The Adirondacks' big expense.

We use a lot of gas in the Adirondacks, around $1 billion a year's worth. Limited transportation options and long distances, along with the need for pickups and four wheel drive all play a part. An increase of just 10 percent in fuel efficiency, or a drop of 10 percent in total use would mean $100 million a year available to invest in something other than oil.
 
One option is to improve coordination of what we already do - here is a great example:
 
 
The Adirondack /Glens Falls Transportation Council (A/GFTC) is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Warren and Washington Counties, and the Town of Moreau in Saratoga County. We facilitate cooperative transportation planning and decision-making between local municipalities and state and federal agencies and establish a process for the allocation and use of federal highway and transit funds made available to the region. As part of the ongoing planning process, A/GFTC worked closely with Greater Glens Falls Transit (GGFT), New York State Department of Transportation, local municipalities,  human service agencies and transportation providers to develop this regional Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan (HSTP).
 
The current federal transportation law requires areas to have a coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan in order to access certain Federal Transit Administration programs. Those programs are:
-          Section 5310 – Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities
-          Section 5316 – Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC)
-          Section 5317 – New Freedom
 
The purpose of the HSTP is to develop a process that helps improve transportation services for aging adults, persons with disabilities and individuals with economic disadvantages within the planning area.  This Plan provides a structure for the development of projects that will address the transportation needs of the targeted populations by improving coordination between the many transportation stakeholders (agencies, clients, operators and regulatory entities).  A specific goal of the Plan is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of transportation services provided in the area by reducing service duplications, identifying and addressing service gaps, extending the range of services available throughout the area, maximizing interagency cooperation, and prioritizing future investment strategies and candidates.
 
For more information please feel free to contact Adirondack/Glens Falls Transportation Council at (518) 223-0086 or info@agftc.org.
 
 
 
To see more Adirondack options check out the group that best represents you in the Special Pages For tabs on the right.