City of Syracuse converts Clinton Street into two ways

SYRACUSE — Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh on Aug. 1 announced the completion of a road reconstruction project on South Clinton Street, converting the street from one way to two ways between West Jefferson and Taylor Streets. 

The conversion makes it easier to get around downtown Syracuse and improves safety for pedestrians and drivers, the mayor contends.

The project involved milling and paving five blocks of Clinton Street from West Jefferson to Taylor Streets. The conversion included the restriping of crosswalks to try to increase pedestrian safety, and the addition of bike lanes on both sides of the street. The project also introduced narrower north and southbound lanes as well as on-street parking in an attempt to reduce traffic speeds.

“The completion of the Clinton Street two-way conversion is welcomed by people living and working in the southern end of Downtown. By better connecting the central business district to our neighborhoods, we are continuing to activate the renaissance of Downtown Syracuse,” Walsh said in a release. “The conversion is also consistent with our Vision Zero commitment to make Syracuse a safer city for all forms of transportation.”

Mayor Walsh, in his 2023 State of the City address, outlined his commitment to making Syracuse a Vision Zero city. 

The Vision Zero Network is a collaborative, nonprofit campaign helping communities set and reach the goal of Vision Zero — eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries among all road users — while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility, according to the Vision Zero Network website.

The Vision Zero strategy is “a comprehensive approach to traffic safety that considers everything from lane widths to land use to lower speed limits,” the mayor’s release stated.