SYRACUSE -- Construction on the Destiny USA pedestrian bridge closed down a section of Hiawatha Blvd. West between Solar Street and Van Rensselaer Street Thursday afternoon, as one of the most iconic sections of the newly expanded Destiny USA began to take shape.
The bridge will be enclosed in glass, climate controlled and allow shoppers from the parking lot across the road (Hiawatha Blvd.) to access the second floor of the "canyon" area of the mall easily. It's a unique idea, something developers thought would be more convenient for the shoppers.
"Accessibility is key," David Aitken, who is on the Destiny USA team, says. "Climate control is key, and the fact that it's free, safe and convenient, those are all reasons why people want to come back."
Many shoppers are excited about the fact that the bridge will spread traffic out more, leading to less congestion and making it easier to access the mall.
As the construction continues, today's shutdown plagued some traffic in the area around Carousel Mall, but the sight of construction workers on the bridge, which goes over Hiawatha Blvd., was a sign of things to come.
"I'm very excited, I think it's a wonderful thing," Cathy Finniss, who was shopping on Thursday, says. "It will especially bring people to the city, it's going to be wonderful for Syracuse, and for the people here."
The current construction on the new expansions and stores at Destiny USA is supplying more than 300 jobs to the area, and once the construction is finished, the new stores will employ an estimated 5,000 workers.
Hiawatha Blvd West will be closed once again from Van Rensselaer Street to Solar Street from July 16th to July 25th from 6am to 6pm for more construction on the pedestrian bridge. The Destiny team hopes to have the construction done by the time the mall is rebranded officially as Destiny USA on August 2nd.
