After spending most of the first half of the meeting in executive session, the committee listened to a presentation of the two concepts by Peter Loyola, of CLA Site, the firm hired to do the site analysis and design.

One would create a through traffic corridor on Linden Avenue that would run from Walnut Street out to route 28 south of the village. The second option would make improvements to Linden Ave. but the street would end in a parking area with access to route 28.

Both designs call for the creation of a parallel service road from the county highway facility that would allow vehicles to exit onto route 28; the creation of a one-way school bus route on school property that would allow buses to travel from the middle/high school to the elementary school; the relocation of the village’s streets garages and trolley barn; and relocation of the Cooperstown Youth Baseball’s ball field and clubhouse to the outer perimeter of the project area.

The through corridor plan also specifies a welcome center on village property, parking for 380 cars and a pedestrian/bike trail along the railroad bed.

The other plan would locate the welcome center on school property and have 490 parking spaces.

Loyola said getting the county to use an access road south to route 28 rather than using Linden Ave. is one solution that would eliminate a great deal n the congestion on the street.

``The key to eliminating a lot of traffic is the service road with the county,’’ Loyola said.

The same, he said, would be true of getting school buses off Linden Ave. by building a one-way bus route between the schools.

``That would eliminate a great deal of congestion on Linden Ave.,’’ he told committee members.

Loyola said the one thing he didn’t like with the through street option is that when a thoroughfare is created it often invites more people to use the street.

The design without a thoroughfare would allow for more parking spaces and have a greater traffic calming affect, he said, adding that it would deter the route 28 to Walnut St. shortcut.

``We’re not trying to re-invent the wheel here. This seems like a pretty reasonable approach to reduce congestion,’’ he said.

Chamber of Commerce director Polly Renckens said she thinks there are better places for the parking areas and visitor center.

``You’ve been trying to put a round peg in a square hole for 10 years,’’ she said.

Renckens suggested it belonged on route 28, but village mayor Carol Waller told her there is no property available and the village has only $5 million to spend.

``You need a lot of signage,’’ Renckens said. ``It can’t be just a turn off.’’

Giles Russell, chairman of the village’s trolley committee agreed.

``A right-hand turn lane is no good. You have to slow them down,’’ he said.

Loyola and the committee members discussed the possibility of putting in a traffic round-about at the intersection of the access road and route 28 to slow down traffic to make entering and exiting the state highway safer.

Dr. David Borgstrom, president of the Cooperstown Youth Baseball, said his organization is ``very happy where we are right now’’

They realize they are right in the middle of the project area on land leased from the village and don’t want to be obstructionists, but it is more than just a baseball field, he said.

It is also the batting cages, clubhouse, access to the softball field and an area for t-ball games.

``What we have is not ideal, but pretty good,’’ he said.

``We don’t take moving the fields lightly at all,’’ Loyola said. `` I spent a lot of time trying to work around the ball field. We’ll take another look at not moving it, but the bottom line is it is in the middle of a lot of things that are going on.’’

The committee is still plans to hold the first public participation meeting concerning the project on March 1.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the village meeting room.