Revolutionary Road (the blog)

The Wall of Syracuse

This month’s (April) issue of Jerk features a story by Kate Pennington on I-81’s future and it’s past. We here at the Jerk Blog would like to give you an opportunity to discuss the future of I-81 and how you think the city of Syracuse should handle the raised highway.

Here are the three options of the future of I-81 that did not make it into the magazine’s online post. They can be found printed in the April 2009 issue of Jerk and here.

The Re-Do

Put it back up! But it’s not as easy as it sounds. Since the configuration of I-81 in 1964, a lot has changed in highway construction. There are more people, and consequently more (and bigger) cars on the road. The Interstate will need to be widened with new access ramps and a whole slew of other construction changes to accommodate today’s fast-paced world.

Urban Boulevard

This concept relocates I-81 through-traffic to I-481, with corresponding improvements to the junctions of those routes. A Rodeo Drive in Syracuse would require a reconfiguration of the Almond Street corridor with fewer lanes and some streetscape improvements. This concept would increase pedestrian and bicycle traffic between downtown and the Hill with tree-lined streets and parks.

Central Park

Syracuse architect Steve Buechner’s baby. Buechner proposed replacing I-81 with an underground highway in a tunnel capped by an urban park of about 30 acres. The park would include a small pond, walking trails, picnic shelters, carousel, and children’s play area. “It would encourage people to buy land and build business around it,” Buechner explained.

Please leave your comments and thoughts and we look forward to a fruitful discussion.

–The Jerks