SYRACUSE, N.Y. — As construction tied to the planned tear-down of the I-81 viaduct and the Community Grid project continues in Syracuse, Onondaga County leaders are warning that growing traffic congestion could make it harder for emergency crews to reach area hospitals quickly.
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is again pushing an idea he says has been discussed before: temporarily waiving tolls on the New York State Thruway so drivers and first responders have another route in and out of the city as I-81 work increases.
“One of the things we’ve been talking to the state about is looking at a temporary situation where people can use the Thruway as a way to get in and out and not have to pay tolls,” McMahon said…