No More I-81

The Common Councilor Van Robinson held a news conference today at Syracuse University to announce that progress is being made towards removing Interstate 81. Robinson says the proposals have gone out to over one hundred companies who are willing to submit a bid to the Syracuse Metro Transit Council. The bid is for studying the possibilities of removing I-81. So far, nineteen companies have responded to his proposal. The bidding closes August 5^th and the common council will pick a company within thirty to sixty days. In about 2 years they will sign a contract with the company. Robinson says that tearing down the highway is a good idea for the area. “It’s very apparent that if it comes down one this you will do is slow traffic 2 by having it come down it will improve the property values around the I-81 corridors.” If the project is approved in 2015 there could be no more I-81.

Interstate 81 and Public Transportation

Syracuse Common Councilor Van Robinson is leading the attempt to remove interstate 81. During a news conference at Syracuse University he said a report out today, cited a significant increase in public transportation use. Robinson said the removal of interstate 81 will get even more people to use the bus. Robinson called Syracuse the “Emerald City,” in regards to the city’s efforts to conserve energy. He believes rerouting 81 will help Syracuse become this emerald city, by removing pollutants from the center of the city. He gave a specific increase he would like to see in transportation, should the city follow through with the removal of 81. Robinson said "Rider-ship has increased by thirty percent. If we could increase that by another fifty percent it would handle a lot of our issues as far as energy is concerned."

Robinson said another benefit to doing away with this section of the interstate, is that it will add to the economy. He used San Francisco as an example of a city that removed a major freeway. "It had an economic return in the millions of dollars," Robinson said. The city has received 19 proposals back from companies who want to assist the city in evaluating the benefits of removing the interstate. The deadline is August 5th for proposals.

Here is an article on how locals feel about the current public transportation system. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf?/base/news-4/121611210331890.xml&coll=1

Interstate-81 Causing Concerns with Citizens

Common Council at-Large, Van Robinson, announced that progress has been made on the plan to remove and rerout Interstate-81 during a news conference at Syracuse University today. Robinson said proposals were sent out to businesses about the plan to remove and reroute Interstate-81. Nineteen companies have already replied to the proposal.

Robinson said the removal is necessary because the highway has become a safety issue.

"This highway is at the end of its life expectancy," Robinson said. "If nothing is done, we can just sit back because the highway is going to fall down on its own."

Despite the necessity of the removal of I-81, the people of Syracuse have some concerns as to the extent of their ability to commute from one place to another, Robinson said.

"How do I get to work? Secondly, are you going to increase my commute time? How about emergencies? Will emergency vehicles be able to get me to the hospital in a timely way?" Robinson said.

These problems were going to have to be dealt with, however, actual work on the I-81 will not begin for another two years.

For more information, visit the Rethinking I-81 website.

“Progress” on 81 Tear Down Plan

At a news conference on Wednesday, Common Councilor-at-Large Van Robinson announced there has been progress in his plan to tear down a section of Interstate 81. Robinson says 19 engineering and consulting firms have already bid to run a study on what to do about 81. He says something needs to be done urgently. “This highway is at the end of its life expectancy,” he says, “so we have no alternatives”. Robinson says there is no official quote for how much his willed project will cost. But he estimates it will be around $2 billion. But no matter what the cost, Robinson says the federal government will pay for 80 percent and the state, the remaining 20. But who will foot the bill seems like an issue that won’t need to be dealt with for quite some time. Companies have until August 5th to submit their bid proposals, and once one is chosen 30-60 days after that, it could take up to 2 years until they determine if the project is even feasible.

Van Robinson says I-81 is Dangerous

A news conference with Common Councilor-at-Large Van Robinson at Syracuse University announced the latest information regarding the renovation and/or removal of Interstate-81.
"Requests for proposals have gone out to over 100 companies asking them to submit to the syracuse metropolitan council a bid for the commencement of a study group to study the effects of removing i-81 and its impact on the syracuse-metropolitan region," Robinson said. 19 companies have already responded to Robinson's proposal.

Robinson says tearing down I-81 is something that needs to happen. "This highway is at the end of it's life expectancy. if nothing is done, we can just sit back, because the highway is going to fall down on its own." Robinson also says there's no time to waste as "large chunks of concrete are already falling off of 81." The project needs to happen because the highway is no longer safe.

The good news about the proposed project is: local tax payers will not have to pay for the project. Robinson says the federal government will fund "80 percent of the costs for removal; the state will pick up the other percent."

For more information on Councilor Robinson, visit: Van Robinson

To view a short article and responses to the I-81 debate, visit: Rethinking 81

Looking for a Plan for I-81 in Syracuse

The Syracuse Common Council sent requests for proposals to more than 100 companies to assess what to do with Interstate 81 that runs through the city. Common Councilor-at-Large Van Robinson spoke at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at SU today. He said companies are proposing to run a study on what to do with the highway, whether it's reconstructing or removing it.

Robinson says something has to be done with I-81. "This highway is at the end of its life expectancy. If nothing is done, we can just sit back because the highway is going to fall down on its own" he said.

Robinson says state senators Chuck Schumer and Hilary Clinton, city leaders and business people have accepted the idea of removing the part of I-81. The city is now looking for feedback on the project from the general public. People have already expressed concerns about increased commute times and getting to work and Robinson says these issues will be addressed in the study.

Nineteen engineering and consulting firms already have bid to run the study and gather information from people who live in the Syracuse area. Bids will be accepted until August 5th.

Robinson says the study could take one to two years and he wants I-81 through Syracuse to be removed by 2015.

A Mission to Tear Down I-81

A part of Interstate 81 could be missing by 2015 if Common Councilor-at large Van Robinson finally gets his way. At a news conference today at S-U, Robinson told student reporters that his idea is still making progress even after pushing the plan for more than five years.

Robinson says 19 companies sent in bids to the city to study how tearing down a part of 81 will effect the area. Robinson says it will be at least another two months before the city picks a company to do the study, which will give a better idea of people think about his plan.

"What they're attempting to do is explore the attitudes of the people who live in the area," Robinson says.

Robinson says companies have until August 5th to put in a bid to run the study. But Robinson says it could take up to two years before the study is finished.

Several big cities have also replaced elevated highways with boulevards, such as New York City, Portland and San Fransisco. Robinson says he wants to tear out the section of Interstate 81 that spans over the center of Syracuse and replace it with a boulevard that runs from the Route 481/Interstate 81 South intersection up to the Carousel Mall.