Letter to Hon. Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation

Dear Secretary Buttigieg:

As County Legislators in Onondaga County we represent the Towns, Villages and the City of Syracuse. On behalf of our residents, we ask you to consider supporting a hybrid development by rebuilding the elevated portion of Interstate 81 through Syracuse in conjunction with the “community grid” option currently proposed by the New York State Department of Transportation to address all public safety and welfare concerns.

Removing the North-South corridor through Syracuse would decimate already depleted local economies struggling to rebound from COVID-19. Without high speed infrastructure, those 90,000 daily vehicles will fill other roadways. Traffic on city streets would diminish our city air quality, wreak havoc on our aged roadways and delay first responders when they’re needed most. The sounds and fumes of idling traffic along the proposed grid would be detrimental to residents and businesses nearby.

The “community grid” concept has merit as a component of rebuilding I-81. We would encourage the construction of a “community grid” as part of the rebuild that will meet the needs of all of Central New York’s residents. Developing a grid without a high-speed option to travel North- South through the City of Syracuse would be shortsighted considering the businesses that have developed along the I-81 corridor over the past 70 years. We need to replace the viaduct with a bridge that recognizes the development that has already taken place because of the current footprint of this important thoroughfare. We also see the value in encouraging residents and visitors to traverse along city streets below the elevated highway and we want to improve those as well. Rather than nearly half a billion dollars to retrofit peripheral roads in DeWitt and other areas, consider spending those funds on improving infrastructure and ways of life in the City of Syracuse. A hybrid project supports smart growth while resisting suburban sprawl and an exodus of City residents from their homes.

We would like to join those who have invited you to visit Syracuse to see our community and learn exactly what this transformational project would entail. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

The Onondaga County Legislature’s Republican Caucus