The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is already involved in a public process to explore alternatives to the deteriorating Interstate 81 in Syracuse and they will now also be reviewing alternatives to Buffalo’s Skyway to assess its future.   The Skyway consists of 1.5 miles of elevated highway and its crumbling infrastructure, similar to I-81, is considered outdated and structurally deficient, posing risks for its users. Buffalo »

Like many other highways in American cities today, I-70’s elevated lanes cut through downtown St. Louis, acting as a barrier between the riverfront and downtown.  While there have been calls for the removal of I-70’s elevated lanes in the past, the anticipated opening of the new Mississippi River bridge in 2014 has prompted Alderman Scott Ogilvie to raise the issue at a Board of Alderman’s meeting last week.   He introduced a resolution in »

Artists from the Artist Build Collaborative hope to light up a dark and noisy pedestrian passageway below the Gowanus Expressway in Brooklyn with a sculpture called Silent Lights. The sculpture consists of six gates made of colorful perforated metal. During the day, the gates will allow daylight to shine through. At night, LED lights on the gates will illuminate the pathway, pulsating in a wave pattern based on noise intensity in the surrounding area. »

I-70 runs along the northern edge of downtown Denver. Colorado DOT has been studying a critical section of the roadway for nearly 10 years, with a particular focus on the aging viaduct portion, built in 1964. Last spring, the Colorado DOT proposed a plan to replace the viaduct with a depressed highway covered with a deck that could serve as a park or open space. Some community groups and residents are pushing for realignment of I-70 around the city, »

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is preparing for a major tunnel boring effort for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement project. This project will replace the elevated waterfront section of the Alaskan Way Viaduct in downtown Seattle with a tunnel, scheduled to open in 2015. Earlier this month, WSDOT led several hundred members of the public on a mile-long walking tour of the job site for the project, providing information »

On May 9, 2012, the SMTC and the NYSDOT hosted a public meeting for The I-81 Challenge. Over 480 people participated in the in-person public meeting, and over 250 people participated in the virtual meeting through the project website. The feedback and key findings from this public meeting have been summarized in the May 2012 Public Meeting Summary Report, now available on the project website. At the public meeting, participants were able to review »

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported on the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council’s unanimous approval of the estimated $5.4 billion plan to build a new Tappan Zee Bridge. With unanimous NYMTC approval, the project can now move forward with a formal application for federal funding. Officials voiced their excitement at recent progress in moving this project forward, although some have also expressed frustration at the lack of full-scale »

In a recent story, NPR explored the ongoing decision-making process about the future of I-81 in Syracuse. Click here to listen to the story on the NPR website. Photo by Zack Seward for NPR.

In a recent article, The Next American City explores future plans for Route 34 in New Haven, CT. Route 34 cuts through the city, and New Haven is hoping to spur development and knit the street grid back together with the Downtown Crossing project. The Next American City reports that while some community members support the project, opponents are speaking up with concerns.  Click here to read more. Photo by Flickr user Doug Kerr via Next American »