By Russ Tarby
Contributing Writer
New York State Department of Transportation officials have scheduled six “community open houses” at Liverpool Public Library to discuss proposed safety improvements along Onondaga Lake Parkway.
More than 100 people crowded into the Liverpool Middle School Cafeteria on Dec. 2 to examine the DOT’s preliminary design concepts for the $8.6 million project which include eliminating one lane in each direction for portions of the parkway, installing medians, reducing the speed limit, replacing the over-height vehicle detection system and improving signage.
Twenty speakers participated in the Dec. 2 public hearing conducted by the Liverpool Village Board of Trustees. Most of those speakers criticized the half-dozen DOT representatives who attended for refusing to listen to comments from the gathered residents and to answer questions.
On Jan. 17, when DOT project manager Cindy Bell announced the dates and times of the upcoming “open houses,” her press release specifically stated that DOT officials would answer questions.
“Preliminary project illustrations and traffic simulations will be available,” the statement said. “NYSDOT representatives will also be present at all events to answer questions from the general public.”
The six meetings are part of the DOT’s follow-up to its previous community-outreach efforts that began with a presentation at Chestnut Hill Middle School on Nov. 14. Approximately 80 citizens attended that meeting, and while DOT officials spoke with many of them one-on-one, no questions were addressed publicly.
“The open house meetings are part of NYSDOT’s continuing effort to encourage public participation in the development of transportation projects,” according to the DOT release.
Open house dates are as follows at Liverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St.:
• 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22
• 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30
• 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3
• 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14
• 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19
• 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24
Liverpool Public Library is accessible to people with disabilities. If a sign language interpreter, assisted-listening system or other accommodation will be required, contact Cindy Bell at 315-428-4348 or [email protected].
