Introduction

 

Onondaga County is progressing a roadway improvement project along Onondaga Boulevard (County Route 240) between Fay Road and Velasko Road. This project is on the approved New York State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) as project No. 375675. 

 

The project is scoped as a "2R" type project to address highway safety and pavement rehabilitation. Other potential roadway improvements will include the repair of existing drainage systems, new highway signs, and new pavement markings. All applicable sidewalk corners, crosswalks, and pedestrian signal equipment will be updated to meet current standards. Signalized intersections will receive appropriate treatments or improvements, up to and including replacement. Sidewalks and pedestrian systems will be improved, especially regarding student access to Westhill High School.  Missing & substandard sidewalk sections in the commercial area will be constructed or replaced. Within a portion of the project corridor, a "safety alternative" is being considered, potentially reducing the number of vehicular lanes from four to three to better accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists, while also addressing vehicular speeds and historical crash problems. All improvements will be limited to areas previously disturbed within the existing roadway corridor.

 

This segment of Onondaga Boulevard is an east-west urban minor collector connecting the western suburbs to the City of Syracuse, providing access to Westhill High School and numerous residential and commercial properties. 

 

 

Existing Conditions

 

Onondaga Boulevard has experienced a fair amount of vehicle crashes in recent years. An analysis of the latest 3-year period of accident data shows a crash rate of 7.6 crashes per million vehicle miles, as compared to a state average of 2.3 crashes for similar roadway types. The majority of crashes were associated with rear-end and right-angle impacts, which suggests that removing turning vehicles from the thru-lanes would be beneficial. In addition, several intersections within the project also exhibit elevated crash rates, including:

 

• Velasko Road intersection @ 1.8 accidents per million vehicles (state average is 0.5 accidents)

• Wegmans intersection @ 2.7 accidents per million vehicles

• Westhill High School intersection @ 3.5 accidents per million vehicles 

• Bellvue intersection @ 2.4 accidents per million vehicles

 

The existing pavement on Onondaga Boulevard is showing some signs of aging and distress due to the prevalence of heavy traffic and vehicular loadings. Over time, this usage has caused the asphalt pavement to develop some minor surface cracking and wheel-path rutting. Some sections of the existing curbing are damaged, misaligned, or lacking proper reveal height and some drainage structures require repairs.  

 

In most areas of the project, the existing pavement section consists of two, 11-foot travel lanes in each direction (4 lanes total) with shoulders that range from 0 to 4 feet wide. There are discontinuous segments of sidewalk that are mainly located in the commercial area on the eastern end of the project.

 

 

Project Objectives

 

Onondaga County has initiated this project to address the issues within the project area and provide a safe and maintainable transportation corridor, while also providing a long-lasting and cost-effective pavement system. 

 

The primary objectives of this project are to:

 

• Provide a safer corridor for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians.

• Rehabilitate the roadway pavement to extend its life cycle and improve ride quality.

• Reallocate the existing roadway width for safer and more efficient usage.

• Repair and/or replace existing drainage systems.

• Provide a contiguous sidewalk system where most needed. 

• Improve access management within the commercial area. 

• Upgrade traffic signals to meet current standards at the following locations:

  • Fay Road (new signal heads and protected movements)

  • Wegmans Entrance (new signal heads and equipment)

  • Velasko Road (new signal heads and equipment)

 

Preliminary Design

 

Onondaga Boulevard will receive a “2R” type pavement rehabilitation. This consists of rehabilitating the roadway by milling the existing pavement and installing an asphalt paving overlay.  Nominal lengths of intersecting side streets will also be restored. Any severely damaged areas of pavement will receive full depth repairs.  Deteriorated sections of curbing will be replaced as needed.

 

The project also includes a recommended reduction in travel lanes west of the commercial area to better accommodate bicycles and pedestrians, while also potentially calming vehicle speeds. This reduction can handle the projected vehicular volumes, while also allowing for reduced vehicle speeds and the re-allocation of right-of-way width to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians more safely. 

 

Pedestrian accommodations will be upgraded to meet current ADA standards.  Distressed sidewalk sections will be replaced, and sidewalk curb ramps will be upgraded to include new embedded detectable warning units.  Crosswalks will include standard high-visibility crosswalk markings and pedestrian signs. West of the commercial area, a multi-use trail is being considered to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians, to provide a safer connection between the residential areas and Westhill High School. 

 

Deteriorated drainage structures will be cleaned and repaired or replaced as needed, including preventative maintenance repairs on two larger culverts. Manhole and drainage structure rims will be adjusted to finished grade.  Replacement pavement markings and signage will be installed. 

 

 

Maintaining Access During Construction

 

It is anticipated that all construction operations will occur during daylight hours.  Two-way traffic will be maintained, except for occasional short-term single lane traffic (with flagger control) during some specific construction operations. Where a sidewalk is closed for reconstruction, pedestrians will be routed to the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. Traffic access to Westhill High School, local businesses, and nearby residences will be maintained at all times and efforts will be made to keep inconvenience to the public at a minimum.

 

 

Property Impacts

 

No property acquisitions are anticipated for this project. All improvements will be constructed within the public highway right-of-way. Releases for repairing driveway and sidewalk connections to abutting properties will be requested from owners before the beginning of the construction.

 

 

Anticipated Costs

 

The total project cost, including design engineering, construction, and construction inspection/administration, is anticipated to be approximately $6 million.  This project is 80% federally funded.

 

 

Preliminary Plans

 

A PDF of the current preliminary plans can be found here:
 

DOWNLOAD PLAN SHEET ROLL-PLOTS

 

 

 

Project Schedule

 

• Obtain Construction Bids: Late 2026
   
• Begin Construction: Spring 2027
   
• Complete Construction: Late 2027

 

 

Public Feedback

 

To provide feedback or suggestions on the project, please fill out the form below. Your input is valuable to us: