After about 60 years, Syracuse finally has an opportunity to fundamentally change how Interstate 81 is directed through the city.

The interstate bisects an area just adjacent downtown, and some say its design is one reason why Syracuse has one of the highest reported poverty rates in the United States.

Choosing the new design of I-81, which is set for a major reconstruction project, is one of the most important decisions Syracuse officials have ever had to make.

There are three primary options, currently being considered by New York state, for the project: a rebuild of the existing, raised viaduct; the digging of a new tunnel underneath Syracuse; and a redirect of throughway traffic east around the city on Interstate 481, with a new “community grid” for street traffic replacing the viaduct. Some politicians also support hybrid options, combining the grid concept with other ideas, such as a tunnel.

For anyone who claims to care about the future of the city, the best option for I-81’s replacement is a community grid.

“The community grid would centralize more economic activity within the city,” said Austin Zwick, an assistant teaching professor of public affairs at Syracuse University, in an email.

By looking at redlining maps of Syracuse, and a map of where poverty is most concentrated in the city, you can see how predominantly black neighborhoods were sectioned off, people living there were refused loans and, ultimately, discriminated against, decades ago. Those areas, in cases, closely follow I-81’s route through the city.

I-81 segregated the city. It developed a commuter atmosphere. It drove residents to the suburbs.

Both the state options of solely replacing I-81 with a tunnel, or simply rebuilding the viaduct, do not repair the aforementioned, generational damage. It would only exacerbate that damage.

The tunnel option could be expected to cost more than $3 billion. It could also take up to 10 years to build. Those who continue to support a tunnel are prioritizing a slight difference in commute time above the better interests of the city’s economy.

The community grid is the cheapest option, with a final cost expected to be at about $1.3 billion. It would take four to six years to construct, and include the demolition of I-81’s viaduct, which has divided the city for over half a century.

Almond Street — which is located minutes from Syracuse University’s Main Campus — would be widened to become a pedestrian-friendly corridor. If planned and executed correctly, students on University Hill would have access to a slew of opportunities created by the community grid, as opposed to the dark and pothole-ridden underpass we currently have.

We cannot hop in a DeLorean and erase the mistakes of our predecessors. We must use our time here to move forward, bringing new economic prosperity to Syracuse. The first step begins with a community grid.

Steven Kemp is a sophomore policy studies and broadcast digital journalism dual major. His column appears bi-weekly. He can be reached at shkemp@syr.edu or on twitter @SteveKemp98.

Published on February 6, 2019 at 10:25 pm