City Hall's guidelines for implementing the ERIE REFOCUSED plan.
1. Does saving the Viaduct concentrate investment in smart and targeted ways? YES. Leveraging tax dollars (especially PennDOT's $1.26 million in demolition off-set funds) in order to invest in an existing asset is that is currently serving as a critical non-vehicular connection between neighborhoods.
2. Does saving the Viaduct support other assets or establish a new city-wide asset? YES. Stabilizing the Viaduct for continued non-vehicular use maintains an existing asset (a $15 million dollar bridge grandfathered in from ADA requirements that maintains rare "air rights" over the railroad tracks) that protects children and adults walking and riding bikes and connects other existing Eastside assets, and, will help establish a NEW city, regional and national asset that will be reviewed in both national and international urban design, social justice, environmental justice, civil rights and news publications.
3. Does saving the Viaduct make adjacent real estate more attractive to strong households? YES. Saving the Viaduct will begin an Eastside Erie transformation by bringing positive attention, business and jobs to East Avenue thus strengthening the neighborhood. In fact, there is no other location in Erie that is more dependent on this type of iconic non-vehicular connect than the diverse and impoverished neighborhoods surrounding the Viaduct.
4. Does saving the Viaduct support Erie's orientation to human-scaled or pedestrian activity? ABSOLUTELY! There is no other single project being proposed in Erie that will provide so much vital urban connectivity for such a small investment.
5. Is there money to save the Viaduct? YES. The existing funds now slated for demolition will all but cover the bare-bones $1.35 million needed to clean the storm drains, fill the pot holes and remove and seal the spalling concrete.
6. Does the opportunity cost make sense? ABSOLUTELY - in fact it is foolish NOT to save the Viaduct, a bridge providing a non-vehicular pathway that protects public health and public safety.
7. Is there a feasible plan to take care of the Viaduct over the long-run? YES - once the $1.35 million is used to make basic repairs for non-vehicular use, the maintenance costs drop to under $5,000 a year to clean the storm drains. Since 22-ton trucks won't be damaging the deck, nor carrying loads of soot, and since the decades of neglect will end, there will be very little work necessary to maintain the hulking, massively-built structure. ErieCPR will, as LEAF has done in Frontier Park, work in partnership with the City to maintain and enhance this amazing, irreplaceable asset that has been recognized by five national experts and The New York Times.