Introduction
The 81 interstate highway is one of the largest in America, covering the larger area of Syracuse, New York. Even though the mega transport project was developed to improve the transport service for the region’s residents, it has become a social problem, almost subjecting the people to polarization.
Various stakeholders, from lawmakers, planning officials, and citizens, have tried for years to devise a proper solution for the problem. Due to its desperate situation, various feasible options are weighed up as salvaging attempts (“E-PARCC Collaborative governance initiative,” 2014). One option that has been widely contemplated is the closure of the interstate and converting it into a street-level boulevard. Secondly, some people want the interstate to be rehabilitated and upgraded to the standard of modern highways. Finally, other individuals consider removing and rebuilding the interstate below grade, transforming it into a covered tunnel.
While the stakeholders are still contemplating the three feasible options, more creative and innovative options are still anticipated.
Based on the history of the project in question, the interstate was built in the late 1950s and early 1960s to provide ready transport service to the initial metropolitan region. Connecting two universities, Syracuse and State University, with a health center, the interstate has been a critical transportation infrastructure in the larger part of Syracuse, opening up the metropolitan suburb. Being a multiracial state, the freeway acts as the dividing line, separating the rich White suburb from the economically disadvantaged Afro-American communities (“E-PARCC Collaborative Governance Initiative,” 2014).
Apart from the geographical boundary, the interstate has become a symbol of economic division, demarcating the distribution of wealth among the city’s inhabitants. As a result, the road figuratively represents the economic boundary, with crossing marking a change in economic status. Since the economy has always been a matter of racial controversy, the interstate is becoming a subject of race, with individual ethnic groups looking at it from a racial perspective.
Some of the governmental bodies, such as Syracuse Metropolitan, Transportation Council, New York Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration tasked with the project, have been looking for solutions. Despite the public resentment about the infrastructure, the interstate is one of the oldest projects, tracing its roots from the period of World War II during the reign of President Eisenhower, who built to create a network for consumers and producers across Canada, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, making it an essential route (“E-PARCC Collaborative governance initiative,” 2014). Since the region was inhabited by the minority Blacks, Irish, Italians, and Jewish immigrants, the road project was intended to upgrade and open the place for urbanization, with many individuals paying the heavy price of displacement to create room for the program.
The interstate road is one of the busiest of its kind, experiencing daily traffic of 44000 to 99000 cars, with the majority of users being the residents of the metropolitan area. In addition, the accident rate in some sections is higher owing to its narrow and curvy paths. Among the stakeholders, the New York State Department enjoys the veto power, having the final say about the next course of action for the project. As the main region of the interstate, Syracuse has an interstate bypass, 451, cutting through the south and north sides of the city.
Self-reflection
Experiences
My experience from the case is that the interstate is an essential project for the city’s residents. Being the largest of its kind, the freeway connects several routes and improves people’s access. With multiple bypasses connecting various points, the interstate is an essential transportation infrastructure that should not be destroyed. As was the purpose of linking consumers and producers, the interstate still plays an essential role in improving access, as demonstrated by the over 33000 daily motorists using it. Instead of calling for its total annihilation, the city residents should advocate for upgrading to modern highway standards to reduce the many cases of accidents motivated by its narrowness and curviness (Shafritz et al., 2017). In the same vein, there should be talk of the economic inequality exposed by the interstate’s simplistic division. The disparity and the economic gap between the wealthy White suburbs and the poor Black villages should be of more interest than the interstate.
Second, the interstate has a dark history, with its construction marred by a lot of controversies. The inspiration for the project and how it was conducted left many residents of the city adversely affected. Beginning with land acquisition, the government obtained the land, leaving the initial occupants stranded with nowhere to go. The land originally sat on informal settlements, with the majority of the residents being members of the Black community; however, when it was claimed for construction of the project, no proper resettlement was done as the relocation programs were slow, leaving several families displaced. Furthermore, the project disorganized the way of life for many individuals who had been living together as a community. Finally, the police officers mishandled the residents, subjecting them to various forms of harassment. Therefore, the protests and resentment against the interstate are caused by the bad memories associated with the project construction.
Third, from the case, it is clear that metropolitan cities, towns, or regions are vulnerable to polarization. Unlike homogenously inhabited areas, urban regions of America are vulnerable and can be easily polarized. The interstate case has demonstrated that despite the attempts to enhance and improve race relations in the US, it remains a serious concern, ready to erupt at the slightest provocation. The potential polarization of the city as a result of the polarization is fully attributed to the suspicion between the different races of America, especially the Blacks and Whites (“E-PARCC Collaborative Governance Initiative,” 2014).
Even though they live side by side, the two groups have yet to come to a central point, but they still have a lot of suspicion about each other. The doubt or difference can be linked to the question of economic inequality, where the White community seems to be the highest point on the economic table. From the Interstate route, the road divides the city along economic lines, which surprisingly turns out to be a racial line. Separating the rich suburbs from the poor villages, one can note the racial distribution across the geographical divides.
Conclusion
By reading the case, my view on the case has been influenced. After understanding the issue, I have comprehended the crucial roles played by the interstate and how it has increased access in the city. Furthermore, the reading has exposed that there is no strong argument against the presence of the freeway or the problem of dividing the city but only shows how the city is economically imbalanced.
Reference
E-PARCC Collaborative governance initiative. (2014). When a highway divides a city improving decision making in Syracuse, New York case. Syracuse University.
Shafritz, J., Russell, E. W., Borick, C., & Hyde, A. (2017). Introducing public administration (9th ed.). Routledge.