The Genesee Street Boulevard Idea Appears Dead and That’s a Real Shame [VIDEO, OPINION]

I was disheartened by an article in the Utica Observer-Dispatch recently talking about how a planned boulevard in downtown Utica which would have cut the street from four lanes to two is likely not going to happen.

A 4-lane Genesee Street is a remnant from a bygone era when all the north-south New York State Touring Routes (5-8-12) ran through downtown. Now that through traffic is routed on the Arterial, Genesee Street doesn't need to carry four lanes. A two-lane road, with a manicured tree-lined median brings elegance to downtown and can help spur development with the right public-private partnerships in place.

My defense of a 2-laned Genesee Street: