Search Results for: city of troy ny

Have Cars Destroyed Urban America?


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Look at any American city from an aerial photo…

What is the first thing you see? Most likely it’s the highway system and it’s connected parking lots.

rentny

Near the superhighways is a dead-zone — not just dead grass from the copious amount of salt laid down, but also an economic dead zone, because nobody wants to live next to the rumble and pollution of an expressway. Cars make a lot of noise, that goes through walls and generally makes humans miserable. Cars spew toxic gases shorten people’s lives. When a driver is distracted or makes a mistake, they become deadly weapons that take life indiscriminately.

Many Lanes of Traffic

Automobiles kill cities. It’s that simple. 

But they also kill the countryside too, by demanding cities grow larger and larger, sprawling out into the countryside to accommodate the cars need for parking and high-speed roads to move them from place to place smoothly. Suburbia isn’t about homeownership, is as it’s about having a place to put the automobile, where it can be safely parked off the street.

Parking

There are plenty of homes in cities. For generations before the automobile, homeowners-owned row houses in the city. The problem is dense urban areas lack places to park automobiles safely. So people choose to move out to the suburbs, where they can have a garage and a driveway to park their cars. In the suburbs, one only has to drive a short distance to a freeway then to another vast parking lot at the office campus.

Farther Up the Dead End Road

Society needs to rethink it’s relationship with automobile.

Cars are a lot of fun, used in moderation. Like an occasional drag on a cigarette or a cold beer after work, driving is a pleasurable activity on the open road, in a rural area. But cars don’t belong in cities. Having a lot of horsepower, and dropping the gas pedal can be a lot of fun.

A Narrow Rough Road

I think in the future, automobiles will be used primarily as something you use on Sunday after church, to go out on a picnic in the country, following lush tree-lined parkways. Parks will be located at nearly every exit of the parkway. People will use cars on vacations to go places too unpopular to be worthwhile to run a transit line. Maybe also driven by farmers and rural residents, at least to a park and ride lot on the outskirts of city, which you would take a transit vehicle the rest of the way.

Fort Disney on the Hudson | News | troyrecord.com

Don Rittner: Fort Disney on the Hudson | News | troyrecord.com

The state and city blew it once before when Fort Orange was rediscovered in 1968 by historian John Wolcott. Wolcott had pinpointed the site on a 1790 map drawn by Simeon Dewitt, a meticulous Albany surveyor.

Wolcott submitted his map to a Department of Transportation official and Paul Huey, an archeologist who later oversaw the Fort Orange excavations.

Wolcott's map helped Huey convince DOT to allow excavations, although DOT confined them to a small wedge of property.

Excavations occurred from September 1970 to March 1971. About 10 percent of the entire fort was excavated, according to a map published by Huey in the Dutch journal KNOB in Amsterdam in 1985.

Troy-Menands Bridge study will look at replacement, relocation – Albany Business Review

Troy-Menands Bridge study will look at replacement, relocation – Albany Business Review

The Troy-Menands Bridge, a four-lane crossing that carries about 35,000 vehicles daily between Route 378 in Menands to Route 4 in Troy, will be the subject of a new study by the state Department of Transportation. It will look at options to move the bridge south of its current location.

The bridge, built in 1933, is the second-oldest Hudson River bridge in the city that has not been rebuilt or replaced in recent decades.

Phil Pierce, a retired civil engineer who specialized in bridges for 45 years, mostly recently at CHA Consulting Inc., said the DOT study is likely the beginning of a very long process – potentially six years or more until a final design is reached.

It would be nice if they eliminated that sharp curve, and made the transition from the divided highway to the local street a lot more gradual and safer.

Notre-Dame can be rebuilt–if we let go of our obsession with “authenticity”

Notre-Dame can be rebuilt–if we let go of our obsession with “authenticity”

The destruction of Notre Dame cathedral is lamentable. A wonderful icon has been largely destroyed by fire. However, we should not despair.

Part of the reason this loss is so upsetting is because we are immersed in a Western way of thinking that equates authenticity with preserving the original materials used to create an object or building.

But not all societies think like this. Some have quite different notions of what is authentic. Iconic buildings such as the Catherine Palace in Russia and Japan’s historic monuments of Ancient Nara have been successfully restored, sometimes after great damage, and are today appreciated by millions of people.

I think sometimes the best restorations are those that are beautiful, long lasting, and good quality. Materials and science change, and sometimes using quality, long lasting modern-materials is a better step then using ancient materials that are interior.

Burberry, H&M, and Nike destroy unsold merch. An expert explains why.

Burberry, H&M, and Nike destroy unsold merch. An expert explains why.

"The British luxury brand Burberry brought in $3.6 billion in revenue last year — and destroyed $36.8 million worth of its own merchandise."

"In July 2018, the brand admitted in its annual report that demolishing goods was just part of its strategy to preserve its reputation of exclusivity."

"Shoppers did not react well to this news. People vowed to boycott Burberry over its wastefulness, while members of Parliament demanded the British government crack down on the practice. The outrage worked: Burberry announced two weeks ago it would no longer destroy its excess product, effective immediately."

"Yet Burberry is hardly the only company to use this practice; it runs high to low, from Louis Vuitton to Nike. Brands destroy product as a way to maintain exclusivity through scarcity, but the precise details of who is doing it and why are not commonly publicized. Every now and then, though, bits of information will trickle out. Last year, for example, a Danish TV station revealed that the fast-fashion retailer H&M had burned 60 tons of new and unsold clothes since 2013."

EPA carbon regulations will not destroy the electrical grid

Renewable energy is a lot like agriculture. There are millions of farms across the country, each producing a small portion of the commodity over vast tracts of land. Farms and warehouses store commodities like silage and corn for long-periods of time, allowing off-season access to seasonal produce to feed animals and humans alike year round. The agricultural system is quite cost-effective at producing food at affordable prices for most Americans. There is no reason we couldn't have millions of solar cells and wind turbines across America.

Electricity is very difficult to store in quantity. But so is food and feed. Both food and feed rot if left out to elements, and many foods can't even be stored for long periods of times even with the best of technologies. That's why a lot of foods are imported from other parts of the country out-of-season or other parts of the world where it's in season. But there is no reason we can't move electricity around long distances, nor is there any reason why we can have ample storage of electricity in many diversified storage facilities -- from big pump-hydro to batteries and flywheels.

Article XIV (Conservation) of NY State Constitution

As amended by the voters on November 5, 2013.

Section 1: Forest preserve to be forever kept wild; authorized uses and exceptions.

The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed.

Snowy Mountain

Exception 1:
Adirondack Northway.

Nothing herein contained shall prevent the state from constructing, completing and maintaining any highway heretofore specifically authorized by constitutional amendment, nor from constructing and maintaining to federal standards federal aid interstate highway route five hundred two from a point in the vicinity of the city of Glens Falls, thence northerly to the vicinity of the villages of Lake George and Warrensburg, the hamlets of South Horicon and Pottersville and thence northerly in a generally straight line on the west side of Schroon Lake to the vicinity of the hamlet of Schroon, then continuing northerly to the vicinity of Schroon Falls, Schroon River and North Hudson, and to the east of Makomis Mountain, east of the hamlet of New Russia, east of the village of Elizabethtown and continuing northerly in the vicinity of the hamlet of Towers Forge, and east of Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain and continuing northerly to the vicinity of the village of Keeseville and the city of Plattsburgh, all of the aforesaid taking not to exceed a total of three hundred acres of state forest preserve land, …

Exception 2:
State-owned Ski Resorts Bellayre and Gore Mountain.

… nor from constructing and maintaining not more than twenty-five miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet wide, together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than five miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet wide, on the north, east and northwest slopes of Whiteface Mountain in Essex county, nor from constructing and maintaining not more than twenty-five miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet wide, together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than two miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet wide, on the slopes of Belleayre Mountain in Ulster and Delaware counties and not more than forty miles of ski trails thirty to two hundred feet wide, together with appurtenances thereto, provided that no more than eight miles of such trails shall be in excess of one hundred twenty feet wide, on the slopes of Gore and Pete Gay mountains in Warren county, …

Exception 3:
Realignment of Certain State Highways in Adirondacks,
Namely Route 9, Route 73, Route 28, and Route 30.

… nor from relocating, reconstructing and maintaining a total of not more than fifty miles of existing state highways for the purpose of eliminating the hazards of dangerous curves and grades, provided a total of no more than four hundred acres of forest preserve land shall be used for such purpose and that no single relocated portion of any highway shall exceed one mile in length.

Exception 4:
Saranac Lake Town Dump Land Exchange.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the state may convey to the village of Saranac Lake ten acres of forest preserve land adjacent to the boundaries of such village for public use in providing for refuse disposal and in exchange therefore the village of Saranac Lake shall convey to the state thirty acres of certain true forest land owned by such village on Roaring Brook in the northern half of Lot 113, Township 11, Richards Survey.

Exception 5:
Piseco Airport, Part I, Land Exchange.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the state may convey to the town of Arietta twenty-eight acres of forest preserve land within such town for public use in providing for the extension of the runway and landing strip of the Piseco airport and in exchange therefor the town of Arietta shall convey to the state thirty acres of certain land owned by such town in the town of Arietta.

Exception 6:
Moose River Plains and International Paper Land Exchange.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative approval of the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual transfer of title, the state, in order to consolidate its land holdings for better management, may convey to International Paper Company approximately eight thousand five hundred acres of forest preserve land located in townships two and three of Totten and Crossfield Purchase and township nine of the Moose River Tract, Hamilton county, and in exchange therefore International Paper Company shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve approximately the same number of acres of land located within such townships and such County on condition that the legislature shall determine that the lands to be received by the state are at least equal in value to the lands to be conveyed by the state.

Exception 7:
Sagamore Insitute Land Exchange.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative approval of the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual transfer of title and the conditions herein set forth, the state, in order to facilitate the preservation of historic buildings listed on the national register of historic places by rejoining an historic grouping of buildings under unitary ownership and stewardship, may convey to Sagamore Institute, Inc., a not-for-profit educational organization, approximately ten acres of land and buildings thereon adjoining the real property of the Sagamore Institute, Inc. and located on Sagamore Road, near Racquette Lake Village, in the Town of Long Lake, county of Hamilton, and in exchange therefor; Sagamore Institute, Inc. shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve approximately two hundred acres of wild forest land located within the Adirondack Park on condition that the legislature shall determine that the lands to be received by the state are at least equal in value to the lands and buildings to be conveyed by the state and that the natural and historic character of the lands and buildings conveyed by the state will be secured by appropriate covenants and restrictions and that the lands and buildings conveyed by the state will reasonably be available for public visits according to agreement between Sagamore Institute, Inc. and the state.

Exception 8:
Piseco Airport, Part II Land Exchange.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions the state may convey to the town of Arietta fifty acres of forest preserve land within such town for public use in providing for the extension of the runway and landing strip of the Piseco airport and providing for the maintenance of a clear zone around such runway, and in exchange therefor, the town of Arietta shall convey to the state fifty-three acres of true forest land located in lot 2 township 2 Totten and Crossfield’s Purchase in the town of Lake Pleasant.

Exception 9:
Town of Keene Cemetery Land Exchange.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative approval prior to actual transfer of title, the state may convey to the town of Keene, Essex county, for public use as a cemetery owned by such town, approximately twelve acres of forest preserve land within such town and, in exchange therefor, the town of Keene shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve approximately one hundred forty-four acres of land, together with an easement over land owned by such town including the riverbed adjacent to the land to be conveyed to the state that will restrict further development of such land, on condition that the legislature shall determine that the property to be received by the state is at least equal in value to the land to be conveyed by the state.

Exception 9:
Hamlet of Raquette Lake Drinking Wells, Land Exchange.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative approval prior to actual transfer of title, because there is no viable alternative to using forest preserve lands for the siting of drinking water wells and necessary appurtenances and because such wells are necessary to meet drinking water quality standards, the state may convey to the town of Long Lake, Hamilton county, one acre of forest preserve land within such town for public use as the site of such drinking water wells and necessary appurtenances for the municipal water supply for the hamlet of Raquette Lake. In exchange therefor, the town of Long Lake shall convey to the state at least twelve acres of land located in Hamilton county for incorporation into the forest preserve that the legislature shall determine is at least equal in value to the land to be conveyed by the state. The Raquette Lake surface reservoir shall be abandoned as a drinking water supply source.

Exception 10:
Tupper Lake/National Grid “Tri-Lakes Reliability Project” Land Exchange.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions and subject to legislative approval prior to actual transfer of title, the state may convey to National Grid up to six acres adjoining State Route 56 in St. Lawrence County where it passes through Forest Preserve in Township 5, Lots 1, 2, 5 and 6 that is necessary and appropriate for National Grid to construct a new 46kV power line and in exchange therefore National Grid shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve at least 10 acres of forest land owned by National Grid in St. Lawrence county, on condition that the legislature shall determine that the property to be received by the state is at least equal in value to the land conveyed by the state.

Exception 11:
Ending the Township 40/Racquette Lake Property Dispute.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the legislature may authorize the settlement, according to terms determined by the legislature, of title disputes in township forty, Totten and Crossfield purchase in the town of Long Lake, Hamilton county, to resolve longstanding and competing claims of title between the state and private parties in said township, provided that prior to, and as a condition of such settlement, land purchased without the use of state‐appropriated funds, and suitable for incorporation in the forest preserve within the Adirondack park, shall be conveyed to the state on the condition that the legislature shall determine that the property to be conveyed to the state shall provide a net benefit to the forest preserve as compared to the township forty lands subject to such settlement.

Exception 12:
NYCO Minerals Land Exchange.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the state may authorize NYCO Minerals, Inc. to engage in mineral sampling operations, solely at its expense, to determine the quantity and quality of wollastonite on approximately 200 acres of forest preserve land contained in lot 8, Stowers survey, town of Lewis, Essex county provided that NYCO Minerals, Inc. shall provide the data and information derived from such drilling to the state for appraisal purposes. Subject to legislative approval of the tracts to be exchanged prior to the actual transfer of title, the state may subsequently convey said lot 8 to NYCO Minerals, Inc., and, in exchange therefor, NYCO Minerals, Inc. shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve not less than the same number of acres of land, on condition that the legislature shall determine that the lands to be received by the state are equal to or greater than the value of the land to be conveyed by the state and on condition that the assessed value of the land to be conveyed to the state shall total not less than one million dollars. When NYCO Minerals, Inc. terminates all mining operations on such lot 8 it shall remediate the site and convey title to such lot back to the state of New York for inclusion in the forest preserve. In the event that lot 8 is not conveyed to NYCO Minerals, Inc. pursuant to this paragraph, NYCO Minerals, Inc. nevertheless shall convey to the state for incorporation into the forest preserve not less than the same number of acres of land that is disturbed by any mineral sampling operations conducted on said lot 8 pursuant to this paragraph on condition that the legislature shall determine that the lands to be received by the state are equal to or greater than the value of the lands disturbed by the mineral sampling operations.

Ashokan Reservior

Section 2:
Reserviors.

The legislature may by general laws provide for the use of not exceeding three per centum of such lands for the construction and maintenance of reservoirs for municipal water supply, and for the canals of the state.

Such reservoirs shall be constructed, owned and controlled by the state, but such work shall not be undertaken until after the boundaries and high flow lines thereof shall have been accurately surveyed and fixed, and after public notice, hearing and determination that such lands are required for such public use.

The expense of any such improvements shall be apportioned on the public and private property and municipalities benefited to the extent of the benefits received. Any such reservoir shall always be operated by the state and the legislature shall provide for a charge upon the property and municipalities benefited for a reasonable return to the state upon the value of the rights and property of the state used and the services of the state rendered, which shall be fixed for terms of not exceeding ten years and be readjustable at the end of any term. Unsanitary conditions shall not be created or continued by any such public works.

Mallet Pond Dam

Section 3:
Forest and wild life conservation; use or disposition of certain lands authorized.

1. Forest and wild life conservation are hereby declared to be policies of the state. For the purpose of carrying out such policies the legislature may appropriate moneys for the acquisition by the state of land, outside of the Adirondack and Catskill parks as now fixed by law, for the practice of forest or wild life conservation. The prohibitions of section 1 of this article shall not apply to any lands heretofore or hereafter acquired or dedicated for such purposes within the forest preserve counties but outside of the Adirondack and Catskill parks as now fixed by law, except that such lands shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private.

2. As to any other lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve referred to in section one of this article, but outside of the Adirondack and Catskill parks as now fixed by law, and consisting in any case of not more than one hundred contiguous acres entirely separated from any other portion of the forest preserve, the legislature may by appropriate legislation, notwithstanding the provisions of section one of this article, authorize:

(a) the dedication thereof for the practice of forest or wild life conservation; or

(b) the use thereof for public recreational or other state purposes or the sale, exchange or other disposition thereof; provided, however, that all moneys derived from the sale or other disposition of any of such lands shall be paid into a special fund of the treasury and be expended only for the acquisition of additional lands for such forest preserve within either such Adirondack or Catskill park.

Farm Tractor

Section 4:
Protection of natural resources; development of agricultural lands

The policy of the state shall be to conserve and protect its natural resources and scenic beauty and encourage the development and improvement of its agricultural lands for the production of food and other agricultural products.

The legislature, in implementing this policy, shall include adequate provision for the abatement of air and water pollution and of excessive and unnecessary noise, the protection of agricultural lands, wetlands and shorelines, and the development and regulation of water resources.

The legislature shall further provide for the acquisition of lands and waters, including improvements thereon and any interest therein, outside the forest preserve counties, and the dedication of properties so acquired or now owned, which because of their natural beauty, wilderness character, or geological, ecological or historical significance, shall be preserved and administered for the use and enjoyment of the people.

Properties so dedicated shall constitute the state nature and historical preserve and they shall not be taken or otherwise disposed of except by law enacted by two successive regular sessions of the legislature.

Off Firetower

Section 5:
Violations of article; how restrained.

A violation of any of the provisions of this article may be restrained at the suit of the people or, with the consent of the supreme court in appellate division, on notice to the attorney-general at the suit of any citizen.