The Arts and Crafts Festival in Downtown Syracuse gives the streets over to people on foot and provides a purpose to our walks.

The Walk

July 31, 2023

Walkability is one of those terms that continually comes up in planning and development circles. Real estate websites champion the Walk Scores of different apartments and houses. Comprehensive plans highlight the desire of younger generations to live in walkable neighborhoods. But what does walkability mean?

In one of my earlier pieces on the holiday season, I highlighted the work of Jeff Speck, author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, who identifies four keys to making a city walkable:

Provide a proper reason to walk
Make the walk feel safe
Make the walk comfortable
Create an interesting walk

When we look across the City of Syracuse, we find islands of walkability; James St in Eastwood, Grant Blvd and N Salina St on the Northside, Westcott St on the Eastside. The prime example of this is Downtown Syracuse. As the central hub of the region, the neighborhood has a Walk Score of 93, achieving the title of “Walker’s Paradise.” While this is evident to anyone who spends time downtown, walking to and from Downtown to nearby neighborhoods is a different story.

Railroad bridges, highway overpasses, and overbuilt stroads (a term coined by Strong Towns to describe a thoroughfare that attempts to serve the purpose of a road and street while failing to do both) surround Downtown, cutting it off from close in neighborhoods. Poor sidewalk quality, underused lots, car storage, and wide intersections continue to break up what should be an easy walk.

Most people, if given the right conditions, would be happy to go for a two-mile walk, roughly30 to 45 minutes. In larger cities, due to their interesting environments, frequent shops and restaurants, and quality pedestrian infrastructure, a two-mile walk goes by without thinking. When you walk under highways and next to parking lots, two-miles can seem like a never ending distance. Walking has also been continually associated with good health, mindfulness, and connection with your surroundings, as noted in a recent New York Times opinion piece. Nick Offerman, of Parks and Recreation, has even highlighted its personal values to him in a recent podcast episode and in his latest book.

For Downtown Syracuse to continue to grow and for the central, nearby neighborhoods to begin to thrive, improving these connections is vital. To demonstrate this, we’ll take a look at walks to key destinations within two-miles of Clinton Square in Downtown Syracuse. We will look at what the City is doing right, where improvements can be made, and envision some potential futures these corridors may have in store. As Syracuse looks to add density and improve our housing stock, these central neighborhoods will become increasingly important.

If we can improve connections within two-miles of our City’s center, we can rethink how these inner neighborhoods function and how they connect to one another. Gone will be the need for car storage, as people will easily be able to walk or bike to most of their daily needs. Most trips in America, especially beyond our commutes to work, are already under 3 miles. If we can make those miles attractive and pleasant to walk, people of all ages gain the freedom to explore their communities and understand neighboring ones in ways they don’t quite get to from a windshield perspective.

This will be an ongoing project to document these walks. And we begin with the walk:

To Tipperary Hill
To the Ballpark
To Middle Ages (coming soon)
To Syracuse Stage (coming soon)

Lessons from the North

June 21, 2023

One of the most common phrases I hear about why we can’t make Syracuse a more pedestrian and bike friendly city is the concern about winter. “It's too cold for people to be outside on a bike or to walk.” “What about the snow?” “Plows will struggle if you do that.” “People are only outside for 3 months out of the year.”

I’d like to report that all of these concerns are overblown, if not just a straight up lie. Yes, cold weather and snow pose challenges to all infrastructure, but we have far fewer bad days than people like to admit. It doesn’t snow every single day for six months straight. Very few days are so cold you hide away inside all day. I’ve written about different ideas for how we can embrace winter in the past (here, here, here, and here). But Syracuse is not the only northern city in the US, and there is much we can learn from some.

In May, I was finally able to take a trip to Minneapolis, a city that has become increasingly prevalent in urban planning circles, especially in terms of bike infrastructure. Even on a brief trip, there was a lot to learn just from walking the streets.

Space for Bikes

“People won’t bike when it's cold,” Well, someone should tell the residents of Minneapolis that fact. The city gets far colder than Syracuse during the winter, yet has 8 times the share of people riding bikes to work (4% vs 0.5% in 2019). If you factor in other types of trips (daily errands, visiting friends, recreational), bike riding numbers would go even higher. It's not the cold that keeps people from biking, it's the lack of safe infrastructure that is maintained throughout the year.

In 2018, Minneapolis was ranked as the 4th best bike city in America by Bicycle Magazine. While the article criticizes the city for its past focus on recreational trails while forgetting about the day-to-day needs of cyclists in its urban spaces, it notes that in 2016 the city implemented a new complete streets policy. All road reconstruction projects now must prioritize walking, cycling, transit, and cars, in that order. This is the same approach several European countries take, which has resulted in far higher rates of bike ridership and transit usage than what is found in the US.

Raised bike lane

Pocket turn

Shared use path

As of 2023, Minneapolis has over 100 miles of off-road trails and bikeways, 98 miles of bike lanes, and 16 miles of protected on-street lanes. These facilities aren’t just available during the summer months, but are kept care of throughout the year. In fact, many residents have noticed the protected lanes and trails being cleared before the roads. One of the reasons for this - no parked cars getting in the way.

As you walk around the city, you find the desire to provide truly separate facilities for bikes. Raised bike lanes can be found throughout Downtown Minneapolis, and off-street trails and shared use paths spread out across the city. This is by design. Off-road shared-use paths are the preferred infrastructure throughout the city, while raised lanes are opted for wherever there is not room for a shared-use path, or it is deemed undesirable. When bikes and cars do mix at intersections, clear markings help guide people on bikes in designated spaces, including pocket turn lanes. These turn lanes help riders wait to turn in a safe, protected space away from traffic.

Even further separation occurs when you look to cross busier roadways. The Martin Olav Sabo Bridge was the first cable-stayed bridge in Minnesota and it is dedicated solely to people on bikes and on foot. While it might be the most impressive shared-use bridge I saw, it was not the only one. Bridges cross roadways and waterways throughout the city, allowing you to travel with limited interaction with cars often.

While Syracuse is making progress on some of these fronts, its network is still inconsistent and very few facilities truly separate riders from traffic. The closest experience to these paths and trails in the Syracuse area are the Creekwalk and the Loop the Lake trail. While we are working to improve connections to these trails to make them easier to use for commuting instead of just recreational purposes, key connection points often remain stubbornly blocked during the summer months due to festivals and concerts. Until we prioritize these connections, like Minneapolis has, commuting by bike will remain a less desirable and less safe alternative.

Bike locker at light rail station

Bike parking outside Target Field

One thing Syracuse has not made a lot of progress on is providing secure bike parking facilities. In Minneapolis, bike parking in the commercial centers is seemingly everywhere. Just look outside Target Field, where the Minnesota Twins play, and you’ll find dozens and dozens of bikes locked up by fans during the game. Meanwhile, NBT Bank Stadium, home of the Syracuse Mets, currently suffers from a lack of bike racks, or really any easy connections for individuals outside a car. Not only does Minneapolis have a plethora of traditional staple racks, but bike lockers can be found in many key locations. These lockers are found throughout Downtown Minneapolis and at most light rail stations in the region. For less than $50 a year, residents can use the lockers as they need, creating a seamless and safe transition between riding a bike and transit. Bike parking is often overlooked in our transportation systems, while we obsess over storage for our cars. To get people on their bikes, they need to feel safe about where they leave them at the end of their rides.

Building for Transit

Beyond riding bikes and walking, transit access in Minneapolis can teach us quite a bit. While Minneapolis is denser than Syracuse at this time (7,962 people/square mile vs 5,930 people/square mile), much of our street networks were built out around the same time when both cities had higher populations and higher densities. One difference between the cities is that Minneapolis refocused itself around transit access long before Syracuse has started to do the same.

Nicollet Mall

Bus shelter on the Nicollet Mall

In the 1960s, Minneapolis opened the country’s first transitway, Nicollet Mall, which closed the street to private vehicles while opening it to high quality transit and pedestrian space. The mall was most recently renovated in 2017 to provide more space for people and added greenery and updated lighting, making it a more pleasant experience. Along the transitway, and at many bus facilities across the city, large shelters are provided with detailed digital countdown boards, so it's easy to tell when to expect the bus you need.

Syracuse is getting its first bus rapid transit (BRT) lines in the coming years, and would do well to learn from the Nicollet Mall. Prioritize people and buses. Exclude cars when necessary. Provide up to date information to people as they wait. Provide ample space for people to wait to better ensure comfort.

Being a larger city than Syracuse, Minneapolis has also made key investments in light rail, which first came into service in 2001. What makes the Minneapolis light rail, known as the Metro Blue and Green lines, different from other rail transit networks I have ridden on across the US, is its focus on connecting population centers. Unlike Denver’s rail lines, which were pushed to the edges of communities and are surrounded by parking lots, Minneapolis has instituted transit oriented development (TOD) and transit improvement zones within a half mile of all stations. These policies promote denser development patterns with less space for car storage. The city has also secured grants in recent years to study potential improvements surrounding stations and identify funding opportunities for developers to help promote denser development patterns.

Metro Blue Line running through Downtown Minneapolis.

Syracuse is looking to implement some forms of transit oriented development through ReZone Syracuse, but many of those policies are tied to the implementation of BRT. Developers need to know where BRT stations will be as the immediate blocks will be the focus of TOD style projects. Concentrating development on top of high quality transit lines, along with reducing and adequately pricing car storage, will help promote this more sustainable growth pattern.

On a brief side note about dense development and access, the stadiums for Minneapolis’ major league teams are all integrated into the fabric of the city. Each one is accessible via transit (rail and bus), the bike network, and pedestrian infrastructure (both sidewalks and skyways). Most of the stadiums are surrounded by their neighborhoods, with bars and restaurants, apartments and offices all within a short walking distance. This may not be the most important piece of infrastructure in a city, but emphasizing these connections instead of sitting in a sea of car storage helps integrate the team and its fans into the community. I’ve continually advocated for Syracuse to do the same.

Public Spaces in All Seasons

While density, along with proper transportation infrastructure, is key to a thriving city, providing excellent public spaces helps the residents get out of their homes and connect with one another. This is not just about being outside in summer months, but providing spaces for year round use.

One way that Minneapolis has addressed this need is through their extensive network of skyways. In fact it is the world’s largest network of interconnected pedestrian bridges. First opening in 1962, the skyways have over 80 blocks through Downtown Minneapolis, allowing people to walk through dozens of buildings and past interior shopping and dining options without stepping foot outside. During the Minnesota winters, having a heated pathway through the city can be vital.

Skyway bridges

Skyway map

But I bring up the skyways not as a, “we should 100% build this in Syracuse,” type of idea. While the skyways help shield people from harsh weather, they also dampen street life, which is something the city has been concerned about since the very beginning. Instead, I see this as an idea that can be improved upon. Being able to experience the heart of the city without needing to bundle up every time you need to go somewhere is an enjoyable experience, but it needs to be grounded back to the street. The existing skyways in Minneapolis do not always have obvious entrances and exits. Often you feel like you are intruding on someone else’s space, which in some ways you are. And the bridges can be closed at the will of the building owners, potentially blocking key routes when you need them most.

Syracuse’s only two skyways currently connect offices to parking garages. This is an extremely limited use and does nothing to truly benefit the city. If northern cities want to embrace skyways as a way to improve mobility during the winter months, they must be publicly controlled and clearly marked. Dedicated entrances that open onto the sidewalk, and ideally lead directly to destinations throughout the downtown core.

Another option, which I’ve discussed in a previous piece, is utilizing STOA, or covered walkways. These are most famously found in older Italian and Spanish cities to help shade residents from the sun, but could easily be repurposed to cover us from rain and snow. While there’s no heating in these structures, blocking some of the elements that make walking uncomfortable while keeping us on street level might be enough to convince some to venture out during poor weather.

Rooftop bar at the Brit (photo by Tyler Henderson)

A more tried and true place to gather is the local pub. While Syracuse has finally opened its first rooftop bar, Minneapolis has many. People often shoot down the idea of a rooftop bar because of the colder winter months, yet most of the year we experience pleasant weather, even during the winter. One rooftop bar in Minneapolis, at the Brit, features an entire bowling green, acting as a second story lawn for playing games. We might not need something quite as large as this space, but recognizing that we deserve rooftop access in our downtown core is not up for debate.

Public Art

The final piece I will touch on in this piece is the importance of public art. Syracuse has been making strides towards improving the quality and number of public art pieces across the city, but we have a ways to go before we begin to match Minneapolis. Just outside Downtown Minneapolis sits a world famous sculpture garden that was busy even on a dreary day. The sculptures are larger than life, and a few were even interactive.

Even on the walk to the garden, and throughout the city, you stumble upon large scale murals highlighting famous residents or landscapes. These pieces are seen as preserving the history of the city and highlighting what they are proud of. Syracuse has begun down this path more vigorously in recent years, with new murals going up in each neighborhood. We should continue this process and encourage even more.

The big takeaway from this experience is that many of the things Minneapolis has achieved in terms of public infrastructure are not that far out of reach for cities like Syracuse. If anything, they are a model for what we can achieve in colder climates. We may not have the financial strength or cache of a larger city, yet, but we can prioritize investments that make some of these goals more achievable.

Water Street to Linear Park

February 24, 2023

The street grid through Downtown Syracuse continues to be built around a canal that was removed nearly 100 years ago. At that time, Water St acted as a vital access road for the many businesses that lined the Erie Canal. Many of the remaining buildings from that time still front Water St with more utilitarian doors and windows facing Erie Blvd. Today, outside of the blocks around Hanover Square, Water St is a minimally used street surrounded by parking lots, underused and vacant parcels, and open green space. At the same time, it is a key portion of the Empire State Trail (EST), a premiere 750 mile bicycle trail that connects the entire state. It is time to rethink Water St and the area around it.

Business fronts on Water St

Business backs on Erie Blvd

First let’s look at the street’s current use. According to NYSDOT’s Traffic Data Viewer, an average of 700 to 2,000 vehicles use the street on a daily basis, which is a fairly light volume. Most of these vehicles are utilizing the parking lots that front the corridor. To accommodate the EST, standard painted bike lanes function for the majority of the corridor, with sharrows occupying the three blocks between State St and S Salina St, with the block off of S Salina St utilizing a protected contra-flow bike lane as well. For people on foot, there’s even less infrastructure. The sidewalk network is in pieces, with parts overgrown as you move further away from Downtown Syracuse. The street may attempt to serve all users but it struggles to serve any of them well.

So what if we decided to focus on just the active modes of transportation?

By removing cars from Water St, the corridor opens up to possibilities. A shared use path, typically 10 to 12 feet wide, could be shifted to the center of the corridor while the rest of the right-of-way is filled with greenery, similar to the characteristics of the EST further east down Erie Blvd. This change creates the opportunity for a truly urban linear park, similar to portions of the Onondaga Creekwalk, but more ambitious in some ways.

The Onondaga Creekwalk through Downtown Syracuse leaves a bit to be desired. It forces cyclists off of their bikes as they must share sidewalks instead of having a dedicated off-road path. Its circuitous route, a necessity due to the space constraints associated with trying to follow the path of the creek, is less desirable than the straight shot that Water St offers. Instead, we will look more towards the second phase of the Creekwalk which runs through primarily park-like conditions and minimizes street crossings. While a Water St linear park will require far more street crossings, we can alter the function of those intersections through the use of raised intersections, which help to slow drivers as they pass, as well as switching many of them from signalized intersections to stop signs. As Jeff Speck notes in Walkable City, stop signs are preferable to traffic signals from a safety perspective, for all mobility methods.

With a linear park in place, the conversation turns to development along its path. Looking at ReZone Syracuse, most of the land fronting Erie Blvd will be zoned as MX-3, which encourages mixed-use development. Large portions of the land fronting Water St on the southside of the street is zoned as MX-4, again mixed-use but at a higher level of density. Three blocks, between University Ave and S Beech St are zoned for open space. While this open space preservation makes sense with the current configuration of the street network, by shifting Water St into open space, the narrow lots currently zoned for it should be converted for mixed-use development.

The development along Water St will be unique in that they can be built truly for car-free households, opening up to the linear park and providing ample access to transit along Erie Blvd. To ensure this opportunity is seized, secure bike parking should be thoughtfully included in every development along the route, both for residents and visitors to the commercial spaces. As the major entryway into Downtown Syracuse along the EST, providing ample accommodations for cyclists is vital to attracting cycling tourists into the City. It is also a way to make it easier for city residents to embrace a car free or car light lifestyle, saving each thousands of dollars per year.

Some parking lots and car centric businesses currently line the corridor, including the Syracuse Center for Excellence. While the Center for Excellence is an experiment in sustainable building practices, as well as energy and water use, it does not fully embrace more sustainable transportation methods, with the building utilizing a large parking lot and only providing a handful of bike racks. Some businesses, including the U-Haul rental and storage office, may need to be completely rethought to encourage more desirable uses near our city’s center. The building currently used by U-Haul is structurally deficient on many floors, which might make demolition a requirement for redevelopment.

The area currently covered by I-81 will also be open for development once the viaduct is removed. Auto-oriented businesses must be avoided in this area. Drive-thrus, automotive repair shops, and car sales should be excluded in favor of street fronting businesses, which may still include chain restaurants and businesses, but utilizing more urban oriented designs. College Town in Rochester, NY is a good example of this style, but the development still relies heavily on an inner parking lot. Some parking will need to be built to make this corridor function, but it should be minimized.

A Water St linear park is a chance for Syracuse to embrace a unique development style and encourage car free / car light living. It's time to rethink our streets and there’s no better place to start than a street whose purpose has been reduced over the last 100 years.

Growth in CNY: Mobility

November 30, 2022

I had planned to end 2022 with a blog post looking ahead to the future and ways that CNY, and more specifically Syracuse, can encourage growth in sustainable way, I have had conversations over the years saying that Syracuse would be a great city of 250,000 people, with just small tweaks and changes to our built environment. Now, at the beginning of October 2022, these conversations take on a new urgency, with the announcement of Micron investing up to $100 billion just north of the City and bringing 9,000 high paying jobs, with up to 40,000 additional jobs in related industries. So to finish up my 2022 blog series, I plan to address this growth in three parts: Housing, Mobility, and Culture & Amenities.

I had initially intended to name this post “Growth in CNY: Transportation,” but after some thinking, I realized that the word “transportation” often is synonymous with cars. In contrast, I think we should really be thinking in terms of mobility in our communities. How can people get to where they need to go? Do they have options? Are you forced to use one mode over any other because of the built environment? This is how we must frame these conversations related to the Micron development and the growth of our region, or else we will continually be bogged down in conversations over cars and gridlock (which may or may not exist).

Mobility and housing must be intertwined if we ever hope to grow in a sustainable way. As I mentioned in the previous post, we should concentrate new housing developments in key locations that lend themselves to improved transit and active transportation options. Everything within this post builds off of where we build our housing and should work together to create a seamless network for all users.

The Community Grid

To state this clearly and succinctly: Syracuse, and CNY, need the community grid to replace the I-81 viaduct. We have spent well over a decade studying alternatives for a highway that should never have run along its current path to begin with. Micron selected the Syracuse area with the knowledge that portions of the highway network would be removed. Wider viaducts, tunnels, “sky bridges,” depressed highways have all been looked at in various capacities, but they fail to address the fundamental issue of highways and traffic - induced demand. As you make it easier to drive by adding more lanes, more people will choose to drive. This is one of the major drivers of suburban sprawl and leads to increased congestion as a result. The community grid can help solve this, even if I believe it doesn’t go far enough.

While the current plan does well at improving non-vehicle mobility within the Downtown core, the plan still maintains barriers north and south of Downtown. Unlike the unfortunate lawsuit currently holding up progress on the project, the answer is not to continue having a highway cutting through the city, but in fact requires the elimination of more of the highway. Over the past year, the plan has shortened the community grid portion of the project by several blocks, moving a planned roundabout north to avoid bringing all traffic to grade level next to an elementary school. While the issues raised about the placement of the roundabout are valid, plenty of roundabouts exist near schools throughout the world. But, while we’re looking to move the roundabout, I would argue instead to add more of them further south. Bring the highway down to street level and speeds 3,000 ft south of Dr. King elementary to Colvin St, adding in a roundabout, allowing vehicles to disperse along the street grid prior to reaching the school. At the same time maintain a roundabout near Dr. King and at the new proposed location at Van Buren St (see graphics below). This will continue to enforce slower speeds through the city while maintaining efficient through-put, something many of our suburban neighbors are concerned about. Single lane roundabouts have been proven to handle over 30,000 vehicles per day.

North of Downtown Syracuse will not only see the highway maintained, but in fact expanded by a lane in each direction. While many suburban leaders will say these lanes are needed, especially in light of the Micron development north of the city, a better option would be repurposing the lanes to prioritize public transit and other high occupancy vehicles. I will discuss these options in greater detail later in this article, but it should be noted these changes can be made without expanding the highway through the Northside.

One of the greatest benefits of this project is the land freed up within the city once the viaduct comes down. The increased residential development potential, which was discussed in the previous post, can bring more residents into our region’s urban center, allowing for a car-light or car-free lifestyle close to employment opportunities, active transportation options, and public transit hubs. Importantly, this neighborhood will be well served by the proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) network.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

As I have mentioned many times before on this blog, in 2018 the SMTC released the SMART1 report identifying the preferred route for two bus rapid transit (BRT) lines that cross Syracuse in an X shape. The first line connects Eastwood’s James St corridor down to the Onondaga Community College (OCC) campus in the Town of Onondaga. The second line connects Destiny USA along the city’s waterfront south to the Syracuse University (SU) campus. These lines follow existing transit lines that already have enough ridership demand to warrant BRT treatment. These lines already are, and will continue to be, the backbone of the bus network within Syracuse.

Screen Shot 2022-11-30 at 6.55.14 PM.png

Screen Shot 2022-11-30 at 6.55.52 PM.png

Fellow Syracuse blog, In The Salt City, has written countless pieces on BRT within the city, including identifying a more expansive network that I also believe should be further developed once the initial lines are up and running. Each of the maps above come directly from their blog and showcase how the network can expand moving forward. This urban network design is not, and should not be, affected by the Micron development.

While I recommend reading more about the lines and their destinations, let’s focus on how to make BRT work well within Syracuse, and that includes the location of stations, amenities at said stations, payment methods, and service.

It should be noted that the BRT system recommended within SMART1 is not full BRT, but instead improved service in mixed traffic. This means that buses will not have their own lane and will not be separated from traffic for most of their routes. This is similar to Albany, NY’s Bus Plus BRT system, which has recently expanded to three lines. While this makes sense for the city at the moment, we should look to set the stage for a more robust BRT network including bus only lanes. Again, we can learn from Albany.

While service may initially operate in mixed traffic, we must ensure stations are located in prime locations and given priority access to right-of-way. This includes siting stations as close to key destinations as possible, including grocery stores, pharmacies, entertainment venues, etc. Riders must see this as the most convenient option.

Similar to the SMART1 plan, CDTA, Albany’s public transit agency, utilizes targeted bus lanes around stations to prioritize boarding and alighting. Additionally, their stations employ the use of real time informational signage and free wi-fi.These amenities allow for riders to confidently know when their bus is arriving and be able to enjoy their personal devices as they wait. This has been shown to reduce how long riders feel they are waiting when compared to traditional bus stops. These are basic amenities that need to be included at all BRT stations to help promote the use of the service and improve rider experiences.

Another simple, but important, aspect of the station is that they’re all covered to protect riders from the elements. While the CDTA stations have larger coverings than traditional stops, they are not on the same level as true BRT stations found elsewhere around the world. Above are examples of stations in cities across the world. Many have raised platforms allowing riders to board the bus directly at an even level without the use of steps or waiting for the bus to “kneel,” or dip, to allow riders with mobility issues to board. These types of stations are also common with light rail and subway stations as they provide the most accessibility for all users. Stations of this quality should be the aim of the Syracuse BRT network. An example can be seen below.

Now looking at how we pay to ride, we need to embrace technology. Centro has been looking at using a tap payment system for riders, similar to OMNY in NYC, where riders can tap their phone as they enter the bus. While cash payments and physical cards must still be available for unbanked riders, adding a digital payment system will help increase casual ridership and simplify rides for long term customers. On the BRT system, this tap system should be installed prior to entering the station, allowing for immediate boarding without needing to wait for payments to be made on the bus.

Beyond the BRT system, creating easy to use weekly and monthly unlimited ride passes should be a priority. This includes creating a fare capping system so riders who cannot afford the upfront costs of unlimited passes can be ensured that they will not pay more than those passes cost over the same period of time.

Other Bus Connections

Moving away from BRT, other key bus connections must be implemented, including direct connections to the Micron development in Clay. As mentioned before, a bus only lane on I-81 as it runs north of Downtown would allow for an express bus service to serve the Micron development along with ancillary businesses that will undoubtedly pop up near the main plant. This service may start as a rush hour service, but it should be expanded to help better connect residents to the shops and services at either end of the line.

Looking at the development areas discussed in the previous post, a full build out at these sites may allow for high quality bus service to exist. Route 11 offers up one of the most promising bus routes. An increasingly dense and urbanized Mattydale will provide a key anchor point between the City and the northern suburbs, potentially allowing for a major transfer facility to be developed in one of the currently underutilized shopping plazas. As your travel north on Route 11, you pass through North Syracuse and the potential development sites SMTC reviewed in 2019, hitting dense population centers that can be focused around a high frequency bus service. At the Route 11 / Route 31 intersection, the service can head west to end at the Micron development.

Route 11

Route 31

At the other end of Route 31, a high frequency bus service could serve the Village of Baldwinsville and a redeveloped Great Northern Mall. Again, serving dense population centers and encouraging more walkable, bikeable communities connecting to the well developed bus stations and allowing for car free commutes to the Micron development from the suburbs.

The Bike Network

While public transportation has been the main focus up until this point, we cannot forget our bike network. Not only does a well designed bike network allow for increased mobility on its own, but it also allows for easy connections to public transportation, providing additional mobility methods without needing a personal vehicle. In 2012, the City of Syracuse released a bike plan which, if implemented fully, would provide a decent level of connectivity across the city. While the plan is a good place to start, many of the routes should be re-evaluated with modern standards in mind, emphasizing protected lanes wherever possible.

County wide map from the LEOP showcasing the different backbone routes.

At the end of 2020, the Empire State Trail (EST) was officially completed, providing a continuous bike route from Buffalo to Albany and NYC to the Canadian border. In 2022, Onondaga County, SMTC, and the CNY RPDB released the Empire State Trail Local Economic Opportunity Plan (LEOP) which looked to identify key routes to connect the EST into communities around Onondaga County. While these routes were limited to areas within four miles of the EST, they emphasize connections to population and commercial centers. They offer up a backbone for local communities to build off of, acting as collectors and arterials for bike riders.

Once a regional network is established, we need to make sure as many people as possible have access to a bike or other micro mobility option, like a scooter. One way to do this is by expanding the bike/scooter share network already in use in Syracuse into the suburbs. I have already written about some of my issues with the current system, including a desire for a membership option. I must acknowledge that the Veo Ride system is a dockless system, which my previous post did not note. At that, I believe we need to move away from a dockless system or at least prioritize the use of permanent hubs. By moving towards more of a hub oriented system, we can look to pair bike share with public transit, similar to a method Pittsburgh has been running with over the past few years, Move PGH.

Move PGH is Pittsburgh’s response to mobility as a service (MaaS). MaaS is the concept that all mobility methods should be integrated with one another, through apps and placement. Move PGH utilizes 50 mobility hubs which locate scooter and bike share docks at frequent transit stops. Additionally, car share only spaces are located nearby to offer additional mobility options. Move PGH has worked towards creating an app where users can book their entire trip at once, paying for their transit use, reserving a scooter/bike or even a car as needed. A similar system in Syracuse would require our scooter/bike share system to emphasize the use of docks to ensure transit riders have access upon their arrival.

Move PGH hub

Oonee pod concept

Veo Ride scooters at corral

But we shouldn’t forget individuals who own their own bikes and scooters. Something most cities in the United States struggle to do is provide secure bike parking. One company trying to change this is Oonee, out of NYC*. Over the past year they have rolled out secure bike parking pods across Jersey City and parts of NYC, using advertising sold on the pod exteriors to keep the use of the pods free. Syracuse and Onondaga County should be looking for similar solutions to roll out near transit stops and destinations to encourage the use of bikes and scooters around the region.

Bikes are some of the cheapest and most accessible forms of travel out there, with models built for different ages and abilities. The fast growing market of e-bikes is something that is welcome news for a hilly city like Syracuse. Many riders struggle up the hills that many of our neighborhoods sit on, making biking a less attractive option to get to and from work. Who wants to show up to work covered in sweat? One of the issues with e-bikes is the upfront cost of many of the higher quality bikes. While there are some low-cost models, they tend to have less safe batteries and limited weight/distances. One way to change this dynamic is by implementing a rebate system, similar to ones existing for electric vehicles. Denver has been a pioneer in this, offering up to $1,700 back for e-bikes, including cargo bikes. New York State should be looking to do the same, but offer that rebate to the bike seller, so the customer can immediately get that discount, making the upfront cost more affordable. This would be a game changer in terms of access for all users.

OnTrack 2.0?

As many people know, I loved riding OnTrack as a kid and have even advocated for its return to service, albeit in a much more functional capacity. While I still believe the Syracuse region could benefit from using trains for transit purposes, I think our main efforts should be towards improving our bus network. Should BRT and an improved bus network yield results, we should not be afraid to revisit OnTrack’s original vision of connecting the airport - baseball park - Destiny USA - Downtown - SU, and eventually expanding out towards the Micron development.

Parking Maximums

With all of the mobility opportunities presented so far, one of the most important policies we need to implement to encourage both the expansion of these options and the housing density needed to make them work well is eliminating parking minimums and implementing parking maximums.

For those that do not know, our current zoning laws, which vary by municipality, require all property owners to provide a minimum amount of parking space for their property. Each type of use requires a different amount of parking. While this might make sense on its face, the truth is those requirements are not based on anything. They are made up numbers, best guesses, whatever felt right to the authors of that specific zoning code.

By eliminating parking minimums, you allow businesses to decide how much parking works for their business. This lowers the cost of entry for many businesses who can’t afford the large swaths of land parking requires. It also makes each building more adaptable since a different business type can take over without needing to expand their parking facilities. And this isn’t a new idea. In fact, it has picked up steam in recent years, with even Anchorage, Alaska abolishing parking minimums in November.

Parking maximums, on the other hand, help prevent excessively large parking lots from developing. This allows for denser development to occur at lower costs, increasing walkability and rollability while also encouraging the use of nearby transit options.

Mobility requires each of these pieces to work together. While many people will still use their personal vehicles to get around, we cannot grow in a sustainable way if nearly every trip requires one. Creating an environment where a family can get by with one car, or even no car, should be our goal as our region finally experiences growth.

*Full disclosure, I have (minimally) invested in Oonee as I believe it is a company addressing a key issue in our urban mobility network.

Color My World: Why Cities Should Embrace the Colorful

September 30, 2022

The City of Syracuse has been on a mural painting craze in 2022, with a City sponsored program (City as Canvas) funding murals in eight different neighborhoods and local businesses funding their own artworks. This continues a trend of murals popping up in cities across the country. As I’ve traveled through various Rust Belt cities over the past year, murals have been an increasingly popular way to liven up spaces around vacant lots or parking areas next to recently renovated buildings. They bring color and character to spaces that once sat empty for decades, and I am all about it. But, we shouldn’t just think of murals when we look for ways to brighten up our cities. We should be embracing color in everything we do - on our buildings, our roadways, our parks. Let’s take a look at different ways cities have embraced color and point out opportunities across Syracuse where color can be added to our everyday lives.

Murals

Murals have been part of the human experience for thousands of years. Nearly every great civilization has used murals to showcase different aspects of their culture - whether its the power of the gods, the value of the state, or key historical events.

Cities across the United States have embraced murals over the last several decades. Philadelphia, like many other older industrial cities, has seen murals as a form of reinvestment in each of its neighborhoods. Over the past 35 years, over 4,000 murals have been painted across the city, making it one of the largest collections of murals in the world. Closer to home, Buffalo, NY’s Albright Knox Art Gallery has been funding public murals across the Queen City since 2014. While some of the most powerful murals cover the entirety of a building’s facade, they can also be small, hidden gems meant to engage people as they walk around their neighborhood. This mixture is what makes murals so engaging. They surprise viewers and keep the urban environment exciting in a positive way.

Syracuse has plenty of examples of murals in all shapes and sizes. A massive mural depicting local basketball legends was just recently completed in Downtown Syracuse, created by a world famous muralist. At the same time, the City as Canvas program has looked to borrow a page out of the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) by putting local artists to work on murals in each neighborhood. This is a model the City should continue to use beyond the initial eight murals. Partnering with local businesses and institutions, the City should create a fund to paint five to ten new murals each year, depending on the sizes proposed, and hire local artists to get the work done. A prime location for a series of murals would be the elevated train tracks that cut through the City, both through Armory Square and across the Southside. While coordinating with the railroad to get the effort kickstarted may be difficult, the color and life that the project would bring is worth the effort.

Community Garden Mural - NYC

Parking Lot Mural - NYC

Syracuse Elevated Freight Rail

The Atrium

A personal wish of mine is to see the Atrium, which sits on the south end of Clinton Square, covered in murals. It is currently the ugliest building in Downtown Syracuse, but covering it in murals would elevate it to become one of the jewels of our city. Its blank walls, flush windows, and fairly smooth brick exterior could provide an excellent canvas.

But we should remember that murals are not the only way to bring color to our buildings.

Colorful Buildings

Philadelphia Rowhouses

DC Rowhouses

One thing you’ll notice the more you watch HGTV is the feeling that every house ends up being one of three colors: white, grey, or tan. These are the same colors most homeowners associations (HOAs) will allow. There might be some color added on a door or a darker trim around the windows, but we are increasingly seeing a homogenous look to our neighborhoods.

Now having some homogeneity in our built environment can be a good thing. Row houses, brownstones, Victorian homes are all often found in duplicates or groups of similar structures. The repetition can be part of the charm of a neighborhood, such as Brownstone Brooklyn. But if we start to take a wider look around the world, we start to see color playing a much larger role in these structurally homogenous neighborhoods, making Brownstone Brooklyn’s brown variations an outlier. Cities across the world, including many older American cities, have embraced color in their neighborhoods, resulting in bright, friendly neighborhoods. Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., as seen above, both showcase homogenous neighborhoods that embrace bright colors to add character and warmth.

Sister Houses

The Hudson Building

Victorian on James St

Pond St Businesses

Syracuse has some examples of this, with the most prominent being the five Sister Houses in the Park Ave neighborhood. These beautiful old Victorian homes are identical except for their color palettes. Back in Downtown Syracuse, the Hudson Building has also worked to differentiate itself through color, bringing a bold, forest green to a streetwall filled with red brick. Color doesn’t always have to be bright, but going beyond the traditional color palettes help invigorate a space. We should encourage building developers to utilize materials that can be painted easily and updated to reflect the personalities of the tenants inside. Keep the designs simple and infuse them with life through paint.

Paint is not the only way to bring color to a building. Many taller buildings in downtown business districts have embraced light displays to enhance their skylines. These lights are often coordinated with one another to celebrate holidays, sporting events, or just bring awareness to different causes. While these light shows are beautiful to behold, we must get better about using the lights properly to not interfere with bird migrations and other natural occurrences.

Colorful Streets

We may not think of our streets as a place for any colors beyond black, yellow, and white, but they are public spaces and public spaces should embrace color wherever they can. Some may be more functional (bus and bike lanes) while others more decorative (street murals and painted plazas), but they all function to bring color and life to our cities.

When thinking of the more functional colorful elements, bus and bike lanes are often the first to come to mind. Often referred to as Elmo and Kermit due to their bright red and green colors, these lanes serve the important function of providing spaces for residents to get around outside of a private vehicle, giving them priority where possible. Also, as an avid Muppets / Sesame Street fan, I appreciate the references that bring a bit of childlike wonder to infrastructure. These are essential tools for every city, and they bring the added benefit of color with them. When you look at streets filled with bus and bike lanes, the visual appeal and interest of the space increases substantially.

Brick Patterned Crosswalks and Colorful Barriers

S Salina St Bike Lanes

Seattle Painted Curb Extensions

Rochester Piano Crosswalk

Other functional colorful elements tend to be focused around intersections. Using brick or stone pavers for complete intersections, or specifically in crosswalks. Painted crosswalks (which is still frowned upon by federal agencies and the MUTCD) have been embraced by cities across the country. Rochester, NY celebrated the Eastman School of Music by painting a piano style crosswalk just outside its doors.

Other cities have embraced paint as a way to extend the pedestrian realm, through painted plazas and curb extensions. Seattle, WA has an extensive network of painted curb extensions that embrace colorful designs to draw the attention of drivers. Syracuse will be embracing the idea of a painted plaza in the near future right in front of City Hall, after it awarded the design to another local artist.

This is not the first time Syracuse has painted its streets. In 2017, Syracuse hosted the World Canals Conference. It celebrated by painting a canal themed mural outside of the Erie Canal Museum, harkening back to the waterways that built the City. These murals were short lived due to the wear and tear of traffic, but we should look for streets to pedestrianize and fill with color that will last without cars driving over them.

Natural Colors

Burnet Park in Fall

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Up until now the main focus has been on how to bring color to our man made structures, but we should never forget to embrace the color and life that nature can bring into a community.

At the moment, we’re entering into the heart of autumn, my personal favorite season. Oranges, reds, and yellows burst from the trees across the region, making for a beautiful sight. Different trees showcase different colors during this time and the mix of trees not only creates a more vibrant scene, but also a healthier one for the trees as they help reduce the spread of tree borne diseases.

Community gardens, such as the Syracuse Rose Garden, are another perfect example of natural colors bringing people together in a space of beauty. The groups that help upkeep these spaces help build community through the action of gardening and the result of a beautiful garden to be admired.

Many of these spaces take the addition of color to an extra level through the inclusion of art. The Lipe Art Park, while light on trees and flowers, embraces the use of art through a linear park. The Onondaga Creekwalk is beginning to explore similar opportunities, especially under the overpasses between Downtown and Franklin Square. Should a multi-use path eventually connect these two spaces, as is being explored in an ongoing study, the City of Syracuse will soon provide its residents with an active commuting corridor surrounded by art and color that would be a national example.

These are all just some examples of how we can embrace color and art in our urban spaces, but we need to provide opportunities for communities to use these tools to fit their own visions. Get rid of the HOAs and embrace colors that showcase the personality of your neighborhoods and your City as a whole.