That's the dilemma with Interstate 81 in Syracuse, NY, an elevated freeway that cuts through the center of the city. At the end of its life expectancy, planners are debating its fate.
The freeway shows a lot of wear and tear, but transportation folks say they can keep it going for a while longer. But Van Robinson, head of the Syracuse Common Council, has another idea:
Emma Jacobs reports:
"Robinson's subscribed to an idea popular with a lot of urban advocates that downtown expressways should be torn down. Along with some citizens' groups and the Mayor, he'd like to see an urban boulevard at street level. Something that makes you interact with the city, not zip right through it.
However, some argue that interacting with all those cross streets could bring back the congestion and long commutes that downtown expressways were originally built to address."
FULL STORY: Syracuse stretch of I-81 nears expiration date
$11 Billion: Estimated Cost of Replacing the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway With a Tunnel
A plan to teardown the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and build a tunnel in its place has new political support and an expensive engineering plan.
Hartford Facing Tough Choices About Downtown Highway
The Interstate 84 viaduct in Hartford, Connecticut, is past due for major updates, and a variety of very different possibilities are on the table.
Trading Highways for Homes
More and more, cities are seeing little-used highways as a chance to reverse the planning decisions of the 20th century and provide more housing and economic opportunities.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
How Community Science Connects People, Parks, and Biodiversity
Community science engages people of all backgrounds in documenting local biodiversity, strengthening connections to nature, and contributing to global efforts like the City Nature Challenge to build a more inclusive and resilient future.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Dear Tesla Driver: “It’s not You, It’s Him.”
Amidst a booming bumper sticker industry, one writer offers solace to those asking, “Does this car make me look fascist?”
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Santa Clarita
Ascent Environmental
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service