I'm Call Sir Nave.

I'm joined by Counselors Holland Hudson.

Patrona Jones Rouser.

Rashida Caldwell.

So we have asked Scott Butler and those of the Route 81690 project to speak today to give us an update on the project.

We're also going to be uh asking questions from my colleagues from the common council.

And we've asked those here to offer their comments as well.

So I want to welcome everyone here.

And if you want to introduce yourselves, and we can get started.

Thank you.

Okay.

I'll kick us off.

My name is Betsy Parmley.

I'm the regional director with New York State Department of Transportation.

I'm Mike Ryan.

I'm the deputy director for the 81 project with New York State DOT.

Scott Butler, I'm a special assistant with the I81 project and for the region.

Yeah, thank you.

All right.

So we just have a you know an update on where we are with this project.

Um so um we'll go quickly through these first few slides.

Counselors, you um have the package in front of you, it matches what's on the screen.

Um we always like to start with this slide, just it's an overall view of all of the work that's part of the 81 Viaduct project, two phases, nine contracts.

So um we are making really significant uh progress on this project.

So just real quick, let's see if this works.

Uh up in the northern interchange ID 141, that work is more or less complete.

It's operational.

Um we just have a few uh miscellaneous things to take care of up there, but otherwise that work is complete.

That work is all complete, more or less.

There's a little you know, buttoning up to do, but it's all operational.

Um we have those new roundabouts along Brighton Ave.

We have the new interchange at East Glenab.

Um, but that work is is complete.

So then moving right along.

Um this is also a view of that new interchange in contract two down in the valley serving um East Glen Ave.

So now uh people can actually get on and off I-81 going north and south.

Um that didn't exist before.

Um, and what we're hearing from people actually is it saves them from going through eight traffic signals actually by using uh this new interchange and this new um on and off ramp.

So that's complete and operational.

So then again, real quick, moving along to what we have going on in the north side.

So what we're looking at here is um that first bridge you see is Bear Street.

Um I-81 is running underneath it, then we have North Clinton.

So what we have completed so far is Bear Street is open, and Spencer Street is open, and we're in the process of rebuilding Court Street.

We also installed new on and off ramps serving ID one southbound to North Clinton.

So eventually, as part of this whole project, there will be a full interchange to get northbound and southbound all in this area, all in the bare area.

So we did kind of the southbound side, so that's really progressing.

Um shared use paths, sidewalks, um, street trees, decorative lighting had all have all been installed in that.

That is projected to be completed um for the most part at the end of this year with some buttoning up in the spring of 2027.

So um a lot of work happening.

So then that takes us to the contracts that are, I guess, much deeper in construction, if you will, and I'm gonna hand it off to Scott Butler to talk about.

So this is our contract for this is where we're one creating the new on and off ramps at Krauss uh Avenue, as well as converting Krauss and Irving to two ways up and down the intersection.

Um this is a little bit better.

Look at the overhead, right?

So you can see the blue in the in the orange line.

So this is uh taking people on and off at Krauss Avenue.

That's our first contract.

Our second contract, which Michael talked about, kind of comes back and recreates the Irving on and off ramps as a part of it.

We're extending Irving Avenue to Erie Boulevard as a powder contract for, as well as reconstructing the full bridge that runs over Low Dye uh Low Dye today.

Here's just a look at our work.

So we have this is looking kind of southbound, southeasterly.

Um, what you see is the Krauss Ave area.

So what we've done to this point is we're actually reconstructing that far south area right now where we have traffic in the middle where we don't where you don't see steel today.

What we'll have uh done, hopefully here shortly is shifting everybody to those new bridges that are um being constructed today.

We don't have a good photo of it, but you can see in the background how we're reconstructing the Low Dye Street Bridge uh at Erie and Water and uh Canal Street.

This one is is kind of a look at what we're gonna be doing in contract five.

So contract five is reconstructing uh all of Van Buren and Almond Streets, as well as creating the what we'll call the new uh entrance into the city of Syracuse from Calvin Street.

So what we'll be doing here is, and this is just a feature of it.

This is kind of uh back in the winter of how we were moving the railroad lines, how we're getting ready for construction.

Um, and then obviously this is what it will look like when we complete.

Um so we'll be removing those sections of uh the viaduct that come over.

We're also taking Calvin Street, starting at Calvin Street, heading into the city and out of the city is where we'll start to bring it to grade to run under the railroad where today the I-81 runs over the railroad.

One of the things that's a major part of these three, these three main city contracts that are part of phase one is replacing a lot of the infrastructure in all of these areas.

So one of the things that we did on contract four, we're separating the sewer system, right?

We have a combined sewer system here in Onadaga County, so we've been separating that throughout the project.

That's another big feature of our phase two.

Um the other things we're doing is replacing water and sewer lines throughout the city of Syracuse, as well as, and this is just a stat sheet of what we're doing uh throughout these three contracts inside the city of Syracuse to upgrade the facilities that are currently aging throughout that.

So you can see number of trees going in, new hydrants, new water lines, new sewer lines, and such.

Yes, we are very we do, you know.

This is as you can imagine, we have a lot of trees and shrubs going in across, and this is just the first three contracts in the city of Syracuse, much more as a part of our phase phase two contracts.

But yes, we do have a lot of uh things on the ground to keep water from going other places.

And your 41 of 32 new fire hydrants and 22 of zero new fire hydrants.

Yeah, so the so the just an explanation on some of these numbers.

So first and foremost with the fire hydrants.

So we have not installed some of the new fire hydrants on contract three.

So we're just showing you what we've installed to what we plan to install.

That 41 to 32 is actually we found we needed to replace more, so we're actually replacing more than we had planned to replace it originally.

And I'll just add for the contract three where it says 22 of zero.

We didn't plan on replacing any, and then we ended up installing 22 of them.

Thank you.

I just want to acknowledge counselors Donna Moore, Hannah, Erin Reich have joined us along with Councilor Caldwell.

Thank you.

Go ahead, because I know that you're replacing a lot of the things within all of the structure, right?

Yes, ma'am.

So it is a state project.

Yes, ma'am.

So who's going to maintain it?

Well, so then these facilities that our city owned facilities that we're replacing, we will be turning back over to the city of Syracuse for maintenance.

And a lot of these decisions were made with um the the city staff.

So the types of trees that were installing, the the type of grass, the type of uh you know, hardscape, that was all worked on with our you know, Joe Driscoll and team to make sure they were things that the city was able to maintain.

So we're making it as nice as possible, but maintainable, right?

the type of grass, the type of uh you know hardscape that was all worked on with with our you know Joe Driscoll and team to make sure they were things that the city was able to maintain so um we're making it as nice as possible but maintainable right I mean we have to the city has to be able to maintain all this but I do want to make sure we're pointing out that you know as part of this project um we are replacing I think it shows the linear feet of sewer of water the that's all new city infrastructure that's getting replaced and some of these lines are I think you you all know well better than us even um they're over a hundred years old some of these water lines and they're getting replaced with new water lines so where are we focusing the new sewer lines what sections of the city so they're getting it done without the same but tell us what parts of the city so basically anywhere our work is impacting the existing sewer lines or water lines or any utility if it really because there's a there's a lot underground so we have to install that that large drainage trunk line because right now it's a combined sewer so by installing that line we have to move things around so we're just wherever we're impacting the work that's where we're installing new infrastructure.

So that includes the uh like low ride brunette Ave area where we've had some um road closures and other parts uh noticing that it brings a lot of concern and we know we're doing a lot of work but again we have a lot of the uh the trucks that are coming back and forth and I've heard criticism uh on the south side in the area of MLK boulevard that they're they're bringing a lot of dust or not covered I've heard the same thing uh off of Court Street Sunset AF So I want to mention that because as much of the progress we're doing we're also sometimes inconveniencing people sure so if you want to address that as well before she does I want to jump in and add a little bit on to that because when you're talking about the trucks I've talked to Scott quite a bit about this because there is a truck route but these truckers basically they're taking city streets does not designate it for the truck route and a lot of the residents are complaining about that.

Yeah so you know we have alerted so we have a person we call our engineer in charge they're like the boots on the ground for and we have one assigned to each contract and um we have as early as just an hour ago made sure he is enforcing our truck routes um as much as we feasibly can and we will re we reiterate that we have a weekly meeting with the contract team and we tell them the routes they need to take I think one thing we're seeing is there's a lot of construction happening on the south side so you know I think there's an opportunity for the 81 Viaduct project and all the other projects in that area to make sure we are all following the truck routes that have been directed by the city because there's a lot of work going on and and one of our yards is on Oakwood so that's where they are traveling down MLK to Oakwood but um we are continuing to make sure these contractors are enforcing this as much as we possibly can and we're we're hearing that concern and we're we're doing everything we can to address it.

We really want to after residents do our residents be taking um the truck numbers license yes yes please yes the company name would be the very helpful thing for us absolutely yes question so um hi I'm Rashida nice nice to meet you guys.

So one of the things that um the concern first of all beautify so like we're know that this is going to be the new way we know the finished project is going to be beautiful but we know with any project getting it done there's always the in-between right yes so the issues that we're seeing from our community and from their concerned about the dust the debris the like one of the um constituents said I'll never wash my car because like the trucks are coming up and down and they're you know I never can keep my car clean because of that so what are we doing what are we saying what are we what is what is the um feedback that we're we're telling the community so there's a few things we have in place so um we actually have um so I guess I'll start with unfortunately I think dust is it's part of construction but that being said we have air quality monitors basically located on the boundary of our work and so what those monitors tell us is if we go above um you know the the standard threshold for air quality so for example on a day like today where there's wildfires our our monitors are going off because they know that the air quality has has you know decreased so we are constantly monitoring those and when we see spikes that go above those thresholds we address it with the contractor um we have water trucks that are going out there all the time if you're if the neighbors feel like there is a route that our trucks are traveling on that is dusty and is not seeing a water truck let us know because we have I think I think we have three water trucks now on the Southside contract alone.

If you're if the neighbors feel like there is a route that our trucks are traveling on that is dusty and is not seeing a water truck, let us know.

Because we have, I think, I think we have three water trucks now on the south side contract alone.

So they should be going through watering down the street uh and vacuuming up the the dirt as well.

Um we have noise monitors.

Um we have we've given out tacky mats to people in the neighborhood, and that's for you know, pedestrians as they enter their home, they can uh step on this mat and it removes the dust from their shoes before they enter their home.

Um what else am I?

So you guys went door to door and let the community in that neighborhood know, because you know, particularly in that side of the neighborhood, there's no garages.

Yeah, right.

So it's not like people can put their air drive.

You know, most people don't even have central air, so they have air conditioners in the window, so that dust, and there's a lot of seniors that I'm receiving costs for.

Okay.

So, like, what was the way of presenting that and how do they know to get that?

And were like um anything else provided for them?

Because this is gonna be a long haul, right?

And you know, health and safety has to be uh very important piece.

And by no means am I blamed.

I'm just want to be able to come up with uh a plan or what can we do to make sure that these this gets resolved because in that neighborhood there's going down MLK, hitting someone, there are a lot of older people, right?

Right.

So air quality to us is one thing, but their air quality is even needs to be better because of that, right?

So what are we doing to exercise that piece?

So with the taggy mat specifically, um any time there's been an event, we've gone to the coffee house at SHA, we've gone to Toomie Abbott, um, the basketball tournament, any chance we get, we hand them out.

We've not gone door to door, but if you know of a group, uh, we're happy to bring those tacky mats to those groups as well as to deliver as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays at Tucker Missionary, we have our outreach center open.

So if someone needs a tacky mat or needs or has an issue even come and talk to our staff and we can try to resolve it right there for them as well.

The one thing I would suggest uh um Drisco is how you guys go, is that we do go right?

If we can lease hit that neighborhood that is where the trucks are routing constantly, those that neighborhood should at least get a knock on the door to say, this is what it is, this is what's going on.

This is what's matter of fact, this is not what's about here.

You go, right?

And if you have an issue, if you see anything, here's a car, here's a number.

You're talking about three blocks, right?

That's someone to have because most of those people, that neighborhood are older people, right?

So they're not going to you, they're just you know, you they're just dealing with it, right?

So we have to figure a way to make sure it's better for them because this is like a two-year process at least, right?

That they're gonna be dealing with it.

Okay, okay.

And I have several, um, several questions.

Um so you talked about the um road dust and air pollution.

Now you said that the water trucks are also cleaning.

Yeah, we have a vag truck.

So we have a water truck, two water trucks that always are constantly trying to keep dust down.

And then we're also they they purchase a vag truck or basically a street sweeper that goes through in that same corridor where the water is to pick up any loose or uh loose debris that we see as we're going through.

So that goes through basically about two or three seconds after the water truck goes through to pick up any loose debris that they see.

Okay, I'll have to confirm that with the residents, but because a lot of them have complained that even after the water trucks go by, they're still like this white pasty debris in the road.

Okay, that they're concerned that if truck cars are driving over that.

It's carrying it other places.

Yep, making it airborne.

So they are concerned with that.

Um another.

Was there a specific street?

Like you guys have been really good giving a specific street.

Is there a sp is it this is these like the MLK Oakwood BERT area?

Yes.

Okay, yes.

Yep, yeah.

Um air pollution was a high um complaint for the residents of Tumey Abbott.

They're significantly concerned about um the air pollution.

Also in the Tumi Abbott parking spaces, um, there's been multiple vehicles told of um residents and vehicle um visitors who of Tumey Abbott from the people working on 81.

Um because they have their own little section that's somewhat blocked out, and if it's blocked out if you park next to it, but for some reason now they need that space, they told people's cars.

They have gotten three incidents where cars were told.

SHA did pay for one of the cars to be um to get it out of in-pound, but the others, why don't I got wind of it, it was already past the time.

And this was in the Toomy Abbott parking lot in that section?

At that bottom part, yeah, where um Well, we kind of took we did we did have to purchase some property to put in a walking path for residents as we do our construction.

So okay.

So in the visitors area, yep.

They told and people's cars.

Okay.

One person lost their vehicle.

One person did not get their vehicle back.

Um, and that they they've lost their vehicle and the items that were in their car.

SAJ paid for another person to get their vehicle out of inpound.

The other person, um it was I'm not sure what happened with theirs.

Okay, um, so that is something that needs to be in Rashida.

You were informed that uh one of the trucks like pushed somebody's vehicle with another truck.

Okay, they tapped it, and they said they showed her got it on video.

It was all on the books.

Feel free to send us that video.

Yeah, please just send us that video.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We'll we'll address this.

So one other uh question too.

So with speaking up to me, Abbott, when you know, we're speaking to the residents there.

It's difficult when I went up there for myself, right?

Like, oh my gosh, right?

What are we so what are we helping them do, right?

To getting out of there and navigating this whole change, right?

Because it's really difficult, right?

Um, to get down.

So what are what are what is information?

What are we giving to them?

What kind of communication are you?

Yeah, we're we're constantly communicating with the tenants association and tenants on the regular.

We're also constantly contacted, you know, can talking with SHA administration in the building as well.

So we've been to a tenants association meeting.

I'm looking at her at least throughout the summer as we prepared uh to get to the start of this work, knowing the impacts that we were gonna have on Bird Street, the parking lot, and so on.

We've been there quite often to hand out tacky mats, so we're not so people aren't carrying dust through the building.

We've been there to give them more information about the schedule that we have in place to make sure that their parking lot is readily available to them as much.

So I think it's one thing to meet with them and tell them what the um expectation of the project is and then their visual seeing of what's happening.

So, yes, we're not saying that you guys haven't done your due diligence in informing the residents of what was supposed to come, but when they then see trucks driving with no cover, um, you know, their parking spaces being taken, when they see these things, that's a completely different so now they're complaining.

Yep, understood.

Okay, okay.

And we have to not to disclose anyone's personal information, but in the neighborhood where the trucks are flowing in and out, we have a family who lost their child from a truck.

So it's causing you know conflict trauma, right?

And they're coming back and down the street.

So um there should be if there before you go, is there we gotta get a number?

Yes that we can make sure that the community knows the call.

The second thing is with the the trends with the um the construction process.

If someone gets hit a hole or gets something, what are you telling people, right?

Throughout this process through the 81 project, like say they you know, right now we have potholes, right?

So we have a way to process it, we have a way to report it, but then there's some things that are not city, they're right.

They're getting on our ramp and people have called.

I'm like, hey, that's not us.

Yep, what is the process for letting the community know if you know something happens on a highway, you hit something hits, there's a hole, yeah.

Those things and counselor, I'll just click all the way to it.

Okay, and you know, we have you know, you guys can ask us questions, you know, about the rest of the update as we get ready for phase two.

But I'll just go to the end and you can, you know, certainly you know, here's some of the commitments that we have.

Obviously, that's the water truck, these are what our noise and air monitors look like.

I'm going pretty quick, but you know, number one is our app, and then the other one that I would say is our toll-free number.

Um, we have a place that people can contact us.

I'm blanking on what it is, but I'm sure if I pull my phone out and pull open my app, I can tell it to you right now.

We need toll-free numbers.

We're talking about seniors, yeah.

100% is toll-free.

Yes.

And we have an email address.

Um, yeah.

They're gonna call us.

Yeah, why are you looking for that?

Go ahead.

And that number would sorry to interrupt that number would apply for all of the above.

Okay concerns, what am I seeing?

I hit something in the construction area.

I have a question about what's happening here.

That's our filter, and then we can send it to the right person on our team.

So all of those and above.

And uh uh during our day daytime hours, it's actually answered by someone, but they can also leave a message and we'll call the back.

So the toll free number I have got it up before you go, counselor.

It's one eight five one eight five five four eight one eight two five five.

Eight two five five.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

And is there like a prompt or is there an extension or is this just it's just it's just straight to usually during daytime hours, it's straight to a human being.

Right.

Uh if if it's after business hours, it'll be a message, and someone will return the call as soon as humanly possible.

Thank you.

Okay.

And um, because this was supposed to be more of a town hall, but some people can't make it.

Um, one individual who's called the the um the office on multiple occasions, um, lives on Oakwood, and this also speaks to Land Bank and Tucker.

Um the individual is recently retired.

Um, and a lot of the work that's taken place in that area is um is starting well before eight o'clock in the morning.

Got it.

Loading, yeah, and all of that stuff is happening between six and seven.

Yep.

And um the loud, I don't know the the stuff.

He knows it because he apparently worked with trucks.

Okay.

The brake noises, probably the backup noise, backup noises, um, a bunch of noises.

Yep.

Um he he doesn't appreciate it.

Um he was never um informed of what was happening.

Um they just saw the uh trees come down and then it was paved, and now all of this.

Yep, and they um one expressed that uh a uh a um what is it not storage site, but um it's it over in that particular area.

We have a pretty large uh what I'll call our construction yard where we're holding materials and various products that we need for the construction of the project on contract five.

So he did express that you know he had concerns about that being in a residential neighborhood with them also hauling things in.

Um I guess some of the road construction that's being taken away from areas, is being dumped there.

I'm not 100% sure I didn't drive by so they don't know what's in that material.

Okay, um, so with the noises and all of that early in the morning, he's not against the project.

He's understood that you know he understands it has to happen.

He's against them starting at six and seven o'clock in the morning.

Um he wants to know what's in the products that they're bringing back to the site.

Um, and this individual also had um I guess a truck hit a wire and ripped it down.

That wire was connected to a cable that was on his house, it pulled that off of his house.

Okay, he was his internet service was interrupted as well as there was some damage to his property.

Understood.

Um can I can I ask the address of the I can get that to you?

Yeah, if you give me the address, we can he is directly next door to one of the to the one of the yards.

Okay, yeah.

Um and I informed him, you know, about he because he's caught probably six to eight times, and uh he didn't even know about Tucker's um Tuesday outreach center, yeah.

Outreach center.

So I did inform him of that.

Hopefully he has taken up that and been able to be talking to someone over there.

Um signs.

So recently you just you guys just shut Cauvin Street down.

Yes, and you guys have been doing a better job with signs.

I will say that.

Thank you, guys.

Um, but the sign to the sign that's at Key Bank.

Okay, I think the positioning of it when the sun hits it.

You can't see it.

You can't see it at all.

Because it's the VMS style.

So it's the same.

It looks completely black.

Okay, and then you get to the next block, and now you're seeing the start.

That's well, unfortunately, unfortunately says we only got a couple more weeks of the sun.

Well, well, and with these wildfires, who knows how much the sun will be out, right?

So okay at Birch Street.

If you if you head up Birch Street, like you're going towards the highway, um, it detours you.

It it tells you to the detour is that way.

Once you get there to um, McBride.

McGries, it stops you.

Yep.

And then it points this way.

Yeah, so but then it points back.

Yeah, so there's a few things that go on on BERT, unfortunately, that are part us, part other projects, right?

So Centrio has been closing off McBride between Taylor and Burt Street uh throughout the day for project they have at the steam station.

So that can create a little bit of uh confusion.

Now we are in constant contact with Centrio about what they're doing to try to make sure our uh signs are appropriate for what they're blocking us from as you get closer to Burt, but we can have make sure that if there's a confusion, we can clean it out.

It's like you you come to that stop and then you gotta turn it all the way back around.

You know, Burt Street, unfortunately, and Taylor, there's a there's three projects, not just us, but obviously SHA's project and Centrio, and the work zones are kind of getting jumbled.

Yeah, uh, we're trying our best to communicate with others, but okay, the um roundabouts on Brighton.

You said that they were pretty much done, but the signage is horrible.

The the the road striping um signage, like turn or curve or whatever, like they're not there or they're not complete.

It might be an outline in some areas, but none of them are significantly visible for people to know what's gonna what's happening.

And the main area of concern is the top up there right in towers, where either you're gonna go to 481 or you're gonna go to Ceneca Turnpike.

There's nothing when you realize where you're supposed to go, the sign is already past the area.

Yeah, so it is that area is gonna have some accidents if you don't get that stripe being complete.

And is the sign after yes, uh it's it's after Brighton Towers?

No, this driveway it's just past it, yeah.

So here's the curve this way, and then you go that way.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

The sign is here.

Yeah, understood.

Yeah, okay.

And it is no real so like if you don't know, you won't know if you're can you get on a highway here or can you get to like no one knows to if you come in up the bridge, no one knows that stay in this lane if you're going to 481, stay in this lane if you're gonna go to Cynical Turnpike.

There's nothing to fix state that we'll address that with our contractor.

The other sign right in that area, which I don't think there's been any issues, but the stop signs at the bridge coming up the highway by um I don't know if it needs to be moved or something.

We did talk about that before.

I have to I have to highway.

This is the one coming off the highway.

This is the one on the Glen.

Yeah, so Glen will not have a stop sign at those.

That's not supposed to.

So that's not a part will the off-ramps will have a stop sign.

Oh, this is the on ramp.

Well, it's an on ramp, off ramp, but glen.

Let me look at look at it in here.

Um East Glenn itself will not have stop signs.

The ramps, the ramps will get off the highway, we'll have a stop sign.

Right.

So both directions from the the highway.

From the highway.

Yes, right.

From the highway.

From the highway.

So like we put a temporary one while we're doing construction.

That temporary one will it should no longer, if it's still there, it's because we're still in the temporary configuration, but it will be gone.

And so there will be a stop sign for the off-ramp going northbound, and someone come from southbound.

So these two folks will have to stop.

But the people on Glenn won't.

Will not.

Correct.

But okay, so the the main thing, this is what we discussed before, that it doesn't say four-way stop.

So will the ones on the off and on ramps say one-way stop or two way stop.

Like what will it say?

Underneath the offensive, I believe we talked about that, but we'll double check.

Yeah, we'll let our traffic engineers look and see what's appropriate.

Because that is they they they may not know.

That other vehicles are asked them to do something to that concern.

So we're talking about this.

So you're talking about the coming down off of 81, coming up, and that off ramp, and then see where the little white lines at the bridge part, yeah, right there where the exit and the right on ramp meet Glenn.

Yep.

Everyone's stopping at this point.

Right.

But but where the stop sign is on Glenn is like a little further up, so it should be so in the final configuration.

It will not be a four-way stop.

But but now, but it's I mean, if we're in the final configuration, people on East Glen and coming out of Loreto's roundabout should not be stopping to go east and west or onto and off of the highway.

But if the signage under the two um off ramps should say one-way stop.

So we'll double check that that says that on those.

Since we have this picture up, yeah.

Can I interject?

Yes.

I have some issues with the landscape design decisions, and I don't understand where the public input or the city input was in that process.

A number of the redesigned intersections are gateways to Syracuse.

And honestly, I I don't know what the plan is for what the plantings are supposed to look like in four seasons, but they don't look great right now.

And you're also reseeding grass seed in these spaces, which we will not be maintaining.

You will not be maintaining.

And I think that is a missed opportunity for actual landscape design.

And I want to know when we can discuss that.

So are you referring specifically to the roundabouts or just in this area in general?

And specifically, like uh earlier today I passed uh the Solar Street um interchange area, and there is a steep slope where people are going to be again, it's it's just grass seed, right?

Um, in this area right here, there are three different sections as you enter into Syracuse from South 81 going north that are perfect for either beautifully designed tree ski treescape canopy or flower plantings or something similar, and right now it's I'm gonna be honest, some really crappy pine trees that already look like they're dying, and a bunch of grass seed.

Yeah, so I was gonna bring that up too as far as the trees, because you talked about replacing trees and shrubs.

We're not putting more arborvitae in, are we?

Because that did not so I I guess admittedly the trees in this area were having a tough time with some of the trees.

So we have contacted our our landscape um contractor to fix that.

Um I think you know, in some areas, this is a lot of this is the responsibility of New York State maintenance, so we'll have to be very cognizant of what we're able to maintain because if we do too much, but if we if we would prefer um either a three-season bulb plantings, or if we would prefer a wildflower um meadow versus you know, straight up grass seed, and you know, I'm a little biased.

I um I live near Pinehurst uh North Carolina, which has a very specific tree aesthetic when you enter and leave the town.

Yeah, and I don't know that we've talked about that for Syracuse, but this is not the tree aesthetic that we want to see or that we deserve.

Understood.

I will say that for contracts, all the other contracts within the city, we are working very closely with your city arborist.

Okay.

Um so I did send an email through um Joe Driscoll um to the Arborists, but I did not get a con concrete response as to whose responsibility that was or what design it was very much a past but past the potato situation.

So specifically for this interchange and our northern interchange and off of six uh 690, I would like us to have a sit-down meeting where we can discuss landscape design and really have a plan moving forward.

Council Moore.

Uh, do you have a comment?

I think Joe wanted to.

Oh, go ahead, Carl.

Oh no, I was just gonna say, as as nine's not noted, uh Jeff Romano from the the City Arborist team has been working closely with us.

It's always a balancing act to figure out uh what the city can maintain and what what aesthetically works.

But if if the council would like to sit down with Jeff, we can make that happen for sure.

I would like that, and I'd also like to invite the parks conservancy and some other community groups.

Again, if it's a matter of financing, we'd prefer to figure out a solution now versus having to figure out a solution later when grass seed is already implemented and maintained or plantings are put together.

Again, more than what is already it in.

Yeah, there's a lot to discuss there.

I think that's kind of for the city's end, that's kind of the most consequential part of the 81 project is we're gonna be getting about 6,000 new trees.

Beautiful loads of new medians, loads of new green spaces.

So there's a lot of design decisions and a lot of budget conversations that need to happen.

So uh happy to I'll I'll do a follow-up with the council and and uh the city team and please bring whoever else.

The the Cauvin Street area where the bridge work was done a year or so ago.

Um the uh but there was just grass put in there with that tarp looking thing.

I would have preferred to see wildflowers there.

Okay, but now it's just it's just high, high like 15 foot 15-inch grass.

Um, and I don't know how it gets cleared, but it looks disgusting.

Yeah, should be a city park's mowing contract, but yeah, let's let's meet and tuck into all that and I'll do some follow-up.

So and and the 81 team is open to our engagement and being able to make changes at this time.

Up to a point, I'll be honest, up to a point.

I mean, these these contracts are progressing.

Um in the southern interchange, we'll need to figure that out.

If there are changes that we need to fund, right, you would be willing to work with us.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you.

I think that um funding and maintaining need to go hand in hand.

Absolutely.

Because a one-time fund doesn't take care of it throughout the year.

So we need to make sure that that happens.

If we can cut out mowing in your medians and in a way that allows us to have beautiful gateways, I think that that would serve everybody's purpose.

I don't disagree.

It's hard to keep up with the mowing.

Yeah.

Um, you know, I will be honest and say we have planted wildflower in this area, and we have had a lot of backlash about it.

That it does not look like people expect.

I think they expect it to be somewhat of a perennial garden type of look, and it's not wildflower, is not, you know, it's it's intended, you know, I think for kind of an open space where it can really.

I'm not a landscape architect, but where it can really breathe, if you will.

And some of these locations, it just seems like um we're hearing that there's mixed ideas.

So I think everyone collaborating and seeing where we can kind of meet in the middle.

I think we we need to do that.

Well, even if it's not wildflowers, there have been plantings where it's it's solely tulips or it's solely daylilies.

I think the aesthetic of it may concern people.

If it's a wildflower, they don't understand it might look like weeds to them.

Right.

Um, but if you go with one type of something, then that might help as well.

Exactly.

So I know um my buddy over here is saying we gotta open up for comments.

So I got two quickly quick questions is please um one is that people that are working on this 81 project, right?

How are we with that with the divide diversity to call um hire local hires, Syracuse hire?

How are we how are we doing with that?

What does that look like?

Yeah, it's actually I you know humble brag.

I think it's been going really, really well for us.

I think you know, we've been able to uh as as you all know, we included a 15% local hire uh initiative or spec into our project.

So 15% of our work hours are being performed by people from within the city of Syracuse.

Um all five of these particular contracts have either been at that 15% mark or just below it at 14 to 13 percent.

So, and we've been doing you know, work with CY work, Syracuse build, the building trades themselves and the unions in trying to get people who may not have the full experience kind of apprenticeship style, getting them into the trades and with our contractors.

So we have been working very diligently on making sure new people are getting into our industry and into the construction industry as well.

So that's working good.

I I feel like it has.

I think we've seen, thanks to our local hire.

I could say that I think we've seen increases in both our female and minority participation on the workforce.

Uh our minority participation has ranged anywhere from 15 to 20 percent.

Uh, and the federal number that we use is actually three percent.

So uh if that tells you a little bit how much we've been doing better as well.

Does that include the truckers?

Because um, yes, actually, you know, it's it's funny.

We were talking about that coming over today.

You know, one of the fears we have with some of the trucks in the neighborhood is it's a local person who lives there and knows an easier way to get to our site.

Now I'm not saying that's what's happening, I just but it was our conversation about trying to prevent that.

But yes, we've actually seen especially on these in the city, hard, tight urban environment.

A lot of the uh local in in the city DBEs have been able to get more uh opportunity because of uh the space.

So yes, I'm I'm seeing a lot of those firms uh that we all know about and counseling.

Just real quick, I wanted to let the counselors know that uh I think everybody's familiar with DEC uh Danzel, Decca Isman, um Urban Jobs Task Force just a few months ago uh released uh really data field report going through all the local hire percentages of minority local woman, every every detail and it's it's uh available on their website.

So I just wanted to fly that because you can really get into the numbers and uh they're they're good.

There's a lot to celebrate for for the local hire effort.

My last question, I told you the two second one is the highway, right?

So who did those lines?

You know what I'm talking about?

Yes, local coffee.

Just I feel like roller coals did.

I'm like, and I'm worried the winter time's coming, right?

And I'm like, uh oh, like you know, especially when you're coming around and it just goes, I feel like um, yeah.

And weather is our challenge, I think is the easiest way for me to answer that question.

You know, you know, during those rainy days in May, you know, we were struggling to keep up and keep a dry surface.

You know, you can't paint your house when it's raining, right?

Just like us with lines.

We can't paint the road and properly do it to make it be there and adhere properly while it's raining or wet.

So we've been struggling with the weather, um, but we're out there as regularly as we possibly can to adjust those lines and make sure that they're safe for the traveling thing.

So are we gonna adjust those before the winter?

Yeah, because you know, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Without like I'm every time I go, I'm like, I don't need a specific location.

I know the entire thank you.

Yep, okay.

And as we change sections or we change, you know, staging, you know, in certain areas, we're back out painting those lines again to help move people in the proper way.

Right, yeah, because they're not they're not yep.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Uh I'm now gonna open up for any comments here.

If you want to come one at a time, uh identify yourselves, your name and address.

Taishaw.

Uh good morning.

Uh thank you for an invite me to the V here Marty.

Uh, I'm so glad that he's two counselors fighting for the South Side.

I'm so glad that you guys have answers to the question.

So uh can you make clear to me who is in charge of the I-81 project?

Is that a Drisco and Butler?

I am.

You are okay.

Yes.

So um I own a uniform shop that's provide for the doctor and nurses' office, right?

And the corner of the five-pointer, but okay, the old Julio's, right?

In the past 12 months, I'm suffering it because the same spot right in front of my driveway, I think up five times.

It's Lodi and Burnett.

Yes.

And you when you guys closing the street, you're not closing one or two streets, that I have customer access to my driveway.

You blocking the whole entire four corner.

There's no other way to come around to my um uh business.

I also have a letter here from my neighbor who also have a business that he uh doesn't speak English.

And he is suffering, right?

And I'm I'm so glad that you guys um uh um answer the two counselor question that you you provide uh water truck that you can uh subserve the the dust and you have masking so that we provide from people getting cancer.

What about the budget for the minority business people for the AAPI community that's suffering?

Because they're about to close three businesses on that same street of your project.

So, how is it helping the minority business people like us?

I don't have anyone here fight for me.

They have nobody here look like me.

So, how can the state not budget?

We fight by everything we fight for you.

We weren't aware of that, but I did acknowledge that there is some you know, cut up uh if you didn't inform us that we didn't know we were really speaking.

So don't say we don't fight for you.

We fight for you.

No, and then we're Marty is one of the you guys are thank you very much.

But when I call Mr.

Driscoll or Ms.

Butler, there's nothing I can do.

Now, how is that people like us gonna survive?

You improving the city and the county, whatever it is you're doing, but you're killing small business people, you're killing my American dreams.

So I'm asking, is that a way you guys can you know help out?

And that gotta be another plan somewhere.

You can't sabotage the people who can't survive.

No, and I am truly sorry for the impacts to your business.

Um we have heard from other businesses in the north side, um, in this area, and um unfortunately we do not New York State DOT does not have a way to compensate for our impacts.

Um we have put signage up.

Um we have tried to communicate our changes.

I recognize it's a lot of work that's happening right in your area.

I can say that that work is almost done.

Um the area, I think there's some uh national grid work that has to be completed.

Um, and and we'll hopefully be out of there more or less for the foreseeable future.

Um, I I apologize.

Three months, it's been 12 months, so it's 18 months already.

So, what is the future?

How long can it be?

Pretty soon, I'm not gonna exist anymore.

I think just a few more weeks, and we'll be it'll be completed.

No, thank you.

So the front frustration has been, and there are many times when I would call Scott, I cannot get through his business.

I have to take a different route.

There was a period that we did close Burnett Air from Lower Eye all the way down to Catherine block, North Krause block, Catherine Street Pro.

The gentleman uh who owns rail and Alan called me numerous times.

Why is the street blocked off like on a Friday and there's no work?

So if the street is blocked, there's no work on a certain day, those barriers should be removed.

The streets are should be open, and and they weren't.

And and and I and this is what I have heard from my constituents, though.

So I think what we're saying is we have to do, and I know Scott, I know everyone can't be there all day.

I get it.

But those who are in charge should have going these businesses, gone to TIS, we're doing work.

We'll make sure you your signs are we have open for business.

What happens is I have to call DOT and say, you gotta get these signs open.

Business are hurting throughout that whole corridor, all the way from Low Eye all the way to North State.

I mean, I think the I think that it would be, you know, uh good to the businesses and whatever neighborhoods that that are impacted.

Um, for you guys to have a sit down with them, find out, you know, Ty's business may be slow on Monday through Wednesday.

Why can't majority of the work happen at those days and allow his business to have some foot action Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

So I think having those discussions should happen.

There's compromise, you know, always.

There's there's a means to find ways to accommodate what needs to happen.

You like he said, like he's suffering.

Um you're gonna run him out of business, you know.

So there should be conversations.

He should have some kind of information, Ty.

You should have, and that's the part that moving forward, because this is a long journey.

So Ty's business, all the business over there, when it hits the other neighborhoods, like neighborhoods and community people need to know because if they know ahead of time, they can prepare when they come home to their business, they wake up and it's now it's like construction.

Like, what are they supposed to do?

They don't give their constituents time, they don't prepare, and then they just have to deal with it, you know, and that's unfair, and that's a part of what a process early out we were saying.

Like, who is going to be the person as long with this make sure the community knows what's going on?

And and we have a community person right now staying like no understanding.

I think um sorry, one second.

Ty, I just want to apologize to you.

It was very clear that the entire access to your area was 100% closed down and has been for the last five months.

There's not even a footbridge that's allowing access to his front door.

Well, that's a good one.

And that and there's definitely things that we could do on that level, you know.

Um, so Ty, I do want to apologize on behalf of this project, and whatever we can do to support you into the future, we want to do that.

So please please stay in touch with us.

Um but but there should be more communication in the future, allowing access, particularly at least for pedestrian, and then some sort of vehicle access, even to one of the side streets on a regular basis.

Burnett is quite a thoroughfare, and if you can't take the highway and you can't, you know, like we have to continue to allow some sort of passage, particularly to businesses in a in a commercial corridor.

Understood.

I was gonna state that I'm not certain how much of that corner is being taken up, but if there could have been a temporary road cut also to allow people access, I know his current road cut is closed off.

Is there a temporary road cut that could be?

I just gotta I apologize.

There is access to his building.

It may not be and it is confusing.

I'm not gonna sit here and say it's not, but currently there is access from both one side of the bridge and the other side to his business.

Now there have been instances where we have to do vehicle traffic, vehicle traffic has access to his driveway.

Okay.

So have you worked with him to put the large sign up that says we have signs for his business specifically that say that he is open.

So we talked that's I want to just I just want to say in defense because I work over on that side of town, and you could not access his driveway.

And there were, and I and Councillor, you're not wrong, and I'm not saying there wasn't oper there weren't times that it was not accessible.

There were times where the stage of our work was making it difficult to access his driveway.

So some of this has been resolved.

Yes, yes, thank you, Ty.

Um we have another speaker.

Okay, Ty, thank you.

And if anybody else wants to speak, uh just get behind the gentleman, okay?

Go ahead, sir.

Hi, I'm Mike Hansman.

Uh I own uh handsome printing and on Burnett App 216 Burnett F.

And uh I'd like to hand out everybody one of these.

That's all right.

Well, basically, what I have is uh when they come through behind our building, I don't want to happen what he's having happen.

Um we're a commercial printing business.

We have trucks in and out of our facility all day long, every day, uh Monday through Friday.

The construction project itself is going to block off and remove our loading dock, which is behind our building.

We're trying to get permission to rebuild that uh back on the back of the building.

It is not on our property, it is on DOT property.

Um over 20 years ago, we were given permission to put that uh loading dock on the back because uh our loading dock, which previously was on the front of the building, was on uh Burnett Ave, and when the tractor trailers would come in, they would block off the highway or block off the road.

They would be there sometimes up to an hour while we unload rolls of paper into our building.

Um this is not an option any longer.

Um we have Stanley Law Office across the street, Zajner, and different other businesses that are operating.

If I put five trucks a day across that road, you're never gonna hear the end of it.

Uh so we have to come up with a solution, or I'm gonna have to move more just close.

So I don't know what I can do.

Uh and I've got to make a decision.

I got about a year and a half before this project reaches my building.

So uh I don't know if you want to show that area on uh that we're talking about.

I think I saw pictures of it on there.

Ms.

What did you say?

Yes, and hands hence.

H A-N-S-E-N.

Mr.

Henson, have you had any conversation with Mr.

Driscoll or any of the A to one of the people?

Oh, you have to know if there was everything.

They visited, and we were basically told it's their property.

I'm being told right now that I cannot have permission to rebuild that dock.

I can't even apply for it until they're finished two years from now.

Which means you're asking me for two years to find an alternate way to unload tractor trailers onto my property to get my stuff in and out.

I don't know, it's it's just not feasible, it's not safe.

It wasn't safe when we first moved in because of the way the configuration of our docks were, and this has worked out perfectly for us.

So I've worked, I you know, we've had discussions, Mr.

Anson.

So can I ask a question of you, Jill?

Can you make sure when issues like this are coming up, you bring them to the council so we're aware and can advocate on behalf of the citizens?

Yeah, this one to be fair, I was just made aware of this one.

Yes.

And and I do just I you know, and I miss Mr.

Hanson, I I know you mentioned this, but this loading dock is within the interstate highway boundary.

Um, so that's that does create a challenge.

Um, we as you know, I know you met with Mike and Scott.

Um, we talked about this, we're alerting you to this problem that this is within our our highway boundary.

We alerted the mayor's office, and and I think you know, our goal is to find a solution for you.

But right now, that loading dock is right abutting I-690.

So it's it's it's within our our area that we need to build 690.

So I understand you know, you asked permission to get it back, but we have to find a we'll work with you to find a solution.

I think the city has to be part of that solution, but um, I just want to make sure we I flag that that we have we have spoken, we're aware of this, we're trying to find a solution.

But this loading dock is within the interstate highway boundary.

Ms.

Anza, how long have you been here?

40 years.

Uh, we've been in that building 30 years.

I've run the business for the last 40 years.

We were on uh West Sond of Agar Street previously.

30 years in SM spot.

And is highway boundary, is it within the last few years of I 810?

No, it's when I-690 was built, that highway boundary was created.

Um, and it is actually what we considered a without access, and that's kind of a legal term, but that just means permission has to be given, but the permission, it's usually contingent until we need it.

So you did receive uh permission for encroachment.

Yep.

Um is this right here?

That is another business.

That is uh midtown auto.

Oh, that's a business.

Yeah, and he owns from there down all the way down to the end.

So in that section, counselor, so it yeah, so in that section, you're on Burnett.

So in that section, there's kind of like an auto um repair area uh in this section going uh westbound on Burnett.

I I want you guys to be aware that um my neighbor across on the other side of uh McBride brought me one of these.

I was never informed of this.

They would have just come and started doing construction.

I would have never been aware of this.

I'm a year and a half out.

If this was two, three, four years ago, everything that I saw prior to this showed a grassy slope.

They weren't taking all of that out, and that it was moving away from us.

So we felt that we weren't gonna have a problem with this.

And and then he brings me in this drawing showing that they're coming right across the back of our building.

Yep.

And if we a year and a half for me to move a business that's been there for 30 years, I'm my building is full.

You guys were in my building.

You see how much equipment's in there.

This is an expensive venture for me to move out of this building because I no longer have a loading dock.

Oh, and those are a big concerns.

Like, you know, we know that the project 81 has the highway has to happen, but throughout this process, the making sure that the community, the stakeholder, our small businesses that brings in revenue and then support our community, all know about it so that they can play ahead of time, right?

It's when they don't know, and this is what we're getting like, you know, trucks, pollution.

You know, he's one, Tyshaw's another one.

You know, we got to figure out a way that we can work with the community as well as getting a project done so that everyone is there, having, I mean, it might not be exactly what but lease so that we're not shutting down businesses, we're not you know, causing seniors, you know, there's some seniors over there who off Oakwood who are very upset, like 80-something years have been there for 45 years, can't even open their windows, right?

You know, they knew nothing about it, right?

So we gotta come with a plan, and it's not to call anyone out because it's not about that because we want to be but we we can't have small businesses, people that's been part of our you know, Taishaw and them in the trouble to fail.

That is not good for them, nor is it good for our community.

Well, I think that um to to speak to that as far as like coming with the plan.

We've come with the plans, but when the plans change, you guys don't notify people in the same manner.

We spoke about that when when the um need to come from behind uh behind MLK when that when that street got completely shut down at first Rainer, is it Rainer?

Renwick, yes, Redwick.

Um so yeah, when Renwick, when the decision to completely close Renwick down happened, but before it was gonna be part of the roundabout or so.

So correct.

So that was a shock to the to the residents in that area when that change happened, they weren't notified, even the pedestrian foot traffic because a lot of people park down that way and walk up to SU.

So again, when things change and people aren't being notified of the change, that that needs to there needs to be better communication.

So, one thing I'll say, so you know, I don't think we'll get to it, but you know, this this next contract that's coming, contract six, which is the one that you know, Mr.

Hanson is referring to.

That our first step is notifying everyone when they have what we call an encroachment.

So letters are getting sent.

Um, the letter was in process of getting sent to Mr.

Hanson, but something else we plan on doing is actually walking these corridors with our engineers in charge with our construction personnel, so they're familiar with every business along the way, with every residence along the way, so then we can start to have that much more um, you know, I guess community outreach, if you will, very pointed outreach to these businesses because this next contract, contract six, this is this is big.

This is all of 690 gets taken down and rebuilt.

So uh agreed that we need to communicate better, yeah, and we need to really have that pointed outreach to everyone along the corridor.

So that's that's our plan to really have have those types of conversations, but conversations and solutions because you know, to knowledge and knowing of what happened in Syracuse before, we're sort of repeating history again.

Um, just with a mixture of a little bit of different folks back when the highway before Bayette Street, around all this is uh um sort of documentation of businesses, families, moving houses, all these things happen, right?

Um, generational wealth happened, it's documented.

So we don't want this to happen again, right?

We want to figure out a way.

So council, right?

I just want to thank Mr.

Hanson for coming.

This is a very comprehensive um material packet.

I appreciate that, and I have every confidence that Joe Driscoll can help to mediate a solution.

Um, old cities are weird, right?

We have things where other things are, we have infrastructure on top of infrastructure.

Uh, we have loading docks in the middle of right-of-ways.

Nothing is simple in these projects.

Uh, and I really appreciate your patience and the patience of the business owners in helping our communities be better.

Um, the legacy of 81 is also uh several lifetimes of childhood asthma and other carcinogens being put into the air around our most vulnerable populations.

This is difficult work, but it's necessary.

Um, but thank you for bringing that to our attention in a timeline where we can we can be most helpful and actionable about it.

I just want to comment, and I'm one of the few people here who remembers when uh I-690 and I-81 was going up 60 years ago, and I saw what happened in North State.

I know the hospital wanted my grandmother's store because all this expansion they were coming up.

I saw the business on South State Street.

Uh Mr.

TV.

And they wipe out all the businesses in the South State Street, they went to Erie Boulevard, they went to Water Street.

So countless businesses uh were taken down under urban renewal, urban renewal.

And I remember when it was getting done, and when the dust was settled, we lost so many businesses, homeowners lost their homes.

We saw downtown lose as historical theaters and beyond that.

We made they made a lot of mistakes.

So again, as I saw being developed, uh we have to proceed with caution.

And I want to thank all of you who are here today.

Uh we had a wonderful conversation, and we'll certainly invite you.

But before you have to I just want to say I hear everything that you're saying as a state that it's your right-of-year.

But I think that we need to figure out a way to compromise because you're talking about businesses that's been here for 40 years.

You're talking about a business that's getting pushed out of doing business, and I I hear that okay, it's ours, but there has to be a compromise from the state somewhere when you're talking about real people and you're talking about real lives.

So I just I saw a lot of heads nodding when you said it's our property.

Right.

And I get that.

But you know what?

It's our city too.

And we have to be mindful of what our constituents are up against.

Right.

No, understood, and that's where I, you know, I do hope to find a solution.

So is there anything we can do?

Not at the moment, but um, stay tuned.

I'm sure there will be.

And I just wanted to to Helen's point.

Um, for our small business owners, if you are running into an intractable issue in terms of transit or people accessing your building, and you are having difficulty, particularly in staying in business during this transition.

Please do reach out to the mayor's office or to your counselor.

Um, we are absolutely committed to helping you find alternative space if that is what is needful during this transition, right, Eric?

Correct.

So do not do not suffer silently.

We we really do want to help you stay in the Syracuse and be profitable community businesses.

Are we all set?

Yeah, we're gonna be able to do that.

I think there was more people.

Everybody else wanted to speak.

Nobody go ahead.

Good afternoon.

My name is Chaila Srat, and I own a business in downtown Syracuse, and I know that contract the next contract will be bringing you into the downtown area.

And I did have a question regarding there's the logistics, but I'm also wondering if you are in conversations with small businesses regarding buying cycles.

Um, because I know that there is an incident before regarding it was um parents' weekend, and there was a lot of construction that happened in the main corridor, and so we a lot of alarms went off because we are really dependent upon some of these cycles to make sure that we can indeed stay in business.

And also what happened to me, I'm in Bank Alley, is that a staging area for that construction?

All the building, the trucks were literally in front of I couldn't open my door.

So I have a question regarding how do we be in conversation, not just regarding the logistics of staging, but that we are dependent upon these buying cycles, and when you do this kind of construction, it deeply impacts our ability to stay in business.

I think that um goes hand in hand with like SUs, Mother's Day weekend, and graduation weekend.

Um, a lot of the businesses in those areas also had lots of issues.

Um is there with that being said, because I know this is gonna bring up other businesses.

Who is the direct person that is working on that process?

Like who are we talking to to make sure that you know when businesses are having those issues, or how people that are living, who are we talking to to make sure we can get the help, you know, and who else besides Mr.

Driscoll is a part of teen there's liaison, it has to be a liaison person.

Yeah, so I think um not to put her on the spot, but our our community liaison outreach um person is Tanisha Murphy sitting right here.

Okay, she's really that person.

So again, um we have our hotline, we have our email, we have our app, um, and that all goes through Tanisha's office.

Okay, and then she can filter it, whether it's uh a construction issue, then it'll go to our construction team.

So I think um that's really the point of contact.

Yeah, but we we will all be supporting.

Then should you have any comments?

I would just say Tanisha as well has been working closely with the downtown committee.

We've had a number of meetings with them to try to engage business owners.

I know we have to do we always have to do more, but we have been trying to reach out to but yeah, I took a lot of notes, and I'm hearing all the feedback and um especially the businesses.

So um have a couple ideas to uh like Bessie said to to get the let the businesses know.

We hear from the downtown committee that there's a lot of concern for when we start our construction in the city of people not wanting to come down to the city because of the construction and and how we can work with them to make sure um the businesses in downtown stay afloat during this time too.

So, and in terms of the residents, we've been sending letters.

We sent we sent out 700 letters to those folks who are uh in the Colvin Street area, letting them know about upcoming work and the work that's happening there now.

We sent letters about, and we've been getting responses about that from people hearing about the letters.

So we're we're doing our best to try to buy notify everybody and and make sure everyone understands what's going on, but we'll we'll certainly do better.

Do you have any updates on the murals?

Remember the Merle programming.

If you came up to the north side and people were discussing about having murals by yes, yes.

So the murals, we um we're just discussing internally how we want to go forward with that.

So uh we'll there'll be an update soon.

Go ahead.

So I gave Scott one last year.

Go ahead.

I'd like to say um that very much appreciate that we've seen you come through and speak to the various contracts and have been very diligent about letting us know what is happening.

Um, but I do want to surface that one thing that would be beneficial is I've heard several different projects are happening, and I think wayfinding as to when I see a truck or I do have a problem, who indeed is in in charge, because it's great to have the QR code, but that's directing you to one singular project.

So I think some wayfinding for all the constituents to understand actually who should I be speaking to would be really uh beneficial and reduce the frustration.

It's a good point.

And as we go through this project, and I know we're sort of out of time, and um I'm glad we had this conversation.

We're starting to move, we're on schedule, everything's going as we continue to go through.

Has anything changed as far as the project wise since last reporter?

Is there anything that's gonna change moving forward as you go down sign it that the community needs to know that they should be aware of, you know?

I think the biggest thing the community needs to be aware of is this this contract six.

Uh, we just awarded it to a contractor, and what that means is that they're going to start putting together their plans.

So we will start to see potentially construction this fall related to that contract.

So we'll definitely have open houses, we're going to go to community events like we have been doing all along.

But you know, this is this is coming, and I cannot stress that this is it's the largest contract in New York State DOT history.

This is a big deal.

So it's coming.

Oh, this contract six this next step six.

What where we where are we?

So for yeah, we can go through that really quickly for you.

While we have it up there, I'll let Mike do most of the talking because he's the one who's been kind of leading the effort on the design.

So go ahead, Mike.

Okay, so what we're looking at here, the um the green, that's 690.

That is that's the section that we're replacing.

It's essentially from Leavenworth all the way out to Irving, where we're creating that new um the new off ramps, right?

So um 690 gets replaced.

We also will start removing sections of 81, the ramps from uh 690 westbound to 81 south and 81 north to 690 east, those start getting removed as well.

Um, we're gonna reconstruct Butternut Street.

Uh we're going to upgrade the Pearl Street area.

So there's gonna be we'll upgrade that ramp to 81 north, so it'll accommodate a couple of lanes of traffic rather than one.

We're going to extend Pearl Street all the way down to Erie Boulevard.

So that's essentially that new on-ramp.

So you're returning what was a green space where many of us would play ball around Pearl Street at one time.

That would kids we lost that.

We will start with the city.

No, not completely.

No, Marty.

I unfortunately I would actually say not completely.

Your father would not completely.

Okay.

He doesn't want you playing in the middle of the highway.

Well, that's why we profit space when you did that ramp on Pearl Street.

Yeah.

So as a part of that work, that ramp on Pearl Street will actually all extend all the way to Erie Boulevard.

Um, so we'll be reconnecting Pearl Street to Erie Boulevard to James Street, and obviously it'll continue to be connected to Willow.

And that'll be basically as a part of the business loop, one of the ways to exit northbound out of the city of Syracuse instead of how they kind of go upstate to Willow and we'll extend that all the way.

So you're limiting Butternut Street ramping, eliminated the one on North State.

Is that right?

I'm looking at Mike.

We're just replacing the Butternut Street Bridge.

You know, where there's the off ramp today that's right adjacent.

That ramp goes away.

Um and everybody can use Clinton Street or Oswego Boulevard is now going to be an off ramp essentially from 81.

So if you're heading south on 81, Oswego Boulevard is going to connect directly into 81 and tie into Erie like it does today.

So you'll use that area instead.

So we'll we'll create those two new new connections, and then we'll also have the additional off ramp at Erie Boulevard.

I'm sorry, at uh Irving uh to Erie Boulevard.

So there'll be um a couple of different ways to enter uh now instead of everybody being kind of funneled down to Harrison and Adams.

Um we'll also maintain the Clinton Street off ramp.

That's gonna get um reconstructed and uh uh reconfigured slightly.

We'll also have um 81 south to uh 690 eastbound, a new ramp.

Well, that's gonna get reconstructed as well.

So those connections will be there.

The whole West Street Interchange is also being completely reconstructed.

So today West Street is over top of 690.

In the future, 690 is going to be um above West Street.

So West Street is going to be at grade.

So Genesee Street and West Street are gonna be like a four-way um intersection that's gonna be signalized.

So that whole retaining wall goes away.

So we're looking at it right here.

You can see that those two big flyover ramps, those go away.

690 gets elevated a bit, and the ramps to get off to West Street will now go underneath the new 690.

So we're kind of flipping the way the the um the roadway.

So 690 over top, West Street underneath.

Uh so that is um a lot of what's happening.

So there's a massive amount of infrastructure that's being replaced under this project.

And I'm so sorry.

What about the shoulders?

Are we extending the shoulders?

We have emergency vehicle access on 690.

Correct, yes.

Yep.

690 will also um it's a good question.

It's gonna be three lanes in each direction with full with shoulders.

So the shoulders may vary anywhere from six feet to twelve feet at times.

So um, yes, there's um fire trucks, ambulances.

Clean it and do things like that.

Yeah, okay.

Yep.

So the hope is like today, we've all experienced there's there's one accident up there.

There's no room for anybody to get around because there's a one-foot shoulder in areas that it shuts it down.

So there'll be room to move traffic around in those instances in the future.

Council Murray.

Um, yes, so New York State DOT does the snow removal out there.

That was one of our big conversations.

We're gonna have snow fence along there.

Um, and we also just with our normal operations, we have multiple trucks that go through 690.

If we need to remove uh snow off of the highway because it gets built up, we have large snowblowers and dump trucks that can go and remove that if it become necessary.

So I'm a little older than Council Nave.

So I remember when 81 was put in.

Okay, as well as 690.

But my concern is what is planned in terms of a traffic flow through the inner part of the city.

What impact is going to be affected basically for North Salina, Clinton, and Warren Streets.

Um, when all this begins, and I'm assuming um when the one and a quarter mile comes down.

Is that going to be um where they will take large sections?

So they'll line up with several trucks for each section and then take it down quickly.

Is that the intent with that?

And when that happens, um selfishly because I come to work that way.

Um how are we supposed to navigate the the traffic in the inner city portion of downtown?

Um that's really my main concern.

And lastly, are we having any discussion still or um hopefully soon about what happens with Townsend Street and the property there?

You talk about economic development and whether the state Scott, I'm sure you're aware of that.

Yep, those are my questions.

Yep, thank you.

So I'll save oh, sorry.

Um, so I think when you talk about removing the bridge, you're talking about uh I81 downtown over on the street.

Yeah, so um that that contract is still in design, so we haven't totally determined how we will bring it down, but that's our best guess is that we will actually have the contractor kind of like saw it apart and drop it down and card it away, all while we're still maintaining traffic on Almond Street.

Um so we're actually, and I think that's what you're starting to see develop out in front of Toomy Abbott, is we're building off to the east side, I guess if you will, so we can maintain traffic so we can take down the viaduct.

Yeah, yeah.

So that's the first part, I think.

And as to land use post-haste after the construction of the pro or after the full completion of the project, we're in the process of creating that working group process that we will be undertaking for our normal DOT disposal process.

And I know well, we can't dispose of any non-DOT usable property or non-needed property until we complete the full project.

Um, but we're in the process now of working on what that process will look like.

Um the completion date is so right now the completion date.

Um tract six is the driving factor for the completion date, and uh it's a design build contract, so that means we get these proposals and we we score it.

Long story short, the completion date is um 2031.

It has so then what is the plan for downtown?

Saline is three basic street during construction or after construction?

During from James Street to so parts of Salina Um are so basically from Erie Boulevard to Harold Place on Salina is where we are installing that large drainage trunk line.

Um so that's part of it.

So that's what we we call contract six A.

And so while we're doing that work, we'll have detours, but the contractor will do it in segments.

So, yeah, and actually, we have a slide for that.

Um, but then I would say south of Erie Boulevard, we're not touching Salina Street.

You can see right there just the colored sections.

Our construction work for that drainage trunk line, it follows those colored sections, and each one of those blocks will have to be closed for a period of time as we're installing that drainage trunk line, just because uh it's a it's an eight by ten foot box culvert essentially that needs to go in the ground to to convey all of that storm water that we need to capture.

So also remember uh there's a James Street project.

It's gonna go from north.

We are eastwards.

We are core is gonna come so that's gonna it's gonna be working together.

And we've been coordinating with the city engineering department and Joe on that, so we're well aware, and and we're we've actually been able to work out um there's sections of James Street that our project is reconstructing, so we're doing that in um instead of the city having to take that on.

I'm gonna ask a silly question, and you may have already answered it, right?

So is there a way for the state of New York to make some of these small businesses whole?

So that's what's been on my mind, this whole conversation.

So um I'm going to ask that question to many folks that I have contact with.

So I don't know the answer, but I'll just do that.

And as soon as you know, you uh let me know.

Yes, okay.

Thank you.

Any other questions from my colleagues?

Are we upset?

Are we all set over here?

Okay, I'm gonna ask uh for an adjournment.

So move.

So move.

All right, thank you.