BALDWINSVILLE — Last summer, the Van Buren Town Board passed a resolution opposing the New York State Thruway Authority’s proposal to remove the Canton Street Bridge over the Thruway. Now, the Onondaga County Legislature has followed suit. The legislature unanimously passed a similar resolution March 2 urging the Thruway Authority to consider rehabilitation or replacement of the bridge.
County Legislator Ken Bush Jr. (13th District, R-Jordan) made the motion for the resolution. The Canton Street Bridge is located in Bush’s district.
The Central New York section of the Thruway opened in 1954. The Canton Street Bridge was built to maintain “connectivity for communities located along the Thruway corridor, at that time, for social, economic, agricultural, industrial, educational and future growth and expansion,” according to the Van Buren Town Board’s July 21, 2020, resolution.
“The town of Van Buren considers the proposed removal project to be environmentally, socially and economically short-sighted as well as detrimental to public safety and established vehicle and pedestrian traffic for the walking residents, students and school buses,” read the July 21, 2020, resolution.
The legislature’s March 2 resolution contained much of the same language as Van Buren’s, adding that the proposal would “negatively impact commercial and industrial businesses, as well as property values within the hamlet of Warners, towns of Camillus and Van Buren.”
Last year, Van Buren Town Supervisor Claude Sykes said SYSCO Foods, the Memphis-Warners Fire Department, the West Genesee School District, Onondaga County DOT and several residents in the area are opposed to the bridge removal as well. Van Buren Highway Superintendent Doug Foster said the highway department relies on the bridge to access town roads quickly and safely during snowplow season.
Thruway Authority Executive Director Matt Driscoll told CNY Central on March 4 that it would cost at least $9 million to bring the Canton Street Bridge up to current safety standards.
Other local leaders are showing solidarity with the county and Van Buren. State Sen. John Mannion (50th District, D-Geddes) released a statement last month pledging to fight for the bridge.
“The Thruway Authority isn’t going to balance its billion dollar books on a small bridge in Onondaga County,” he said. “For the good of the residents, businesses, and first responders — the Canton Street Bridge must be saved. It will be one of my top priorities in Albany.”
Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli (129th District, D-Syracuse) told CNY Central on March 4 that he is aware of area residents’ and leaders’ concerns.
“I have viewed the bridge and talked with the executive director at New York State Thruway Authority on several occasions. The bridge is in need of repair. However, no course of action, to my knowledge, has been agreed upon as of this date. We continue to look into the matter,” Magnarelli said.
“We’re appreciative of any help that we can get in keeping that bridge,” Sykes said at the March 3 Van Buren Town Board meeting.
