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Route 7 Expansion Michael Syracuse A letter to the community Four years ago I became acquainted with the Troy area and since then, the area has changed drastically. The Route 7 corridor has expanded in ways that I would not have expected. Even in my short residence in the area, I've seen local agricultural fields change to asphalt paved wonderlands and the increase of traffic ridden commercial strips typical of so many American towns. As an architecture student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, I've taken an interest to local history and development. I've learned about the boom times of Troy, when trolleys ran in the downtown, steam locomotives departed from Union Station, and thousands attended parades and celebrations. In a class related project, I tracked the decline of Troy as an industrial center, to what it is today. Much of the downturn can be attributed to the automobile. While cars provided us all with freedom in the postwar era, the suburbs and shopping malls were created. Local roads became overcrowded with cars, and the Department of Transportation proposed a major arterial road to run through Troy, in conjunction with the Collar City Bridge. The prime downtown land was cleared, many houses and businesses were demolished, and the road was never constructed. Further demolition occurred when the Uncle Sam Mall and parking complex were built, in an effort to bring a suburban element (a mall) into the urban center. These and many other "improvements" were based on the mass use of the automobile, and ended up damaging the downtown area and its businesses. While they provided a temporary fix for bad traffic conditions by adding more roads, they thus fostered the future increase of traffic. Today, many are trying to revitalize the ailing downtown, and bring life and business back. While some success has been realized with the renovation of old factory space and the creation of offices, the strong commercial force of Route 7 continues to pull business away from the urban center. It is unfortunate to see large corporations, such as Walmart have great success, while locally owned stores in the downtown struggle and close. I have been disgusted to see the expansion of the Crossgates Mall and its ever multiplying cinemas, while the already constructed Proctors Theater in Troy remains unused for years. Recently, I have been appalled to see a church demolished at the corner of Route 7 and 15th Street, in order to construct another service station/ convenience store. These instances typify our society's illogical and insensitive methods of development. While many residents show concern for preserving the once thriving urban area, and occupying it's empty buildings, there is a much larger trend against this revitalization. The proposed widening of Route 7 will foster the growth and travel away from the ailing downtown. It is indicative of how much power corporate giants such as Walmart have on our daily lives and the destruction of our urban environments. While the Department of Transportation may have little power to change the American habits of using our automobile to travel everywhere, it is up to all of us to make the difference. Imagine the day when we can live within walking distance of shopping and our place of employment, and almost never have to use a car, deal with traffic, or pollute the air, thus creating a living and thriving community around us. All this is available today, if we turn away from such areas as Route 7 and look towards our downtown and its potentially amazing future.
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In cooperation with Troy United Ink Corp., a not-for-profit corporation 
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