SYRACUSE -- Mayor Stephanie Miner is calling upon the State Department of Transportation to halt the pending shutdown of a section of Erie Boulevard.
Miner sent a letter to NYS DOT Regional Director Carl Ford on Tuesday, claiming she recently "discovered" that the state was beginning a project on Monday, March 15 that will require the closing of Erie Boulevard in both directions over West Street in the downtown area of Syracuse.
The mayor's office says city engineers and the Syracuse Police Department are worried about the impact of having sections of both Interstate 81 and Erie Boulevard closed at the same time. I-81 North is currently closed because of safety concerns, until a dilapidated brick building on the 900 block of State Street can be demolished.
In her letter to Ford, Miner says that traffic along West Street would be affected by lane restrictions and the closure of the eastbound ramp to Erie Boulevard. According to the letter, the project would not be completed until Labor Day.
Miner's letter says, "In light of the recent closure of Interstate 81 and the resulting frustration in our area, I am requesting that the New York State Department of Transportation delay this project." Miner adds that the closure of Erie Boulevard, the closing of Route 81 and construction of the Court Street and Butternut Street bridges have "created a great deal of frustration and inconvenience for our area's residents and in particular our local businesses."
A spokesperson for the State DOT has not yet returned our call for comment.
