RT 2 (CONGRESS & FERRY)
On Monday, March 17, 2025, the City of Troy announced Mayor Mantello’s preferred design alternative for the NY 2 (Congress and Ferry Streets) Corridor Improvements Project. This announcement is a major disappointment, as the selected design (Alternative 1A) fails to address key design flaws and ignores concerns clearly voiced by the community.
The Congress and Ferry Corridor is home to dozens of businesses, thousands of residents, and serves as a vital connection between RPI, Sage, the Hudson River, and more. With over $12 million in funding, the City has a real opportunity to transform the Congress and Ferry Corridor, yet Mantello’s decisions will not deliver the changes the community needs.
Here’s what you need to know…
Despite their claim of "extensive public engagement," the City has done the absolute bare minimum.
Their lack of the effort and transparency has left some of the corridor’s biggest stakeholders completely unaware of the project. The City has also ignored what feedback they have received, clearly pointing out flaws with Alternative 1A and the need for protected bike infrastructure.
This design puts drivers trying to speed through Downtown before our residents and local businesses, with no justification.
Buffered bike lanes (without protection like curbs or barriers) won't keep people safe from fast moving traffic or prevent cars from parking in them- the prevalence of double parking on Congress and Ferry make it clear this is inadequate.
12-foot lanes will result in more dangerous conditions (than narrower lanes), by encouraging more speeding. The maximum lane width in urban areas should be 11 feet, which can still accommodate large vehicles like buses, but also help calm traffic, reduce noise, and allow more space to be allocated to uses like sidewalks, bike infrastructure, and parking.
No improvements to the Congress Street Bridge are shown in the plan, despite more than $2 million in funding secured in 2024 by Congressman Tonko for a shared use path to connect Troy and Watervliet. In fact, there are concerns Troy’s designs will make it more challenging to make these improvements in the future. There is also a severe lack of infrastructure that will help improve walkability, like curb extensions, in the City’s design throughout the corridor.
Mayor Mantello has a massive opportunity to make Downtown Troy safer, more vibrant, and more attractive with this project, but as it stands, this design does the least to deliver the real change our community needs.
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Alternative 1A (CITY PROVIDED CONCEPT)
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THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE
Capital Streets has reached out to NYSDOT and the Capital Region Transportation Council regarding this project. Neither agency was made aware of the selected alternative before the announcement and no Draft Design Report has been submitted.
“As an attendee of both meetings that the City and Creighton-Manning organized, the sentiment from [residents] was clear: the traffic on Route 2 is too dangerous because cars are consistently reaching speeds of +50mph on some stretches with no clear space for bicyclists. The [residents] voiced clear support of a concrete barrier on Congress Street to protect families and children against these irresponsible drivers. The City of Troy continues to take the cheap option, and not commit to its people.”
If you care about the future of Downtown Troy, speak up! You can comment on the project via the project website. Contact the Mayor's Office directly and reach out to your City Council member. Share your thoughts with us at info@capitalstreets.org or DM us @capitalstreetsny.
You can also sign the community letter below
Community Letter
We have sent a letter* to Mayor Mantello, urging her attention to the NY Rt 2 project and calling on The City to create a welcoming, vibrant, and walkable corridor through this project. This letter is co-signed by various local businesses, and we continue to collect signatures in support of our call on leadership.
Signees in Support Include
Leah Rapp Tattoo
SIGN COMMUNITY LETTER
Add your name to the letter to show your support of improving quality of life along the corridor.
If you agree the City's concept doesn't do enough to connect our community and support local businesses, please sign on!
Feel free to submit additional comments and thoughts in the message section as well — we want to hear from you!
This is a crucial moment for Troy’s future—we cannot afford to waste it.
*This letter was originally written and signed by the above prior to the March 17th, 2025 City of Troy press release, which has only made its message more urgent and pertinent in the wake of and in response to Mayor Mantello’s announcement.