2. Vision, Goals, and Objectives

2. Vision, Goals, and Objectives

2050 LRTP Vision Statement

In the year 2050, Ulster County’s transportation system is capable of affordably supporting its vibrant communities, which are attractive to business and to people of all ages and stages of life. The transportation system provides appropriate links to the region and beyond, and is viewed by all as an economic and environmental asset and a major contributor to quality of life. Communities are supported by a transportation system that provides safe access by all modes of travel. There is a robust economy, with diverse businesses whose need for efficient freight and personal transportation service is routinely met.

The Regional Vision

Guiding Principles

 

Affordability is a key determinant that underlies the discussion of need. With limited resources, every jurisdiction that owns and operates part of UCTC’s transportation system must consider what they can afford to operate, maintain and improve now and in the future.

This LRTP focuses on Primary Corridors and the places they link in order to support an efficient land use pattern of compact development capable of serving the multimodal needs of urban centers.

Another balance that must be struck is between the expectations of transportation system users and the feasibility of meeting those expectations. While the perspective of travelers helps UCTC and partners set priorities, fiscal constraint and engineering feasibility impose limits on the ability to meet the public’s expectations.

This LRTP recognizes a number of potential major shifts from traditionally understood transportation system functions. While these do not explicitly affect the quantification of need, they are worthy of discussion. They include the following:

  • Transportation technology
  • Shared mobility
  • Communications technology
  • Sustainable communities
  • Online shopping
  • Mode shift

It is a key value of this LRTP that strategies seek to mitigate negative effects related to the transportation system that impact or benefit the most vulnerable members of the community, such as low-income residents, Title VI populations, children, persons with disabilities, and older adults.

Goals And Objectives

The LRTP Goals offer explicit guidance on the priorities for the investment of transportation dollars, the outcome of that investment and the importance to the region served by UCTC. The goals and objectives are founded on three core principles: that the transportation system must serve the needs of its community today, respond to change, and be affordable for all users.

Goal 1: System Preservation

Invest in transportation system infrastructure to bring and maintain all facilities and modes into a state of good repair.

  • Develop and implement a county-wide bridge system maintenance plan
  • Maintain or increase the share of transportation assets (such as roadways, bridges, and active transportation facilities) in good condition
  • Maintain the UCAT fleet to meet the FTA guidelines for service life

Goal 2: Safety

Continually improve the safety of all users of the transportation system by responding to identified safety deficiencies and proactively addressing future safety needs.

  • Reduce the number of fatal and serious injury motor vehicle crashes
  • Reduce the number of crashes resulting in fatality and serious injury to pedestrian and bicyclists
  • Reduce the number of crashes involving transit vehicles that result in fatality or serious injury to zero
  • Reduce the number of crashes involving vulnerable user groups as defined in the NYS SHSP
  • Reduce the number of safety-related incidents at bus stops and on transit vehicles operated by UCAT, including protecting transit workers from assault

Goal 3: Resiliency

Ensure that transportation system users have a sustainable and secure environment, that the transportation system is capable of providing adequate service during severe weather events, and that the natural and built environment is protected and enhanced.

  • Complete a Resilience Improvement Plan (RIP) for the top 50 locations identified in UCTC’s Phase 1 Resiliency Plan, which enhances the opportunity for discretionary federal funding.
  • Integrate ranking criteria from RIP results into the TIP project selection criteria for new federal aid bridge awards evaluated by UCTC.
  • Reduce all forms of pollution from onroad vehicles through support of travel demand management, alternative fueled vehicles, stormwater management practices, and other appropriate techniques.

Goal 4: Mobility

Provide for efficient and reliable travel by all modes by investing in strategies that mitigate congestion and create and maintain a well-connected transportation system.

  • Reduce vehicle-hours of delay that occur as a result of recurring congestion on principal arterials and arterial streets
  • Integrate intelligent transportation systems (ITS) into infrastructure projects
  • Develop a program of infrastructure projects to address truck bottlenecks
  • Increase transit access (geographic and temporal) in Kingston, New Paltz and Ellenville, and major intra-county corridors
  • Increase the number of people within a 10-minute walk/bike ride of trails, parks, and other key destinations
  • Increase the miles of bicycle and pedestrian facilities
Introduction
Public Involvement