Dear Editor,
The path to commerce and travel in Albany County has historically run along or near Central Avenue. From the pre-colonial Iroquois Trail to the Dutch King’s Highway and industrial-era “Bowery,” this area and its surroundings have long served as a gateway from downtown Albany to downtown Schenectady and beyond.
Having grown up along Central Ave and now a representative of its “west corridor” between New Karner Road and Niskayuna, I have witnessed the Avenue’s continued evolution over the last several decades. There have been numerous ups and downs in those years. But to me, this road has always been a symbol of growth and progress of our community. The shops and commuters are plentiful. The locals — lifers and newcomers alike — have all for one reason or another escaped the hustle and bustle of the downtown city.
The latest chapter in our neighborhood’s story is being written today. A few weeks ago, the Capital Region Transportation Council (CRTC) publicly launched its Central Ave West Corridor Study, which will “examine the existing transportation and land use conditions in this corridor with the intention of identifying opportunities for development, redevelopment, and improvements to multimodal safety and mobility.”
Proposals to “facilitate opportunities for nodal development and redevelopment, spur economic activity, improve access management, and improve safety and mobility for all roadway users” are laudable goals.
However, the CRTC’s vision will undoubtedly have tremendous ramifications on our neighbors and local business community, which is why I am urging every one of my residential and commercial constituents to provide their much-needed input.
When I talk to people about Central Avenue, traffic and safety are often the first things I hear. They talk to me about pedestrians, potholes and poor lighting. What these folks are sometimes surprised to learn is that Central Avenue is in fact a state road. In other words, if you have an issue with one of the most heavily trafficked local routes, you’d have to take it up with a sprawling bureaucracy largely inaccessible to the public. Until now.
Thanks to the CRTC, and buy-in from state, regional and municipal partners, this study provides the perfect avenue for travelers and residents alike to voice their opinions and propose solutions of their own. An easy-to-navigate website (coloniecentralavestudy.org/) and roadmap survey (surveymonkey.com/r/CentralAveWestSurvey) are the first steps in our collective journey to change Central Ave’s West Corridor for the better.
We hold the keys to our own destiny with this study. I am confident our community can steer it in the right direction, while prioritizing the reliability and safety of Central Avenue above all else.
Frank Mauriello
Minority Leader, Albany County Legislature
