Newell and I had quite the Route 5 week last week, and it's not over yet. There was a lot of online debate following last Tuesday's common council meeting, during which each and every speaker who was there to discuss the Southtown's Connector Prioject got up and preached to the choir. I say this because the room was full of individuals and citizen organizations looking for a downgraded Route 5 boulevard, rather than an elevated speedway.
As noted on BRO earlier, no one from the DOT was present, having decreed that the time for debate is over. By Friday we became convinced that we needed to raise more public awareness of this project in order to get the attention of Congressman Brian Higgins, Governor Eliot Spitzer and the DOT.
We tape the show on Fridays for air on Monday mornings, and as of last Friday, we had 80-some signatures on an online petition that had gone up 8 or 9 hours before our visit to the WBFO studios. It occurred to us Thursday night that since we were going to talk about Route 5, we might want to bring Councilman Kearns with us. We caught up with him Monday morning and pretty much hijacked him to the studio. News Director Mark Scott, ever the good sport, had no problem with us bringing Kearns in.
The following is the entire 17-minute podcast that the 5-minute WBFO segment was culled from. Having come into office and been appointed by Council President David Franczyk to the Waterfront Development Committee, Kearns came in after the initial groundwork for the Project was made.
It's important to know that there were three plans initially. The DOT opted for one, the council opted for another, and a third was dropped entirely. The citizen's groups and the council are asking for a short stay, a time for discussion and a common resolution to this decision that will decide the fate of the roadway and its environs for the next 50 years.
If you want Route 5 downgraded, be sure to sign the petition.