Courtesay City of Saratoga Springs (2022)
The Downtown Connector trail—this is a portion of the draft version —will connect the city's inner core with the Greenbelt Trail system near Exit 15 of the Northway.
Saratoga Springs is preparing to take advantage of state and federal funding that will be available under the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Mayor Ronald Kim established a committee to look at the city’s needs and consider the most competitive approach to get some of that funding.
Kim announced formation of the committee, to which commissioners have been recommending members, at the city council meeting Jan. 18. He called it a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to receive state and federal funds for major infrastructure projects.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed in mid-November and is a $1.2 trillion investment in the nation’s infrastructure.
“There seems to be two types of broad projects: existing infrastructure, real foundational things like water, sewer, the city’s dam on Loughberry Lake, and this idea of ‘Let’s dream big, and how do we transform this city,’ particularly when we look at climate issues and what our city looks like in 20 years,” Kim said in subsequent interview, noting strides already made in making Saratoga Springs more walkable.
The charge of the committee will be to review the grant making programs available in the act; to reach out to experts inside and outside City Hall; to reach out to the public; and ultimately to provide “a prioritized list of what we should be looking at,” the mayor said when he announced the committee.
The planning of capital projects falls under the mayor’s department, though other departments are involved in developing the projects.
“This bill includes funding for things like broadband, roads and sewers, the normal stuff you think of as ‘infrastructure,’” said Tara N. Gaston, county supervisor for Saratoga Springs, “but it’s broader than that and includes things that would move Saratoga Springs even greener and toward improving our responsibility in our infrastructure.”
Kim named former Saratoga Springs mayor Joanne Yepsen chair of the committee.
“This was a priority for Mayor Kim when he was campaigning,” Yepsen said. “He knows the timing is critical. Saratoga Springs is going to be on the forefront of requests and will do everything possible to bring in funding to support the mayor’s priorities.”
Only in his second month in office, Kim said his administration has already started design of Saratoga Downtown Connector, a multi-use trail system connecting the city to a greenbelt northeast of downtown, and strengthening land use committees.
The infrastructure committee will comprise Yepsen and seven or eight people appointed by county supervisors. Kim said he plans for the committee to be finalized later this week.
Yepsen said the committee will seek input from experts in the fields, Congressman Paul Tonko, community members and likely the city’s Climate Smart Communities and Complete Streets task forces, among others.
“With our population and all the attractions in the area, we could really benefit from more bike infrastructure and design,” Gaston said. “The important thing is the mayor is being proactive so we can put our best foot forward and potentially get these dollars.”
The committee will meet later this month to start identifying the city’s top infrastructure priorities.
“There’s some real opportunity here,” Kim said.
The act will require a quick turnaround and Kim hopes they can report by the end of May.