Several hundred people turned out Thursday for the last of a series of hearings about the future of Interstate 81 through Syracuse held by Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus). The forum was held at Fowler High School, just a few miles from the elevated portion of the highway, which has reached the end of its useful lifespan.
The community has been largely divided on the issue of how to replace the viaduct. Many in the city of Syracuse want a community grid, which would route through traffic around the city on Interstate 481. But many business owners, truckers, and residents of the suburbs want to see the viaduct stay where it is.
Aneesah Evans supports the community grid option. She lives four houses from 81 and at Thursday's hearing, said she believes there’s a connection between pollution from the highway and her son’s asthma.
"I would like for you to think about my son and all the other children, near and around this highway," she said.
While most of the people at the hearing supported the community grid, there were some concerned about the impact of removing a high-speed highway through the city. Joe Bright owns the Dunk and Bright furniture store on the city’s southside.
"I understand the decision can’t be based on what a furniture store thinks should happen, obviously that’s ridiculous," Bright said. "But more broadly, what do you say to businesses and communities that have been built up around the highway?"
Katko said the four hearings he held may not have changed any minds, but they gave the community a chance to see both sides of an issue, that will become clearer after the state Department of Transportation releases a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on the replacement options.
"Let's see what happens. We don’t know what the DEIS is going to say. It could knock out one of the projects," said Katko. "But whatever the governor decides to do, I think people now understand a little more what the issues are, than they did before. Whether they agree or not, at least they’ve heard them, and that’s a worthwhile exercise."
Katko has not taken a public stand on the issue. He said his job is to help get the federal funding that will pay 80 percent of the bill.
