Posted on 11/16/2018 11:56:33 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
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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