Kingston wins NYSERDA clean-mobility planning grant; city to begin limited outreach

The city has been awarded a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) clean-mobility planning grant and will begin a short public outreach window in April, a staff member told the Complete Streets Advisory Committee.

The grant covers planning for micro-mobility — shared bicycles and scooters — rather than immediate purchase or operation of vehicles. "The city's gonna send out a press release next week," the staff member said, adding that NYSERDA’s program includes a planning track and a separate, later demonstration/implementation track.

Why it matters: the planning work will collect community feedback and identify whether a shared system would be viable in Kingston. If the city chooses to pursue implementation later, the planning work is intended to help make a competitive application for follow-on NYSERDA funds.

Committee members discussed outreach targets and methods. The staff member said outreach will focus on people who do not own cars, riders of UCAT, students and others likely to consider a mode shift. The consultants listed by NYSERDA were also noted; the city will work with preapproved vendors named in the NYSERDA program rather than run a separate procurement.

Committee members and staff said the planning grant does not guarantee implementation. "If the community would like micro-mobility, that's our first question," the staff member said. Committee members also noted related county work: Ulster County Area Transit is pursuing micro-transit demonstrations through a separate state DOT grant, and county-level studies are ongoing.

Next steps: staff said the planning team will finalize survey questions and a short outreach schedule for April; the city will post materials and encourage input at events. If community input supports a shared system, staff said Kingston could consider applying for NYSERDA implementation funds in a later round.