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I-81 Project will not increase traffic in Dewitt

Post-Standard letter

November 27, 2022

To the Editor:

I fail to see the rationale in Dewitt Town Supervisor Ed Michalenko’s claim that the I-81 Project will increase traffic in Dewitt. He appears to think that the additional traffic on I-481 will somehow add traffic on Genesee St through Dewitt and beyond. Let’s break this down: 1) Replacing the I-81 viaduct downtown with a connected street will, in fact, encourage thru-traffic to take I-481; 2) However, the additional thru-traffic on I-481 will, by definition, not add to Dewitt Genesee St traffic; it is destined north or south of Syracuse; 3) Planned lengthening of I-481 exit ramps is to protect travel lanes from exit backups that occur today, not to increase exit throughput---which is limited by existing Genesee St traffic; 4) According to NYSDOT, the large majority of I-81 traffic (circa 87%) is destined to Syracuse (probably includes all points between I-81/I481 north and south); therefore, only 13% or less of current I-81 traffic will shift to I-481 in the future; and NYSDOT says that current I-481 traffic is very low compared to capacity and can easily handle the projected additional traffic.

So, tearing down the viaduct will not increase traffic in Dewitt. However, it may help Dewitt develop more as the I-81 Project spurs new development in Syracuse.

The problems Michalenko predicts are actually today’s problems, namely local heavy traffic along Genesee St from I-481 exit to Lyndon Corners. The fundamental cause, which is common to most suburbs, is a weakly connected street-grid, a lack of major roads; there are endless subdivisions with hundreds of homes each with only one or two connections to a main road; all traffic dumps onto one or two main roads. One travels along an apparently rural tree-lined suburban road and wonders where all the traffic is coming from, then realizes that just behind the trees it is all developed. To solve this, Dewitt should work to develop one or two new major east-west roads through Dewitt, and in the shorter term build a roundabout at Lyndon Corners.

The Community Grid plan will not harm Dewitt, but I believe it is an extremely poor plan for Syracuse, mostly because it is more a highway plan with a viaduct removal option rather than a true street-grid plan. It throws away so much opportunity to improve Syracuse’s streets and future economic and cultural prosperity. I hope City officials and the public will take time to revisit the street-grid plan and concepts I have previously submitted to the public record: https://www.arsteca.net/i81/

By the way, there is still time to make changes. Work within the city—where the issues are—is not expected to begin until 2025 or 2026.

Carlo Moneti
Syracuse