On a recent afternoon, folks outside the Stewart’s Shops on the busy Cornelia Street corner in Plattsburgh said the five-way intersection needs work.
Chris Kelley traverses the intersection several times a week and characterized the current design as “stupid.”
“I can’t imagine anybody would like this intersection,” Kelley says.
Bradley asks, “What’s the biggest problem you see with it?”
Kelley thinks for a moment, “Probably making the left turn off of the side street because people seem to be confused about where they can make a left turn onto what street. So coming out of where Walgreens is can be scary because I can’t take it for granted that everybody else doesn’t know what they’re doing.”
Last week, the Plattsburgh Common Council heard a presentation from consultants on the planned “Cornelia Street Rehabilitation.”
Consultants from Barton & Loguidice, which is designing the project, noted that in 2019 the city’s Smart Growth Plan identified upper Cornelia Street as a priority as it transitions to become Route 3 in the Town of Plattsburgh. That’s because the roadway has outdated infrastructure, limited pedestrian accommodations and needs revitalization. The primary area of concern is a five-way intersection where three streets and two access roads meet — the one Kelley traverses daily.
City of Plattsburgh Director of Community Development, Andrew Durrin, explained that the project is nearing its preliminary final design.
“It started out with a survey and traffic study. After the traffic study and after we got funding from DOT to move forward with the project we hired Barton & Loguidice to do the design. We have submitted the draft design report to DOT. They’ve come back with a few comments. We’re in the process of making those comments now to where we should be moving forward with preliminary final design and then construction hopefully in 2027,” Durrin reported.
Barton & Loguidice Project & Design Supervisor Daniel Rourke said the project includes Cornelia Street from Prospect Avenue up to the town and city line.
“One of the key items is to improve the Cornelia Street and Broad Street intersection. We’re well aware of the congestion that happens there,” Rourke said. “There’s some really wide driveway openings which creates a little bit of chaos when you’re coming in and out of all the commercial businesses. We’re just kind of cleaning that up so everybody is entering and exiting the highway in the same way.”
Managing Engineer Christopher Hannett added that they assessed the crash history at the intersection over the past five years.
“There are mostly property damage crashes throughout that five-year stretch. Not too many injuries. A lot of rear-ending crashes are occurring at these intersections and some right angle, which would be somebody turning and hitting another vehicle,” Hannett told councilors. “So another goal, again, of this project is to improve safety for all users. So that would be through new traffic signals.”
Plattsburgh resident Kevin, who did not give his last name, said it’s a dangerous intersection.
“I know there have been a lot of accidents. So I don’t really feel it’s coordinated the best just in terms of, you know especially coming from this lane to turning. There are certain places you can turn, certain places you can’t. There’s a lot. There’s quite a bit.”
Jake Smith, also from Plattsburgh, said the existing intersection has good and bad elements.
“When you’re heading from the college onto Route 3 it’s too short on the oncoming lane to go around, but if you’re heading from Stewart’s and you’re going either way left or right, right at the light it’s good. The only problem is heading from the college to where Burger King is and actually going into town.”
Back at the Common Council meeting, Ward 1 Democrat Julie Baughn asked Durrin about one of the intersection’s most concerning features.
“Coming out of Walgreens is it going to be left and right? It’s not going to be straight?”
Durrin replies, “Yes. What we’re going to do is there are going to be certain traffic movements that are not going to be allowed that are currently allowed. So if you’re leaving Walgreen’s you’re no longer going to be able to go straight across. And vice-versa as you’re coming out of Stewart’s you’re no longer going to be able to go straight across. Because a majority of the accidents that happen at that intersection are people pulling up and this one’s going straight across but the one coming out of Walgreen’s thinks they’ve got the right-of-way and then you end up with a collision there. So we’re eliminating those turn movements.”
The estimated cost for the reconstruction of Cornelia Street, including sidewalks and utility infrastructure, is $14.9 million.
