The siting and development of Interstate 81 in Syracuse, New York, similar
to highway projects across the nation, lead to the displacement of Black
Syracusans
and has exposed thousands of remaining residents at heightened
environmental harm. As the interstate is slated to be redeveloped due to age
and safety issues, national attention has focused on the highway as a potential
exemplar for similar projects across the United States. Federal law mandates
that environmental impact analysis be conducted, and due to the prevalence
of marginalized populations, environmental justice impacts are a
critical feature in this assessment. This article evaluates both the redevelopment
of the interstate through an assessment of a 10,000+ page draft environmental
impact statement, review of relevant policy documents and attendance
at public meetings to assess the potential for environmentally
sustainability and just outcomes. It concludes that, along with similar redevelopment
projects from online due to the nation’s aging infrastructure, environmental
analysis and planning must employ restorative justice frameworks
to strengthen and heal communities impacted from the legacy of racist
urban planning
