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Residents urge council to reconsider lane reduction in West First Street reconstruction plan
Summary
Several residents told the Oswego Common Council they oppose plans to reduce West First Street from four lanes to two and add on-street parking and a center median, saying the changes would cause congestion and hinder emergency access.
Several residents told the Oswego Common Council they oppose plans to reduce West First Street from four lanes to two and add on-street parking and a center median, saying the changes would cause congestion and hinder emergency access.
"I hope this does not happen," said Bill Meyer of 38 Singleton Street during the meeting's public comment period, listing a church, about 17 businesses, an apartment building, a restaurant and a gas station along West First and warning that narrowing the road would create backups at intersections.
A second resident, who did not give a name, said four lanes are needed to accommodate commercial drivers unfamiliar with the area and warned that reducing the street could increase crashes, curb strikes and traffic delays.
Mayor (name not specified) referenced the West First Street project in the state-of-the-city remarks that followed public comment, saying bids have returned for a roughly $7,000,000 reconstruction intended to "enhance safety, upgrade traffic and pedestrian signals, replace sewer and water infrastructure, and add more on-street parking." He said about $3,800,000 in New York State funding will help cover part of the work and that the remainder would be bonded.
Commenters raised specific concerns about emergency and evacuation routes: Meyer noted that ambulance service on Ohio Street uses West First as a major route and said both nuclear power plant egress and potential new fire and police stations rely on the corridor.
The council hearing and the mayor's description make clear the project includes multiple components (roadway, utilities, signals, parking) but does not yet describe final lane configuration, median design, or confirmed parking layout. No formal council action on the West First lane configuration was recorded during this meeting; the project bids were discussed by the mayor in his address and public comment was recorded.
Next steps mentioned during the meeting: the mayor said state funding and bonding are being used to advance the project in spring construction planning; no final design decision on lane count or medians was recorded at the meeting.
