Central Avenue TIP

Central Avenue is the most diverse tapestry of cultures, tastes, events, and businesses in the Capital Region. Home to hundreds of businesses, both big and small, the Avenue offers a full range of services from retail to construction, with over 70 restaurants and numerous cultural destinations. 

  As such a vital and diverse thoroughfare, it is critical to find a balance in project design that serves multi-modal transportation and the various interests of the community – while also being practical, maintainable, and sustainable over the service-life of the project (15 to 20 years). 

 The City plans to host public meetings to listen to the concerns of its constituents and has authorized our design consultant to perform an extensive, multi-modal traffic study to better evaluate various design options and how those alternatives tie into and affect surrounding infrastructure.

Project Overview

The Central Avenue Reconstruction Project aims to update and improve the streetscape of Central Ave from Henry Johnson Boulevard to North Allen Street. At a minimum, this includes: Resurfacing and re-striping the roadway, replacing poor-condition sidewalk panels, replacing diseased or declining trees, and updating ADA curb-ramps, crosswalks, and pedestrian signals. A multi-modal traffic study and feasibility analysis will be performed to evaluate inclusion of a road diet (lane reduction) with dedicated bicycle lanes. Additional features to the project will be considered based on public input and further evaluation by our design team.

All proposed design alternatives will strive to adhere to applicable federal, state, and local codes and standards (FHWA, NYSDOT, MUTCD, ADA, etc.) and to the best practices outlined in the City of Albany 2018 Complete Streets Manual and 2022 ADA Transition Plan.

Project Scope

Central Avenue (from Henry Johnson Boulevard to Allen Street)

N. Allen

Funding

  • Program:  Part of the Federal 2022-2027 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) with supplemental New York State “Marchiselli” funds
  • Reimbursement: Approximately 97.5% eligible for Federal or State reimbursement
  • Local Match: 2.5% (City bonded funds)
  • Budget: Approximately $9.5 million for design and construction

Design and Construction

  • Engineer: CHA Consulting, Inc. (Colonie, NY)
  • Contractor: To Be Determined (through a public bid process)

Preliminary Scope-of-Work

  • Resurfacing: Asphalt roadway throughout the project corridor
  • Sidewalks: Reconstructing deficient panels
  • ADA Compliance: Replacing non-compliant curb ramps
  • Roadway Improvements: Updating road striping, signage, and traffic signals
  • Landscaping: Removing and planting trees as determined by the City Arborist
  • Road Diet: Evaluating the feasibility of reconfiguring the roadway to one travel lane in each direction with a center turning median and dedicated bicycle lanes
  • Parking: Maintaining on-street parking on both sides of the street

Project Schedule

  • Survey: Spring 2024
  • First Public Meeting: July 18th, 2024 at 6 PM
  • Preliminary Design: Summer 2024 through Summer 2025
  • Second Public Meeting: Summer 2025 (Exact Date TBD)
  • Final Design: Summer 2025 through Fall 2025
  • Construction: TBD

Comments & Feedback

We value your input and feedback on the Central Avenue Reconstruction Project. Please share your thoughts, questions, and suggestions below. 

Discover Central Avenue

For more information or suggestions on exploring businesses along Central Avenue, please contact the Central Ave BID. They’re there to help you navigate the Avenue and discover all it has to offer!