New York

[dantheman]

I saw the Thruway's post on rehabbing the exit 31 bridge over Genesee Street which reminded me that the slides from the NYSAMPO Conference presentation on the Exit 31 PEL Study are publicly available.  See below.  The concepts are similar to some of the things we discussed, except the eastbound connections are MUCH further east - to the point where I-90 EB would lose access to I-790 entirely wile I-90 WB would get direct access.

I asked if they're looking at improving access to NY 49 to the west, and they aren't (the stated reason is that it would go against the goal of reducing the footprint of the ramps).

https://www.nysmpos.org/_files/ugd/3ff9d0_983bb43f9f2e4262a8f7309cf748a0b5.pdf

Interesting... thanks for sharing. It strikes me that the concepts seem to be prioritizing Thruway <-> downtown Utica access over Thruway <-> 12/790/49 access, especially for traffic to/from the west. It's more of a replacement of "classic" pre-790 Exit 31 (access to Genesee Street) rather than any replacement of the awkward access to 12/49/790 today. Seems like it would be easy to fix this by moving the EB offramp/WB onramp much further west, as you said. Or - how about a Texas U-turn ramp on the west side of Genesee Street, so that traffic from the EB Thruway could easily reverse direction to access 12, 790, and the rest of the exits from the pseudo-frontage roads?

Also, in option F-1 (slides 21-22), the east half of the Genesee St ramps and the W half of the Leland Ave ramps appear to be way too close together. Seems like that could create a real weaving mess.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.syracuse.com/micron/2025/06/ny-state-takes-first-step-to-revamping-roads-highways-for-micron-growth.html

TLDR- new proposed interchanges on I-81 and NY 481 as well as a new DDI for the existing I-81/Route 31 interchange for Micron

"The transportation department estimates it will cost $350 million to make the improvements necessary to handle the increased traffic. Bridge construction could cost an additional $25 million."

"To alleviate that traffic, Micron said the state and Onondaga County would have to undertake extensive projects on roads in Clay and Cicero. Those projects would include a new exit on Route 31 at Pardee Road, in Cicero, about two miles north of the I-81/Route 31 interchange." (exit 100?)

"New York state has already proposed building a new I-81 exit in Cicero near Micron at a cost of $68 million. It would include on and off ramps in both directions, two roundabouts and a bridge over I-81 that would connect to Route 11."

"Micron also says the I-81/Route 31 exit should be reconfigured into a novel roadway concept called a diverging diamond interchange. Traffic engineers say that kind of interchange can move cars more quickly on and off highways. There are only two of them in New York state now."

"Micron's traffic engineers have also recommended a new interchange on Route 481, west of the current Caughdenoy Road exit, in Clay, and a four-lane access road that would run directly to the Micron campus."

[kalvado]

NYSDOT is developing the Transportation Master Plan, in coordination with transportation agencies throughout New York.

https://nystransportationmasterplan.com/
Public input period ends in about a month.
One thing that did catch an eye - their survey on priorities seems to be done in NYC mostly (makes some sense as significant part of NYS population is concentrated in NYC area) - and shows public transportation, walking, biking as the main priorities. My gut feeling that would end up same way as "instagramability" of thruway service areas... 

[vdeane]

NYSDOT is developing the Transportation Master Plan, in coordination with transportation agencies throughout New York.

https://nystransportationmasterplan.com/
Public input period ends in about a month.
One thing that did catch an eye - their survey on priorities seems to be done in NYC mostly (makes some sense as significant part of NYS population is concentrated in NYC area) - and shows public transportation, walking, biking as the main priorities. My gut feeling that would end up same way as "instagramability" of thruway service areas... 

I'm not sure I'd call people interested in public transit, walking, and biking as a NYC thing.  Just look at the discourse on r/Albany whenever the subject of I-787 comes up.  Oddly enough, the thread there on the land use around DOT is the one time there when it felt like hardcore New Urbanist things were getting mass downvotes; normally, it's the reverse or more balanced.

[The Ghostbuster]

What is the latest on Interstate 787 in Albany? Are they still planning to convert it into a signaled surface boulevard? Also, I dislike future plans given the future is unpredictable, and thus a plan that turns out to be inaccurate in its assumptions about the future will become unreliable.

[kalvado]

What is the latest on Interstate 787 in Albany? Are they still planning to convert it into a signaled surface boulevard? Also, I dislike future plans given the future is unpredictable, and thus a plan that turns out to be inaccurate in its assumptions about the future will become unreliable.

(10 years from now) yes, that is still considered as one of possibilities.

[kalvado]

NYSDOT is developing the Transportation Master Plan, in coordination with transportation agencies throughout New York.

https://nystransportationmasterplan.com/
Public input period ends in about a month.
One thing that did catch an eye - their survey on priorities seems to be done in NYC mostly (makes some sense as significant part of NYS population is concentrated in NYC area) - and shows public transportation, walking, biking as the main priorities. My gut feeling that would end up same way as "instagramability" of thruway service areas... 

I'm not sure I'd call people interested in public transit, walking, and biking as a NYC thing.  Just look at the discourse on r/Albany whenever the subject of I-787 comes up.  Oddly enough, the thread there on the land use around DOT is the one time there when it felt like hardcore New Urbanist things were getting mass downvotes; normally, it's the reverse or more balanced.

Albany proper, maybe. Frankly speaking, CDTA is relatively good, but even then it captures single-digit %% of commuters.  I still have hard time thinking that half of the population in upstate cities would rank public transportation above parking or road throughput. 
But I guess those answers were strategically not offered as an option for the response.

[Rothman]

NYSDOT is developing the Transportation Master Plan, in coordination with transportation agencies throughout New York.

https://nystransportationmasterplan.com/
Public input period ends in about a month.
One thing that did catch an eye - their survey on priorities seems to be done in NYC mostly (makes some sense as significant part of NYS population is concentrated in NYC area) - and shows public transportation, walking, biking as the main priorities. My gut feeling that would end up same way as "instagramability" of thruway service areas... 

[redacts his own comments on it here]

*personal opinion emphasized*

[kalvado]

NYSDOT is developing the Transportation Master Plan, in coordination with transportation agencies throughout New York.

https://nystransportationmasterplan.com/
Public input period ends in about a month.
One thing that did catch an eye - their survey on priorities seems to be done in NYC mostly (makes some sense as significant part of NYS population is concentrated in NYC area) - and shows public transportation, walking, biking as the main priorities. My gut feeling that would end up same way as "instagramability" of thruway service areas... 

[redacts his own comments on it here]

*personal opinion emphasized*

Would be really interesting to know your opinion though. 

[vdeane]

Looks like something has been built around Empire State Plaza, using what was to be the WB lanes of the South Mall Expressway had the Mid-Crosstown been built.  Kinda neat to see that middle tunnel get used after all these decades.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Albany/comments/1lq7c0m/new_highway_in_albany/

[MASTERNC]

Every year around July 4 during an annual trip to Vermont, I'm reminded how poorly the road system in the Queensbury/Lake George area was designed. Having a two lane road traverse a theme park and multiple outlet malls with crosswalks is maddening. To head from NY 149 west (about 3/4 mile before US 9) to I-87 south took nearly 30 minutes on a Saturday morning due to vacation rental and RV park traffic. Even had a guy today driving on the shoulder and in the oncoming lane to get ahead of all the congestion.

[Rothman]

Every year around July 4 during an annual trip to Vermont, I'm reminded how badly designed the Queensbury/Lake George area was designed. Having a two lane road traverse a theme park and multiple outlet malls with crosswalks is maddening. To head from NY 149 west (about 3/4 mile before US 9) to I-87 south took nearly 30 minutes on a Saturday morning due to vacation rental traffic. Even had a guy today driving on the shoulder and in the oncoming lane to get ahead of all the congestion.

Can't get to VT from NY.  Everyone knows this.

[froggie]

Every year around July 4 during an annual trip to Vermont, I'm reminded how badly designed the Queensbury/Lake George area was designed. Having a two lane road traverse a theme park and multiple outlet malls with crosswalks is maddening. To head from NY 149 west (about 3/4 mile before US 9) to I-87 south took nearly 30 minutes on a Saturday morning due to vacation rental traffic. Even had a guy today driving on the shoulder and in the oncoming lane to get ahead of all the congestion.

Can't get to VT from NY.  Everyone knows this.

You just don't know the secrets...

[Rothman]

Every year around July 4 during an annual trip to Vermont, I'm reminded how badly designed the Queensbury/Lake George area was designed. Having a two lane road traverse a theme park and multiple outlet malls with crosswalks is maddening. To head from NY 149 west (about 3/4 mile before US 9) to I-87 south took nearly 30 minutes on a Saturday morning due to vacation rental traffic. Even had a guy today driving on the shoulder and in the oncoming lane to get ahead of all the congestion.

Can't get to VT from NY.  Everyone knows this.

You just don't know the secrets...

Secret tunnel...

[vdeane]

Every year around July 4 during an annual trip to Vermont, I'm reminded how badly designed the Queensbury/Lake George area was designed. Having a two lane road traverse a theme park and multiple outlet malls with crosswalks is maddening. To head from NY 149 west (about 3/4 mile before US 9) to I-87 south took nearly 30 minutes on a Saturday morning due to vacation rental traffic. Even had a guy today driving on the shoulder and in the oncoming lane to get ahead of all the congestion.

Can't get to VT from NY.  Everyone knows this.

You just don't know the secrets...

Secret tunnel...

Secret tunnel!  Secret tunnel!  Though the mountains!  Secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel!

[Mr. Matté]

Every year around July 4 during an annual trip to Vermont, I'm reminded how badly designed the Queensbury/Lake George area was designed. Having a two lane road traverse a theme park and multiple outlet malls with crosswalks is maddening. To head from NY 149 west (about 3/4 mile before US 9) to I-87 south took nearly 30 minutes on a Saturday morning due to vacation rental traffic. Even had a guy today driving on the shoulder and in the oncoming lane to get ahead of all the congestion.

Can't get to VT from NY.  Everyone knows this.

You just don't know the secrets...

Secret tunnel...

Secret tunnel!  Secret tunnel!  Though the mountains!  Secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel!

How do we know it wasn't you who spoiled the secret tunnel?

Looks like something has been built around Empire State Plaza, using what was to be the WB lanes of the South Mall Expressway had the Mid-Crosstown been built.  Kinda neat to see that middle tunnel get used after all these decades.

[Rothman]

Every year around July 4 during an annual trip to Vermont, I'm reminded how badly designed the Queensbury/Lake George area was designed. Having a two lane road traverse a theme park and multiple outlet malls with crosswalks is maddening. To head from NY 149 west (about 3/4 mile before US 9) to I-87 south took nearly 30 minutes on a Saturday morning due to vacation rental traffic. Even had a guy today driving on the shoulder and in the oncoming lane to get ahead of all the congestion.

Can't get to VT from NY.  Everyone knows this.

You just don't know the secrets...

Secret tunnel...

Secret tunnel!  Secret tunnel!  Though the mountains!  Secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel!

Glad someone caught the reference.

[kalvado]

Looks like something has been built around Empire State Plaza, using what was to be the WB lanes of the South Mall Expressway had the Mid-Crosstown been built.  Kinda neat to see that middle tunnel get used after all these decades.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Albany/comments/1lq7c0m/new_highway_in_albany/

Now it's official - temporary road for detour during repairs...