By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
More than 12 years after the original plan was laid out, the Brewerton Revitalization Project continues to take shape in Cicero. The Cicero Town Board held a workshop Feb. 3 at the Cicero Senior Center to discuss the project’s progress.
John Guariglia, an engineer with Saratoga Associates, said work has already been completed on the west side of Riverfront Park, including walking paths and the addition of picnic tables. The project also includes improvements to parking, curbing and sidewalks on Walnut Street. Guariglia said he expects the asphalt work to be done this spring.
Improvements to the eastern portion of the park remain, including a revamped entry to the park, a green area, and a pavilion. Guariglia presented the board with an excerpt from the New York State Department of Transportation’s final design report on the Brewerton Revitalization Project, which described the pavilion as a “1,300 square foot, partially open-air structure.” There is no formal design yet for the pavilion, but the town is hoping to host concerts and other events there.
Guariglia said improvements coming to Route 11 include decorative paver “bump-outs” of 8 to 9 feet on each side to alert drivers to crosswalks and allow pedestrians to cross quickly and safely. He said the bump-outs will be flush with the street; raised bump-outs would have interfered with snow removal. These bump-outs will not necessarily narrow Route 11, but will “re-establish” it for drivers and pedestrians alike.
“Do you really think that this is going to slow down traffic?” Councilor Judy Boyke asked.
“You can only try. Studies have been made that if you narrow the perceived roadway, drivers move more slowly,” Guariglia said.
Guariglia acknowledged that traffic is a “free-for-all” in Brewerton right now, but changing drivers’ perception of the roadway will slow them down.
“People aren’t going to continue to feel comfortable going 55 in a 45,” he said. “If you can slow down 75% of the vehicles, I would consider that a win.”
While the particular material for the decorative bump-outs has not been finalized, Guariglia said the pavers will be permeable, which reduces runoff.
Councilor Mike Becallo suggested improved lighting at crosswalks would make Brewerton safer for pedestrians. Guariglia said the NYSDOT recommends plenty of signage leading up to a crosswalk.
The DOT has also determined that Route 11 needs a left-turn-only lane onto Bennett Street. Boyke said she found the idea of a turning lane at the foot of the bridge concerning.
Speaking of the Route 11 bridge, the state has yet to begin work on the aging structure. Jody Rogers, the town’s parks and recreation director, said work on the bridge would not start until 2022 at the earliest.
Rogers said the addition of parking adjacent to Riverfront Park is pivotal for businesses in the area, especially with the changes coming to Route 11, the park’s overnight parking ban, and the elimination of street parking in front of some businesses in Brewerton.
However, the town does not have the funding for this parking lot. Rogers said the town is pursuing additional grants, but Cicero would have to pay for the improvements and then be reimbursed.
In September 2019, Onondaga County pledged $75,000 toward the project.
“The governor’s budget is not going to help the county, so expecting the county to continue helping is unrealistic,” Supervisor Bill Meyer said.
To learn more about the Brewerton Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, visit ciceronewyork.net/lwrp.
