I-787/Hudson Waterfront Corridor Study underway

787

Under I-787 in Albany’s South End

Two Public Workshops on 787 will be held on June 24th and June 30th. On June 24th the meeting will be from 4 – 7:30 p.m. at the Albany Public Library Auditorium (Washington Avenue Branch) and on June 30th from 5 – 7:30 p.m. at the Watervliet Senior Citizens Center.  Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the study through exhibits of study area maps and presentations along with ongoing opportunities for input through interactive stations. The presentations will be given at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on June 24th and at 5:30 p.m. on June 30th

If you have any questions, or are unable to attend but wish to provide input, please contact Sandy Misiewicz, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner II, by phone (518) 458-2161 or email 787waterfrontstudy@cdtcmpo.org. Visit the project website at www.787waterfrontstudy.blogspot.com.

This could be a watershed moment for Albany. For several years advocates have championed the removal or boulevarding of 787:

  • 787 cuts off the City of Albany from a vibrant waterfront
  • The land taken up by 787’s flyovers, ramps, and support infrastructure would be much more valuable to the city if provided the opportunity to be developed
  • 787’s ramps and fly-overs are stark and definitive boundaries that separate and segregate areas of the city both economically and socially 
  • The Expressway was built to accommodate commuters needs and thus, is far below capacity for most hours of the day with the exception of peak hours
  • Despite its limited use to peak hours, the facility costs millions of dollars to maintain each year (significantly more than a comparable at grade system). Our state resources are strained and on the Federal side, the long-term funding situation is dire. The Highway Trust Fund is broke, and there are no solutions in sight to right the ship for this critical program. 
  • Just a few years ago the Future of I-787 and the Albany Waterfront was the subject of a Stakeholders, Inc. Sustainable Cities Project. “Interstate 787 has consistently been identified as a barrier to waterfront access and to vitality in downtown Albany,” study authors noted. The Stakeholders, Inc., in conjunction with sponsors, Mohawk Fine Paper, 3tarchitects, and the City of Albany’s Office of Energy and Sustainability, teamed up to address this challenge by commencing a discussion on designing a more sustainable future for I-787. Their study can be found here

When will the discussion of 787’s future happen? It could be as early at June 24th.

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