federal Highway Administration established five highway safety performance measures to assess progress states are making toward national goals using funding from the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). The HSIP is a federal-aid funding program intended to achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads. The safety performance measures are:

1. Number of fatalities;

2. Rate of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT);

3. Number of serious injuries;

4. Rate of serious injuries per 100 million VMT; and

5. Number of non-motorized fatalities and non-motorized serious injuries.

Safety Performance Targets

The FHWA requires states and MPOs to establish Annual Report submitted to the FHWA on highway safety targets annually. Each year, the August 31, 2017. OCTC adopted the NYSDOT's NYSDOT is to establish and report targets for the 2018 safety targets on August 15, 2017 via following calendar year in the HSIP Annual Report, Resolution 2017-09. which is submitted to the FHWA by August 31. 2020 Safety Targets. NYSDOT established OCTC must then establish safety targets for the and reported statewide 2020 safety targets same calendar year by February 27. in the HSIP Annual Report submitted to the 2018 Safety Targets. NYSDOT established FHWA on August 31, 2019. OCTC will affirm the the state’s first safety targets for calendar NYSDOT’s 2020 safety targets within 180 days, year 2018 and reported them in the HSIP as required by federal regulations.

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Table 5 presents 2017 safety performance state- The targets are consistent with the goals identi- wide and in the OCTC planning area, and the fied in the 2017 Strategic Highway Safety Plan NYSDOT's safety targets for 2018. Table 6 presents (SHSP). The fatality rate in New York has been 2018 safety performance and 2019 targets. below 1.0 per 100 million VMT since 2007. The number of fatalities and the fatality rate have contin- When setting the statewide safety targets, the ued on a downward trend in New York at a time NYSDOT used the following approach: when many states are experiencing an increase. 1. Estimated the existing trend by using a linear The number of serious injuries and the serious trend line, as recommended by the FHWA. injury rates have been on a downward trend, The 5 year moving average (current year plus although the annual numbers were up in 2015 four preceding years) was used as the data and 2016. point for each year. The NYSDOT will update safety performance 2. The forecast for the following calendar year annually consistent with a 5-year rolling perfor- was generated using the FORECAST function mance average for the state and the OCTC in Excel. planning area. OCTC will reflect this information within each subsequent System Performance 3. The forecast was adjusted for reasonability Report to track performance over time in relation by reviewing external factors and applying a to baseline conditions and established targets. 4 percent cap.

Table 5. Highway Safety (PM1) Baseline Performance and Targets—2017

NY 2017 Performance NY 2018 Performance Measures 5-Year Average 2012-2016 Performance Targets

Number of Fatalities 1,111.6 1,086.0

Rate of Fatalities per 100 Million VMT 0.874 0.870

Number of Serious Injuries 11,508.2 10,854.0

Rate of Serious Injuries per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled 9.038 8.540

Number of Non-Motorized Fatalities and Non-Motorized 2,834.8 2,843.0 Serious Injuries (VMT)

Source: New York State Department of Transportation.

Table 6. Highway Safety (PM1) Baseline Performance and Targets—2018

NY 2018 Performance NY 2019 Performance Measures 5-Year Average 2012-2016 Performance Targets

Number of Fatalities 1,079.6 1,072.1

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Rate of Fatalities per 100 Million VMT 0.852 0.858

Number of Serious Injuries 11,237.0 10,987.0

Rate of Serious Injuries per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled 8.884 8.620

Number of Non-Motorized Fatalities and Non-Motorized 2,734.8 2,726.0 Serious Injuries (VMT)

Source: New York State Department of Transportation.

National Highway System Pavement and Bridges

Pavement and Bridge Performance Measures

In January 2017, the FHWA published a Final Rule amending 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 490 called the Pavement and Bridge Condition Performance Measures Final Rule (also referred to as the “PM2 rule”). In this rule, the FHWA establishes six performance measures for pavement and bridge condition on Interstate and non-Interstate NHS roads, to measure progress states are making toward national goals using funding from the NHPP. The PM2 measures are:

1. Percent of Interstate pavements in good condition;

2. Percent of Interstate pavements in poor condition;

3. Percent of non-Interstate NHS pavements in good condition;

4. Percent of non-Interstate NHS pavements in poor condition;

5. Percent of NHS bridges (by deck area) classified as in good condition; and

6. Percent of NHS bridges (by deck area) classified as in poor condition.

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Pavement Condition Metrics and Thresholds

The four pavement condition measures represent the percentage of lane-miles on the Interstate and non-In- terstate NHS that are in good condition or poor condition. Five pavement condition metrics are used to assess condition:

International Roughness Index (IRI)—an indicator of roughness; applicable to all asphalt and concrete pavements.

Cracking percent—percentage of the pavement surface exhibiting cracking; applicable to all asphalt and concrete pavements.

Rutting—extent of surface depressions; applicable to asphalt pavements.

Faulting—vertical misalignment of pavement joints; applicable to certain types of concrete pavements.

Present Serviceability Rating (PSR)—a quality rating applicable to lower speed roads.

For each pavement metric, a threshold is used to establish good, fair, or poor condition. Table 7 lists the thresholds.

Table 7. Pavement Condition Performance Thresholds

Metric Rating Good Fair Poor

IRI (inches/mile) < 95 95–170 > 170

PSR (0.0-5.0 value) >=4.0 2.0–4.0 <=2.0

Cracking Percent (%) < 5 CRCP: 5–10 CRCP: > 10 Jointed: 5–15 Jointed: > 15 Asphalt: 5–20 Asphalt: > 20

Rutting (inches) < 0.20 0.20–0.40 > 0.40 (for asphalt only)

Faulting (inches) < 0.10 0.10–0.15 > 0.15 (for jointed concrete only)

Source: Federal Highway Administration. Note: CRCP = Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement.

Pavement condition is assessed for each 0.1 mile section of the through travel lanes of mainline highways on the Interstate or the non-Interstate NHS using these metrics and thresholds. A pavement section is rated as good if all three metric ratings are good, and poor if two or more metric ratings are poor. Sections that are not good or poor are considered fair.

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The good/poor measures are expressed as a percentage and are determined by summing the total lane- miles of good or poor highway segments and dividing by the total lane-miles of all highway segments on the applicable system. Pavement in good condition suggests that no major investment is needed and should be considered for preservation treatment. Pavement in poor condition suggests major reconstruction investment is needed due to either ride quality or a structural deficiency.

Bridge Condition Metrics and Thresholds

The two bridge condition performance measures refer to the percentage of bridges by deck area on the NHS that are in good condition or poor condition. The measures assess the condition of four bridge components: deck, superstructure, substructure, and culverts. Bridge owners are required to inspect bridges on a regular basis and report data to FHWA, which form the basis for determining condition levels.

Each component has a metric rating threshold to establish good, fair, or poor condition, as shown in Table 8. Each bridge on the NHS is evaluated using these ratings. If the lowest rating of the four metrics is greater than or equal to seven, the structure is classified as good. If the lowest rating is less than or equal to four, the structure is classified as poor. If the lowest rating is five or six, it is classified as fair.

Table 8. Bridge Condition Performance Rating Thresholds

Metric Rating Good Fair Poor

Deck (Item 58) ≥ 7 5 or 6 ≤ 4

Superstructure (Item 59) ≥ 7 5 or 6 ≤ 4

Substructure (Item 60) ≥ 7 5 or 6 ≤ 4

Culvert (Item 62) ≥ 7 5 or 6 ≤ 4

Source: Federal Highway Administration.

The bridge measures are expressed as the percent of NHS bridges in good or poor condition. The percent is determined by summing the total deck area of good or poor NHS bridges and dividing by the total deck area of the bridges carrying the NHS. Deck area is computed using structure length and either deck width or approach roadway width.

Bridges in good condition suggests that no major investment is needed. Bridges in poor condition are safe to drive on; however, they are nearing a point where substantial reconstruction or replacement is needed.

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Pavement and Bridge Condition Performance Targets

Performance for the PM2 measures is assessed over The two-year and four-year targets represent a series of four-year performance periods. The pavement and bridge condition at the end of first performance period began on January 1, 2018 calendar years 2019 and 2021, respectively. and runs through December 31, 2021. NYSDOT OCTC has established four-year targets for all six must report baseline performance and targets at measures by either agreeing to program projects the beginning of each period and update perfor- that will support the statewide targets. mance at the midpoint and end of each performance period. The NYSDOT established statewide PM2 targets on May 20, 2018. OCTC was then required to establish The PM2 rule requires NYSDOT and OCTC to estab- PM2 targets no later than November 16, 2018. OCTC lish performance targets for all six measures and agreed to support the NYSDOT’s PM2 performance monitor progress towards achieving the targets. targets on September 18, 2018 via Resolution States must establish: 2018-18. By adopting the NYSDOT’s targets, OCTC Four-year statewide targets for the percent agrees to plan and program projects that help the of Interstate pavements in good and poor NYSDOT achieve these targets. condition; Table 9 presents baseline performance for each Two-year and four-year statewide targets for PM2 measure for New York and for the OCTC plan- the percent of non-Interstate NHS pavements ning area as well as the two-year and four-year in good and poor condition; and statewide targets established by the NYSDOT. Two-year and four-year targets for the percent of NHS bridges (by deck area) in good and poor condition.

Table 9. Pavement and Bridge Condition (PM2) Performance and Targets

New York New York New York Performance Measures Performance (Baseline) 2-year Target (2019) 4-year Target (2021) Percent of Interstate pavements in 52.2% N/A 47.3% good condition Percent of Interstate pavements in poor 2.7% N/A 4.0% condition Percent of non-Interstate NHS pave- 20.4% 14.6% 14.7% ments in good condition (IRI only) Percent of non-Interstate NHS pave- 8.3% 12.4% 14.3% ments in poor condition (IRI only) Percent of NHS bridges (by deck area) 20.2% 23.0% 24.0% in good condition Percent of NHS bridges (by deck area) 11.7% 11.6% 11.7% in poor condition

Source: New York State Department of Transportation.

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On or before October 1, 2020, the NYSDOT will Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality provide the FHWA and OCTC a detailed report of Improvement Program: pavement and bridge condition performance 4. Annual hours of peak hour excessive delay covering the period of January 1, 2018 to December per capita; 31, 2019. The NYSDOT and OCTC will also have the opportunity at that time to revisit the four-year 5. Percent of non-single occupant vehicle PM2 targets. travel; and

6. Cumulative 2-year and 4-year reduction of National Highway System on-road mobile source emissions for CMAQ Performance funded projects (CMAQ Emission Reduction). The annual hours of peak hour excessive delay In January 2017, the FHWA published a Final Rule per capita (#4), percent of non-single occupant detailing requirements for states and MPOs to vehicle travel (#5), and cumulative 2-year and assess the performance of the Interstate and 4-year reduction of on-road mobile source non-Interstate NHS for the purpose of carrying out emissions for CMAQ funded projects (#6) are not the NHPP; to assess freight movement on the applicable to the OCTC planning area and Interstate System for the purpose of carrying out therefore are not addressed here. The remaining the National Highway Freight Program; and to PM3 measures are described in more detail below. assess traffic congestion and on-road mobile source emissions for the purpose of carrying out the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Level of Travel Time Reliability Improvement Program in areas that do not meet (LOTTR) Measures federal National Ambient Air Quality Standards LOTTR is defined as the ratio of longer travel times (NAAQS). (80th percentile) to a normal travel time (50th This third FHWA performance measure rule percentile) over all applicable roads during four (referred to as the “PM3 rule”) established six time periods (AM peak, Mid-day, PM peak, and performance measures across three funding weekends) that cover the hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. programs, as follows: each day. The LOTTR ratio is calculated for each roadway segment, essentially comparing the National Highway Performance Program: segment with itself. A segment is reliable if its LOTTR is less than 1.5 during all four time periods. If 1. Percent of person-miles on the Interstate sys- one or more time periods has a LOTTR of 1.5 or tem that are reliable, also referred to as Level above, that segment is unreliable. of Travel Time Reliability (LOTTR); The two LOTTR measures are expressed as the 2. Percent of person-miles on the non-Interstate percent of person-miles traveled on the Interstate NHS that are reliable; or non-Interstate NHS that are reliable. Per- National Highway Freight Program: son-miles take into account the number of people traveling in buses, cars, and trucks over these 3. Truck Travel Time Reliability Index; roadway segments. To obtain person miles traveled, the VMT for each segment is multiplied by the average vehicle occupancy for each type

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of vehicle on the roadway. To calculate the percent greater than one million. However, starting with of person miles traveled that are reliable, the sum the second performance period that begins on of the number of reliable person miles traveled is January 1, 2022, the population threshold drops to divide by the sum of total person miles traveled. 200,000. At that time, if OCTC continues to be a nonattainment or maintenance area under the 2006 NAAQS for PM or becomes a nonattain- Truck Travel Time Reliability (TTTR) 2.5 ment area for ozone, carbon monoxide, or PM , Measure 10 and the urbanized area population it serves The TTTR performance measure assesses reliability remains above 200,000 persons, the PHED and for trucks traveling on the Interstate. A TTTR ratio is Non-SOV performance measures will apply at generated by dividing the 95th percentile truck that time. The remaining performance measures travel time by a normal travel time (50th percentile) are described below. for each segment of the Interstate system over five time periods throughout weekdays and weekends PM3 Performance Targets (AM peak, Mid-day, PM peak, weekend, and overnight) that cover all hours of the day. Performance for the PM3 measures is assessed over a series of four-year performance periods. For each segment, the highest TTTR value among For the LOTTR measures and the TTTR measure, the five time periods is multiplied by the length of the first performance period began on January 1, the segment. The sum of all length-weighted 2018 and runs through December 31, 2021. For the segments is then divided by the total length of CMAQ Emission Reduction measure, the first Interstate to generate the TTTR Index. performance period began on October 1, 2017 The data used to calculate these PM3 measures is and ends on September 30, 2021. States must provided by FHWA via the National Performance report baseline performance and targets during Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS). This the first part of the performance period and dataset contains travel times, segment lengths, update performance at the midpoint and end of and Annual Average Daily Travel (AADT) for each performance period. Interstate and non-Interstate NHS roads. The PM3 rule requires the NYSDOT and OCTC to establish performance targets for these measures CMAQ Measures and monitor progress towards achieving the targets. The NYSDOT must establish two-year and The OCTC is required to address the CMAQ four-year state targets for the Interstate LOTTR, Emission Reduction performance measure as a TTTR, and CMAQ Emission Reduction measures. result of being designated by the Environmental For the non-Interstate NHS LOTTR measure, Protection Agency as a nonattainment area NYSDOT must establish a four-year target. under the 2006 National Ambient Air Quality Stan- dard (NAAQS) for particulate matter that is 2.5 For the LOTTR and TTTR measures, the two-year

micrometers or smaller (PM2.5). The other two and four-year targets represent performance at measures (annual hours of peak hour excessive the end of calendar years 2019 and 2021, respec- delay per capita and percent of non-single tively. For the Emissions Reduction measure, the occupant vehicle travel) do not currently apply in two-year target represents performance on the OCTC planning area because the MPO does September 30, 2019, and the four-year target not meet the criteria for these two measures of represents performance on September 30, 2021. serving an urbanized area that has a population

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PM3 Baseline Performance and targets, OCTC agrees to plan and program Established Targets projects that help the NYSDOT achieve these targets. The NYSDOT established statewide PM3 targets on May 20, 2018. OCTC was then required to Table 10 presents baseline performance for each establish PM3 targets no later than November 16, applicable PM3 measure for New York and for 2018. OCTC agreed to support the NYSDOT’s the OCTC planning area as well as the two-year LOTTR and TTTR performance targets on Sep- and four-year statewide targets established by tember 12, 2018 via Resolution 2018-18. The NYS- the NYSDOT. DOT subsequently recalculated and amended the On or before October 1, 2020, the NYSDOT will statewide LOTTR targets after discovering an provide the FHWA and OCTC a detailed report of error in the formula used to determine the 2018 performance for the PM3 measures covering the baseline. On November 13, 2018, OCTC agreed to period of January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. The support the NYSDOT’s amended statewide Level NYSDOT and OCTC will also have the opportunity of Travel Time Reliability performance targets via at that time to revisit the four-year PM3 targets. Resolution 2018-20. By supporting the NYSDOT’s

Table 10. System Performance Measures and Targets

New York New York New York Performance Measures Performance (Baseline) 2-year Target (2019) 4-year Target (2021)

Percent of person-miles on the Interstate 81.3% 73.1% 73.0% system that are reliable (Interstate LOTTR)

Percent of person-miles on the non-Inter- 77.0% N/A 63.4% state NHS that are reliable (Non-Interstate NHS LOTTR)

Truck travel time reliability index (TTTR) 1.38 2.00 2.11

Cumulative reduction of on-road mobile 3,920kg 7,482 kg source emissions for CMAQ funded projects (CMAQ Emission Reduction)

Source: New York State Department of Transportation.

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Transit Asset Management and State of Good Repair

Transit Asset Performance Measures Overview

On July 26, 2016, the FTA published the final TAM rule. This rule applies to all recipients and subrecipients of federal transit funding that own, operate, or manage public transportation capital assets. The rule defines the term “state of good repair,” requires that public transportation providers develop and implement TAM plans and establishes state of good repair standards and performance measures for four asset categories: transit equipment, rolling stock, transit infrastructure, and facilities. Transit asset performance in each category is measured by asset class, which is the subgroup of capital assets within an asset category.

Table 11 below identifies the asset classes and associated transit asset performance measures.

Table 11. Transit Asset Performance Measures

Asset Category Performance Measures

Equipment: Non-revenue support-service and Percentage of non-revenue, support-service and maintenance maintenance vehicles vehicles that have met or exceeded their Useful Life Benchmark

Rolling Stock: Revenue vehicles by mode Percentage of revenue vehicles within a particular asset class that have either met or exceeded their Useful Life Benchmark

Infrastructure: Only rail fixed-guideway, track, Percentage of track segments with performance restrictions signals and systems

Facilities: Maintenance and administrative facilities; Percentage of facilities within an asset class rated below condi- passenger stations (buildings) and parking facilities tion 3 on the TERM scale

For equipment and rolling stock classes, Useful Life Benchmark (ULB) is defined as the expected lifecycle of a capital asset, or the acceptable period of use in service, for a particular transit provider’s operating environment. ULB considers a provider’s unique operating environment such as geography, service frequency, etc. and is not the same as an asset’s useful life.

The FTA established two tiers of public transportation providers based on size parameters. A Tier I agency operates rail, or has more than 100 vehicles in all fixed route modes, or has more than 100 vehicles or more in one non-fixed route mode. A Tier II provider is a subrecipient of FTA Section 5311 funds, or is an American Indian Tribe, or has 100 or less vehicles across all fixed route modes, or has 100 vehicles or less in one non-fixed route mode. Tier I providers must establish their own transit asset targets, as well as report performance and other data to the FTA. Tier II providers have the option to establish their own targets or to participate in a group plan with other Tier II providers whereby targets are set by a plan sponsor for the entire group.

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Transit Asset Management Perfor- Table 12 provides the ULB and a set of performance Targets mance measures and targets for each asset category. In general, the targets are for revenue Public transportation providers establish and vehicles and equipment to have under five report TAM targets annually for the following percent of each category’s assets past their ULB, fiscal year. They are required to provide their asset and to have fewer than five percent of facilities conditions and TAM targets to each MPO in which with a TERM rating below 3.0. Facilities do not the provider’s projects and services are pro- have a fixed ULB, but rather specific ULBs for each grammed in the MPO’s TIP. MPOs must then subsystem, such as roofing; heating, ventilation establish transit asset targets within 180 days of and air conditioning; plumbing, etc. the date that the provider of public transportation established initial targets. Unlike the PM1, PM2, and PM3 measures, MPOs are not required to establish new transit asset targets each time the public transportation provider establishes annual targets. Instead, subsequent MPO targets are established when updating the TIP or LRTP.

MPOs can either agree to program projects that will support the transit provider’s targets, or set their own separate regional targets for the MPO’s planning area. MPO TAM targets for the region may differ from the TAM targets established by providers, especially if there are multiple public transportation providers in the MPO’s planning area, or in the event that one or more transit agencies have not provided TAM targets to the MPO.

The Orange County Department of Planning is the direct recipient of FTA funds on behalf of operators in Orange County. The existing public transportation overseen by Orange County Planning Department includes local Dial-A-Bus, fixed-route, and paratransit services. All providers in Orange County are Tier II providers and report on the following transit asset performance measures and categories:

Rolling Stock (Revenue Vehicles); Equipment (Equipment and Service Vehicles); and Facilities.

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Table 12. Transit Asset Management Measures and Performance Targets

Asset Category— ULB 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Performance Measure Asset Class (years) Target Target Target Target Target

Revenue Vehicles

Age—Percent of revenue BR—Over-the-road Bus 12 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% vehicles within a particular asset class that have met or BU—Bus 14 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% exceeded their ULB CU—Cutaway Bus 5 5% 5% 5% 5% 5%

Equipment

Age—Percent of assets within a Nonrevenue Automobiles 8 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% particular asset class that have met or exceeded their ULB Bus Shelters 15 5% 5% 5% 5% 5%

Facilities

Condition—Percent of facilities Administration N/A 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% with a condition rating below 3.0 on the FTA TERM Scale

Source: Orange County Planning Department, Transit Asset Management Plan.

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VULNERABILITIES, Roadways RISKS, AND Orange County’s road network is particularly susceptible to flooding in many areas near the OPPORTUNITIES rivers and streams that snake through, bringing water to the Hudson and Delaware Rivers. During The information presented in this part of the Plan heavy rainfall and extreme storm events these has raised a number of issues, challenges, and waterbodies are often inundated with stormwater opportunities for OCTC. OCTC’s members will runoff and flow out onto nearby roads. The built need to use limited resources to keep people and environment often makes this problem worse due freight moving safely, keep infrastructure in a state to the increased speed and volume that stormwa- of good repair, and adapt the transportation ter runs off impermeable surfaces. As a result, system to prepare for coming changes in vehicle these susceptible roadways become impassable, and communications technologies. This section cutting off vital pathways for the movement of summarizes the major challenges and opportuni- goods, people, and emergency services around ties facing Orange County in the next 25 years. the County.

The map in Figure 27 was derived from an Flood Mitigation and Climate analysis of the current road network that lies Projections within the County’s Federal Emergency Manage- ment Agency (FEMA) designated 100- and Among the biggest challenges for Orange County 500-year floodplains. “Hot spots” for roadway over the next 25 years will be addressing vulnera- flooding around the County were created by bilities and risks associated with climate change, determining the segments of roadways that are while simultaneously using limited funding to keep most vulnerable to flooding. Port Jervis and the transportation system in a state of good Deerpark, areas of Warwick, Middletown, Goshen, repair. For example, extreme rainfall events, Hamptonburgh, Montgomery, Washingtonville, followed by severe floods of rivers and streams, Harriman, Tuxedo, Cornwall, Newburgh and New have caused washouts of highway and rail Windsor; almost every municipality in the County, infrastructure along the Ramapo and Moodna is susceptible to flooded roads. Based on an Rivers as recently as 2011, when the remnants of analysis of current NYSDOT and FEMA data, there Hurricane Irene swept through the Hudson Valley. are approximately 1,939 potential flood inunda- These washouts severely disrupted the flows of tion points totaling 93.62 miles of roadway within people and goods to and from the south, includ- the 100-year floodplain and 1,064 points totaling ing people commuting to New York City. This 38.34 miles of roadway within the 500- year section introduces high level issues surrounding floodplain. In total, County-wide there are approx- climate change’s impacts on transportation imately 3,131 potential inundation points totaling system. A July 2019 report, “Effects of Climate 131.96 miles of roadway that may flood in an Change in Orange County, NY,” a collaboration of extreme storm event based on past climate Orange County Planning Department and the estimates and current flood zones. Benjamin Center at State University of New York System (SUNY), New Paltz, delves into much more detail about vulnerabilities and risks associated with climate change.

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Figure 27. Flood Prone Roadways in Orange County

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

Figure 28 shows a break out of the road segments Another significant takeaway from the data is the by functional class within the 100-year and high number of potential inundation points on 500-year floodplains respectively. As the charts Principal and Minor Arterials meant to handle the show, the majority of roadways within floodplains greatest amount of vehicle traffic. When these in Orange County are Local Roads maintained by roads flood it reduces the functionality of the each respective municipality. When Local Roads entire transportation network by preventing high flood it can potentially prevent area residents volume traffic flow and pushing vehicles on to from accessing higher order roadways, essentially Local Roads ill equipped to handle the increased cutting them off from the rest of the transporta- volume. Table 13 lists the major flood prone tion network until flooding subsides. Also, flooded locations and roadways for Principal and Minor local roadways can potentially prevent emer- Arterials around the County that are visible on the gency services from accessing areas and resi- “hot spot” map. dents affected by extreme weather events, hampering rescue and recovery efforts.

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Figure 28. Number of Flood Inundation Points for Roadways Number of Flood Inundation Roadways in the... 100-Year Floodplain 500-Year Floodplain

160 113 217 142

1,239 629 323 180

Principal Arterials Minor Arterials Collectors Local Roads

Table 13. Flood Inundation Points for Roadways

100-Year Floodplain 500-Year Floodplain

Number of Flood Number of Flood Functional Class Inundation Points Total Miles Inundation Points Total Miles

Principal Arterials 160 7. 8 113 5.7 Minor Arterials 217 9.27 142 4.52 Collectors 323 15.23 180 6.3 Local Roads 1,239 61.32 629 21.82

The inundation points on these roadways and locations where there is a high instance of localized flooding that can potentially cut off Local Roads from higher order roadways represent areas around the County that should be prioritized as an opportunity to employ mitigation methods and boost resilience in the road network.

Extreme heat is also a growing threat to the road network in Orange County. Extended periods of high temperatures can cause the roadway pavement to soften and expand, increasing the vulnerability to rutting and potholes. Heat waves also limit construction activities, making it more expensive to build and maintain the network. Heavy rain events can also cause landslides and wash-outs to occur more frequently, while droughts can increase the likelihood of wildfires that reduce visibility and threaten roads and infrastructure.

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Bridges

Bridges and culverts are both integral pieces of A major issue that impacts bridges during flood the transportation infrastructure because, when events aside from the increased shear from the properly designed, they allow flowing water to higher volume and velocity of water flow is scour; pass underneath while maintaining a continuous the erosion of the river or stream bed at the base roadway network. As visible in Figure 29, there are of the bridge column foundation. According to over 200 bridges throughout the County located the American Association of State Highway and within the 100-year and 500-year floodplains. Of Transportation Officials (AASHTO), scour is the these, only 118 are considered to be in good cause of the majority of bridge failures in the U.S. condition based on NYSDOT structural element due to water currents eroding the stability of the inspection standards. This means that 42 percent column foundation. Also, if vertical clearance of of the bridges in the county are considered to be bridges over the water channel is too low then deficient (see Figure 29). flood events have the potential to inundate the bridge itself and float bridge decks off the Figure 29. NYSDOT Rating of Bridges in supports. Similarly, if culverts are not designed with a large enough opening to allow flood NYSDOT RatingFloodplain of Bridges in Floodplain water through, the force of the rushing water can wash away the culverts and roadways above them. All of these impacts lead to costly repairs and cut off roadways at river and stream crossings.

Higher temperatures also pose a threat to 118 86 bridges, placing added stress on bridge joints 58% 42% that can lead to costly repairs. Landslides could increase with projected increased precipitation across the County. This can potentially threaten the structural integrity of bridges and wipe out culverts along roads in steep areas of the County. Ice jams caused when flowing ice bottlenecks underneath undersized bridges or culverts is also a growing area of concern. These Deﬁcient Good dams have the potential to damage bridge and culvert infrastructure while causing flooding A deficient condition rating does not necessarily upstream and downstream due to the restriction indicate that a bridge is unsafe for daily traffic. It of flowing water. does, however, indicate deterioration at a level that requires corrective maintenance or rehabilitation to restore the bridge to its fully functional, non-deficient condition. These bridges have a potentially higher vulnerability to structural element failure when taxed during extreme weather-induced flooding.

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Figure 30. Flood Prone Passenger Rail Map

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

Passenger and Freight Rail

Orange County is home to seven commuter stations of the Metro-North Port Jervis Line through a service contract with New Jersey Transit. The predominantly single-track line provides Orange County commuters access to Manhattan through New Jersey Transit connections at Secaucus Junction that travel into Penn Station, as well as PATH and ferry connections at the Line’s final stop in Hoboken Terminal that provide access to Lower Manhattan and the Financial District.

Several areas of track in between the Port Jervis, Otisville, Middletown, Campbell Hall, Salisbury Mills/ Cornwall, Harriman, and Tuxedo stations are susceptible to flooding (see Figure 31). Much like the issue roadways experience during flood events, these areas represent potential pinch points that have the potential to cut off commuter train traffic entirely if inundated with flood water. Areas of track that lie within the 100-year and 500-year floodplain south of Salisbury Mills/Cornwall Station to Harriman and Tuxedo Stations are particularly susceptible to flooding.

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Figure 31. Flood Prone Freight Rail map

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

The Metro-North Port Jervis Line shares train traffic with freight. Freight trains also utilize tracks along the western shore of the Hudson River and through the central portion of the County to move a variety of goods in both directions. Map 15 on page 82 shows the extent of the freight tracks currently located within the 100-year and 500-year floodplains across the County. As visible in the map below, much of the track through Warwick and Chester and almost all of the track adjacent to the Hudson lies within either the 100- or 500-year floodplain.

Rising sea-levels, the effect of tides, and extreme weather events all impact the freight track along the Hudson. If the sea-level projections are correct, major portions of the track may face inundation at high tide or even permanent inundation. The severity of the flooding could also increase drastically in the event of extreme weather events.

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Flooding from extreme weather events can have catastrophic effects on railway infrastructure. Rushing floodwater has the potential to wash out the track ballast that forms trackbeds, leaving the railroad ties and track unsupported and destabilized. In some instances, the entire track can be washed out. Another major issue is floodwater inundating signal cables and equipment, leading to power outages and equipment failure that is often costly and time consuming to repair. Service disruption also causes headaches for commuters that rely on the trains, forcing them to seek alternative modes of transportation. Freight companies are essentially forced to halt operations until repairs are done, causing major supply chain disruptions and adding delay costs. High temperatures can cause rail tracks to expand and buckle or kink. Repairing the tracks leads to service disruptions and delays. If unchecked, buckled tracks can even lead to train derailments. More frequent and severe heat waves may require more track repairs or speed restrictions to avoid derailments. Landslides can block and damage rail lines and lead to costly repairs and clean up delays. In Orange County, the freight rail along the Hudson River is most susceptible to slides.

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Airports

Although the majority of Orange County’s airports are not susceptible to flooding, the Orange County Airport in Montgomery and the Warwick Airport both lie within flood zones. The Orange County Airport is particularly susceptible, as visible in the map below, with over 97 percent of the total land area of the airport within the 100- and 500-year floodplains. Warwick is less severe, with nearly 45 percent of the airport within the floodplains.

Flooding has the potential to disrupt air travel to and from both airports by effectively cutting off use of the runways. Additionally, flooding can damage airport facilities and lead to extended closures. Extreme heat can also impact air service by affecting aircraft performance leading to cargo restrictions, flight delays, and cancellations. Climate change may increase the frequency and severity of these events and the number of airports that are affected.

Figure 32. Orange County Airport—Potential Flood Inundation

Source: ??

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Evolving Vehicle Technology Meanwhile, the gas stations and other motor fuel distribution infrastructure in the region may be As discussed in Section 3, evolving vehicle technol- scaled back, leaving potential development sites ogy could have significant implications for how needing expensive remediation of underground and where people travel in the future. In the near storage tanks along Orange County roadways term, a larger share of the vehicle fleet is expected and at key intersections. Finally, New York State, to consist of battery electric vehicles. These the federal government, and national advocacy vehicles will require charging points at homes, groups are exploring how to replace the revenue businesses, and places where people store and that currently derives from wholesale and retail park cars. Figure 33 shows the results of a recent purchases of motor fuel and other petroleum suitability study of potential locations for electric products. vehicle charging stations in Orange County.

Figure 33. Suitability of Potential Locations for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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Smart phone apps and powerful real-time mous cars is that so-called “zero-occupancy communications and data processing technolo- vehicles” could ply the roads in between trips to gies have enabled the rise of Transportation avoid parking fees or to pick up other passengers. Network Companies (TNC) like Uber and Lyft that OCTC is partnering with NYSDOT, transit opera- are an evolution over taxis. TNCs have simultane- tors in Orange County, researchers, and national ously stimulated demand for travel and enabled transportation agencies and advocacy groups to the supply of vehicles to increase dramatically. In explore how changing transportation technolo- some cases, TNCs have replaced walking, biking, gies will impact supply and demand of transpor- and transit trips, giving people a higher level of tation, how they will impact development pat- service for relatively low cost. Some transit terns, what the implications are for transportation operators have experimented with enabling revenues, how different population groups will be customers to connect to TNCs for first-mile and impacted by new mobility services in terms of last-mile portions of their trips, while others have access, cost, and level of service, and what the allowed people to use vouchers to pay for an impact will be on safety, public health, and the entire end-to-end trip using a TNC. Transit opera- environment. tors can save money by substituting TNC vouchers for lower-ridership fixed routes when the average trip length is short and average distance between trips is short. Over broader service areas, however, TNCs may in fact be less efficient than existing Dial-A-Bus and paratransit services, on a cost-per-trip or cost-per-mile basis, due to the cost of “empty” miles between trips when the vehicles and drivers do not generate revenue. Empty TNC vehicles already are a major source of congestion in the most densely developed parts of Manhat- tan and on roadways leading to and from Manhattan.

Safer-driving technology (for example, lane keeping, automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot detection) is helping to reduce crashes, serious injuries, and fatalities. As both automation and communications technology improve, vehicles are already able “drive themselves” in semi- or fully-automated modes under limited circumstances. The types of roads and types of vehicles that will have the capability to accommodate autonomous operation will expand over time. OCTC and its partners will need to explore how to best design, operate, and regulate a future system that makes transportation safe, affordable, accessible, and efficient for all people. A major downside risk of fully autono-

110 | PART 4 PART 5 TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES

The transportation and strategies that Orange County Transportation Council (OCTC) has included in this plan respond to current needs, support achievement of performance targets for safety, asset management, system performance, and will help advance the county’s longer term goals, consistent with the county’s vision for transportation. This section of the plan summarizes the future investment needs and strategies to address these needs that have been identified by OCTC throughout the county and in all modes of transportation that are used by people and freight.

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FUTURE INVESTMENT IN THIS SECTION NEEDS AND STRATEGIES 112 Future Investment Needs and Strategies Future investment needs and strategies for this plan were drawn from three sources: 142 Environmental Mitigation

As summarized in Appendix A, OCTC held three public meetings during the course of the LRTP development process, and OCTC objectives, and performance targets outlined in released an online survey about transporta- Parts 2 and 4 of this plan and refined to increase tion needs and strategies that garnered more the likelihood that they would meet OCTC’s goals than 90 responses from the public. and support achievement of established performance targets. OCTC members also responded to a “Call for Ideas” via an online survey, providing more specific guidance on the types of strategies Transportation Improvement that would best address the vision, goals, Program and objectives for transportation. The OCTC Transportation Improvement Program Finally, OCTC conducted technical analysis using the Orange County Travel Demand (TIP) contains all of the specific transportation Model and data from the National Perfor- projects that are incorporated into the fiscal- mance Management Research Data Set ly-constrained element of the OCTC LRTP. OCTC (NPMRDS) as part of the Mid-Hudson Trans- adopted its most recent TIP for Fiscal Years portation Management Association (TMA) 2020-2024in September of 2019. The full TIP is Congestion Management Process (CMP) to available from OCTC at: https://www.orange- project where traffic demand might outstrip countygov.com/TIP capacity and present reliability issues and delay to people and freight. Safety Transportation strategies identified through these Roadway Safety three avenues were compared to the goals, Consistent with OCTC’s goal of providing people with safe access to their daily needs, and in Public Input support of the highway safety performance targets adopted by New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) for all public roads in New York State, OCTC’s members will:

Call for Policies, Technical Implement the safety improvement strategies Ideas Analysis Strategies, in emphasis areas identified in the New York and Projects State Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and the New York State Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP);

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Support education and awareness cam- Increase the extent, connectivity and con- paigns around key messages, conduct tinuity of Americans with Disabilities Act outreach to the community, and sponsor (ADA)-compliant sidewalks, protected bicycle safety-oriented community events like bike facilities, and trails in areas where walking rodeos, where participants can learn about and biking trips could replace driving trips, bike safety, register their bikes, and compete facilitate connections to mass transit services, in obstacle courses; or otherwise enhance access to destinations Implement the county’s Complete Streets within cities, villages, hamlets, and crossroads policy and provide technical assistance and communities. training to municipalities around Complete Streets principles and design concepts; and

New York State Pedestrian Safety Action Plan The New York State PSAP is a five-year, multi-agency initiative to improve safety for pedestrians through infrastructure improvements, public education efforts and enforcement. The initiative will run through 2021 and is being implemented cooperatively by the NYSDOT focusing on engineering improvements, the State Department of Health conducting public education and awareness cam- paigns, and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee coordinating increased law enforcement. Orange County was awarded a $530,000 grant for pedestrian safety improvements. The County currently is prioritizing projects and strategies to most effectively use the funding. Table 14 summarizes candidate project locations.

Table 14. Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Project Candidates in Orange County

Facilities Location CR 9 and Bridge Street Cornwall CR 9 and CR 32 Cornwall CR 9 and Tamara Lane Cornwall CR 9 and Hudson Street Cornwall CR 67 and CR 96 Wallkill CR 83 Goshen CR 1A and West Street Warwick CR 95 Woodbury CR 13 Chester CR 13 Chester CR 67 and CR 108 Wallkill

Source: Orange County Department of Public Works.

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Table 15 shows examples of highway safety strategies and projects commonly implemented in Orange County, based on the currently adopted 2020-2024 TIP. Table 15. Examples of Roadway Safety Strategies and Projects

Category Examples of Roadway Safety Strategies and Projects Pedestrian Improvements to sidewalks in the vicinity of schools as part of the Safe Routes to School program Safety and installation of new or improved sidewalks to fill gaps in accessible sidewalk networks elsewhere Channelization of existing intersection lanes, installation of pedestrian curb extensions and installation of pedestrian refuges to shorten pedestrian crossing distance Installation of ADA compliant curb ramps for people with disabilities and families with strollers Installation of high visibility crosswalks, pedestrian signals with countdown timers, and accessible pedestrian signals Installation of high-visibility crosswalks, signs, or rapid flashing beacons to provide higher level warning to drivers to yield to pedestrians Bicycle Safety Off-road, multi-use trails connecting communities and providing access to intermodal transfer points like commuter bus park & ride lots Cycle tracks and other protected bike infrastructure on higher-traffic, urban streets Bike lanes, with signage and pavement markings Wayfinding signage for cyclists Bicycle racks and secure lockers for storage at key destinations for cyclists Vehicle Crash Updating pavement markings, signage, and lighting Reduction Installation of centerline audible roadway delineators, center medians, guide rails, or concrete median barriers to prevent crossovers that lead to head-on collisions Rehabilitation of existing guiderail and median barriers Intersection signalization and addition of turn lanes at higher-volume intersections Replacement of four-way stops and lower-volume signalized intersections with roundabouts to reduce conflict points for turning vehicles Tree and brush removal to improve sightlines and remove near-road obstructions Highway- Install advance warning signs and beacons, flashing light signals, and gates at highway-rail Rail Grade grade crossings Crossings Grade crossing surface replacements Safety Data Investigating specific accident locations to identify those needing to be targeted for safety im- Analysis and provements Engineering Conducting systemic safety analysis to identify the types of locations, times of day, weather conditions, and other factors that, together or independently, lead to high crash rates, serious injury rates, and fatality rates. Safety School safety education programs and events Education Safety education and awareness initiatives at special events and high-traffic locations Safety advertisements and public service announcements in print and online media, including social media

Source: New York State Strategic Highway Safety Plan, New York State Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, Orange County Transportation Council 2020-2024Transportation Improvement Program.

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Transit Safety FTA is requiring agencies to shift away from a reactive approach to safety, with an emphasis on Orange County, a direct recipient of transit compliance and publication of safety policies and funding from the Federal Transit Administration plans. Instead, agencies are expected to adopt a (FTA), is implementing changes to policies, Safety Management System approach to proac- procedures, and staffing to comply with federal tively identifying and addressing transit safety laws and regulations governing the Public concerns and risks in order to prevent incidents Transportation Safety Program [49 Code of and injuries. Other elements of Public Transit Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 670], Public Agency Safety Plans include safety performance Transportation Safety Certification Training measures and targets, an Employee Reporting Program [49 CFR Part 672], Public Transportation Program to protect whistleblowers and encour- Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) [49 CFR Part 673], and age proactive identification of safety concerns, State Safety Oversight [49 CFR Part 674]. The and an optional Emergency Preparedness Plan. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad complies with Federal As part of its Public Transit Agency Safety Plan Railroad Administration (FRA) safety regulations development effort, Orange County is working for most elements of its network. with transit operators to identify priority safety risks and strategies to address those risks, and Orange County is developing a Public Transit support achievement of safety performance Agency Safety Plan, in accordance with federal targets that are being established by NYSDOT. regulations that require agencies to develop these plans by July 20, 2020. As shown in Table 16, the

Table 16. Transit Agency Shift to Proactive Risk Management

Compliance Approach Safety Management System

Required Documentation Procedures and practices Strategies to address priority safety risks

Primary Users of Safety Data Safety regulators Safety regulators Agency leadership Employees Other stakeholders

Regulatory Emphasis Compliance with prescriptive Measurement of effectiveness of risk regulations control strategies and achieving safety outcomes

Mechanism to Address Reactive, post-facto response Proactive focus on accident precursors Safety Issues to lagging indicators such as such as close calls to prevent events accidents

Source: Federal Transit Administration.

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Preservation and Modernization

Pavement and Bridge Preservation and Modernization

Orange County owns and maintains approximately 302 centerline miles of roadway. With some exceptions, all County roads are two lane roads. Generally, County roads connect to other County roads or state roads. Orange County also owns and maintains 151 bridges.

The Department of Public Works (OC DPW) carries out a Pavement Management Program for all highways under the authority and jurisdiction of Orange County. As part of this Pavement Management System, OC DPW representatives inspect all the roadways on an annual basis, rate the roads, determine paving candidates by prioritizing the sections of road, prepare contract documents and technical specifications for the upcoming construction season, manage the paving contracts and contractors, and perform full-time inspec- tions during all paving operations. The roadway rating system is based on field observations as well as computer calculated ratings. Each year, OC DPW assigns values (0-100) to each section of roadway. On alternate years, these values are determined subjectively by the pavement management team based on their experience or calculated using the VHB method. This rating system along with upcoming project schedules of utility companies, private developers, and municipalities allows for the determination of roads to be paved each year. Orange County roadways generally have a high pavement condition rating due to the success of the OC DPW Pavement Management Program.

Table 17 summarizes representative highway preservation and modernization projects in Orange County.

Table 17. Representative Highway Preservation and Modernization Projects

Project Location Description

Old CR 6/Finnigan’s Lane Drainage Improvement project

CR 31 (Maple Ave) Drainage Improvement project

CR 1 and CR 12 intersection Intersection Improvement Project

CR 86 and North Fostertown intersection Intersection Improvement Project

Guiderail Improvements Project Various Locations

Source: Orange County Department of Public Works.

The County is working with NYSDOT to address deficient bridges on the county network. Table 18 shows representative bridge projects.

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Table 18. Representative Bridge Projects

Bridge Name Location

Denton Bridge County Road 12 over Rutgers Creek, Town of Minisink

Grove Drive Bridge Grove Drive over Ramapo River, Town of Tuxedo

Maple Glen Bridge Brola Rd over Little Shawangunk Kill, Town of Wallkill

Dwaar Kill Bridge Flury Rd over Dwaar Kill, Town of Crawford

Otisville Viaduct CR 11 over Wallace St., Village of Otisville

Garnderville Bridge Carter Rd over Rutgers Creek, Town of Minisink

Orange Spring Bridge Carboy Rd over Shawangunk Kill, Town of Mount Hope

Board Bridge Round Hill Rd over Satterly Creek, Town of Blooming Grove

Main Street Bridge #1 CR 9 over Idlewild Creek, Town of Cornwall

Main Street Bridge #2 CR 9 over Idlewild Creek, Town of Cornwall

Bowman Bridge Cherry Hill Rd over Cromline Creek, Blooming Grove

Lake Horton Bridge CR 18 over Shawangunk Kill, Town of Mount Hope

Grahamline Bridge CR 18 over Conrail Rail Road, Town of Mount Hope

Source: Orange County Department of Public Works.

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In addition to maintaining county roads and bridges, OCTC has committed to advance planning and programming of pavement and bridge projects that help New York State meet its statewide performance targets for condition of pavement and bridges on the National Highway System (NHS). NYSDOT’s recently-adopted Transportation Asset Management Plan lays out a framework and approach for preserving and enhancing the safety and condition of the transportation system. The Transportation Asset Management Plan:

Defines the NYSDOT’s and the New York State Thruway Authority’s (NYSTA) asset management objectives; Summarizes the inventory and condition of NHS highways and bridges, and travel trends on the system; Documents a realistic estimate of funding expected to be available for the system over the next 10 years; Documents NYSDOT’s asset management business structure, policies and practices; Illustrates how risk is managed and presents a list of priority risks and mitigation strategies for addressing them; Describes how NYSDOT and the NYSTA manages their pavement and bridge assets throughout their lifetimes; Defines investment strategies used to guide the allocation of available funds; Lays out an agenda for future improvements to asset management and the Transportation Asset Management Plan.

The state’s asset management business structure calls on NYSDOT to:

1 Improve the quality of investment decisions—deliver projects that impact conditions; do not just report on them.

2 Leverage existing data and tools—minimize initial investment and time needed to implement new practices by utilizing current data and technology, more extensively and uniformly across the state.

3 Establish collaborative relationships across the Department—break through organizational cultures and data stovepipes.

4 Employ transportation asset management guidance developed by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Ofﬁcials (AASHTO)—start with what is available now and work to improve.

5 Adopt a systems approach —deliver the best possible results to the most system users. The State will continue to improve its investment strategy through improvements in data collection, modeling software, organizational efﬁciency, management of risks and overall asset management capabilities to ensure that the State is making the best use of its available resources.

Source: New York State Department of Transportation, Final Transportation Asset Management Plan, June 2019.

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Even with a solid strategy in place to guide asset management, the Transportation Asset Management Plan acknowledges the difficulties New York State faces in achieving performance targets:

Though the current investment strategy provides much better end conditions than the traditional decentralized approach, it does not result in a state of good repair for either pavements or bridges. State of good repair is the condition state of the system that can be maintained in per- petuity at the lowest annual cost. NYSDOT’s assets are not currently in a state of good repair, and with current funding, even the most efficient investment plan results in a widening gap between desired and actual conditions. To achieve a state of good repair on the NHS in 10 years, NYSDOT would require approximately $2.5 billion per year for pavements and bridges from all levels of government, as compared to the current annual funding level for these assets of $875 million.

Later, the plan states: The PAVE-NY program, administered by the NYSDOT, assists municipalities with the rehabilitation and reconstruction of local highways and The Transportation Asset Management roads by providing $100 million annually through Plan includes 10 year projections of system State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2019-20. PAVE-NY is avail- conditions based on expected funding. Left able to New York City and all cities, counties, unabated, the amount of poor pavement on towns and villages that report local roadway the NHS will more than double in the next mileage to the NYSDOT pursuant to the Local ten years with the backlog of needed work Highway Inventory. Funds are apportioned by the increasing from $3.1 billion to $4.7 billion. NYSDOT based on the ratio of funds each munici- Similarly, bridge conditions will become pality received under the SFY 2016-17 CHIPS. roughly 5 percent worse both in terms of Orange County has $594,913 in funding appor- deficiency and poor bridges. tioned for SFY 2019-20.

Eligible projects under the PAVE-NY program include: Strategies identified in the Transportation Asset Highway Resurfacing: Placement or replace- Management Plan will be implemented by ment of a pavement course(s) to enable the NYSDOT, OCDPW, and municipal highway and existing pavement to achieve its design life and public works departments. Supplementing to provide additional strength or to improve funding from the State Dedicated Fund and the serviceability while not degrading safety. Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improve- ment Program (CHIPS), the New York State Legisla- Highway Reconstruction: A major improve- ture periodically authorizes grants and bond ment to the existing roadway structure programs to address the condition and perfor- (including drainage and shoulders). This mance of New York State’s transportation infra- could include realignment, construction on structure. The two most recent were PAVE-NY and new alignment, and major widening such as BRIDGE NY. adding one or more lanes.

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The BRIDGE NY program, also administered by the NYSDOT, provides grant funding assistance (up to 95 percent of total project costs) for local governments to rehabilitate and replace bridges and culverts. The initiative focuses on projects that address deteriorated structural conditions, mitigate weight restrictions or long detours, facilitate economic development or increase competitiveness, and/or reduce the risk of flooding. Eligible projects must begin construction no more than 24 months after the award date and must be completed within 30 months of commencing construction. The BRIDGE NY 2018 program awarded more than $262.2 million in funding toward 165 individual projects in 95 communities across the state. In Mid-Hudson Valley, there were 25 awarded projects, totaling $33.03 million. Two projects received funding in Orange County: $3.58 million for Highland Avenue bridge over Wallace Street in the Village of Otisville, and $613,000 for Lower Road (CR 12) over Tributary to Wallkill River in the Town of Wawayanda. Table 19 shows the types of preservation and modernization projects that have been funded in OCTC’s TIP for 2020-2024.

Table 19. Examples of Roadway Preservation and Maintenance Strategies

Category Examples of Roadway Preservation and Modernization Strategies and Projects Roadway pavement Cleaning and sealing pavement cracks to improve and preserve the integrity of the pavement Mill the top one inch to one and one half inches of existing pavement and replace with new hot mix asphalt Full depth reconstruction for pavement that has reached the end of its useful life Bridges and culverts Preventive maintenance of bridge components, including bridge painting, washing, and deck sealing Preventive maintenance of culverts, including cleaning and concrete repair Cleaning out drains, cleaning and repair of catch basins, and maintaining pumps and other elements of stormwater management systems Rehabilitation of bridge deck, joint rehabilitation and replacement, replacement of railings, and concrete repair to extend the useful life of bridge superstructure elements Rehabilitation of bridge structural components as needed to extend the useful life of the bridge substructure Bridge replacement for bridges that have reached the end of their useful lives Elevating bridges and bridge approaches to address recurring overtopping and flooding-related disruptions to the transportation system Earth slopes and Preventive maintenance of slopes and retaining walls retaining structures Rehabilitation of concrete elements of retaining walls Replacement of retaining walls that have reached the end of their useful lives Other Roadway Maintenance of highway lighting Features Mowing and vegetation management along roadways

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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Transit Preservation and Modernization

Orange County and the MTA both have completed Transit Asset Management (TAM) Plans in compliance with federal regulations governing TAM. Orange County’s TAM Plan contains the following policy statements:

The TAM Plan will provide Orange County with a roadmap to systematically identify and address assets and asset management practices in need of improvement. The County will use the plan to establish a benchmark for where their inventory and policies stand; identify gaps in their practice; establish new, measurable key performance indicators, and use a data-driven approach to achieve its goals.

Beyond compliance with legislation, regulations, and statutory requirements, Orange County aims to improve asset management awareness, and ensure employees have the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully carryout their roles.

Orange County will establish and maintain investment strategies in order to ensure its capital assets are kept in a state of good repair. State of good repair is defined as the condition in which a capital asset is able to operate at a full level of performance throughout its useful life.

To do this, Orange County will:

Maintain an inventory of all capital assets, Document policies, procedures, investment including vehicles, facilities, equipment, and priorities, and other elements of Orange infrastructure; County’s asset management program in a TAM, which will be updated at least once Consistently monitor the condition and mea- every four years; and sure the performance of assets over time and report performance of assets each year to Develop a communication plan for all Orange the National Transit Database; County service providers to understand the TAM program and how it relates to the coun- Project the future performance of assets con- ty’s mission. sistent with FTA guidelines;

Establish and adhere to plans for maintenance, risk management, disposal, acquisition, and renewal of capital assets;

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Table 20 shows the proposed investments listed in the Orange County TIP for Fiscal Years 2020-2024.

Table 20. Transit State of Good Repair Projects in Fiscal Year 2020-2024 TIP

PIN Sponsor Project Description

882315 Metro-North NEWBURGH-BEACON FERRY SERVICE OPERATIONS INCLUDING PARKING, LEASING OF THE VHB, AND DOCK IMPROVEMENTS

882331 NYSDOT TOWN OF WALLKILL PARK & RIDE: PROJECT WILL MAINTAIN THE 80 SPACE PARKING AND RIDE COMMUTER LOT. PARKING WILL BE PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE AND THE LOT WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT. TOWN OF WALLKILL, ORANGE COUNTY.

8TRO48 OC Transit SECTION 5307 FUNDING FOR ELIGIBLE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE/CAPITAL COST OF CON- TRACTING FOR ORANGE COUNTY COMMUTER SERVICES. PROJECT ADMINISTRATION UP TO 10 PERCENT OF TOTAL PROJECT COST.

8TRO77 OC Transit PURCHASE FIVE (5) 12-PASSENGER DESIGN CAPACITY BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR DEMAND RESPONSIVE SERVICE IN ORANGE COUNTY'S URBANIZED AREAS-TOWNS OF HIGHLANDS, MONROE, AND WALLKILL WITH PROJECT COST UP TO 10 PER- CENT OF TOTAL PROJECT COST.

8TRO78 OC Transit PURCHASE TWELVE (12) 20-PASSENGER DESIGN CAPACITY BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT & RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR DEMAND RESPONSIVE SERVICE IN ORANGE COUNTY’S URBANIZED AREAS-TOWNS OF MONROE, NEWBURGH, WALLKILL, PALM TREE & WARWICK WITH PROJECT COST UP TO 10 PERCENT OF TOTAL COST.

8TRO79 OC Transit PURCHASE EIGHT (8) 20-PASSENGER DESIGN CAPACITY BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT & RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR DEMAND RESPONSIVE SERVICE IN ORANGE COUNTY’S NON-UR- BANIZED AREAS-TOWNS OF GOSHEN, MONTGOMERY, WARWICK & CITY OF PORT JERVIS

8TRO81 OC Transit ORANGE COUNTY 5339 BLOCK BUS FACILITIES PROGRAM. THIS CAPITAL PROGRAM PROVIDES FUNDING TO REPLACE, REHABILITATE, AND PURCHASE BUSES AND RELATED EQUIPMENT, AND TO CONSTRUCT BUS-RELATED FACILITIES. WITH PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION UP TO 10 PER- CENT OF TOTAL PROJECT COST.

8TRO84 OC Transit PURCHASE TWO (2) 20-PASSENGER DESIGN CAPACITY BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR DEMAND RESPONSIVE SERVICE IN ORANGE COUNTY’S NON-UR- BANIZED AREAS - TOWNS OF GOSHEN AND MONTGOMERY

8TRO85 OC Transit PURCHASE TEN (10) 35 FOOT TRANSIT BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT AND RELATED EQUIP- MENT FOR FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT SERVICE IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF NEWBURGH AND INTRACOUNTY FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT SERVICE WITH PROJECT ADMINISTRATION UP TO 10 PERCENT Of TOTAL PROJECT COST

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PIN Sponsor Project Description

8TRO86 OC Transit PURCHASE SEVEN (7) 20-PASSENGER DESIGN CAPACITY BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR DEMAND RESPONSIVE AND ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE IN ORANGE COUNTY.

8TRO87 OC Transit SECTION 5307 FUNDING FOR ADA PARATRANSIT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES IN THE ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE AREAS OF ORANGE COUNTY WITH PROJECT ADMINISTRATION UP TO 10 PERCENT OF TOTAL PROJECT COST.

8TRO88 OC Transit SECTION 5307 FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE OF COMMUTER BUSES AND RELATED EQUIP- MENT WITH PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION, UP TO 10 PERCENT OF TOTAL PROJECT COST.

8TRO91 OC Transit CAPITAL PURCHASES USING FUNDS FROM THE STATE MODERNIZATION AND ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. ORANGE COUNTY

8TRO93 OC Transit CONSTRUCTION OF BUS SHELTERS, PURCHASE OF SIGNS & RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR OR- ANGE COUNTY TRANSIT.

8TRO94 OC Transit ADA PARATRANSIT BUS SERVICES: PURCHASE TWO (2) 12-PASSENGER DESIGN CAPACITY BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE IN OR- ANGE COUNTY WITH PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION UP TO 10 PERCENT OF TOTAL PROJECT COST.

8TRO95 OC Transit PURCHASE SEVEN (7) 12-PASSENGER DESIGN CAPACITY BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE IN ORANGE COUNTY WITH PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION UP TO 10 PERCENT OF TOTAL PROJECT COST.

8TRO96 OC Transit PURCHASE SEVEN (3) 16-PASSENGER DESIGN CAPACITY BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR DEMAND RESPONSIVE SERVICE IN ORANGE COUNTY'S URBANIZED AREAS - TOWNS OF MONROE, WALLKILL AND WARWICK, WITH PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION UP TO 10 PERCENT OF TOTAL PROJECT COST

8TRO97 OC Transit BUS PURCHASES FOR ORANGE COUNTY NON-URBANIZED AREAS: PURCHASE TWO (2) 20-PASSENGER DESIGN CAPACITY BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR DEMAND RESPONSIVE SERVICES IN ORANGE COUNTY’S NON-URBANIZED AREAS - TOWNS OF GOSHEN AND MONTGOMERY

8TRO98 OC Transit PURCHASE 15 BUSES FOR THE CITY OF NEWBURGH AND INTRACOUNTY FIXED ROUTE BUSES: PURCHASE FIFTEEN (15) 30 AND 35 FOOT TRANSIT BUSES WITH WHEELCHAIR LIFT AND RELATED EQUIPMENT FOR FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT SERVICE IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF NEWBURGH AND INTRA-COUNTY FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT SERVICE WITH PROGRAM ADMINIS- TRATION UP TO 10 PERCENT OF TOTAL PROJECT COST

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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The following more general types of TAM strate- Active Transportation Demand gies are referenced in the TAM Plan and are included in OCTC’s TIP: Management Ongoing vehicle maintenance, including NYSDOT’s Active Transportation Demand oil changes and replacement of tires, radio Management (ATDM) framework “describes a equipment, and other components accord- vision for managing a safe, multimodal, and ing to manufacturer specifications; reliable transportation system. Under this vision, transportation is seen as a shared responsibility Major bus rehabilitation projects at defined between state, local, and regional transportation intervals and bus replacements at the end of agencies. Together these agencies seek to be their useful lives; responsive to traveler demands for better reliabil- Paving park & ride lots and maintaining side- ity, safety, and choices in their travel experience.” A walks, shelters, heaters, lighting, and other NYSDOT ATDM Implementation Plan, published in amenities; and 2018, lists strategies and recommendations for Bus shelter maintenance and replacement at advancing the ATDM framework. These strategies the end of their useful lives. include, but are not limited to:

Metro-North Railroad has identified several Supporting ongoing operation of the preventive maintenance and asset management Hudson Valley Transportation Management projects in Orange County, including but not Center, incorporating new technology as limited to the following: existing systems reach the end of their useful lives, and integrating transportation man- Rehabilitation of Metro-North Rail locomo- agement centers, operational systems, and tives and passenger coaches at defined control systems; intervals and replacement at the end of their useful lives; Providing better information on real time transportation system conditions and travel Cyclical replacement of ties, rail, switches, options through continued support and ballast, insulated joints, and other track and development of 511NY; track bed elements; Signal and communication system mainte- Implementing all-electronic tolling and nance, repair, and replacement; removing toll barriers on the New York State Thruway; Repair or replacement of railtop culverts, retaining walls, rock slopes, and other assets Upgrading traffic signal systems to enable and asset components within Metro-North’s better vehicle detection and adjustment of right of way; signal timing in real-time to improve traffic flow; and Rail station maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction as needed to maintain a state Improving dynamic system management of good repair; capabilities and technologies, for example Repair or replacement of bridges over Met- to better manage weather events and other ro-North tracks as they reach the end of their emergencies. useful lives;and Maintenance and renewal of shops and yards to maintain a state of good repair.

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System Reliability, Accessibility, and Connectivity

The movement of people and goods is one of the top priorities for both Orange County and OCTC. It is also one of the greatest concerns. While “cars on the road” is often seen as a positive sign for the local and economic regional economies, it can also lead to many issues related to busy roadways, such as traffic, environmental degradation, and safety concerns. How can Orange County increase its economic capacity by attracting people and businesses to the county over the next 25 years while still maintaining a reliable roadway system? This question has led agencies across different jurisdictions, including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), NYSDOT, and other Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO), to reconsider how not only to manage congestion, but also how to study it. In previous plans, the MPO focused on identifying congestion in terms of volume and capacity ratios (v/c ratios) and Travel Time Index (TTI) developed using a Travel Time Survey. Today, more and more people come to expect congestion on Orange County roadways and plan accordingly. The reliability of a system not only makes traveling more predictable for everyday commuting, but also for transit users and freight carriers where on-time performance is critical to operations.

Federal Requirements for the management and operations, and improve service Congestion Management Process integration within and across modes.

Federal law requires that a MPO located within a In addition to these basic tenets, a CMP for a TMA Transportation Management Area (TMA) estab- located in an ozone non-attainment area must lish a CMP. The Mid-Hudson Valley TMA is based meet additional requirements. These include the on the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh NY-NJ Urbanized requirement for an appropriate analysis of all Area, which includes portions of Dutchess, reasonable (including multi-modal) travel Orange, and Ulster counties, as well as Passaic demand reduction strategies where an increase in County, New Jersey, covering a population of over SOVs capacity is proposed. If the analysis shows 423,000 people. The CMP institutes a process for that the capacity cannot be met through demand defining, identifying, managing and evaluating strategies, then the CMP must identify strategies congestion throughout the region’s transporta- to effectively manage the expanded facility. tion network. Federal regulations also state that federal funds cannot be programmed for any highway SOV Requirements for a CMP are outlined in Title 23 CFR, project in a non-attainment area unless based on Section 450.322 (Congestion management process an approved CMP. These requirements apply to in transportation management areas). The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) regulation states that “the development of a and OCTC, since they are part of the Environmen- congestion management process should result in tal Protection Agency (EPA)-designated Pough- multimodal system performance measures and keepsie-Newburgh Moderate Ozone Non-Attain- strategies that can be reflected in the metropolitan ment Area for the 1997 National Ambient Air transportation plan and the TIP.” It notes that the Quality Standards (NAAQS); the UCTC lies outside level of system performance deemed acceptable this area. OCTC and DCTC are in attainment for may vary by the type of facility, geographic ozone based on more recent standards. Addition- location, and time of day. The regulation states ally, OCTC is part of the multi-state maintenance that consideration should be given to strategies area for fine particulate matter based on the 1997 that manage demand, reduce single-occupant PM2.5 NAAQs. vehicle (SOV) travel, improve transportation system

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Updated Mid-Hudson Valley CMP The Mid-Hudson Valley TMA established a four- step process to incorporate the core components In January 2019, the Mid-Hudson Valley TMA of a CMP into the different MPO required products. updated its CMP. The update document was The regulation grants MPOs significant flexibility in adopted by the OCTC in June 2019. The update developing the details of a CMP. This flexibility includes new data, tools, and best practices, acknowledges that each region is unique and that particularly those related to the NPMRDS. As part a locally driven process will create better conges- of establishing the Highway Performance Moni- tion management techniques. The CMP serves as toring System (HPMS), the FHWA contracted with a joint product of the TMA’s three local MPOs. Part private companies to provide archived average of the CMP includes the MPOs producing follow-up travel time data on the NHS, and to make these technical reports detailing various CMP-related data sets available to State Departments of analyses at the macro- and micro-level for both Transportation and MPOs. Travel times on the TMA region and individual MPOs. roadway segments are estimated using information from global position system (GPS) probes in Evaluation of the CMP includes assessing the commercial vehicles and connected cars, and effectiveness of implemented strategies, re-ana- from location services data collected by smart lyzing worst-performing locations, updating the phone apps. Travel time averages by roadway CMP as needed when new data becomes avail- segment are estimated by the data providers and able or best practices are updated, and integrat- are provided in 5-minute epochs in the NPMRDS ing the CMP into the planning process. OCTC will data set. continue to work with NYSDOT and other facility owners to address congestion by sharing our As part of the 2019 update, the Mid-Hudson Valley evaluation of the data, convening teams to TMA updated the CMP mission statement and develop recommendations, and supporting objectives to include travel time reliability and facility owners in programming projects. The measures for freight and transit, as well as an Mid-Hudson Valley CMP can be found here: evaluation of multi-modal accessibility. https://www.orangecountygov.com/993/Conges- tion-Management-Process.

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Moving Forward: Strategies and Programs

Locating congestion and unreliable roadways is only as helpful as the programs and strategies used to manage and improve roadway conditions. With travel forecasts trending upwards and funding projections stagnating, the CMP has never been more important in prioritizing project selection. There is no one answer to solve congestion issues. Building for greater capacity is expensive, and in many cases does not improve congestion in the long-term. Therefore, OCTC has identified strategies and categorized programs and projects within these strategies to improve the mobility and reliability of the roadway network.

Travel Demand Management—Travel Demand The OCTC will continue to work with Orange Management (TDM) refers to “getting cars off the County, local municipalities, and the OC Plan- road” or reducing the volume of SOV travel by ning Department to promote smart growth supporting alternative transportation modes. principles, such as encouraging Transit TDM strategies include improved walking and Oriented Development, focusing develop- bicycling infrastructure, more robust transit ment to the Priority Growth Areas (adopted service, innovative mobility options, job access in the 2019 Orange County Comprehensive programs, and growth management. Plan update), supporting best practices for municipal land use and zoning, and support- In Orange County, transit includes regional ing the integration of pedestrian, transit, and transit, such as Metro-North Railroad (Port access management concerns in the General Jervis Line), the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry, and Municipal Law 239 review process. regional bus providers. Local transit includes public and private transit operators, including OCTC will continue to work with 511NY Ride- three fixed services in the Cities of Middletown share program and promote the 511NY web- and Newburgh and the Town of Monroe, site to reduce singe occupant vehicle travel dial-a-bus services, and paratransit services. and manage congestion. OCTC receives federal funding for the upkeep Public Transportation Improvements—Reli- of the transit system operations and buses. ability of the transit system is extremely important Within the region, Orange County has the in promoting the use of the transit system. When highest utilization of park & rides (82.4 per- transit is efficient and reliable, it can provide an cent), with five of the fourteen lots at or over effective alternative to single-occupancy vehicle capacity. OCTC is working with NYSDOT to travel and help reduce traffic congestion. OCTC manage congestion at park & rides and will receives over $x million in funding to provide continue to support alternative modes of transit services in Orange County, as well as transportation when feasible. regional transit services.

Currently there three municipalities that have Adding bus lanes where appropriate in high adopted a Complete Street Policy, as well as transit areas can help reduce the congestion a County Complete Street Policy adopted caused by delays caused from buses stop- in June 2016. OCTC will continue to assist ping, as well as improve the mobility of transit local municipalities with the development of to increase reliability. local Complete Streets policies and plans. Transit signal priority (TSP) prioritizes transit Complete Street policies support bicycle and by allowing buses to activate signals for pedestrian infrastructure. extended green time and helps improve

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transit on-time performance. Applying queue interrupts free flow speeds. Improving signal jumper signal phases for transit also allows timing, adding turn pockets at intersections, and buses to advance on green ahead of other implementing access management along vehicles without disrupting traffic flow. corridors can drastically improve congestion, especially on arterials and collector streets. OCTC OCTC will support recommendations from will continue to support traffic operation and the TMA Regional Transit Plan, including intersection improvements through the TIP and improving coordination and connections of UPWP. OCTC receives Congestion Mitigation and existing transit systems, as well as any capital Air Quality (CMAQ) funding and will continue to investments recommended from the transit program projects that reduce congestion and capital plan. improve air quality. Orange County is working to integrate the OCTC created a new program in the UPWP called transit system by launching an online tran- “Cooperative Community Transportation Plan- sit planning service. The Open Trip Planner ning” to support municipal and intermunicipal (OTP) is an open-source, online platform that transportation planning through a competitive will enable passengers to plan a trip across call for projects. Qualified projects include inter- multiple public transportation services. OCTC section and corridor studies, particularly con- will continue to support the improvement of gested corridors identified in the CMP. the transit system, including adding GPS technology onto buses to report real-time travel OCTC has four projects with over $8 million of information to users. federal and local funding dedicated to improving signal operations on the TIP, including 18 intersec- OCTC will track transit reliability and conges- tions in the City of Middletown. tion and share results with the appropriate partner agencies. Unreliable and congested The instillation of the $150 million diverging transit routes will be identified in the CMP. diamond at Route 32 and Route 17 will be com- Further evaluation of congested or unreli- pleted in 2019 and will address one of the most able routes can be funded by using “Transit congested areas in Orange County. Systems Management” planning funds Semi-actuated and fully actuated signal control programmed in the Unified Planning Work can reduce the amount of delay by being respon- Program (UPWP). sive to ongoing shifts and patterns in the traffic Traffic Operations and Intersection Improve- system. OCTC will coordinate with local munici- ments — Virtually half of all congestion experi- palities to help determine the appropriate usage enced is considered “recurring congestion” or of actuated signal control when needed. congestion that occurs regularly, usually during Roundabouts are an effective way to improve the weekday AM and PM peaks. Within Orange traffic flow and reduce severe crashes at intersec- County, some of the most unreliable and con- tions. Unlike intersections, roundabouts reduce gested roadways are arterials, which see high conflict points while limiting stoppage time usually daily traffic, but unlike interstates, have a high caused by controlled intersections. OCTC will number of intersections and signals. Having a continue to support roundabouts where appro- high number of intersections and driveways priate when addressing congestion and safety means more chances for conflict points, which issues at an intersection.

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Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Route 17 at the Woodbury Common Premium Technologies and Infrastructure — Non-recur- Outlets to help manage special event traffic ring congestion is the leading cause of congestion such as Black Friday and holiday shopping. and happens when there are disruptions to the In support of the vision for the future of Orange flow of traffic including crashes, disabled vehicles, County contained in the Orange County Compre- large special events, inclement weather, and hensive Plan, and in order to make progress construction work zones. Previously, it was difficult toward performance targets for system reliability, and expensive to study non-recurring congestion. freight reliability, and air quality, OCTC’s members With improved probe data, like the NPMRDS data have developed strategies to improve system used in the CMP, OCTC can track non-recurring performance, enhance access to destinations congestion and make strategic investments to that people and businesses need to meet their better manage this type of incident-related daily needs, provide multimodal options to congestion. NYSDOT has invested continually in connect communities within Orange County, and improving the ITS structure in the Mid-Hudson connect Orange County to the surrounding Region, which helps to maximize the efficiency of region. This section of the plan summarizes the the roadway network within the existing design input received from the public, stakeholder and capacity. ITS technologies include incident alerts, OCTC members and the findings of technical vehicle tracking, real-time traffic feedback, and analysis looking at existing and future conditions travel options information. on the roadway and transit networks. Potential NYSDOT has installed variable message strategies have been screened against the goals signs on I-84 westbound in between Exit 28 and objectives for transportation and the perfor- (Route 208) and Exit 19 (Route 17) and Route 9 mance targets adopted by NYSDOT. southbound before I-84, which was identified as one of the most congested roadway seg- Transportation Alternatives: ments in the previous CMP 2011 update (Travel Walking and Biking Time Survey). OCTC will continue to work with NYSDOT by sharing congestion and reliability Walking and biking are important modes of data located through the CMP and monitor transportation within Orange County’s cities, the instillation of ITS signs in Orange County. villages, and other communities. People without access to a personal vehicle depend on walking and OCTC will continue to promote 511NY, which biking to do their shopping and access daily needs, shares real-time traffic feedback and includes get to transit stops to help connect to regional travel option information. employment opportunities, and get to school. Table OCTC will work to inform the public of all the 21 summarizes the walking and biking strategies that currently available technologies to reduce support OCTC’s goals and objectives related to congestion in Orange County. providing low-cost transportation options and improving access to opportunity for people with Incident management helps anticipate high levels of transportation vulnerability. incidents and respond more quickly, including improved work zone and special event management. Actuated signal controls were installed at the intersection of Route 32 and

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Table 21. Walking and Biking Strategies

Name Description Type New York State PSAP Implement strategies recommended in the New York State PSAP, Nonmotorized recommendations using available discretionary funding Sidewalk connectivity Improvements to sidewalk networks to improve safety for people Nonmotorized and accessibility im- walking and fill gaps in connectivity to business districts in cities, provements in high-pe- villages, hamlet centers, and crossroads communities. Addition destrian areas of curb cuts and other accessibility improvements to meet ADA requirements Safe Routes to School Improvements to sidewalk networks to improve safety for people Nonmotorized walking and fill gaps in connectivity to public and private schools, community colleges, and universities throughout Orange County Safe Routes to Transit Improvements to sidewalk networks to improve safety for people Nonmotorized walking and fill gaps in connectivity to bus stops, park & ride lots, and train stations Safe Routes for Seniors Improvements to sidewalk networks to improve safety for people Nonmotorized walking and fill gaps in connectivity to grocery stores, drug stores, parks, senior centers, and other destinations in areas with high concentrations of people over 65 Multi-Use Trail Future extension of and connections to Orange County Heritage Nonmotorized Extensions Trail; study extension of Shawangunk, Walden, and Wallkill Rail Trail; study feasibility of new Monroe-Newburgh rail trail along abandoned rail right of way Bike network improve- Implement Newburgh-Lake Street Complete Streets study recom- Nonmotorized ments: City of Newburgh mendations Bike network improve- Implement Port Jervis-Main Street Complete Streets study recom- Nonmotorized ments: City of Port Jervis mendations Bike network improve- Explore feasibility of cycle tracks and other protected bike infra- Nonmotorized ments: Countywide structure countywide, consistent with a countywide bike route network analysis and gap assessment. Walking and biking con- Improvements to state and county roads, such as addition of Nonmotorized nections to recreation sidewalks, multi-use paths, and expanded paved shoulders, to and tourist attractions allow people to walk and bike from transit stations and bus stops to hiking trails, parks, other recreation areas, and other tourist attractions in Orange County Pedestrian and bike Design and installation of wayfinding signage for people walking Nonmotorized wayfinding in historic villages and places with high concentrations of tourists and for people biking on designated bike routes

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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Heritage Trail

Protected multi-use paths, like the Orange County Ground-breaking for Heritage Trail Hartley Road— Heritage Trail, are economic drivers for local commu- Middletown segment on October 8, 2019. nities. Not only do multi-use trails help boost the local economy through refueling redevelopment through increased real estate value and improving retail visibility and sales volumes, but multi-use trails also have indirect impacts like helping attract companies and talented workers, as well as making workers healthier and more productive. The Heritage Trail is owned by Orange County and maintained by the Orange County Department of Parks and Recre- ation. The expansion of the Heritage Trail, currently Photo courtesy Orange County Executive's Office. programmed onto the 2020-2024 TIP in two personal identification numbers (PIN): PIN 875598 (Segment 2) and PIN 875705 (Segment 3), will add approximately 7 miles to the existing trail, and will create a continuous 20-mile path from the Village of Monroe to the Town of Wallkill with a connection to the bus hub and Business Improvement District in the City of Middletown. The Heritage Trail is located within the proximity of multiple major employers, including future employment opportunities such as Legoland and Amy’s Kitchen. The Heritage Trail also provides direct access to the Monroe A & B park & rides, Commuter Bus Stops in Monroe, and will provide access to the City of Middletown’s Bus Hub and park & rides. The connectivity of multi-modal transportation options and employment access increases the accessibility for low-income, minority, and Limited English Proficiency communities to these employment opportu- County Executive Steven Neuhaus has nities. The Harriman Metro-North train station is zoned already noticed the Orange Coun- for Transit Oriented Development, and if a connection ty Heritage Trail, in its existing state, from the station to the Heritage Trail can be made, it will being used for people to walk and promote access for recreational use and commuters. bike to work. “We’re already looking The completed Heritage Trail will run through four at expanding this into areas that downtown centers, including the City of Middletown, have abandoned rail beds in Orange the Village of Goshen, the Village of Chester, and the County, including Blooming Grove Village of Monroe. The Harriman Metro-North train and Washingtonville, up into the station is zoned for Transit Oriented Development, and Minisink/Wawayanda area,” says if a connection from the station to the Heritage Trail Neuhaus. “These are definitely can be made, it will promote access for recreational opportunities for us to take advan- use and commuters. OCTC and Orange County tage of to grow this in the future." should continue to work together to promote the Heritage Trail for local and regional use.

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Transit Enhancements

Consistent with OCTC’s goal of providing options for people to travel to their destinations and supporting equitable access to destinations for all people, OCTC has identified transit enhancements as part of this plan that will improve transit service coverage, frequency, reliability and on time performance, and provide better information about availability of transit service to existing and potential future customers. Table 22 summarizes potential transit enhancement projects.

Mid-Hudson Valley Transportation Management Area Regional Transit Study

The Mid-Hudson Valley Transportation Management Area (MHVTMA) Regional Transit Study is a three-county initiative to examine major transit and intermodal hubs and evaluate bus routes and inter-system connectivity, as well as external connectivity to the surrounding metropolitan area. The study will assess the potential for integration of connecting services, throughout the larger TMA area, as well as evaluate the need for expanded or new connections with emerging urban and employment centers. The scope of the study includes gathering data on services, capital and financial systems, providing public outreach, and making recommendations for better coordination in the future. To follow the progress of the MHVTMA Regional Transit Study visit the public participation site: https://www.connectmidhudson.com/

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Table 22. Transit Enhancements

Name Description Type

Multimodal Explore feasibility of constructing multimodal transportation centers that Transit transportation would integrate transit stops, park & ride lots, bicycle and pedestrian enhancement centers access improvements, bike parking, and potential for revenue-generating development at existing park & ride lots and transportation centers countywide

High-speed ferry Explore feasibility of expanding ferry terminal in Newburgh and operating Transit from Newburgh to high-speed ferry service from Newburgh to New York City enhancement NYC

City of Newburgh Explore feasibility of a multi-modal transportation hub for buses, with Transit Downtown bicycle and pedestrian connections to surrounding communities in City of enhancement Transportation Hub Newburgh

Town of Palm Purchase buses and operate a Dial-A-Bus service within the Town of Palm Transit Tree "Dial-A-Bus" Tree, similar to service previously provided by Town of Monroe Dial-A-Bus enhancement Program

Village of Kiryas Purchase buses to operate more frequent service and expand existing Transit Joel Public fixed route network in Kiryas Joel enhancement Transportation Expansion

Shuttle bus loops Purchases buses and operate more frequent shuttle bus service between Transit (Newburgh-Beacon Newburgh and Beacon and between Middletown and destinations in enhancement and Middletown- Wallkill Wallkill)

Port Jervis- Purchase buses and operate transit service between Port Jervis and Transit Middletown Transit Middletown via US 209/Route 211 corridor enhancement Connectivity

Town of Deerpark Purchase buses and operate a Dial-A-Bus service within the Town of Transit "Dial-A-Bus" Deerpark, with connections to Port Jervis, Town of Wallkill, and City of enhancement Program Middletown, expanding on existing Senior Bus service

Implement Implement recommendations from Coordinated Public Transit- Transit Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan, including integrated and shared enhancement Public Transit- dispatching, shared vehicles where feasible, more seamless connections Human Services between services, and better tools for customers to use when booking Transportation Plan paratransit trips and other human services transportation trips

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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Ongoing Orange County Public Transportation Improvement Projects

Major Employer Transit Service (METS) Plan

As the transportation needs of Orange County’s major employers continue to expand, innovative solutions are required to ensure that accessibility isn’t an issue. Key employers including distribution, medical, tourism, and retail center industries that play a key role in Orange County’s economy all have unique transportation needs that vary beyond the traditional ‘9 to 5’ workday. This plan examines unique models for meeting these transportation needs including through public-private partnerships, while also identifying proposed resources needed to realize a truly dynamic transportation system that fully addresses the needs of all workers and employers.

Open Trip Planner

OTP is an important step in the realization of an integrated transportation system. OTP is an open-source platform, accessible online, that will allow passengers to plan and eventually book trips across multiple Transit Orange services. By integrating all of these services (Dial-A-Bus, fixed route, paratransit) into one platform, passengers can better access more of Orange County to meet all of their needs.

Transit Orange System Comprehensive Branding & Design

Branding is key to attracting new riders and further accommodat- ing existing ones. The creation of a centralized branding scheme across all Transit Orange services will create a stronger sense of place and security for users, while also realizing an integrated county-wide system. A sleek new branding scheme will be applied to all vehicles and sources of passenger information, including the Transit Orange website.

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Bus Shelter Replacement

Bus shelters play an important role in Newburgh’s fixed route service by helping to centralize bus stops, provide protection from the elements, and display transit service information. The current stock of bus shelters in Newburgh is in particularly poor condition, given their old age and a lack of maintenance. Beginning in late 2019, these bus shelters will all be replaced with new ones, based on an ongoing comprehensive review of best practices, available designs, and selection of passenger amenities such as service information displays and signage.

System Map Upgrade

The countywide transportation system map is a useful tool for passengers wishing to travel across Orange County. The current map, viewable on the Transit Orange website is dated, and doesn’t reflect the intermodal connectivity of the system. This project involves upgrading the map to clearly show- case Transit Orange services and key roadway links in a user-friendly and accessible format. Advancing Orange County’s Visions & Goals

Source: Transit Orange

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Port Jervis Line (PJL) Capacity Improvements

MTA Metro-North Railroad is evaluating options to increase capacity on the PJL. This would be achieved through constructing a new train yard mid-way along the line to store additional trains and restoring short sections of a second track at select locations to allow trains to pass each other. Capac- ity restrictions on the line, mostly single-track, with one yard located 95 miles away from Hoboken terminal, limit the extent of service improvements that can be provided to Orange County residents. The proposed PJL improvements would allow Metro-North to provide more frequent peak and off- peak services, and to introduce zonal, express and reverse peak services. The project would also allow Orange County residents to attain the full benefits of any potential future trans-Hudson connection.

Metro-North also is funding installation and operation of real-time train information displays at stations along the Port Jervis Line. Recent improvements to the signal system to implement Positive Train Control will help prevent train -to-train collisions, overspeed derailments, incursions into work zone limits, and unsafe movements of trains through switches.

Roadway System Enhancements

Roadway system enhancements support the majority of trips currently made by Orange County residents, visitors and freight shippers. These trips can be within communities, between communities in Orange County, or longer-distance trips into and out of the county. Table 23 summarizes the types of roadway enhancement projects, studies, and strategies that have been identified by OCTC for consideration over the next 25 years.

Table 23. Roadway System Enhancement Projects, Studies, and Strategies

Name Description Type Route 17 Engineering Design study building on the Route 17 Transportation Study to de- Corridor Needs and Concept Develop- termine how to best address interchange spacing concerns on the Assessment and ment Study portion of Route 17 between Exit 125 and Exit 131 and to identify other Concept Develop- needed improvements to enable Route 17 to be converted to I-86 ment Study along its full length through Orange County from Route 17K to I-87 Route 6/17M Corridor Operational and capacity improvements to key commuter and Corridor Needs between Route 17 freight route. Potential Corridor Needs Assessment and Concept Assessment and (Goshen) and Middle- Development Study to flesh out alternatives to improve safety, op- Concept Develop- town erations for people and freight, transit access (local Mid-City Transit ment Study service expansion, intra-county services e.g., Main Line bus service, and Coach USA commuter service plus need for and feasibility of new park & ride lots), and freight needs (e.g., truck parking, intersection improvements). I-84/US 9W Inter- I-84 Interchange reconstruction with Route 9W and a third lane on Interchange Recon- change I-84 from Route 9W to I-87/NYS Thruway interchange, capacity/opera- struction and Ca- tions improvements pacity Expansion

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Name Description Type US 9W / Route 32 US 9W/Route 32 Corridor—safety and operational Improvements Roadway Safety Corridor and Operational Improvements Vails Gate Vails Gates—New Windsor, 5 Corners Area, safety and operations Roadway Safety improvements and Operational Improvements US 9W Corridor, New- Route 9W Corridor, north of City of Newburgh to Ulster County Line, Roadway Safety burgh to Ulster County operations and modernization improvements and Operational Line Improvements Route 300 Corridor, Route 300 Corridor from Route 17K to Route 32 safety and operational Roadway Safety Town of Newburgh improvements and Operational Improvements Village Roadway Im- Study safety and operational improvements to roadway network Needs Assessment provements: Village of within the Village of Kiryas Joel and Concept De- Kiryas Joel velopment Study Village Roadway Im- Study safety, operational and capacity improvements to Brookside Needs Assessment provements: Brookside Avenue (Route 17M) in Village of Chester and Concept De- Avenue, Village of velopment Study Chester Dolson Avenue/ Study Dolson Avenue/Route 17M/County Route 78 "Circle to Signal" im- Needs Assessment Route 17M/County provements between commercial development and County Route 78 and Concept De- Route 78 corridor east of Middletown velopment Study Route 17M north of Study safety, operational and capacity improvements to Route 17M Needs Assessment Middletown north of Middletown and Concept De- velopment Study East Main Street in Study safety, operational and capacity improvements to East Main Needs Assessment Wallkill Street in Wallkill and Concept De- velopment Study Route 17K from Mont- Study safety, operational and capacity improvements to Route 17K Needs Assessment gomery to Newburgh from Montgomery to Newburgh and Concept De- velopment Study Warwick Village Study safety, operational improvements at Route 13/94/17A intersec- Needs Assessment Center tion and center turn lane along Route 94 and Concept De- velopment Study US 6 and US 209, City Study safety, operational and capacity improvements to US 6 and Needs Assessment of Port Jervis US 209 in City of Port Jervis, including low-clearance bridge under and Concept De- Metro-North tracks, Kingston and East Main Street intersection, and velopment Study East/West Main Street and Pike Street intersection Plan for Shared, Au- Develop a Shared, Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Road Map and Research Study tonomous, and Elec- Action Plan to summarize steps Orange County and municipalities tric Vehicles (SAEV) need to take to prepare for SAEVs

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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Route 17 to I-86 Conversion »» Reconstruction of Exit 122 (Crystal Run Road) in the Town of Wallkill. Completed. Route 17 serves as the primary east-west highway »» Reconstruction of Exit 131 (Route 32, Route 6, corridor across the southern part of the state, from and I-87). Completed. the New York State Thruway interchange in Harriman west to Interstate 90 near Erie, Pennsyl- »» Route 17 Corridor Study to develop a future vania. The section within Orange County and scope for Route 17 improvements which may stretching to Binghamton is known by many as the include transit and other Transportation “Quickway”. It was constructed in sections over the Demand Management improvements, wid- course of many decades beginning in the 1920’s. ening to six lanes, and possible coordinated Through the efforts of former Senator Daniel P. land use changes. All Route 17 projects are Moynihan, federal transportation legislation being designed to not preclude future im- included authority for the re-designation of provements. Completed. Route 17 as Interstate 86 as sections are recon- As part of various transportation improvements structed to meet interstate standards. The most to facilitate access to the Legoland amusement recently built sections in the western parts of the part under construction in the Town of Goshen, a state were initially constructed to meet those new Exit 125 is being constructed, the exit ramps standards, however, the older sections will require at current Exit 125 (South Street) are expected to significant redesign and reconstruction before be closed to traffic, both Route 17M (north of they can be designated as part of the Interstate Route 17) and Harriman Drive (south of Route 17) System by the FHWA. The NYSDOT is in the process will be expanded to accommodate additional of carrying out limited segments of this I-86 anticipated local traffic, and several intersections conversion project. in the vicinity will be modified to better accommo- The first 177 miles of Route 17 between the Pennsyl- date new travel patterns. vania state line and Exit 48 in East Corning were NYSDOT next plans to complete a more detailed designated as Interstate 86 in December 1999. design study building on the Route 17 Transporta- Because of funding concerns and cost the conver- tion Study to determine how to best address sion plan has been adjusted in the short term to interchange spacing concerns on the portion of address the sections of Route 17 with at-grade Route 17 between Exit 125 and Exit 131 and to intersections providing a true limited access route identify other needed improvements to enable prior to a complete conversion to I-86. Route 17 to be converted to I-86 along its full length Route 17 in Orange County is a limited access through Orange County from Route 17K to I-87. facility. The series of projects to convert Route 17 to The OCTC approved a resolution in 2015 to I-86 previously planned was revised to reflect the support the conversion of Route 17 to I-86 on changes to the statewide I-86 program. The the completed section between Route 17K and program for Route 17 included the following: I-84. All future Route 17 beyond-preservation »» Reconstruction of Route 17 from the Sullivan improvements will depend upon there being County line (Route 17K) to I-84 to Interstate adequate future funding. standards. Completed.

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Freight Transportation System Enhancements

Consistent with Orange County’s Economic Development Strategy, published in 2015 as an initial product of the Comprehensive Plan update, a number of freight transportations system improvements could be needed over the next 25 years to support existing businesses and encourage growth in key targeted industries. Additional freight transportation issues are identified as needing further study in the recently published State Freight Plan, published by the NYSDOT in September 2019. Table 24 summarizes these improvements.

Table 24. Freight Transportation Strategies

Name Description Type

Port Jervis Freight Rail Study of rail activity, current industries and businesses Freight rail improvement Infrastructure and Access dependent on freight rail, potential to attract new Improvements businesses to sites adjacent to rail, feasibility of bulk and/or intermodal transfer facility to serve businesses in Western Orange

Black Dirt Region Freight Study of freight transportation needs of agriculture Multimodal freight transpor- Transportation Improve- and food processing industry in Black Dirt Region and tation needs assessment ments Study other rural areas of Orange County, including labor force access/transportation issues

Neelytown Road/I-84 Exit 5 Freight transportation needs of warehouse/distribu- Multimodal freight transpor- Freight Needs Assessment tion center cluster on Neelytown Road and around tation needs assessment I-84 Exit 5 (Route 208) (Town of Montgomery)

Stewart Airport North/ Freight transportation needs of warehouse/distribu- Multimodal freight transpor- Route 17K corridor Freight tion center cluster and aviation support cluster on 17K tation needs assessment Needs Assessment north of Stewart Airport (Town of Newburgh)

Chester Freight Needs As- Freight transportation needs of warehouse/distribu- Multimodal freight transpor- sessment: Route 17 Exit 126 tion center cluster west of Route 17 Exit 126 (Town of tation needs assessment Chester)

Truck Route Network Needs Assessment of needs related to elevating and/or Multimodal freight transpor- Assessment widening bridges or replacing bridges with greater tation needs assessment load-bearing capacity to provide for improved vertical and horizontal clearance for trucks and eliminating weight restrictions, and improvements to intersection turning radii to accommodate trucks on major freight routes into, out of, and within Orange County.

Truck Parking study Study of truck parking capacity, demand, and im- Truck parking provement needs in order to support warehousing and distribution center clusters in Orange County and other freight-intensive industries that generate truck trips

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

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Intermodal Connections

Connections between modes of transportation are a priority to ensure travel is seamless for people and freight. Aside from connections to and between transit services, which are addressed above, most of the intermodal connections made by Orange County’s resident and businesses are made outside the county, using major commercial services airports, seaports, intermodal truck-rail container transfer points, and rail loading and unloading facilities for bulk cargo. One notable exception is the New York Stewart International Airport (SWF). The intermodal connection strategies related to Stewart Airport are summarized in Table 25.

Table 25. Intermodal Connectivity Strategies

Name Description Type

New York Stewart Inter- Study options to connect Stewart Airport to Orange County communi- Intermodal national Airport Access ties (to facilitate travel to the airport for both travelers and employees) connectivity and to the regional transportation network (to encourage the use of the airport as a gateway to New York City)

Source: Orange County Planning Department.

Coordinating Transportation, Land Linkage Planning Program” UPWP task and/or the Use and Economic Development Ulster County Transportation Council’s (UCTC) “Community Transportation Planning Assistance” Orange County’s recently adopted Comprehen- UPWP task. Such a program has been recom- sive Plan proposes Priority Growth Areas in the mended to OCTC by both the Federal Highway county, with specific emphasis on existing devel- Administration and the FTA. In general, such a oped areas, transit hubs, and local priority growth program would involve selecting one or more areas. Orange County Planning Department, in proposed planning efforts from a competitive call cooperation with OCTC members, completed the for projects. The initial effort during this UPWP Southeast Orange County Traffic and Land Use year is to outline the program and its various Study in 2005 and the Newburgh Area Transporta- elements such as: tion and Land Use Study in 2012. The West Central Transportation Land Use Connections study is Types of studies, plans and other types of currently underway to explore potential transpor- work that will be supported. tation improvements needed to support current Process for carrying out a call for planning and anticipated future development in the central projects, including criteria for selection. and western portions of Orange County. Selection criteria would be based in part on OCTC Members and Staff are working to develop the policies and desired outcomes outlined in a new program through which the UPWP can OCTC plans. enable municipal and inter-municipal transporta- Process for procurement of qualified trans- tion planning. Such a program could be modeled portation planning professionals to assist on elements of the Capital District Transportation municipalities and/or transportation agen- Committee’s “Community and Transportation cies with carrying out the selected planning

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or studies. Such process must meet the var- to provide a destination for trail users, and ious County, state and federal procurement implementation of a bus loop in central policies. In addition, the procurement process Middletown to serve key destinations for resi- must be designed to minimize the impact dents, workers, and tourists. on staff capacity. The procurement model As part of a comprehensive plan update, the might involve a single procurement process Village of Chester has explored options for for a firm which could both assist in the call improving safety and operations of Brookside for projects and carrying out the planning Avenue (Route 17M) through the village, studies. including the following: Examples of cooperative planning efforts include: »» Intersection improvements at Route 17M Integrated transportation / land use planning and Route 94 to improve traffic flow and for corridors or areas; safety for people walking and biking Intersection or corridor safety studies; through the intersection; Pedestrian, bicycle, complete streets, and »» Addition of center medians to restrict other non-motorized planning; left turn movements into and out of driveways along Brookside Avenue, and Planning for regionally-significant develop- installation of roundabouts at main ment proposals; intersections to allow cars and trucks to Freight movement planning and other such make U-turns to access businesses whose planning related to economic development; driveways are only accessible from one and direction after installation of the median; Sustainability or resiliency planning. »» Connections between adjacent parking lots to allow vehicle movement between Many local municipalities in Orange County have businesses without using Brookside Avenue; completed their own comprehensive and strategic planning efforts addressing both development »» Improvements to sidewalks and cross- and transportation, in addition to housing, walks along the corridor, including one or schools, parks, water and sewer infrastructure, more mid-block crossings with high-vis- and environmental assets. Examples include the ibility treatments, to encourage more following: people to walk between destinations along Brookside Avenue; The Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Devel- »» Improvement of bike infrastructure opment Council (REDC) funded a Downtown including bike paths or lanes and bike Revitalization Initiative for the City of Mid- parking; and dletown, and a Strategic Investment Plan was published in 2017. The plan included »» Landscaping, incorporation of bioswales improvements to the multi-use trail con- and natural features to improve storm- necting two portions of the Heritage Trail water management, addition of lighting, through downtown Middletown, additional and addition of benches, bus shelters, streetscape improvements and wayfinding and other features to improve corridor signage improvements, development of the aesthetics, improve resilience of the trans- Woolworth Building into “Rail Trail Commons” portation system, and add value to the surrounding community.

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Finally, due to changes in the retail industry reflecting changing supply chains, distribution models, and consumer preferences, Orange County may look into coordinating future transportation investments to improve transportation access, connectivity, and sustainability in support of potential future redevelopment activities that could change land use and the form of development on parcels that make up current retail clusters. These areas include the Woodbury Common/Harriman Common area in the Towns of Woodbury and Monroe, the Route 300 and Route 17K intersection in the Town of Newburgh (including Newburgh Mall and the Newburgh Transportation Center), and the Route 211/Orange Plaza/Crystal Run Galleria area in the Town of Wallkill (which includes the Middletown Metro-North Railroad station).

ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION One element of OCTC’s vision for future transpor- Federal regulations requires that environmental tation is stated as follows (emphasis added): mitigation activities must be discussed within the long-range plan, including activities that may have the greatest potential to restore and main- Coordinated transportation, land tain the environmental functions affected by the use, economic development, en- plan. Projects with severe environmental impact, ergy, and sustainability policies such as construction of new roadways, are rare within the OCTC planning area. Nevertheless, and decisions will complement natural features such as wetlands and forests, each other to create economic historic and cultural resources, and wildlife value and enhance quality of life habitats may be subject to the adverse impacts of transportation projects. Natural Resources in Orange County’s communities, Inventory (NRI). in support of their visions and To provide a better understanding of the natural plans for the future, and promote resources that exist in Orange County, the County responsible stewardship of the en- completed a NRI covering the entire geography of vironment and natural resources. the County. Initiated and completed in 2018 by County Department of Planning staff, with assistance from members of the Orange County In support of this vision, OCTC and its members Planning Board and from faculty of the State are committed to avoiding and minimizing University of New York at New Paltz, the NRI serves impacts by selecting projects, alternatives, and as foundational research for Orange County specific alignments and locations that have policy documents. The NRI also meets the current minimal, if any, impacts on the environment and requirements for a complete and adopted NRI natural resources. In the best cases, transporta- through the New York State Climate Smart tion investments can restore and enhance Communities certification program. habitats and natural features that previously have County Planning Department staff, in consultant been impacted. That said, some impacts are with faculty at The Benjamin Center at the State unavoidable and must be mitigated. University of New York System (SUNY) New Paltz, collaborated to produce the NRI through a series

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of public meetings with the County Planning Stormwater management policies, including Board, as well as a set of introductory and follow regular cleaning and maintenance of drain- up discussions or meetings with representatives age systems to reduce salt, silt, and thermal from each of active watershed organizations and contamination of rivers and streams; alliances within Orange County. The NRI, as Lead paint mitigation around bridge mainte- support for the Climate Adaptation Strategy, was nance projects to protect streams from lead also discussed and presented to the Green contamination; Committee of the Orange County Legislature. As the primary goal, the NRI serves as guiding policy Winter storm maintenance practices that for County comprehensive planning, planning for minimize the use of salt in winter; transportation improvements and other capital projects, and related land use decisions that are Procedures to reduce sedimentation and made at the municipal level. herbicidal pollution during maintenance activities; and For more information on the NRI, including a list of maps detailing naturally occurring resources in Maintaining roadside trees, shrubs and Orange County, visit https://www.orangecounty- groundcover to reduce erosion and mini- gov.com/376/Orange-County-Plans-Documents. mizing the use of defoliants and herbicides by planning for maintenance free plantings through state or national wildflower programs. Program-Level Environmental Mitigation Strategies

Having taken the first step of identifying environmentally sensitive areas, Orange County, NYSDOT, and other OCTC members have begun the process of identifying program-level environmental mitigation guidance and strategies that would help implementing agencies attempt to first avoid environmental impacts by selecting projects for funding that involve modernization and improvements to exiting facilities within their rights of way; siting new transportation infrastructure in locations that would not impact environmentally sensitive features, wildlife habitats, and existing developed areas; adjusting designs to minimize impacts where possible; and using mitigation techniques in cases where impacts are unavoidable.

OCTC’s members approach environmental mitigation holistically, considering the interrela- tionships between natural, built, and human resources. Examples of regional mitigation strategies including the following:

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PART 6 FINANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION

Part 6 of the Plan describes the basis for cost estimates and matches those costs to forecasted revenues in each federal funding program authorized by Congress in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the most recently enacted federal surface transportation law. The Plan also provides detail on state and local sources that complement the federal grants and formula funding

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FINANCIAL PLAN IN THIS SECTION REQUIREMENTS 146 Financial Plan Requirements Federal laws and regulations governing Metropol- itan Planning Organization (MPO) planning 147 Sources of Transportation Funding processes state that all Long-Range Transporta- 155 Resource Forecasts tion Plans (LRTP) produced by MPOs include a financial plan with “estimates of costs and 155 Short Term Fiscal Outlook revenue sources that are reasonably expected to 158 Cost Estimates be available to adequately operate and maintain federal-aid highways and public transportation” 159 Financial Tables in the MPO planning area. The financial plan: 160 Fiscal Constraint May include estimates of resources from both public and private sources;

Shall include a description of potential financ- York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), New York ing strategies, for example bonds or other Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the debt funded by tolling, pricing, other trans- Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. With portation user fees, or revenues from public input from these partners, OCTC has developed private partnership arrangements; and projections of available revenues by program area, and matched estimated costs of projects in May include examples of additional “illustra- those program areas over the next 25 years. tive” projects that would depend on avail- OCTC is relying on the assumptions made in the ability of additional resources beyond those 2020-2024 Transportation Improvement Program identified in the financial plan. (TIP) as the foundation for this financial plan, The Orange County Transportation Council including the following: (OCTC) LRTP must be “fiscally constrained,” mean- Extension of current federal funding levels by ing the projected costs of implementing strategies program area; in the plan must not exceed the revenues projected to be available to the region over the next Extension of current state funding programs 20 years. Both federal and non-federal funding and levels; programs are included in the plan, and strategies Proposed Metropolitan Transportation Author- to be funded by both federal and non-federal ity (MTA) Capital Program for 2020-2024; sources are included to provide a comprehensive view of the transportation projects being planned NYSTA multi-year capital programs; and in the region. Continuation of County and municipal com- This financial plan is a product of collaboration mitments to match federal and state funding. between OCTC members and partner agencies, including Orange County, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), New

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SOURCES OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDING Transportation funding in Orange County, New York State, and the entire U.S. has been limited by a lack of support for tax increases or other alternative revenue sources. The last federal motor fuel tax increase was in 1993, and due to inflation, improving fuel efficiency of motor vehicles, and increasing transportation construction costs over and above inflation, the balance of the Federal Highway Trust Fund (which is primarily supported by federal motor fuel tax revenues and is the primary source of federal revenues for surface transportation) has declined to the point where periodic transfers from the General Fund are required to support transportation spending at minimum levels authorized by Congress. In New York State, motor fuel taxes and a petroleum business tax that, together with registration fees and other user fees, provide revenues for the dedicated state highway and bridge fund, also have not kept pace with inflation. This section describes federal, state, local, and private sources of funding for transportation in Orange County, followed by a description of other funding sources and financing techniques that OCTC members may be able to use to bridge gaps between needs and available revenues.

Federal Funding through Title 23 of the U.S. Code primarily flow to states, so the NYSDOT has the responsibility Federal funding for surface transportation for allocating highway funding to its eleven (primarily highways and transit) is authorized by regions, and then to Transportation Manage- Congress approximately every five years in ment Associations (TMA) and MPOs within multi-year surface transportation authorization those regions. bills. The most recent bill to be enacted is the FAST The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Act, which was signed into law in December 2015. oversees most programs specific to public Every year, Congress passes an appropriations bill transportation. Orange County is a direct that apportions funding to states across all the recipient of FTA funding under Title 49 of programs authorized by the FAST Act. the U.S. Code, as is the MTA's Metro-North The United States Department of Transportation Railroad. (USDOT) is the executive branch responsible for The Federal Railroad Administration carrying out federal surface transportation (FRA) oversees programs related to heavy programs, and the USDOT in turn is comprised of rail infrastructure. Class I rail operators CSX several administrations (or “agencies”). Those and Norfolk Southern (NS) are subject to FRA most pertinent to the OCTC Planning Area include oversight and can receive certain discretion- the following: ary grant funding and loan guarantees from The Federal Highway Administration the FRA. (FHWA) oversees programs related to the In the case of MPOs within Transportation Man- Interstate Highway System, the portions of the agement Areas (as with Orange, Dutchess and National Highway System (NHS) that are off Ulster Counties), funding is initially allocated to the Interstates, and other roadways, bridges, the TMA; the MPOs within the TMA subsequently and facilities for nonmotorized transportation. sub-allocate funds to Designated Recipients. The programs authorized and appropriated

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Federal Funding Programs and bicycle infrastructure, and transit capital projects, including intercity bus terminals. The core federal funding programs for highways https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/specialfunding/stp/ are as follows:

Highway Safety Improvement Program Congestion Mitigation / Air Quality (HSIP). The goal of HSIP is to achieve a signif- (CMAQ). The CMAQ Program provides flex- icant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious ible funding to state and local governments injuries on all public roads, through the imple- for transportation projects and programs to mentation of infrastructure-related highway help meet the requirements of the Clean Air safety improvements. Eligible safety projects Act. Funding is available to reduce con- must be consistent with the state’s strategic gestion and improve air quality for areas highway safety plan. that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone, carbon https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/ monoxide, or particulate matter (nonattainment areas) and for former nonattainment National Highway Performance Program areas that are now in compliance (main- (NHPP). The NHPP supports maintenance tenance areas). Orange County currently and improvement activities for the NHS. The receives CMAQ funds to mitigate air quality NHS is a 163,000 mile network of intercon- for being part of the New York-Northern New nected principal arterial routes that serves Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT PM 2.5 mainte- major population centers, international nance area. border crossings, ports, airports, public transportation facilities, and other inter-modal https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/ transportation facilities and major travel air_quality/cmaq/ destinations. The NHS is intended to meet national defense requirements and serve The core federal funding programs for transit both interstate and interregional travel. The include: designated NHS includes all Interstate System SECTION 5307 (Urbanized Area)/5340 segments, other urban and rural principal (High Density and Growing states). This arterials meeting the goals of the NHS, and program, the largest of FTA’s grant programs, all strategic highways and strategic highway makes federal resources available to urban- connectors. Federal funds provided for the ized areas and states for transit capital and NHPP may be used for a wide variety of proj- operating assistance in urbanized areas ects on the NHS. and for transportation related planning. All https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/specialfunding/ preventive maintenance and some Ameri- nhpp/160309.cfm cans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complemen- tary paratransit service costs are considered Surface Transportation Block Grant Pro- capital costs. Section 5307/5340 capital gram (STBG). The STBG is the most flexible assistance is available to MTA Metro North of all federal aid programs, and may be used and (via Orange County) to bus operators by states and localities for projects to preserve providing service in and through the urban- and improve the conditions and performance ized portions of the County. With the estab- on any federal-aid highway, bridge and lishment of the Mid-Hudson Valley Transpor- tunnel projects on any public road, pedestrian tation Management Area (TMA), 5307/5340

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capital funds are allocated to the TMA by rail transit systems, along with high-intensity the FTA rather than directly to the individual bus systems that use high-occupancy vehicle MPOs. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of lanes, including bus rapid transit. These proj- the Mid-Hudson Valley TMA to suballocate ects must be either replacement or rehabilita- the funds among Orange County, Dutchess tion, or a capital project required to maintain County and Ulster County MPOs. public transportation systems in a state of https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/ good repair. urbanized-area-formula-grants-5307 https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/ state-good-repair-grants-5337 SECTION 5310 (Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabili- SECTION 5339 (Bus and Bus Facilities). ties). This program provides formula funding This formula grant program provides fund- to states for the purpose of assisting private ing to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase nonprofit groups in meeting the transpor- buses and related equipment. This funding tation needs of the elderly and persons with is also eligible to be used to construct bus-re- disabilities when the transportation service lated facilities. A sub-program, the Low- or provided is unavailable, insufficient, or inap- No-Emission Vehicle Program, provides propriate to meeting these needs. Funds are competitive grants for bus and bus facility apportioned based on each state’s share of projects that support low and zero-emission population for these two groups of people. vehicles. Projects must be included in the locally https://www.transit.dot.gov/bus-program developed Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan in order to be In addition to core formula funding programs and selected for funding. block grants, Congress periodically allocates https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/ money in the annual federal budget to discretion- enhanced-mobility-seniors-individuals-dis- ary grant programs. Three examples from recent abilities-section-5310 years include the following:

Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage SECTION 5311 (Formula Grants for Rural Access). This program provides funding for Development (BUILD) grants (formerly capital, planning, and operating assistance, known as Transportation Investment Gener- job access and reverse commute projects, ating Economic Recovery (TIGER)). The U.S. and the acquisition of public transportation Department of Transportation (DOT) pro- services in order to support public transpor- vides discretionary funding for investments in tation in areas with an urban population less surface transportation infrastructure that will than 50,000. have a significant local or regional impact. BUILD funding can support roads, bridges, https://www.transit.dot.gov/rural-formu- transit, rail, ports or intermodal transportation. la-grants-5311 https://www.transportation.gov/BUILDgrants SECTION 5337 (State of Good Repair). Infrastructure for Rebuilding Amer- This program provides funding for public transit systems in urbanized areas. Funding ica (INFRA) Program (formerly known as can be used for the repair and upgrade of FASTLANE). The USDOT provided dedicated,

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discretionary funding for large and small State Funding projects that address critical issues facing our nation’s highways, bridges, ports and New York State provides funding to Orange railroads. Funding provided up to 60 percent County through a variety of sources. The primary of eligible project costs to all levels of govern- funding programs in New York State are as follows: ment and private sector to fund infrastructure, using innovative approaches to improve The Modernization and Enhancement the necessary processes for building signifi- Program (MEP) provides funds for capital cant projects, and increasing accountability projects that are 100 percent state-funded. for the projects that are built. These are dedicated to upgrade and enhance public transportation systems and https://www.transportation.gov/buildamer- provide funds for innovative capital projects. ica/infragrants The State Transit Operating Assistance Competitive Highway Bridge Program (STOA) funding provides operating monies to (CHBP) grants were awarded to 20 projects transit agencies in Orange County based on in 18 states in 2019 to fund a variety of bridge vehicle miles and passenger revenue service. improvements that include replacement and rehabilitation. The Consolidated Local Street and High- way Improvement Program (CHIPS) was With a new surface transportation authorization established by the State Legislature in 1982. bill, Congress may opt to renew or replace any of The objective of CHIPS is to assist localities in the formula or discretionary grant programs financing the construction, reconstruction, authorized by the FAST Act. or improvement of local highways, bridges, There is an additional revenue source available highway-railroad crossings, and/or other local for recreational trails: facilities. An Operation and Maintenance (O&M) direct grant component of CHIPS is The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funded from the New York State General Fund, provides funds to the states to develop and while the Capital Reimbursement component maintain recreational trails and trail-related is funded form the sale of NYSTA bonds. facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses. The RTP is an The Municipal Streets and Highway Program, assistance program of the U.S. Department commonly referred to as the Marchiselli Pro- of Transportation’s FHWA. In New York State gram, was created as a means of assisting (NYS), the RTP is administered by the Office municipalities in financing the non-federal of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation share of federally aided highway transpor- (OPRHP). RTP grants provide federal funding tation projects. The Marchiselli Program is of up to 80 percent of the total project cost the primary state aid matching program for with a minimum 20 percent matching share. locally administered FHWA-funded projects. This opportunity has been issued every two Under the program, Municipal Sponsors pro- years through the NYS Consolidated Fund- gressing projects on local highway systems ing Application (CFA). through a federal aid highway program may be eligible for state reimbursement of up to 75 https://apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/cfa/ percent of the non-federal share (e.g., if a project is eligible for 80 percent federal funding, the

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Marchiselli Program will fund 15 percent of the Metro-North Railroad, a division of the cost, and the remaining 5 percent of funding Metropolitan Transportation Authority has to come from local sources). Marchiselli (MTA), is a public benefit corporation. Met- Program funding is subject to annual appro- ro-North’s direct revenues are primarily from priation in the state budget and is limited to passenger collections (ticket sales), rents, projects that are consistent with statewide and concessions. The Railroad also receives infrastructure investment strategies. Eligible funding from the MTA operating budget to work includes roadways, bridges, sidewalks support its operations. The proposed 2020- and curbs, shared use paths and pedestrian 2024 Capital Program is not yet adopted bridges, and bikeways that are located within or funded, and thus these revenues and an existing local highway right-of-way. Signs, associated projects are not included in the signals, lighting, and drainage systems that fiscally-constrained element of this plan at are part of eligible projects may be funded this time. If and when the capital program through the program. Due to the high is adopted and specific projects are funded, demand for limited funds, Marchiselli aid may OCTC will amend its TIP and LRTP to reflect not be available for every project phase. Gen- the funding and the project timelines. erally, annual Marchiselli funds are allocated There are several additional state grant programs first to projects in the construction phase, then and revenue sources available for transportation to other projects in earlier phases. improvements, but the following cannot be The New York State Thruway Authority predicted with any certainty, and thus the poten- derives its revenues primarily through tolls and tial revenues cannot be included in the fiscal- lease agreements, supplemented by federal ly-constrained portion of this plan. The descrip- aid and other funds listed in the authority’s tions are included for information purposes only: Annual Reports. The Thruway Authority is a The New York State Energy Research public corporation organized and existing and Development Authority (NYSERDA) pursuant to Article 2, Title 9 of the New York provides grants under several programs to State Public Authorities Law for the purpose improve the efficiency of the state’s transpor- of financing, constructing, reconstructing, tation system. NYSERDA is primarily funded improving, developing, maintaining and by state ratepayers through the System operating a highway system. Each year, Benefits Charge (SBC) on participating utility the Authority Board approves the Authority/ bills and proceeds from auctions through the Canal Corporation budget for the ensuing Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. fiscal year. This financial blueprint sets forth the sources and uses of funds necessary for New York State’s Regional Economic Devel- the Authority’s operations, Capital Program, opment Councils (REDC) provide grants to mandated projects and debt service require- Orange County and its municipalities through ments. Annual Reports and additional finan- a competitive grant program. REDC grants cial information can be found at the Thruway fund transportation projects that support Authority’s web site (www.thruway.ny.gov) regional and local economic development under Financial Information (in the “About” priorities. category).

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Empire State Development Grant Funds are available for capital-based economic development projects intended to create or retain jobs; prevent, reduce or eliminate unemployment and underemploy- ment; and/or increase business or economic activity in a community or Region. Funding is offered through the CFA from the Regional Council Capital Fund. Assistance generally falls into 3 categories: Strategic Community Development Investment; Business Investment; and Economic Growth Investment. https://apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/cfa/

Other periodic state legislation provides funding for specific transportation projects and purposes. These legislative initiatives can help fund projects that otherwise cannot be advanced. Because they cannot be predicted, they are not counted toward revenues as part of the fiscally-constrained portion of this plan.

Funds to Support Transportation Planning

As with highway and transit funding, the OCTC estimated future planning funds by extrapolating recent annual allocations over the 25-year planning period. The OCTC receives federal planning funds that are matched by state and local funds. These funds are used to carry out the metropolitan transportation planning process, as prescribed by the FHWA and FTA. The funds are allocated on an annual basis and programmed through the OCTC’s Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), which identifies the federally- funded planning activities to be carried out by the OCTC and its members in a given year. Federal funding used to support UPWP tasks comes from two sources: FHWA Planning (PL) funds and FTA Section 5303 Metropolitan Planning Program (MPP) funds. NYSDOT and Orange County provide matching funds (15 and five percent respectively).

The amount of federal funding authorized for transportation planning has increased modestly in recent years. For the SFY 2019-2020 program year, New York State received $32.2 million in federal planning funds. These funds were allocated to the 14 MPOs in the state through a formula that accounts for the size of each MPO planning area. The OCTC’s 2019-2020 federal funding allocation totaled over $708,419 ($578,403 in FHWA funding and $130,016 in FTA funding). The state and local match for these funds totaled over $126,929, making approximately $835,348 available for planning activities during the year.

The OCTC does not anticipate that these annual allocations will change significantly over the planning period, since planning funds have remained relatively flat in recent years. In addition to the annual allocation of federal planning funds, the Transportation Council has unspent funds available from previous program budgets. These are funds that were apportioned to the Transportation Council, but not expended during a particular program year. As of April 1, 2019, the beginning of the 2019-2020 SFY, the estimated amount of available planning funds is $4,552,576 million.

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Local Funding

Local funding for the transportation system includes county, village, city and town revenues from various sources, including property taxation, excise taxes, user fees (such as transit fares), and bonds. These revenues are utilized for first instance funding of OCTC programmed local projects which will in part be reimbursed by federal and state funds. There is no assured means by which to ascertain local government commitments or projections. However, experience has shown that local resources will be provided, given the limited amount of federal funding available for local projects combined with the low level of local match required (customarily 10 percent for transit, 5 percent for highway, or 20 percent for bridges or non-highway). Therefore, especially given the reduced level of federal and state revenues expected to be available, adequate local resources are assumed to be available for match requirements of strategies mentioned in this plan.

Other Funding Sources and explore opportunities for partnerships with Financing Techniques employers to provide transportation for transit-dependent workers.

In light of constraints on federal and state funding Joint development of transit infrastructure is also a and declining motor fuel tax revenues described possibility in Orange County. Orange County, above, OCTC is working with its partners in the NYSDOT, and Coach USA have an agreement to private and not-for-profit sectors to identify innova- improve the Middletown Transit Center and tive approaches to fund and finance transportation surrounding parking areas and public spaces, improvements, operations, and maintenance. Three and this agreement also covers the subsequent approaches have emerged as the most viable, maintenance of the building, parking lots, a although OCTC will be open to exploring any new multi-use trail and other public spaces on the site. transportation revenue sources to assist in imple- Cost sharing between Orange County, Met- menting this plan and moving toward the county’s ro-North Railroad, and a private developer could vision and goals for transportation. fund new rail stations on the Port Jervis Line near existing and planned major developments. First, OCTC is looking to build on a long history of Outside Orange County, transit agencies have partnering with the private sector and not-for- been teaming with developers to locate rent-gen- profit entities to fund capital projects and then erating uses at park & ride lots, including building operate and maintain elements of the transporta- structured parking with condos and retail on the tion system. Developer contributions fund ground floor or wrapped around the exterior, improvements to local, county, and state roads, facing the highest-traffic streets. sidewalks, bike infrastructure, and transit systems to accommodate the additional transportation Organizations like Orange County’s major demand generated by new housing, commercial hospitals and health care provider groups, and office space, and industrial development. The colleges and universities, and charities that fill new interchange on Route 17 that will replace gaps in transportation services for vulnerable Exit 125, serving the new Legoland amusement populations are an important source of funding park, is an example of a developer contribution to and volunteer resources for transportation. a significant transportation improvement in Funding can be up to 100 percent private, organi- Orange County. Orange County also is conduct- zations can contribute to the local match for ing a Major Employer Transit Study (METS) to federally-funded projects, and/or they can

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assume responsibility for operating services and motor fuel tax. A leading candidate is “mile- maintaining vehicles, bus stops on their proper- age-based user fees” that would charge people ties, and other transportation infrastructure. directly based on the miles they drive instead of indirectly via motor fuel taxes. These fees can be Value capture through Tax Increment Financing, flat per-mile fees, or they can vary based on time special taxing districts, and other mechanisms of day, type of facility or area where the miles are can be used to divert a portion of increased driven (e.g., limited access highway vs. local road property values to funding transportation or village center vs. rural area), or amount of improvements that improve access and connec- congestion present at a given time. Mile- tivity to those properties. Many value capture age-based user fees can apply to all vehicles (cars mechanisms would require changes to New York and trucks), they can be assessed exclusively on State law, although there is precedent for using vehicle fleets (such as taxis, vehicles operated for value capture in New York State, notably to transportation network companies like Uber and finance construction of New York City Transit’s 7 Lyft, rental cars, or privately-owned fleet vehicles), train extension from Times Square to the West they can apply only to all-electric vehicles that pay Side of Manhattan. no motor fuel taxes, or they can be voluntary Finally, New York State, in association with opt-in programs for people and businesses who national organizations like the American Associa- choose that option over motor fuel taxes, registration of State Highway and Transportation Officials tion fees, tolls, or other user fees. Mileage-based and groups like the multi-state I-95 Corridor user fees can be uniformly assessed regardless of Coalition, is exploring alternative transportation income (like current motor fuel taxes), or they can funding sources to replace or supplement the be means-tested or assessed on a progressive scale matched to income and ability to pay. The I-95 Corridor Coalition and others are exploring how to address trips that cross state and jurisdic- tional boundaries, how to allocate costs and revenues across different facility owners and operators, and how to collect and process payments, among other difficult issues.

Places like New York City are implementing congestion pricing, or a fee for vehicles traveling on roadways during peak periods, to generate funding and incentivize alternative modes of Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) travel, such as ridesharing and transit options. There are many types of congestion pricing strategies, among them include four main types: variably priced lanes, variable tolls on entire roadways, Cordon charges, or area-wide charges. The goal of congestion pricing is to reduce traffic congestion, but the added generation of a funding source can be used to support public transit and other congestion management strategies.

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RESOURCE FORECASTS The baseline for estimating future resources for all FHWA and state sources is the current adopted OCTC TIP for 2020-2024. The baseline for estimating future revenues from the FTA is the Federal Fiscal Year 2019 appor- tionments published in the federal register.

Funding for federal and state programs is assumed to be held flat over the 25 year period of this plan. The programs themselves are assumed to continue as currently authorized by Congress and the New York State Legislature, but funding programs and eligibility requirements may change over time.

Resource forecasts (project resources) by program area are shown in Table 26.

SHORT TERM FISCAL OUTLOOK OCTC Transportation Improvement Program

The OCTC 2020-2024 TIP covers the period from implementation during the program period and October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2024, provides realistic project cost estimates versus the adhering to the Federal Fiscal Year calendar, anticipated available resources (i.e. show realistic beginning on October 1st. The TIP is a capital fiscal constraints). The TIP is an important product program that lists federally funded capital of the overall transportation planning process, projects and assigns federal funds to highway, given that the MPO commits to the implementa- bridge, bikeway, pedestrian, transit, and transpor- tion of transportation projects. tation demand management projects to be The TIP is required to be updated every four years undertaken over a five year period. Individual and must be approved by the MPO and the project listings identify the proposed schedule, Governor. In New York, the update of the local TIP scope, costs, and federal, state and local fund coincides with the update of the statewide source assignment. Both federally and non-feder- Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), ally funded projects are shown to provide a which is typically completed every three years. The comprehensive view of the transportation capital TIP reflects the goals of the LRTP and the 10 and operating projects in the region. Inclusion of a planning factors of the FAST Act, the federal project in the TIP allows environmental study, surface transportation bill. project development and construction to proceed according to the schedule presented in the The OCTC Planning Committee and staff cooper- detailed project listing. atively developed the 2020-2024 TIP between the fall of 2018 and summer of 2019. The TIP develop- The TIP is a required product of the transportation ment process included three major activities: planning process and is developed by MPOs in cooperation with state and local officials, regional 1. Reviewing existing projects so that costs, and local transit operators, and other affected scopes, and schedules reflected the transportation and regional planning and most-up-to-date information available; implementing agencies. It prioritizes projects for

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2. Prioritizing projects based on sponsor factors, as well as each potential TIP project’s schedules and funding capabilities, and; support for the current LRTP’s goals.

3. Reconciling requested cost and schedule OCTC members, public transit operators, and any changes with available funding by fiscal other interested parties are included in the TIP year. update discussion. Local bus operators are Project completion, and a demonstrated commit- represented by the Orange County Public Transit ment to project completion, is one of the MPO's Division (OC Transit). The local bus operators, at main goals, particularly as the available funding minimum, meet with OC Transit staff biannually has remained stagnant over the years. In order to during operator oversight visits and are able, and keep abreast of local project progress, the OCTC encouraged, to discuss their operating and approved a resolution in June 2016 to issue an capital needs, as well as any other issues that annual TIP Questionnaire. The questionnaire is may arise. Through this process all local bus intended to gather information from local project operators can express their current and future sponsors regarding implementation of, and transit needs and OC Transit staff are able to municipal commitment to, implementation of a communicate those needs back to the MPO. locally administered federal aid project’s progress. As part of the TIP development process, the MPO is This questionnaire is completed in conjunction required to allow interested parties to participate with the NYSDOT Local Projects Unit’s annual in the process. For OCTC, this occurs at the review of the TIP. Another simple tool that has monthly committee meetings and through the been introduced is the standing agenda item of public comment periods. Interested parties can Project Sponsor Updates. Local project sponsors also remain updated on projects by looking at the in attendance are asked to keep the committee annual “Obligation Report”. The Obligation Report updated on their projects at each committee is an annual listing of TIP projects for which federal meeting. funds were obligated in the preceding year. A copy of the Obligation Report can be found on the Members chose not to hold a solicitation for new OCTC website or by contacting OCTC staff. projects as the existing projects have repeatedly been faced with unanticipated cost increases that The draft TIP project listings were endorsed by require significant increases in funding. Due to a OCTC voting members on August 20, 2019, along constrained funding outlook, offsets are difficult to with the conformity determination for PM2.5 fine find which significantly decreases a project’s particulate matter and ozone. Thereafter, the ability to obligate funds on schedule. Unallocated OCTC 2020-2024 TIP was submitted to the funds were placed in block PINs that will be NYSDOT for incorporation into the STIP along with allocated as funding requests are submitted and the TIPs of the thirteen other MPOs across New discussed at planning committee meetings. York State and the capital programs for rural During future TIP updates any new project counties. That draft STIP will then be submitted to solicitations will include a data driven approach the FHWA and the FTA for approval, concluding while factoring in the MPOs support of the the TIP update process. NYSDOT adopted performance measure targets, Overall, the 2020-2024 TIP emphasizes the environmental justice, congestion management preservation of the existing transportation system. process, resiliency and environmental mitigation To that end, approximately $11.9 million supports

156 | PART 6 ORANGE COUNTY LRTP 2045 pavement and bridge preservation projects, Post-TIP $4.5 million is dedicated to highway capacity improvement projects, $9.2 million goes to other Beyond the period of the 2020-2024 TIP update, highway projects such as safety and intersection there is an intermediate term for which there are improvements, and $23.3 million goes to mobility agency and/or OCTC plans that point to a small projects. Funding for mass transit (other than number of specific, identifiable projects. These Metro-North Railroad) amounts to $125.6 million, projects are aside from regular and continuing which supports maintenance and operations as capital, maintenance and operating needs in the well as enhancements and upgrades. various program areas. Different agencies have As previously mentioned, the OCTC TIP also different intermediate term planning horizons. includes project listings from three regional Funding for any projects identified for this period authorities: MTA/Metro-North Railroad, NYS Bridge has not been committed and, in fact, the com- Authority, and NYS Thruway Authority. Like the plexion and scale of federal surface transporta- NYSDOT Multi-County projects, these projects tion funding is not known beyond a very short often provide an indirect benefit to Orange time frame. There is a hope of continued funding County; though there are some projects specific to for routine maintenance, operations, and capital or completely within Orange County. MTA/ investment which will be required to achieve and Metro-North Railroad has programmed approxi- maintain all systems in a state of good repair, mately $3.8 million in system-wide projects which however there are no guarantees. Projects which will benefit the county. In addition over $134.1 mil- may be programmed or undertaken during that lion is programmed by the NYS Bridge Authority long-range period remain to be explicitly identi- for projects partially within the county, and about fied through current and future OCTC and $2.1 million is programmed by the Thruway member agency planning and analyses. Authority for projects in Orange County. To the extent that those changes would be beyond the scope of what is discussed in this document, the OCTC LRTP would need to be amended to reflect those changes. This long- range plan document has a “horizon” out to 2045. However, in practical terms, very little can be said about what the County’s transportation needs will be three decades hence.

Given these circumstances, OCTC member agencies are faced with the fact that preservation of the existing system must take priority and that there may be no or extremely limited funds for anything else. Therefore, at the present time the cost of operations and maintenance are estimated to consume all of the available funding beyond the current TIP. In fact, agencies are faced with the potential future need for disinvesting in a portion of the existing system and must consider if and how to plan for this potential.

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To determine potentially available highway metropolitan area’s historic percentages of resources over the plan period, funds were NYSDOT Region 8 federal-aid resources and then calculated by using the Annual Allocation Table refined by NYSDOT Region 8 itself. This assumes from NYSDOT Main Office, which established that the metropolitan area's share of the state NYSDOT Region 8 program levels by federal allocations for each of these fund sources will highway fund source and by year. These esti- continue at current levels into the future. mates were then adjusted to reflect the OCTC

COST ESTIMATES Cost estimates for this plan are provided by program area, based on the general types of projects and strategies that are expected to be implemented in the OCTC planning area over the next 25 years. This plan

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demonstrates fiscal constraint by ensuring that, in any given 5-year period, expected expenditures do not exceed the resources from funding programs listed above that can be reasonably expected to be available over the 25-year planning horizon.

Although, as noted above, all but a fraction of the available revenues for transportation are assumed to be directed to operations and maintenance activities, OCTC has included several illustrative capital projects in the plan that are in the planning process or are simply project concepts that do not have precise cost estimates at the time this plan is adopted. OCTC will work with its members and partners to advance projects through the planning and development pipeline and make amendments to this plan and the TIP when appropriate.

Project needs by program area are shown in Table 26.

FISCAL CONSTRAINT The OCTC is one of four MPOs in NYSDOT Region 8 which also includes the New York Metropolitan Transporta- tion Council (NYMTC) Mid-Hudson South Transportation Coordinating Committee (MHSTCC), the Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) and the Ulster County Transportation Council (UCTC). MHSTCC is one of three TCC’s—essentially sub-MPOs—of the 10 county NYMTC MPO areas. NYSDOT Region 8 also includes non-metropolitan Columbia County, which has a Transportation Advisory Committee. The MPOs in Region 8 are grouped into two Transportation Management Areas (TMA): the Mid-Hudson area which encompasses the MPO areas of OCTC, DCTC and UCTC and the New York Metro TMA encompassing all of the area overseen by NYMTC.

The multi-MPO and one rural county structure of Region 8 means that no one MPO has a direct allocation of federal funds to fiscally constrain. Fiscal constraint rests at the Region 8 level. Staff of the MPOs work with Region 8 program management staff to keep the four TIPs constrained. The four MPOs update their TIPs normally on the same biennial cycle. Region 8 provides the MPOs with current financial and schedule data for existing projects and estimates of funds available for programming over the next TIP period. This begins the cyclical TIP development processes in a constrained manner. Federally-aided local highway projects on the TIP are already fiscally constrained to the federal and state funds not already programmed in the TIP period. Available funds are allocated based on need, priority and other criteria, primarily through the biennial TIP development processes.

To keep the TIP fiscally-constrained as amendments are processed, offsets are determined for cost increases and schedule changes. According to the operating procedures of all four MPOs in Region 8, the search for an offset begins with the agency responsible for the project amendment. If no agency derived offset is available at that level, the next place to look for an offset is within the overall program with the county, then within the entire MPO (as is the case with NYMTC which comprises 10 counties (including the 5 boroughs of NY City), then within all of NYSDOT Region 8. The Region 8 program as adopted, and as shown in the STIP, is fiscally constrained.

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FINANCIAL TABLES

Table 26. Project Needs and Projected Resources

FFYs 2020-2024 FFYs 2025-2029 FFYs 2030-2034 FFYs 2035-2039 FFYs 2040-2044

Anticipated Anticipated Anticipated Anticipated Anticipated Federal Funds Anticipated Pro- Federal Funds Anticipated Pro- Federal Funds Anticipated Federal Funds Anticipated Federal Funds Anticipated Fund Source Available gramming Available gramming Available Programming Available Programming Available Programming

National Highway 446.998 81.199 455.938 82.823 465.057 84.479 474.358 86.169 483.845 87.892 Performance Program (NHPP)*

Congestion Mitigation Air 15.544 15.149 15.855 15.452 16.172 15.761 16.495 16.076 16.825 16.398 Quality (CMAQ)

Highway Safety improvement 23.417 3.897 23.885 3.975 24.363 4.054 24.850 4.136 25.347 4.218 Program (HSiP)*

Surface Transportation Block 127.930 21.014 130.489 21.434 133.098 21.863 135.760 22.300 138.476 22.746 Grant Program (STBG FLEX)— includes STBG RURAL, STBG SM URBAN*

STBG Large Urban 22.671 22.669 23.124 23.122 23.587 23.585 24.059 24.057 24.540 24.538 (STBG LG URBAN)

STBG Off-System Bridge 3.853 3.855 3.930 3.932 4.009 4.011 4.089 4.091 4.171 4.173 (STBG-OFF)

Urbanized Area Formula Grants 58.112 79.305 59.274 80.891 60.460 82.509 61.669 84.159 62.902 85.842 (Section 5307)

Bus and Bus Facilities Program 7.793 4.850 7.949 4.947 8.108 5.046 8.270 5.147 8.435 5.250 (Section 5339)

Enhanced Mobility Services 0.475 0 0.485 0 0.494 0 0.504 0 0.514 0 Se-niors/individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310)

Total 706.793 231.938 720.929 236.577 735.347 241.308 750.054 246.134 765.055 251.057

Notes: All values in $ millions. *Does not include statewide federal aid solicitations (Transportation Alternatives Program TDM, Bridge NY, PSAP, etc.).

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FINANCIAL TABLES

Table 26. Project Needs and Projected Resources

FFYs 2020-2024 FFYs 2025-2029 FFYs 2030-2034 FFYs 2035-2039 FFYs 2040-2044

National Highway 446.998 81.199 455.938 82.823 465.057 84.479 474.358 86.169 483.845 87.892 Performance Program (NHPP)*

Congestion Mitigation Air 15.544 15.149 15.855 15.452 16.172 15.761 16.495 16.076 16.825 16.398 Quality (CMAQ)

Highway Safety Improvement 23.417 3.897 23.885 3.975 24.363 4.054 24.850 4.136 25.347 4.218 Program (HSIP) *

Surface Transportation Block 127.930 21.014 130.489 21.434 133.098 21.863 135.760 22.300 138.476 22.746 Grant Program (STBG FLEX)— includes STBG RURAL, STBG SM URBAN*

STBG Large Urban (STBG LG 22.671 22.669 23.124 23.122 23.587 23.585 24.059 24.057 24.540 24.538 URBAN)

STBG Off-System Bridge 3.853 3.855 3.930 3.932 4.009 4.011 4.089 4.091 4.171 4.173 (STBG-OFF)

Urbanized Area Formula Grants 58.112 79.305 59.274 80.891 60.460 82.509 61.669 84.159 62.902 85.842 (Section 5307)

Bus and Bus Facilities Program 7.793 4.850 7.949 4.947 8.108 5.046 8.270 5.147 8.435 5.250 (Section 5339)

Enhanced Mobility Services Se- 0.475 0 0.485 0 0.494 0 0.504 0 0.514 0 niors/Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310)

Total 706.793 231.938 720.929 236.577 735.347 241.308 750.054 246.134 765.055 251.057

Notes: All values in $ millions *Does not include statewide federal aid solicitations (Transportation Alternatives Program TDM, Bridge NY, PSAP, etc)

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