Gillibrand wants state action on corridor

WASHINGTON — Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand wants New York transportation officials to make up their minds about the "rooftop highway."

Mrs. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., asked the state Department of Transportation this week to decide whether a Northern Tier Expressway should be built separate from U.S. Route 11 or become an expansion of that two-lane highway.

"In my recent travels I have met with local officials and community representatives who have expressed the importance of developing a transportation corridor in the north country," Mrs. Gillibrand wrote to Stanley Gee, acting commissioner of the state DOT. "Construction of a major transportation corridor would not only spur short-term job creation, but would build a foundation for long-term economic development across the region for decades."

Mrs. Gillibrand wrote the letter as a follow up to her economic development roundtables in Massena and Plattsburgh in May, her office reported.

Two routes have been proposed for a highway that would connect Watertown to Plattsburgh. One would create an entirely new road that generally follows the same path as Route 11. The other would simply expand Route 11 in congested areas with turn lanes or slow vehicle lanes.

The DOT supports the creation of the second route, according to spokesman Michael R. Flick. To create 175 miles of highway would cost between $900 million and $1 billion.

"That's a lot of cans and a lot of banana bread to build a highway," Mr. Flick said. "Instead of looking at a gynormous highway, what can we do with what we have?"

The DOT has not yet responded to a letter the senator sent Wednesday urging them to "consider all options one last time." She did not explicitly endorse either route in the letter.

"Clearly the economic development of the north country is something the DOT is very interested in," said DOT spokesman Charles R. Carrier. "All of these things will be matters of discussion with her staff. I think we're meeting next week to discuss the options."

The issue of transportation across the north country may heat up again as Congress begins drafting a new multi-year highway bill this year. That legislation gives the state an opportunity to advance the rooftop highway, she said.

But the idea may not go anywhere without active support from Albany. Because of federal budget pressures, lawmakers are more keen than ever about home-state projects called earmarks. In the House, Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. James L. Oberstar, D-Minn., has put up new hurdles for such projects to be included in the bill, including letters of support from local officials and an opportunity for public comment.

The Senate committee drafting the bill has not announced its approach yet, however, a spokeswoman for Mrs. Gillibrand said.

"With the Transportation Reauthorization Bill expected to be written and debated this year, it is critical that the region, state and federal officials work together to advocate for federal dollars for the north country," the senator wrote.

In a press release, Mrs. Gillibrand's office said she is urging officials in Albany to look at the rooftop highway "one last time" and develop a consensus on the best approach.

Officials have never made a firm estimate on the cost of a new four-lane divided highway across the region, although they have given rough estimates of a billion dollars or more. Officials in Maine have pushed for such a corridor to continue through Vermont and New Hampshire to Calais, Maine; that corridor was designated a federal priority in the last highway bill.

In the north country, the only part of the highway that seems a certainty is the connector which will eventually run between Fort Drum and Interstate 81.

Times staff writer Lori Shull contributed to this report.