Commission reports letter of support for I‑81 boulevard; state DOT says city would fund trees and public art

The Syracuse Public Art Commission reported it had approved and submitted a letter of support for the I‑81 boulevard project to the mayor's office and discussed next steps after state Department of Transportation (DOT) conversations indicating the city would be responsible for landscaping and public art costs.

Chair Tina Zagiga said the commission's previously approved letter of support was sent to the mayor's office and the commission is awaiting a response on next steps. Emmanuel Carter, a faculty member in the Department of Landscape Architecture at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a participant in local I‑81 discussions, told the commission that in recent meetings DOT staff indicated that while DOT will make space for trees and public art in the boulevard design, “the weight is on the city to pay for that.” He urged the commission to consider fundraising and other sources to cover tree planting and any public art that would occupy the boulevard.

Commissioners noted DOT may schedule a follow-up meeting; Anne Cofer said she had not yet received a notice about a next meeting. No new funding commitments or formal agreements were made by the commission at the meeting; the discussion was an update and a prompt for further coordination with the mayor's office and with DOT and partner groups working on I‑81 planning.