Purpose

Broadway is a critical transportation link that provides multi-modal connections from Albany to Watervliet. The Resilient Broadway initiative will identify and evaluate design concepts that improve and strengthen multi-modal transportation facilities and connectivity, increase the urban forest / tree cover, and integrate green infrastructure treatments along the corridor.

Concepts will focus on the integration of natural systems and transportation systems with the goals of managing stormwater, improving air quality, reducing heat stress, and expanding the interconnectivity of active transportation and transit to promote viable low-carbon transportation choices.

Design concepts will be vetted through a robust public engagement process that involves municipal officials, stakeholders, and the public. Special consideration will be given to groups more vulnerable to the health, social, and economic impacts of hazards caused by climate change.

Feel free to leave a comment, and check back often for upcoming opportunities to get involved.

Goals

When considered together, the following goals will increase the resiliency of Broadway to climate change:

    • Increase the safety, availability, and connectivity of public transit, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure to promote viable, healthy, and low-carbon transportation choices.

    • Interconnect public transit, bicycle, and pedestrian systems to enhance functionality, efficiency, and user experience

    • Integrate natural systems with transportation systems to mitigate flooding, improve air quality, reduce heat stress, and provide a beautiful green public space for all

    • Create redundancy by identifying viable alternative options that preserve local mobility during a disturbance

    • Test innovative solutions to serve as a regional urban model for transportation and ecological resiliency

Project Schedule

Project Team

Albany County is undertaking the Resilient Broadway project in partnership with the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) and the Capital Region Transportation Council (CRTC). Together, this project team will oversee the planning process to ensure the project purpose and goals are achieved. A team of consultants led by Highland Planning is providing technical support to the project team.

Study Advisory Committee (SAC)

A Study Advisory Committee (SAC) comprised of representatives from Albany County, regional entities, State agencies, and municipal staff will oversee the project and provide guidance to the project team. The Committee will meet at key project milestones to review draft deliverables and design concepts.

Organizations represented on the SAC include:

  • Albany County

  • Capital Region Transportation Council (CRTC)

  • Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA)

  • Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC)

  • NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Region 1

  • City of Albany

  • City of Watervliet

  • Village of Menands

  • Town of Colonie

Related Plans + Initiatives

Several recently completed and/or ongoing studies have examined portions of the Broadway corridor. The Resilient Broadway initiative will build on these related plans and projects, weaving together their recommendations into a cohesive and interconnected solution for the Broadway corridor.

  • Albany County Climate Resiliency Plan

    The County’s Climate Resiliency Plan identifies Broadway as in important intermunicipal corridor prone to flooding and at risk of future flooding from sea level rise along the Hudson River and more intense storm events. In the Resiliency Plan, Project 8 includes several specific recommendations for the Broadway corridor, including the integration of green infrastructure and enhancements to public transit service.

    To learn more about the project, visit:

    Albany Climate Resiliency Plan (2022)

    Climate Resiliency Website

  • Smart Mobility Toolbox

    This recently completed Toolbox provides recommendations for several “smart community” strategies, including: non-vehicular mobility (e.g., mobility hubs, scooter and bike share), traffic management, energy and infrastructure, parking management, smart transit, and connected/autonomous/electric vehicles. Implementation of these strategies along Broadway will be considered as part of the Resilient Broadway project.

    To learn more about the project, visit:

    Smart Mobility Toolbox

  • Menands Land Use Regulations Update

    The Village of Menands recently updated their land use regulations and zoning code. Recognizing Broadway as the Village’s main street, the updated zoning code includes a Broadway Corridor Form-Based District (Broadway Business District) that promotes walkability and complete streets. This District allows mixed-use residential, commercial, and industrial development and recommends building placement that will provide a sense of enclosure, framing public space and helping to offset the physical and visual dominance of the roadway.

    To learn more about the project, visit:

    Land Use Regulations Update

  • Patroon Creek Greenway

    The Patroon Creek Greenway Feasibility Study proposes an approximately nine mile long trail corridor paralleling Patroon Creek and connecting Albany Pine Bush Preserve, Tivoli Preserve, the Hudson River waterfront, and the many neighborhoods in between. The proposed Greenway would provide a much needed east-west connection for cyclists, pedestrians, and other forms of active transportation in the City of Albany and the Capital District Region. This Study specifically recommends protected bike lanes on the section of Broadway from Tivoli Street to Clinton Avenue as part of the long-term vision for the Patroon Creek Greenway.

    To learn more about the project, visit:

    Executive Summary

  • Albany Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan

    The City of Albany’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan proposes a mix of protected bike lanes, conventional bike lanes, and a paved multi-use path/trail along Broadway from Clinton Avenue to the northern boundary of the City. The proposed multi-use path extends from approximately Tivoli Street north to the City limit.

    To learn more about the project, visit:

    Albany Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan

  • Congress Street Bridge Multimodal Connectivity Project

    To learn more about the project, visit:

    Congress Street Bridge Multimodal Connectivity Project

  • Empire State Trail

    From Albany to Watervliet, the Empire State Trail follows the Hudson River and parallels the Broadway corridor. At 4th Street in Watervliet, the Empire State Trail transitions from an off-road trail to a shared-use path on the east side of Broadway. The Resilient Broadway project will explore opportunities to connect and expand access to the Empire State Trail.

    Empire State Trail Map

  • CDTA Bus Lane Feasibility Study

    To learn more about the project, visit:

    CDTA Bus Lane Feasibility Study

  • Reimagine I-787 (ongoing)

    To learn more about the project, visit:

    Project Website

  • Route 378 Troy-Menands Bridge Planning and Environmental Linkages Study (ongoing)

    To learn more about the project, visit:

    Project Website