I’m glad to see the Connective Corridor back in the news.
The Connective Corridor, powered by Centro buses, announced last week that construction on the project was nearly complete, and a request for proposals was issued for the public art portion of the corridor with a budget of $650,000. So far, 25 national artists have submitted work.
The most important thing to accomplish with this project is to unite our city by connecting all major resources (downtown merchants, hotels, parking, hospitals, university and the Convention Center complex) with a well-designed public transportation route. Such a system will allow community resources to be within three or four blocks of Connective Corridor stops. (I laid out this idea specifically in a Jan. 8, 2014, editorial.)
In Syracuse we have a city that is large enough to have desirable destinations and small enough that with an effective transportation system all those amenities can easily and safely be reached by a visitor staying downtown or a suburbanite coming into the city.
Especially with the discussions around the redesign of Route 81, the Connective Corridor has a chance to play a critical role in bringing together all that is great about our city, and help to knock down the barriers that have been erected over the years that have segregated our neighborhoods and commerce centers.
Don’t miss your chance to get involved to help shape these outcomes.
Starting on Friday, Feb. 13, The folks from the Connective Corridor will provide a weekly blog on SyracuseNewTimes.com that will describe the public art process as it unfolds. You are encouraged to read the weekly blog, participate in the discussion and give your feedback.
– William Brod is the Publisher of the Syracuse New Times.
(Editor-in-Chief Larry Dietrich is out of the office.)
