SYRACUSE, NY — (NCC News) It has been a year since Syracuse basketball head coach, Jim Boeheim, struck and killed a man on I-690, after driving home from a game. A plan is currently in the works of illuminating the stretch of highway where the accident occurred.
Assemblywoman Pamela Hunt has been spearheading the push to get this plan moving. The Department of Transportation took the first necessary steps of this plan. A study was done to test if lights were needed or not, and surely enough, the study proved that lights were needed.
Parts of this highway are already lit, like at the center of Syracuse where I-690 intersects with I-81. The further you get away from the city, like in DeWitt, there are almost not lights at all, which can create a dangerous situation for drivers.
The stretch of highway that will be effected is, “an area that is east of Middler Avenue, that is in a stretch that essentially goes from Syracuse into the town of DeWitt,” said Hunter.
The assemblywoman herself, who grew up in the area, even mentioned that she has a difficult time driving along that stretch of highway in the dark.
“I live on that stretch of highway and it is very, very dark,” said the assemblywoman.
The stretch of highway that is particularly dark can be even more dangerous for students and travelers who are not used to the area. Since DeWitt is so close to University Hill, many students that are unfamiliar with the area often travel on 690.
Pamela Hunter believes that the project to get lights on 690 will be completed by this time next year. In the meantime, the city of Syracuse, the Department of Transportation, and the assemblywoman will be progressing with the plan to keep it on track.
In the meantime, drivers are encouraged to drive that stretch of highway with caution and to expect some construction in order for the lights to go up.
