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Kingston has been awarded a $240,000 grant to explore redesigning US Route 9-W to make it more pedestrian-friendly. The funding comes from New York State's Reconnecting Communities initiative, aimed at improving connectivity and accessibility in urban areas.
The city plans to conduct a feasibility study to assess the potential of reducing the highway from four lanes to two, removing a partial clover interchange, and adding Complete Streets features and additional intersections. Mayor Steven Noble emphasized that the highway was overbuilt for Kingston's traffic needs and currently acts as a barrier to connectivity.
Mayor Noble expressed gratitude to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Pat Ryan for their support in securing the grant. He stated, "We believe the highway was overbuilt for the City’s traffic needs and creates an unnecessary barrier to connectivity, non-vehicular transportation, economic development, and social equity."
The Reconnecting Communities program, led by U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, aims to address the divisions caused by past infrastructure projects. The initiative is part of a larger effort to re-establish routes between communities that were previously cut off, enhancing access to opportunities, employment, and essential services.
The study will explore how redesigning the 9-W arterial could address physical and social divides and bring new housing and economic opportunities to the area. The city hopes to find alternatives that will reconnect disparate parts of the community and promote social equity.