D.O.T. Presents Route 9 Plans To Public Tonight

The State Department of Transportation is presenting its plans to overhaul the Route 9, Route 17 interchange in a public meeting this evening, at 7PM, in Council Chambers. DOT officials will be on hand with their plans, and available for informal discussions starting at 6:30.

How the riverfront might look with a changed onramp for 17

The new configuration of the interchange would have a dramatic effect on potential changes to public and private land near the river.  

The Riverfront Redevelopment Commission extensively discussed a proposal to make the riverfront readily accessible from downtown by turning a short stretch of Route 9 into a boulevard, similar to what has been done in many cities cut off from water, including the Westside Highway in New York City.   

Elected officials, including Mayor Drew, have been vaguely supportive of this plan in public, but have not given any indication that they have pushed the DOT in the direction of fostering the easiest Riverfront access.

It is not clear whether this reflects concerns that asking for the ideal might reduce the likelihood of a minimal improvement happening while they are in office.