Mayor Joe Schember, making unsubstantiated claims that saving the Viaduct could cost $6M and increase taxes up to $2,500 per household, has reversed his earlier (grudging) support for a Public Hearing. ErieCPR's Resource Specialist, Mobility Expert Freda Tepfer (interviewed by WJET's Your Erie reporter Raychel Vendetti on January 11, 2018) explains why crossing East 12th Street from the Viaduct on East Ave. (with a dedicated "slip lane" for vehicles) is much safer than the highway intersection at Rt. 290, the Bayfront "Connector." If the Viaduct is demolished 70,000 annual pedestrian and bicycle trips over the Viaduct will be rerouted to the highway with 5 million annual cars, trucks and tractor trailers. Children walking to school will be in danger as they attempt to navigate the 64 foot wide highway intersection with a significant blind spot, speeding traffic and aggressive "right on red" turning during the "walk" light.
http://www.yourerie.com/news/local-news/schember-comments-on-plan-to-demolish-mcbride-viaduct/910790584