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.
Actually, I-81 traffic already goes through downtown Syracuse. Gillibrand apparently likes the proposal to take down the I-81 viaduct and have the traffic dispersed on surface streets. People who want to go fast through the area would have to take the I-481 bypass instead.
Sounds right to me. The “community grid” is just a glorified on/off ramp. 481 will become the real road.
They did this in Boston. Tore down an elevated highway and put mostly parks through there. I guess it’s better. I never spend a lot of time there.
I’ve been posting like forever about what a moron this ditz Gillibrand is. A complete moron. So what does that make the lazy voters who, rather than do any research on the other candidates, just pulled the lever for the incumbent? I hate getting screwed over by voters to the left, right, hind, and front of me being this kind of lazy, careless voter. I have to live with their stupidity.
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