LETTER: Cicero supervisor supports hybrid tunnel for I-81

To the editor:

Some thoughts on the future of I-81.

I support the tunnel with a grid built over it. I believe that the needs of all Central New York residents are best served by this option. Since 2013, polls and surveys of our residents show that 66 percent of Central New Yorkers want to keep Route 81’s current route.

With the tunnel/grid, through traffic efficiently moves north and south. I don’t know of any major city that disrupts the pass through traffic of an interstate highway and diverts thousands of cars per day onto a boulevard. I’m not convinced that creating a bumper-to-bumper boulevard with at least 14 traffic lights brings a community closer together. Add to that the pollution caused by idling cars and trucks at traffic lights and the increased noise with bumper-to-bumper gridlock. Are the true costs of improving Route 481 and Route 690 to accommodate the thousands of diverted vehicles per day included in the grid-only option price tag?

Have we adequately considered the economic impact of a grid only option on our neighboring communities and especially the town of Salina with its gas stations, restaurants and hotels placed right off the I-81 exit? What will be the economic impact on Destiny USA with its 5,000 employees and its own I-81 exit? A serious study needs to be done.

It is estimated that a tunnel/grid could cost $3.6 billion. Remember that nearly $4 billion was spent on the Mario Cuomo Bridge (Tappan Zee Bridge) in New York City. How many more billions of dollars will the governor spend on New York City subways? Aren’t we in Upstate deserving of the same kind of consideration?

What are the effects that a Grid only option would have on public safety? It is said that it could take an additional 3 to 6 minutes to drive an ambulance or rescue vehicle to the hospital in ideal conditions (i.e. no accidents or snow delays). Is that acceptable? Tell that to your family member who’s having a heart attack. Have the engineers considered adding a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane to the grid to get our first responders to the hospitals in an emergency?

All of the concerns surrounding this project need to be addressed. If the tunnel/grid overlay option is rejected, the 19 Onondaga County supervisors unanimously believe that rebuilding the viaduct is the best alternative option to serve Central New York’s future.

Please note that Congressman Katko and Sen. Schumer have said that they would push for the lion’s share of the monies needed in Washington if we can come together with a consensus. Build the tunnel.