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.
Or just tear it down and don’t replace it.
Right, another big dig. If the Rats didn’t run the media they would be at 20%.
ex Upstater here...
So if I going from say Watertown to Binghampton, I’ll need to take 481 around Syracuse?
Then build me a connector from 481 to 81 that crosses over the Seneca Turnpike.
Frankly, eminent domain is what made the Interstate System what it is.
Lot's of cities have long, expensive tunnels, I remember when Buffalo's subway was put in, 5.2 miles underground.
Now I can't find an estimate of the total costs to build, but seems to me it was in the $billions, for a system which today moves around 8-million passengers per year.
Anyway, I've always thought such expenses were more about civil defense than actual transportation.
I-81 through Syracuse is several miles shorter than the beltway around, so I always use it late at night when the traffic isn't too heavy.
Tks for real info on it
Never been to Syracuse