This time in Syracuse, NY. From Better! Cities & Towns:
The elevated Interstate 81 lays above the gritty downtown of Syracuse, New York, (map here) like an immense basilisk. The highway’s noise, grungy concrete, and particulates enforce an anti-people zone in the heart of the city. It has been called Syracuse’s “Berlin Wall,” dividing neighborhoods and the city by race.
Now, the 1.4-mile-long Syracuse “viaduct” is crumbling and nearing the end of its useful life. Officials must decide whether to tear it down or spend upwards of a half billion dollars — mostly federal money — to replace it, according to a report on NPR. Removing the highway would spur significant development, a State University of New York study finds. But a project manager for the state DOT raises fears that local streets could not handle the traffic.
