Miner Urges NYSDOT Action on I-81 -- 1 29 14

8/13/2019 Miner Urges NYSDOT Action on I-81 -- 1 29 14

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OFFICE OF THE MAYORHon. Stephanie A. Miner, Mayor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Alexander MarionDATE: January 29, 2014 Press Secretary (315) 448-8044

233 EAST WASHINGTON STREET * SYRACUSE, NEW YORK 13202

315-448-8005 |www.syrgov.net

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MINER URGES NYSDOT TO BETTER EDUCATE

AND INCLUDE CITIZENS OF SYRACUSE IN I-81

DECISION MAKING PROCESS

Miner: Redeveloping I-81 is a Once in a Lifetime Opportunity, LetsGet

it Right

SYRACUSE, N.Y.Mayor Stephanie A. Miner urged the New York State Department of

Transportation (NYSDOT) to work towards better educating and including members of the

Syracuse community in the decision making process about alternatives to Interstate 81. Miner

made these requests of NYSDOT in a letter submitted as part of the public comment process inthe environmental review (EIS) initial scoping phase of theI-81 Opportunities Project.

The redevelopment of Interstate 81 is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the City of Syracuseto change the landscape of our community, said Syracuse Mayor Stephanie A. Miner.We

need to make sure this process is done right. To do so, community stakeholders need to be active,

educated, and engaged in the process. It is critical that NYSDOT take into account the needs and

desires of those who live and work in the shadow of this highway each and every day.

In her letter, Mayor Miner called on NYSDOT to better inform and include members of the

Syracuse community in the decision making process. Miner said that while the community hasbeen invited to attend some public meetings, residents and stakeholders have been largely left in

the dark when it comes to the decision making process and project timelines. Additionally, Miner

pressed NYSDOT to release more information on design alternatives and their community,

economic, environmental, and traffic impacts.

We needto make sure the public is fully informed on how decisions regarding I-81 will bemade and the people of Syracuse deserve to play a role in that decision making process, added

Mayor Miner.I want to impress upon NYSDOT that this project is not just about moving cars,its about the people of the City of Syracuse.
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The full text of Miners letter can be found below.

January 17, 2014

ATTN: Commissioner Joan McDonald

NYSDOT Region 3I-81 Viaduct Project333 E. Washington St.

Syracuse, NY 13202

Dear Commissioner McDonald:

Please consider this correspondence my official comment relative to the environmental review

process (EIS) Initial Scoping Comment Period the New York State Department of Transportation(NYSDOT) is conducting for theI-81 Opportunitiesproject. I appreciate your consideration and

engagement on this issue to date and I thank you for your willingness to work in partnership

with me and the people of the City of Syracuse to pursue the best possible outcomes for ourcommunity.

My comments below reflect some of my thoughts and concerns relative to this project, a number

of which I have already expressed to you.

First, I would like to reiterate my concern that our community has been provided with very

limited information regarding a number of project elements including the decision-makingprocess, project timelines and particularly specific design, community, economic development,

environmental, traffic and other ramifications that may be associated with the major alternatives

under considerations, as well as variations of these alternatives. Asking citizens to opine on

alternatives that have not been fully explained to them may create complications. I would like toencourage NYSDOT to provide a greater level of explanation and description relative to the

design, function and community impacts associated with all alternatives and sub-alternativesunder review.


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Additionally, as you move forward through this process, I would ask that the NYSDOT give

serious consideration to the following:

Solutions that look beyond the I-81 corridor itself. The study area should be inclusive,not only of the I-81 viaduct itself, but also of the surrounding street grid and overall

transportation network.

Solutions that include an examination of all modes of travel, and are accommodating toall users. This process should be about peoplenot just about moving cars. New and

enhanced transit options should also be contemplated as part of alternatives analysis.

Solutions that pursue a diversity of goals. Short commute times should not be a primeindicator of success in alternatives analysis. Getting to and from the urban core in a

timely fashion is but one of many measures of successful design. We should be mindful

that design should influence demand, not just react to demand projections.

Connectivity. Enhancing connectivity between the University Hill and Downtown areas,and throughout the urban core, should be a major goal of this project. The current

highway configuration and condition acts as a barrier between two of the most

structurally dense and economically vital economic areas of our city. The West Streetarterial also acts as a physical and psychological barrier. This project represents an

opportunity for us to knit our urban fabric back together, and make the I-81 corridor, the

West Street arterial and our entire city safer and more convenient to travel.

Economic potential. Our downtown is in the midst of a civic and economic renaissance.TheI-81 Opportunitiesproject is not just an opportunity for transportation solutions; it is

an opportunity to take our recent economic success to the next level. This project should

focus on solutions that create development opportunities, utilize urban planning bestpractices, and serve and connect the economic engines of our urban core neighborhoods.

Perhaps most importantlyneighborhood impacts, and community education andengagement. The urban renewal era of the mid-Twentieth Century was one of


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communities ignored and opportunities missed. Moving forward, this process must be

one of broad community inclusion. Analysis of alternatives should be mindful of

neighborhood impacts, social justice issues, economic opportunity, environmental justice

considerations and other associated concerns.

I thank you for this opportunity to engage in the Initial Scoping portion of the EIS. I want toreiterate my appreciation for your willingness to partner on this once-in-a-lifetime project.

Please feel free to contact me any time to discuss this issue further. Thank you for your

consideration.

Sincerely,

Stephanie A. Miner

Mayor

Miner Urges NYSDOT Action on I-81 -- 1 29 14

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