VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Franklin Square residents sue over I-81 flooding fears
Antonio Dunston: A proposed change tied to the I-81 project has some Franklin Square residents worried about what it could mean for an area already dealing with flooding. Now, a lawsuit is challenging whether the state was fully transparent about those plans.
Isaiah Salter: Whenever it’s heavy rains, heavy showers, that’s when this area right here, where all these bricks are in, starts to rise a little bit and this walkway starts to get a little over-flooded.
Dunston: Flooding is already a familiar sight along the Onondaga Creek walk in Franklin Square. Now, residents fear a planned stormwater pipe tied to the I-81 project could make those problems worse. A lawsuit claims the state never fully disclosed key parts of the plan, including the pipe and a possible 10-foot rise along parts of the creek walk. Residents say the project would route highway runoff into Onondaga Creek, just steps away from where they work and live. The Mission Landing Condominium Association is asking a judge to halt the project. They say it could worsen flooding in an area already at risk. For locals who have dealt with the flooding firsthand, the concern goes beyond the walkway itself.
Alexa Blank: It probably affects more than just the local area. I think it affects the businesses around here because I feel like it’s mostly this portion of the creek walk. I feel like it’s a pretty significant area that’s impacted.
Dunston: Experts say the plan follows standard stormwater practices, but poor communication is fueling concerns. Syracuse University professor Dr. Peng Gao says the area’s low elevation explains why the pipe is routed there.
Dr. Peng Gao: Franklin Square is located in the relatively lower area. It’s a stormwater path right through that area because that’s the lower area, the area where you can receive water more efficiently.
Dunston: The court hearing is scheduled for August 19th. The Department of Transportation says it has no comment on the matter and the attorney representing residents could not be reached for comment. Meanwhile, the DOT expects to move forward with awarding a contract that includes I-690 and Franklin Square work later this summer, meaning construction could continue while the legal challenge plays out.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — A group of Franklin Square residents is suing the New York State Department of Transportation, arguing the state failed to disclose key details about a stormwater system planned as part of the large-scale I-81 and I-690 reconstruction projects.
The lawsuit, filed by the Mission Landing Condominium Association, claims the DOT withheld information about a new stormwater pipe that would send highway runoff directly into Onondaga Creek. Residents say the plan also includes raising portions of the Creekwalk by as much as 10 feet — a change they fear could worsen flooding in an area that already struggles during inclement weather.
As heavy rain falls in Syracuse, sections of the Onondaga Creekwalk in Franklin Square can quickly become difficult to navigate and this is something many residents say has become part of daily life.
Isaiah Salter, who has lived downtown for over a year, said he regularly sees water spill onto the path during storms.
“Whenever it’s heavy rains, heavy showers, that’s when this area … starts to rise a little bit and it starts to overflow onto the walk,” Salter said. “So this whole walkway starts to get a little… over flooded.”
The flooding can force pedestrians and commuters to change their routines, sometimes with little warning.
Alexa Blank, a local resident who uses the Creekwalk to get to work downtown, said closures can be unpredictable and poorly marked.
“I’ve actually gotten through on one side and then the other side, the gate is closed and I have to come all the way back and then go around,” she said. “So sometimes it takes a little bit longer.”
To avoid disruptions, she said she plans alternate routes and relies on informal sources for updates.
“I also follow some Facebook pages and they sometimes post about the flooding… I feel like I’ve only seen it on local Facebook pages,” she said. “I don’t think it’s ever been through the DOT or the government.”
Concerns about flooding have taken on new urgency as plans tied to the Interstate 81 project move forward. Residents say they have spent more than a year pushing back on the plan, arguing that the DOT has not adequately communicated how the changes would affect the neighborhood.
The DOT has declined to comment on the matter.
Peng Gao, a Syracuse University professor, said routing stormwater through lower-elevation areas like Franklin Square is consistent with standard engineering practices.
“I think this is quite normal,” Gao said. “If they want to route storm water into Onondaga Creek, there has to be some path.”
Still, Gao acknowledged that the issue may not lie in the science behind the project, but in how it has been communicated to the public.
“Probably one thing the project has missed is the communication,” he said. “They didn’t spend the time to explain to local residents why they want to do that and what the benefits are.”
For residents who use the Creekwalk regularly, the lack of clear information, combined with already frequent flooding, is fueling uncertainty about what comes next.
As the project progresses, community members say better communication and clearer alerts about flooding could help ease concerns and improve safety along one of the city’s most traveled walking routes.
A court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19. In the meantime, the DOT expects to move forward with awarding the construction contract later this summer — meaning work could begin even as the legal challenge continues.