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CLIFTON PARK
Town looks to create improvement fund More development bringing increased traffic
BY PAM ALLEN Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Pam Allen at 383-4451 or pallen@dailygazette.net.

   After public sewer and water were recently made available along the western part of Route 146, the area has undergone an increase in requests to build residential and industrial developments along the corridor.
   The increase in development brings with it an increase in traffi c, which means more vehicles on the already busy roadway.
   Town planners would like the town to create a Route 146 Transportation Improvement District to help offset the costs of necessary road improvements within the corridor.
   The dedicated fund would allow the town to collect fees from developers and share in the cost of improvements to both Route 146 and its many side roads, said Steven Bulger, Planning Board chairman.
   “It is both a fair and logical way to share these costs, and the timing is good to begin implementing such a plan,” he said.
   Tom Werner, one of the board’s two newest members, said he reviewed three development proposals for the corridor during his fi rst three meetings on the board.
   “We need to take a comprehensive look at this corridor,” said Werner, who recently retired from the state Department of Transportation after serving nine years as one of its regional directors.
   Surrounding towns, such as Colonie, have had great success implementing the special districts, he said.
   Dealing with road improvements on an application-by-application basis doesn’t present an accurate picture of overall traffic deficiencies in the corridor, Bulger said.
   Recent completion of an environmental review of the town’s western half gives officials an accurate idea of the amount of future growth anticipated in the area, he said.
   Bulger also noted that planned improvements to Glenridge Road by DOT would open up the eastwest roadway to even more traffic.
   “This is a perfect time to begin discussions on a comprehensive plan,” he said.
   Members of the Planning Board also support a comprehensive traffic analysis designed to develop a 25-year strategy for dealing with the increased traffic along Route 146. Besides town officials, they would like to see representatives form DOT, Saratoga County and the Capital District Transportation Committee involved in the talks.
   Werner said he’s had some discussions with Town Supervisor Philip Barrett about the special district funding and developing a long-term plan for the busy corridor, and that Barrett has been receptive to the idea.
   The Planning Board could vote to send a letter of support for both proposals to the Town Board as early as its next meeting, which is scheduled for Aug. 12.  

  
  
  

Imagine that, when sewers became available businesses and more homes want to be built there. What a concept do you think that any members of the Town Board read the paper? I didn't see anything in the article where the residents had to form their own sewer district to get the sewers in either. It looks like the town put them in to encourage business to build.

Coincidence???

Must be.

Perhaps we could all move to Clifton Park. Our taxes would be higher, but look at what they've got!!!! EVERYTHING! Although, most folks who live in clifton park can well afford to live there and pay taxes. I don't really know how many in Rotterdam could afford the same.

But it does go to show that 'you get what you pay for'!!

IT could be that Clifton is connected and some of the money used was from grants something that Rotterdam can't seem to get.

Someone told me a story about the 'fights' folks in Clifton Park have over which way the lawns are to be mowed that week......sheeeep,,,,sheeep....if that was the only thing we had to care about.......then again, I guess we wouldn't be in Kansas Rotterdam anymore To-To......or maybe we would just be drunk in space....