Posted on 11/16/2018 11:56:33 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Monday said she will support the construction of a street-level community grid to replace the elevated portion of Interstate 81 in Syracuse.
Until now, Gillibrand declined to take a position on the issue, saying it was up to Central New Yorkers to choose the best option for replacing the 1.4-mile viaduct that cuts through the heart of Syracuse.
Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said during a visit to Syracuse on Monday that she decided to speak out after discussions with community stakeholders who favor the grid over a tunnel or new elevated highway.
"Given where the stakeholders are -- and given what I have heard from the community in the last several years -- I really think the community grid is the better approach to not only revitalization, but to support all members of our community," Gillibrand said.
The senator made her comments while meeting Monday with reporters and editors at syracuse.com and The Post-Standard.
With her decision, Gillibrand becomes one of the most prominent political voices in New York to come out in favor of the community grid.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, have declined to take a position on the I-81 project, insisting the decision must be driven by the community, not elected officials.
Last year, Katko was among six House members from Upstate New York who urged Gov. Andrew Cuomo not to let the cost for the redevelopment project influence the state's studies on the highway's future.
A tunnel connected to a street-level boulevard would cost about $3.1 billion, according to state studies. A new elevated highway would cost about $1.7 billion, and the community grid would cost about $1.3 billion.
The federal government typically pays about 80 percent of the costs of interstate highway projects.
Elected leaders favoring a tunnel or rebuilt viaduct include incoming Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and state Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-DeWitt.
Gillibrand said the tunnel is clearly the least desirable option.
"I disagree with the tunnel folks because I think you're just going to have a bypass of downtown," Gillibrand said. "Unfortunately, when you don't invest in a downtown long-term, your city becomes less attractive. If you create thoroughfares and routes to skip downtown, what you get is boarded up storefronts and you get a hollowing out of cities."
She added, "I've seen this across New York. If you want a vibrant economy, create a vibrant downtown."
Gillibrand had been leaning toward the community grid option, she said, but after meeting with community leaders Monday it cemented for her that it's the right decision.
The senator met privately with a broad sample of stakeholders to discuss her decision. Those at the meeting included representatives of neighborhood groups, community and business leaders, and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh.
"I just don't see where the support from the tunnel comes outside of folks who want the mall (Destiny USA) to be the only destination in Syracuse for economic growth," Gillibrand said.
A state study recommending one of the options for Interstate 81 is due to be completed in January.
Gillibrand is opposed in the Nov. 6 election by Republican Chele Farley. Gillibrand is running for her second six-year term in the Senate after winning a special election in 2010.
Spending a billion-plus dollars on a town of 140,000? Really? It would be different if the demographics table showed population increase. The town dropped from 220,000 in 1950 to 163,000 in 1990. It’s practically dead, and this whole road construction idea is just dumping federal funding down some massive pit.
I read the article. I’m wondering what a “community grid” is, and how it would replace an interstate highway.
If you build it, you can force them to come.
Basically, instead of the viaduct going through town, the traffic coming from the north and the south on I-81 would be dispersed via surface streets, which would basically stand in for the viaduct.
>>a street-level community grid to replace the elevated portion of Interstate 81
sounds like they want to remove the “bypass” and force all riders to go through the “business route”.
And street level sounds to me like traffic lights.
And congestion.
>>U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, have declined to take a position on the I-81 project, insisting the decision must be driven by the community, not elected officials.
Elected officials don’t have any say about budgets?
Will the local community be paying for this by themselves?
or will they be asking daddy warbucks to take them to disneyland?
>>She added, “I’ve seen this across New York. If you want a vibrant economy, create a vibrant downtown.”
Nobody goes downtown in many cities in this country if they don’t have to.
Civic offices etc.
Creating arts/sports/dining districts is folly.
Instant traffic jam. Gillibrand is a backwards thinker.
My take....prepare yourself for a monstrous Casino in Syracuse.
Dumb...
traffic lights and highway traffic from out of towners equals revenue tickets.
...The federal government typically pays about 80 percent of the costs of interstate highway projects...
That’s you!
It wouldn’t matter. Upstate is dying. And a boondoggle like this won’t save it. Gillibrand is throwing other people’s money at Syracuse in the hope of buying some union votes.
1950 220,583 7.1%
1960 216,038 −2.1%
1970 197,208 −8.7%
1980 170,105 −13.7%
1990 163,860 −3.7%
2000 147,306 −10.1%
2010 145,170 −1.5%
The above are Census figs for Syracuse. The charlie foxtrot Gillibrand wants to waste OPM on is not going to fix THAT.
Notice she doesn’t mention crime.
but I seem to remember that under the viaduct its pretty seedy...
DA on 16-year-old accused gang killer: 'How's that war on poverty working out?'
I am old enough to remember long distance driving before interstates. You would take a US highway from town to town where you would get caught in the local downtown traffic. The best towns had a bypass highway to avoid the downtown. I can’t imagine a modern interstate emptying into local streets for a trip through town. Anyhow here are some pictures of the Syracuse alternatives https://www.dot.ny.gov/i81opportunities/alternatives
A little background. The I-81 overpass runs through the city of Syracuse effectively cutting the city in half. I can see it from my office. The problem is that it has reached the end of its life and must be replaced. The three alternatives are:
1) Building a new overpass. Although it sounds simple it would require using eminent domain to demolish building all along its path. This is because regulations now require the addition of shoulders that the current overpass lacks.
2) Tearing down the overpass and replacing it with a street grid, which Gillibrand (and I) favor. This would require diverting current north-south traffic onto the 481-690 beltway that circles the city.
3) Digging a tunnel under the city, i.e. another Big Dig. This is by far the most expensive alternative. For that reason it’s the one I expect will be ultimately approved.
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